Hey there! I’m happy to share my must-reads list with you. Here you can gain full access to my 12 Must-Reads for Passionate and Professional Women and learn why I recommend them. As a reminder, this list is specifically curated for passionate, professional women, who prioritize their self-care, just like you! If you read one of these books, I hope you’ll let me know what you thought!
Click on any of the PINK titles below to easily purchase the text and get started reading right away:
Why I love this book: I truly believe in authenticity in the workplace. If we all could be our whole, honest selves at work, I think we’d be able to do better work and in turn – help more people! This book teaches practical skills on how to bring your honest thoughts and feedback to work, in professional ways.
2. Design Your Life – Burnett & Evans
Why I love this book: This book provides a scientific approach to career and lifestyle design. It describes an innovative program offered at Stanford University and shares the lessons and activities that the students in the “Design Your Life” classes have engaged with to find clarity and take action in their lives.
3. The Gift Of Fear – Gavin De Becker
Why I love this book: As a woman who experienced multiple forms of childhood abuse, I learned from an early age to deny my intuition and quiet my inner voice. It was not until my early twenties that I realized how valuable it was for me to re-learn to trust my instincts, go with “my gut” and listen to the knowledge I just somehow “knew.”
4. Girl, Wash Your Face – Rachel Hollis
Why I love this book: Rachel shares honest, funny, relatable stories about her path to becoming a “mogul.” Her authentic storytelling of her and her husband’s journey, her career’s ups and downs, and the lessons she had to learn along the way are truly inspiring. My favorite lesson is “cardio dreams” or “cardio fantasy,” see my Instagram Post about this here.
5. You Are A Badass – Jen Sincero
Why I love this book: Jen Sincero has become a “household name” in the Long Lodge (which is what I call our home). Jen’s hilarious stories about her experiences with spiritual development, career and life coaching, and personal growth is truly inspirational. I have listened to this book at least four times, and continue to learn from it.
6. You Are A Badass At Making Money – Jen Sincero
Why I love this book: As mentioned above, I really appreciate Jen Sincero. Not only does she speak authentically (cuss words, jokes, and all) she also has a great “get off your ass and move it” mentality. This book has helped me to move beyond some of my own fears of wanting more than my current situation is providing me with, and revel in the truth that is my dreams.
7. The Body Keeps The Score – Bessel Van Der Kolk
Why I love this book: This book is especially valuable for anyone who personally experienced, or knows someone who experienced trauma as a child. I appreciated this book (though at times it was hard to listen to) because it helped me see how my childhood experiences have shaped my physical experiences today. I truly believe that with greater knowledge comes greater opportunity for personal growth, and this book has helped me to heal some of my trauma.
8. Receiving Love – Hendrix & LaKelly Hunt
Why I love this book: I highly recommend this book to anyone who had a childhood that could be classified as unstable, neglectful or abusive. This book taught me a lot about healthy love and respect – what it is and how to ask for it and allow it into your life.
9. Boundaries, When To Say Yes And When To Say No – Cloud & Townsend
Why I love this book: As a person who comes from a family of origin who did not respect boundaries, and actively taught me not to have boundaries or else I was not being “loving,” this book showed me some of the unhealthy ways those messages have stuck with me as an adult. It also taught me specific things I could say to set boundaries, and helped me learn to have a healthy, appreciative relationship with boundaries and boundary-setting.
10. Stop Caretaking The Borderline Or Narcissist – Margalis Fjelstad
Why I love this book: Many of my own career and lifestyle struggles are centered around boundary issues, respect, and relationship negotiations. This book helped me to identify and name some of the experiences I had with my childhood caregivers and learn how my own habits were hurting me. I also learned how to release some of my harmful beliefs about the way I needed to behave in relationships in order to be loved, and release some of the “positive” benefits I felt I was earning by being so agreeable, or “caretaking,” that were actually hurting me and those I was unhealthy assuming responsibility for.
11. Authentic Happiness – Martin Seligman
Why I love this book: I appreciate Martin Seligman’s scientific account of the concepts of flow, PERMA theory, and actionable ways to be more authentically happy. From the first time I took a happiness class in college, to the times I have reread this book as an adult, these messages are valuable to be reminded of. We think happiness is something we need to have all the time in order to have a “good life,” but this book unpacks what happiness is, how to actually have more of it in our lives, and how to be authentic about what we want.
12. The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership – John C. Maxwell
Why I love this book: Leadership books in general provide one with a great opportunity to self-identify their own leadership traits, and those that other leaders they to for inspiration have cultivated. This book teaches tangible ways to be a leader in any environment.
*BONUS* SoulPancake: Chew On Life’s Big Questions – Rainn Wilson
Why I love this book: I would gift this book to every person I meet, if I could. I actually have gifted it to about 10 people at this point, because it is such a great conversation starter! I love taking this book to social gatherings, date nights, or reading it on my own and spending time reflecting on it’s many questions. Spirituality is a dynamic experience, and this book brings me closer to the connection I feel with humanity by asking challenging questions that are fun to ponder.
After you finish your first book from this list, let me know!
We in the Facebook Group “Sustainable Self-Care for Passionate and Professional Women” would love to hear your book review! Here are a few questions to consider responding to in your Facebook post in our group:
- What were some of your main “ah-ha!” moments from this book?
- How did you find time to read this book/listen to this audiobook?
- Are there any lessons you’ve applied? How has that gone?
- Would you recommend this book to someone else? Who and why?
