What are the best personal development books? Oh, that's a hard question to answer!
The journey to an anchored, sustainable sense of self-worth is intimately connected to your level of self-awareness.
At the Centre for Self Worth, our approach is to be ever-learning, to be curious, to embrace our own growth edges and reflect what we learn in our dynamic, evolving programs.
And so, the selection of recommended books below is only the tip of the iceberg but a great place to begin when you are committed to unlocking your more.
What we're reading now...
Presence by Amy Cuddy
You may have heard of Amy Cuddy’s infamous Ted Talk where she encourages us to adopt a “Power Pose” before we face a challenging situation such as meeting new people, receiving or giving critical feedback or speaking up. That’s just the tip of the presence and personal power iceberg in this brilliant book.
Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges is an engaging book that helps us to develop a strong sense of presence, defined as the feeling of being your calm and confident authentic self. Amy explains how presence emerges when we feel personally powerful, and this resonates with me and aligns with my own theories on being connected to your innate self-worth. Definitely a worthwhile read as it dances across psychological theories and personal experiences, helping you to focus on the blend of your thoughts, feelings and the posture of your body to bolster your personal power.
This is the book I wish I had to help me understand my discontent, shape my desire, hurdle doubt and take my ideas out into the world with a lot less angst when I embarked on my own chapters in the past.
It felt as though Brene had direct access to my life... such identification. Many people are not aware that this was Brene's first book. It remains the inspiration for my work on self-worth for both myself and the women I support.
An essential skill, in my personal experience, as we can be far too hard on ourselves. Self-compassion allows us the grace to be imperfect, to provide ourselves with a safe place to land. and is at the heart of the unconditional self-support that of self-worth connection.
A guide to understanding your emotions and learning how to work with them, Brenes latest work will develop your emotional vocabulary, transforming your relationship with yourself, and the people around you.
Our mindset determines the way we deal with challenging situations and setbacks and our willingness to commit to our own growth. This classic book shows just what we can achieve when we open our minds.
Susan Cain shows us how to face our thoughts or feelings with curiosity and acceptance so we can step out and walk our why, grow and be open to change.
A fresh perspective on how self-worth is fundamental, at the core of every human being's ability to be impactful, stop being a slave to your own self-doubt and anxiety, and ultimately discover more joy.
A galvanising wake-up call, encouraging women to uncover the voice of longing that is inside by trusting ourselves enough to set boundaries, make peace with our bodies, honor our anger and heartbreak.
The science of positive mind-states and how they can help us bounce back from setbacks, make meaningful connections with others, improve our health, and help us become the best version of ourselves.
Totally, utterly fascinating, and then hugely exciting when you realise you have the power to change your thinking, and change your life as a result! A captivating, must-read mix of neuroscience and mindfulness
Invaluable lessons in how to tame and properly harness your inner voice, Chatter covers practical tips for enjoying the many benefits of self-reflection and introspection while greatly reducing unproductive and negative self-talk.
Brimming with inspiration and compassion, this landmark book draws on award-winning research and will revolutionise your understanding of spirituality, mental health and how we find meaning and purpose.
We can create lasting change without risking feeling bad about ourselves or relying only on motivation - take a behavior you want, make it tiny, find where it fits naturally in your life, and nurture its growth.
We each possess the power to free ourselves from the restraints others would place upon us. We define our worth in this world and we each have the strength and determination to shape our lives.
You can live a more vital, more connected and healthier life with psychological flexibility - "defuse" from your thoughts and discover your chosen values, the qualities of being that fuel meaning for you.
Ellen Langer has been called the “mother of mindfulness”, highlighting the profound effects of paying attention. MIndfulness puts you in the present, making you more sensitive to context and perspective.