My Favorite Self-Development Books of 2024
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”
– Joseph Addison
I read 75 books in 2024. Here are my favorite self-development books from last year.
Table of Contents
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Atomic Habits by James Clear
Self-help
‘My outcomes are a lagging measure of my habits. My net worth is a lagging measure of my financial habits. My knowledge is a lagging measure of my learning habits. My weight is a lagging measure of my eating habits.”
Atomic Habits is hands down one of my top 3 books on Habits. If you’ve been struggling with setting new habits or shaking off old ones, this is your book. I’ve read it multiple times throughout the years and each time I do, I discover and apply a new concept. I love how James breaks down habits in this book. He talks about the importance of creating systems when tweaking or establishing new patterns. We can’t just set new goals and not have an intention in place to reach those goals. I have a video on my youtube channel where I talk about some of the concepts in Atomic Habits that changed my life.
Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
Women’s Studies, Psychology, Spirituality, Story Telling
“Intuition is the treasure of a woman’s psyche. It is like a divining instrument and like a crystal through which one can see with uncanny interior vision. It is like a wise old woman who is with you always, who tells you exactly what the matter is, tells you exactly whether you need to go left or right. It is a form of The One Who Knows, old La Que Sabe, the Wild Woman.”
As humans we love learning through stories. Clarissa Pinkola Estés teaches us how to re-meet our instinctual selves. She shows us how to reconnect with the Wild Women that has always been inside of us. She does this through folklore in the most beautiful way. Each chapter filled my soul up more and more until I felt like I would burst with all this knowing. This book gave me permission to choose my most natural and wild side. I felt seen and loved by Clarissa. If you’re looking for a book to push you toward rediscovering yourself as a woman, this is the book for you.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Autobiography, Self-Help
“I don’t want my children to become people who abandon themselves to please the crowd.”
“ Brave means living from the inside out. Brave means, in every uncertain moment, turning inward, feeling for her Knowing and speaking it out loud….Sometimes being brave requires letting the crowd think you’re coward. Sometimes being brave means letting everyone down but yourself. Amma’s brave is often: loud and go for it. Tish’s brave is often: quiet and wait for it. They are both brave girls, because each is true to herself.”
To put it simple this book made me feel honored to be a woman. Glennon made me laugh, cry, and dig dip within. She encouraged me to walk out of the cages I had thought were locked. I felt lighter, freer…bigger after this one. If you are a woman who is tired. Sick and tired of not LIVING read this book. I definitely recommend the audiobook version. It is read by Glennon herself and she gives a fiery performance.
The New Rules by Margarita Nazarenko
Self-Help, Marriage/Relationships, Femininity, Being Her
“You running after people makes them run. You need to stand in your power and know who you are and practice secure attachment until it becomes you. You will see that your true personality can shine and people can come into your life.”
Babe get this book. Period. Margarita is one of my favorite YouTubers and when she published the New Rules I did not walk! I ran to buy it. IMMEDIATELY. Seriously, if you want the blueprint for being Her. This is the book. She covers self-love, dating, marriage/kids, boundaries, and so much more.
This one is also read by the author. I love listening to this book because you can really get a glimpse of my favorite parts of Margarita’s personality.
The Power of Attachment by Diane Poole Heller
Self-Help, Psychology, Relationships
“When we see that so much of what occurs in our adult relationships goes back to early interactions for which we have no memory, we can then let go of some of the blame we place on ourself and others for the relational woes that inevitably arise. Understanding ourself frees us up to understand others, and that helps us better recognize what they’re going through. All of this expedites our healing. And as we heal, we align more with secure attachment, which increases our capacity to love.”
This book has made it to my favorites list 2 years in a row. This is an excellent read if you have a desire to learn about attachment styles, how they form, and what you can do to heal into a more secure relationship with yourself (and others). It doesn’t matter if you’re Avoidant, Anxious, Ambivalent, or Secure, there are nuggets for you.
I’ve read multiple books on attachment theory in psychology and this is my favorite. She doesn’t come from a place of judgement. She truly meets you where you are and extends love and compassion while giving you tools you can use to heal.
I’d love to hear from you. Do you have any other books to add to this list?
You can read my latest post on my favorite fiction books of 2024 here or watch the youtube video.
With Love,
Lana
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