Best Inspirational Books

When it comes to reading I rarely make the time. And to be fair, I have minimal amounts of free time. I used to be so much better at reading and now I feel like I only pick up a book when I want to feel inspired. Of course, I’ll always love suspense thrillers but I find it so gratifying to finish a “self-help” book and feel like you can take on the world. And usually, these types of books put me in the right mindset to work harder towards my goals.

Today I want to share some books that have inspired me in the past and I continue to reference in my day to day life.

The Happiness Project

This book was everything I wanted it to be. I love that fact that the author, Gretchen, pointed out several times that she is a happy person but she wanted to make herself happier. This would have been a totally different book written from the perspective of someone that was in a hard place. Instead, Gretchen decided to change little things in her life that would make her happier overall. A big part of it was organizing her home and making lists. I’ve always loved organizing, it’s a true passion of mine (do you think I’m kidding?) but I never thought to do it for my happiness. Now, whenever I’m stressed out I’ll organize my closet or go through a drawer of things that need to be sorted. It instantly soothes me! There is also one chapter where she describes how we all get so mad when we have to wait in line. But if you just take a step back you’ll realize it’s just a line, it’s not a big deal. I always think of this book when I’m at the post office!

P.S. Grethen also has an amazing podcast called Happier, where she touches on these little things we can do to increase our happiness.

Humans of New York

At its essence, this is a coffee table book. However, if you truly take the time to read the stories inside you will be truly inspired. I’ve been following @humansofny on Instagram for years. I love that Brandon (I’m sure it’s run by others at this point) shares a mix of pleasant, inspiring, devastating, and funny stories from real people. I think I’ve mentioned this before but Carli and I do our highs and lows every week because it is so important to take the good with the bad and ground yourself. It truly helps to put things into perspective and that’s what this book does for me. You realize that there are people struggling in the world but there are also people thriving and it’s a great reminder to treat others how you want to be treated because you never know what someone is going through!

God Never Blinks

Carli and I were on set once and the makeup artist was raving about this book so I knew I had to read it. The author, Regina, Brett, was an opinion columnist for years and her most popular article was about life’s little lessons, which she then turned into this book. She shares 50 lessons she’s learned as a single mother and cancer survivor. Each lesson is only a few pages, so it’s a very digestible format and you can come back to the book at your leisure. Her lessons are very relatable so you’ll be able to take her advice and run with it.

Yes, Please

I am such a fan of Amy Poehler (Leslie Knope is my idol). She’s hilarious, bright, and extremely hard working. I’ve read other books by female comedians before because I love how lighthearted they are, and generally an easy read. However, Amy’s book was different in the fact that I found a lot of inspiration in her story. Of course, the book is filled with her humor but it’s also about her journey as a female comedian and some of the struggles she went through. She is such a strong woman and I think we all can learn a lot from her.

You Are a Badass

This book was all over Instagram last year. So many women were raving about how it kickstarted them into gear. I’m pretty good at being self-accountable but it’s always nice to re-inspired. To be gently reminded that all the hard work will pay off in the end. The way Jen rights is so relatable and she tells you flat out that you’re in charge of your life. She talks about manifesting often which is my greatest takeaway. It truly helps to talk about your goals out loud and act as though you’ve already achieved them. In my Five Minute Journal, you have to write down “I am…” every morning, which is another form of manifesting. If you write that you are a happy person, you will be. I mean it definitely takes practicing but this book really helps to make sense of it and helps you use your mind to get what you want out of life.

Dispatches from the Edge

I know this book is an autobiography but I had to include it because it was so eye-opening for me. I went to school for Journalism and in one of my classes, we were required to read Dispatches from the Edge by Anderson Cooper. I obviously liked and respected Anderson, he’s one of the best modern-day journalists. However, I was unaware of the path he took to get to where he is now. The way he described the places he’s reported from was like something from another planet. We all know war zones are devasting but it was so interesting to see what it was like from his point of view, as an American reporter. I just respect his career so much and if you’re into autobiography you’ll love this!

Let me know if you guys have read any of these books! And leave your recommendations in the comments! 

xx, Britta