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I like to believe that there isn’t just one straight path to success or happiness, but a plethora of paths. The same goes for the journey that is self-discovery. There is no moment where you just think, “Aha! This is who I am,” though many moments and experiences in one’s life lead you to discovering who you are as a whole. We’re all complex beings made up of so many puzzle pieces. It’s normal to try and figure out how they all work together. To give you some inspiration, here are 11 books that are great teachers on how to discover your best self.
1. Start Where You Are: A Journal for Self-Exploration by Meera Lee Patel
This journal can serve as a daily reminder for you to know that all your dreams and aspirations have a place. Even when things don’t work out the way we exactly plan or hope for, we can trust that they will, in fact, work out. Journaling is a great way to channel whatever kind of energy you’re feeling.
Source: Amazon
2. Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Flow is a book that gives practical daily advice to help people realize that a lot that happens in our lives is out of our control. All we can do, indeed, is take responsibility and control over how we react, what we think, and how we treat others. Everything else we just have to try and surrender to and release it.
Source: Amazon
3. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
A longtime best-selling novel, The Alchemist has inspired many with its spiritual wisdom, encouragement and the truth that we do play a part in our own destiny. A wonderful and insightful work that, I believe, all would enjoy.
Source: Amazon
4. Leave the Light On by Jennifer Storm
A follow-up novel to her first memoir, Blackout Girl: Growing Up and Drying Out in America, Leave the Light On is Jennifer Storm’s second time allowing readers into the devastating challenges, pains and traumatizing situations she has faced and worked her butt off to overcome. She speaks, without emotional walls or filters, about her stints in recovery, finding the strength to face her troubling past, and ultimately, discovering that, like the rest of us, our lives are very much worth living.
Source: Amazon
5. The Gift of Being Yourself: The Sacred Call to Self-Discovery by David G. Benner
This one is all about rediscovering all the good, unique and wonderful qualities that make you your awesome self. A healthy, loving relationship with oneself is one of the most, if not the most, important relationships we all should have. The Gift of Being Yourself is a honest reminder that it’s never selfish to focus on bettering yourself and working on reaching your full potential.
Source: Amazon
6. My Journal, My Friend by Kellie-Lee Jackson with Caroline Schar
Another fantastic journal book that speaks about the prominence of taking time for and by yourself in the sometimes chaotic world that surrounds us and our lives.
Source: Amazon
7. List Yourself: Listmaking as the Way to Self-Discovery by Ilene Segalove and Paul Bob Velick
Lists can help us to get all of our thoughts down on paper and out of our heads. Believe it or not, this simple task can be take even a small amount of stress off of our backs because they are no longer swimming around in our brains. List Yourself is a beneficial guide that includes the best ways to put in order the things you have to do from most important to least, in addition to making time for yourself in the process.
Source: Amazon
8. The Journey Called You: A Roadmap to Self-Discovery and Acceptance by Julie Fuimano
As cheesy as it may sound, life is truly a journey and we each have our own path. (Yes, I know, that rates an 11 on a 10 cheesiness scale) In all seriousness, however, we all have to learn how to give ourselves a break every once in a while whenever we make mistakes. Life is a journey, a path that would make no sense if everything was perfect all the time and we knew everything. The Journey Called You is, in fact, a great road-map and guide to help us to continue to see the light at the end of the tunnel, even when we don’t see it within ourselves.
Source: Amazon
9. Finding Your Own North Star: Claiming the Life You Were Meant to Live by Martha Beck
This one helps readers tackle and focus on their own path, rather than being tempted to compare our lives to our friend’s and family member’s. After all, we are each our own person and our perspectives are unique.
Source: Amazon
10. Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
If you needed a book that will genuinely encourage and motivate you, look no further! Daring Greatly is a wonderful book that encompasses ways to challenge and better ourselves daily.
Source: Amazon
11. Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Recently brought to the big screen as an outstanding movie starring American actress Reese Witherspoon, Wild tells the story of a woman trying to pick up the pieces of her broken spirit after the loss of her beloved mother. Equally moving and even spiritually magical story of a self-discovery and embracing all that makes you who you are.
Source: Amazon
“Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
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Featured image via Mark Manson
