New Year, New Me? Books for September Self-Improvement
At the risk of sounding hypocritical about pulling back from ambition, I am excited about the idea of a “new year” but I am trying hard not to set unrealistic expectations for myself. I am “an unabashed self-improvement enthusiast”- it says so right in my bio at the end of my weekly newsletter – so, #thestruggleisreal.
That being said, there are a lot of new(ish) releases out that warrant attention if you are embarking on your own self-improvement plan. I hope some of these below will help you with issues you are tackling. I’ve rounded up what I think are some of the best - and thrown in a fun (and related!) fiction one, too!
Caring for yourself is essential. But we need both direction and intention if we want to find out what we truly need in the moment. This is where Inner Workout comes in: First by redefining what self-care truly is and then by diving deep into areas where you might need some help. Addressing issues like body positivity, burnout, brain fog, self-confidence, and more, this guide offers a variety of practices, prompts, and actionable advice to strengthen your connection to each aspect of yourself. You can read more and get your copy here.
If these past years have taught us anything, it's that so many women are stuck―stuck in jobs they despise, marriages that are joyless, roles they didn't ask for, and even in their own heads. The pandemic shook our world and now as we emerge from the cover of COVID, going back to "normal" seems insufferable. If there was ever an opportunity to shake things up, it's now. Through the pages of this book Renee Bauer breaks down some uncomfortable truths about the things holding us back from truly winning in life. Because if we can survive a pandemic, homeschooling, loss of income, and even a toilet paper shortage don't we deserve to win? You can read more and get your copy here.
Dr. Jill Stoddard is a recovered imposter. For years, she was convinced that the only reason she was accepted into a competitive grad school program was because her father knew the program director. Dr. Stoddard isn't alone in this: deep down, the majority of successful people question their professional legitimacy a good amount of the time. Why do we do this, and how can we stop? Although she's in recovery, Dr. Stoddard still struggles with feelings of imposterism. She works through them with psychological flexibility, the ability to be present with all thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and urges, fully and without defense, while making conscious, deliberate choices based on what deeply matters to a person. Essentially, we're not attempting to change the substance of the thoughts and feelings that naturally occur to us; instead, we change the way we relate to those thoughts and feelings, so we aren't caught up in constant battle to control them. Throughout Imposter No More, Dr. Stoddard lays the groundwork for understanding the imposter phenomenon; she outlines the traps professionals often fall into regarding their imposter feelings, and provides actionable steps for cultivating psychological flexibility to be able to choose bold career moves despite self-doubt and imposterism. You can read more and get your copy here.
It’s time to get laser focused on what makes us feel happy and fulfilled. Lifestyle creator, advice expert, and podcast host Tinx wants to take your hand and guide you to a new way of thinking about life, love, happiness, and friendships—where dating evolves into era of self-discovery and not just a means to an end, sharing wisdom becomes a collective power, and chaos turns into a source of creativity. Making small but mighty shifts in thinking can be a tool for personal growth that fuels you instead of fatigues you. The point is to know yourself, discover what fulfills you, and have fun along the way. You can read more and get your copy here.
Author Tory Archbold is one of the most powerful and connected women in Australia, but she wasn’t always. With hustle, instincts, heart, and kinship, she found her life purpose and success at home and work—and under her guide, you can, too. This guide is filled with helpful and impactful principles for success and balance as you navigate your new journey. You can read more and get your copy here.
Aparna Nancherla is a superstar comedian on the rise—a darling of Netflix and Comedy Central’s comedy special lineups, a headliner at comedy shows and music festivals, a frequenter of late night television and the subject of numerous profiles. She’s also a successful actor who has written a barrage of thoughtful essays published by the likes of the New York Times. If you ask her, though, she’s a total fraud. Unreliable Narrator is a collection of essays that uses Aparna’s signature humor to illuminate an interior life, one constantly bossed around by her depression (whom she calls Brenda), laced with anxiety like a horror movie full of jump-scares, and plagued by an unrepenting love-hate relationship with her career as a painfully shy standup comedian. But luckily, crippling self-doubt comes with the gift of keen self-examination. These essays deliver hilarious and incredibly insightful meditations on body image, productivity culture, the ultra-meme-ability of mental health language, and who, exactly, gets to make art “about nothing.” Despite her own arguments to the contrary, Unreliable Narrator is undeniable proof that Aparna is a force—as a comedian and author alike—to be reckoned with. You can read more and get your copy here.
Want to know how to speak up instead of shut down, face challenges head-on instead of run the other way, and keep your cool even when others don’t? Talking on Eggshells shows you how. This inspiring book shares everyday character-building situations and offers examples of what to say and not to say so you’ll never be tongue-tied or tongue-twisted again. Sam Horn’s relatable, real-life stories and energizing, instantly usable insights will help you think on your feet, reduce stress, and deal more proactively and diplomatically with bosses, coworkers, customers, friends, family members, partners, children, even that date who just ghosted you. You can read more and get your copy here.
What if all the advice we’ve received about “looking on the bright side” is wrong? What if sadness is actually the key to happiness, and can even be . . . fun? Garner is here to make that case. In this feel-good guide to feeling bad, she claims it’s not enough for us to tolerate hard feelings. We need to embrace them. We need to let them show by crying with others. Often. In public. Playful, at times irreverent, but always sincere, Garner is the grown-up Miss Frizzle for the therapy generation. She believes that if we want to build a world where mental health is the norm, we have to lean into connection and count on each other, even—and perhaps especially—at our worst. You can read more and get your copy here.
And here’s the fun (and related!) fiction read…
A therapist and self-help writer with all the answers, Sarah Slade has just bought a gorgeous Victorian in the community of her dreams. Turns out, you can get a killer deal on a house where someone was murdered. Plus, renovating Black Wood House makes for great blog content and a decent distraction from her failing marriage. But the renovations are fast becoming a nightmare. Sarah imagined custom avocado wallpaper, massive profits, and an appreciative husband who wants to share her bed again. Instead, the neighbors hate her guts and her husband still sleeps on the couch. And though the builders attempt to cover up Black Wood’s horrifying past, a series of bizarre accidents, threatening notes, and unexplained footsteps in the attic only confirms for Sarah what the rest of the town already knew: Something is very wrong in that house. You can read more and get your copy here.
Second Life podcast spotlights successful women who've made major career changes—and fearlessly mastered the pivot. I really enjoyed this recent episode featuring Padma Lakshmi – I feel like she is always evolving and exploring new paths! You can listen to it here.
