People may think self-care is synonymous with selfishness or self-indulgence, but it isn’t. The benefits of self-care are measurable and impactful. This act of kindness towards yourself is vital for a multi-dimensional, healthy life.
If you’re considering practicing self-care but aren’t sure where to start, many of the best self-care books out there can help. First, let’s break down what self-care can do for you.
What Is Self-Care?
Self-care is anything you do to improve your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It is a broad concept that encompasses a range of factors, including hygiene, diet, lifestyle, environment, socio-economics, and even self-medication. Practicing self-care can involve any activities that improve your overall quality of life.
Importance of Self-Care
Self-care has a high degree of value. Below are some reasons to consider practicing it.
Promote Self-Reflection
Self-care can help you look at yourself with newfound curiosity and interest. It lets you look objectively at your thoughts, emotions, feelings, and actions, leading to growth, happiness, and positivity. It’s almost like looking in a mirror, except it goes deeper than your outer appearance.
Foster Self-Compassion
Self-compassion is at the forefront of self-care as it helps you take a moment to think about how you treat yourself. If you tend to beat yourself up over everything that goes wrong, self-compassion can help you treat yourself more fairly.
Encourage Healthy Habits
Another reason to consider self-care is that it encourages healthy habits. Self-care includes adequate sleep, regular exercise, and balanced nutrition, all healthy habits. Doing these positive things for yourself can feel rewarding and exciting.
Increase Resilience
Practicing self-care can also help increase your resilience. As such, you can better handle factors that increase the risk of mental health conditions. In other words, you can adapt to different challenging conditions easily.
Benefits of Reading the Best Self-care Books
A good way to get started with self-care is by reading books about it. These valuable tools can help you practice self-care the right way. Here are some benefits to consider.
Reduces Stress
Reading self-care books is an excellent stress reliever. Learning about your thoughts and feelings can be a good release. It is also a way to educate yourself about how to deal with stress to improve your mental health.
Boost Self-Esteem
If you want to boost your self-esteem, reading self-care books can help you identify your strengths, learn to be assertive, and be kind to yourself. Reading self-care books can help you learn how to say no when feeling overwhelmed and prioritize your time.
Improve Relationships
Good relationships are a cornerstone of happiness and living a full life. Reading self-care books can help you improve your relationship with friends and family, which offers a wide array of rewards, such as joy, laughter, support, and so on.
Enhance Productivity
Reading self-care books can also enhance productivity. They can provide strategies to navigate tasks, achieve your goals, and be more successful in all areas of life.
Increase Happiness
Self-care books help increase your overall happiness. They give you tools to practice mindfulness, cultivate gratitude, find joy, and improve overall life satisfaction.
Top 7 Self-Care Books To Read in 2023
Self-care books are an excellent way to learn how to invest time in yourself, challenge your thought pattern, and explore your creativity. If you’d like to start reading, I recommend some of the best books.
1. A Year of Self-Care Journal
Written by me, Allison Task, this inspirational journal provides a holistic approach to self-care. It features 52 guided prompts (one for each week of the year) to help readers cultivate positivity and joy. This book demonstrates how anyone can jump high and land gently. These road-tested steps encourage readers to think big, act with greater intention, and love deeply, starting with oneself.
Where to buy: Allisontask.com
2. Why We Sleep
Why We Sleep, written by Matthew Walker, is a fascinating book that can help with self-care. Walker elaborates on the importance of sleep, wellness, and longevity and explores the purpose of good rest, essential in boosting mental wellness and productivity.
I believe this is the best sleep book on the market, explaining the science and impact of sleep in an accessible way. It will help you be a complete bore if someone brings up the topic, which is nice because that can lead to your audience having a significantly better night’s sleep.
Where to buy: Simon and Schuster
3. The Spark Factor
The Spark Factor is a breakthrough book by biohacker and physician Molly Maloof. This is a biohacking book specifically for women, helping with everything from multivitamin recommendations to understanding how your body chemistry changes monthly as your menstrual cycle changes.
A real eye opener, this book will help you know when you’ve got the extra energy and when your best choice is to rest. Clear tips for improving vitality for women.
Where to buy: Drmolly.co
4. Make Your Bed
As simple as making your bed may seem, it can considerably change your life and world. This inspirational book, written by Admiral William H. McRaven, is based on a Navy SEAL’s inspiring graduation speech at the University of Texas.
Admiral McRaven expertly shares principles he learned during the Navy Seal training that helped him overcome challenges in life, and helps you put some of these ideas to use in your life. These inspiring messages help you care for yourself better.
Where to buy: Barnes & Noble
5. The Witches’ Book of Self-Care
From Wiccan Author Arin Murphy-Hiscock comes this book that guides spiritual self-care, herbal remedies, and rituals to become the best version of yourself. If you are looking for a book that will help you achieve a healthy body, mind, and spirit, this is it.
And what other round up of self-care books has recommendations from a Navy Seal and a witch? It takes all kinds! Great ideas come from anywhere!
Where to buy: Barnes & Noble
6. Good Vibes, Good Life
This book, written by Vex King, draws from his personal experiences to help readers learn to love themselves. Vex King was raised by a single mom (his dad died when he was six months old) in a traditional Indian household, though the family had times of homelessness.
He became an Instagram influencer, and is now a mind coach. He shares how to transform negative emotions into positive ones and find lasting happiness. King answers questions many young people have in a concise yet illustrative manner. Read this book to learn practical steps to cultivate a positive lifestyle, manifest your goals, overcome fear, and find a higher purpose.
Where to buy: Vexking.com
7. You Are a Badass
This book by Jen Sincero can help reshape your mindset and life. You’ll find humor, irreverence, and occasional curse words in this book. With 27 bite-sized chapters, it is full of inspiring and hilarious stories.
Sincero helps you identify and change self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors, create a life you’ll love, shift your energy, and attract what you desire. Read this book to understand how to blast past what’s holding you back. Some absolutely adore Sincero while others find her a little superficial. Have a look and see what you think.
Where to buy: Jensincero.com
Conclusion
The best self-care books can help you prioritize your mental and physical well-being and learn practical guidance and insights that will inspire you to develop healthy habits. So, whether you aim to boost your confidence, cultivate positive thinking, or have better coping skills, these books can help.
