12 Books That Should Be on the Top of Your Wellness Reading List

By Yourwellness Last updated Dec 14, 2017 13

Whether you are a fan of audiobooks, e-books or good old-fashioned paperbacks, reading is still one of the most important ways for us to grow, evolve and expand our thinking. If you haven’t been reading as much as you’d like, don’t be too hard on yourself. Instead, take this opportunity to start 2018 off right by committing to reading as a daily practice.

To get you inspired, here is a list of incredible books, both new and old, that should be at the top of your wellness reading list as we enter the new year:

KISS THE GROUND BY JOSH TICKELL

We’ve long overlooked one major asset in combating climate change—the soil. Massive monoculture farming and pollution has stripped our soil of its nutrients and healing properties. According to Kiss the Ground, through widespread support of regenerative farming we can rebuild our precious soil health, which has the potential to save the planet and improve our health. This is a must-read for gardeners, farmers, environmentalists, healthy food advocates, locavores and food lovers alike.

TRIBE OF MENTORS BY TIM FERRISS

Tim Ferriss interviewed some of the most successful and respected people in the world by asking them all a select list of nearly a dozen questions. Intriguingly, he found a lot of similar, if not unexpected, patterns in their responses, which he presents in an easy-to-glean manner. Tribe of Mentors is filled with short snippets of life advice from those we most admire. It’s a great book to peruse for weekly inspiration.

THE SELF-LOVE EXPERIMENT BY SHANNON KAISER

There are too many of us who put our own needs below the needs of others. And why? Because we’ve stifled our self-love. So many of us struggle with questions of our own self-worth that it is making us depressed, overweight, uninspired and unhappy. Kaiser’s book takes the reader through her own experiment with cultivating authentic self-acceptance in hopes that you will be inspired to change your limiting habits, change your perspective and starting truly loving yourself.

THE FIVE MINUTE JOURNAL: A HAPPIER YOU IN 5 MINUTES A DAY BY INTELLIGENT CHANGE

Okay, this isn’t a book, per se, but it is a life-changing journal. We all know that journaling is a great practice, but when left to our own devices they can become a pity-fest. The Five Minute Journal helps you take time to appreciate and feel gratitude for the good things in your life and encourages you to set effective goals with just a few minutes of scribbling every morning and evening. If you are looking for a beautifully-designed, positive way to start and end your day, this journal is a must.

BRAVING THE WILDERNESS BY BRENÉ BROWN

I was a little disappointed when I found out that this book wasn’t about a woman’s struggle for survival (and inevitable triumph) in the deep wilderness, but I was quickly satiated. Brown’s latest book is all about being who you are in order to feel a heightened sense of belonging with those around you. In this age where technology and politics are polarizing us more and more, so many of us desire to feel a sense of physical community and belonging in our world. But, according to Brown, in order to feel a sense of community and oneness with others, you must cultivate a true spiritual belonging within your physical self.

DRAWDOWN: THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN EVER PROPOSED TO REVERSE GLOBAL WARMING EDITED BY PAUL HAWKEN

This book breaks down the 100 most effective and realistic solutions to reverse global warming, based on the extensive research of scientists and policy-makers globally. From switching over to clean energy to regenerative farming to educating women and girls in low-income countries, this book presents the series of economically viable tactics, both the widely publicized ones and the little known, that will give us the best chance of reversing climate change within the next 30 years.

THE SUBTLE ART OF NOT GIVING A F*CK: A COUNTERINTUITIVE APPROACH TO LIVING A GOOD LIFE BY MARK MANSON

Raw and decidedly lacking any sugarcoating, Manson puts a twist on self-help books by encouraging readers to stop trying so hard to be positive all the time in order to achieve happiness. That’s right, less positivity, more blunt acceptance of the realities of life. Citing plenty of research to back up his points, Manson makes the hilarious yet cutting case for ditching the plastered smile and getting rough and real.

BIG MAGIC: CREATIVE LIVING BEYOND FEAR BY ELIZABETH GILBERT

By far one of my favorite books on this list, Big Magic can help anyone and everyone rediscover and flex their long-atrophied creativity muscles. Big Magic delves into the unique connection between fear and creativity, and how many of us let our fears win out. Gilbert explains the magic behind our creative ideas and includes tactics to re-engage with your creative self. There is creativity within all of us, whether you consider yourself a creative or not. Big Magic will draw out and reignite your creative fire.

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO PERSONAL FREEDOM, A TOLTEC WISDOM BOOK BY DON MIGUEL RUIZ

Interestingly, this book is mentioned in Tim Ferriss’s Tribe of Mentors as the book successful people tend to gift to others most often. Oprah has also raved about it, so there you go. The Four Agreements is 4 rules to live life by to ensure happiness, success and freedom. It is based in ancient Toltec wisdom (an ancient Mesoamerican indigenous culture), but the ideas ring as true today as they ever have.

WOMANCODE BY ALISA VITTI

If you are a woman, you need to read this book. A lot of important stuff goes on in our bodies—wouldn’t it be nice to have an understanding of yours? WomanCode is like an owner’s manual for the female body. Vitti details how to eat to support the health of your cycle, lifestyle reasons behind sexual dysfunction and details a program to reset and restore your feminine power. Vitti makes the complicated workings of the female body (especially hormones) easy to understand in this eye-opening book.

THE ANTIDOTE: HAPPINESS FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN’T STAND POSITIVE THINKING BY OLIVER BURKEMAN

Apparently there is an anti-positivity trend this year. Burkeman argues that our constant effort to be happy is what is actually making us miserable. And he makes a pretty solid case, citing Greek philosophers, Buddhists, psychologists and modern experts. If the “wish yourself happy” tactic hasn’t worked for you, give this book a read.

THINGS ARE WHAT YOU MAKE OF THEM: LIFE ADVICE FOR CREATIVES BY ADAM J. KURTZ

Whether you consider yourself a creative or not, this book has excellent advice for all of us. Fun, quirky and aesthetically appealing, this book offers quality life advice doodled on illustrated notepads. Easily digestible and universally applicable, this is a fun, quick read for when you need to get back in touch with your inner child.

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