If you are a growth seeker like myself, you are always looking for new experiences, personal connections, and even books that help you grow. There's a saying that every moment of one's existence is growing into more or retreating into less (Norman Mailer). These are three of my book recommendations that inspire you to grow and even set some personal development goals.
It’s the beginning of the year, and by now I normally have my list of books to read ready to go.
While I have an idea of some of the things I want to read this year, I haven’t committed to any new books just yet.
I do, however, have a few that I have read before that I’ll be reading again in 2017.
In my quest for personal growth, I find that my reading preference is right in line with self-help, autobiographies, and motivational reads.
This past year as I challenged myself to read more I got hold of some good ones. A few of them that I plan to pick back up. And I’m sure I’ll grab something from them that I didn’t get on the first go round.
3 Books That Will Help You To Grow As A Person
The Year of Yes
I absolutely loved The Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes. It goes down in my lifetime favorites list.
I already loved her for her captivating TV shows that have me slightly obsessed, but this book? It sealed the deal on our love affair.
I read it as my read for January 2016 as I was challenging myself to read a book a month. That was my way to get back in the habit of reading and actually holding a book.
This. Was. The. Perfect. Kickoff.
It was the perfect book to start the challenge and the perfect book to start the year.
I read it and then listened to it on audiobook because hearing it in Shonda’s voice changed the whole dynamics. In a good way!
There is something about your internal motivation clock that resets when the clock strikes midnight on January 1. This book supported every single bit of that feeling.
It made me channel my inner warrior princess/badass/I can and I will.
I honestly couldn’t t find a better word than badass to help you understand, forgive me.
I will definitely read this again. In January. In a matter of days, again. This time with the Year of Yes journal that she now has to go along with it.
Fervent
I think I actually read Fervent at the end of 2015, leading into 2016. This book is written by Priscilla Shrier, daughter of Tony Evans.
This book too was RIGHT ON TIME!
It had an influential part in me choosing PUSH as my word of the year for 2016.
I read this book after seeing the movie war room.
It is truly a good book for someone who needs to increase in prayer, get back to prayer, learn how to pray. All of that!
The Good Book
I probably used my bible more in the last year than in the entire ten years or so that I have had it.
I specifically asked for this bible that I have because my favorite aunt had it. When I would pick her bible up from time to time, my twenty-something-year-old self actually understood and related to it.
It’s a Woman’s Bible, The True Identity Bible For Women, and it has side notes of stories, testimonies and so on that are very relatable. It asks questions that make you examine yourself.
It makes bible reading fun and less intimidating. I feel like I learn when I read it. And I live to learn.
Setting Personal Development Goals
As I mentioned before, Reading more was one of my own personal development goals. I wanted to read books that inspired me to think more and be better.
Every year, I try to set new goals for the new year instead of resolutions. I do this because resolutions usually die a hard fast death early on. Goals are more attainable because I can set actionable steps to achieving them and even measure success if needed.
10 Personal Development Goals To Consider Setting For Yourself
Set personal boundaries
One of the things that changed for me when I became a mother, was I learned how to set personal boundaries. They helped me establish the lines that I would not allow others to cross to lead me to be uncomfortable or even unhappy.
Productivity
Setting a goal around productivity can be a starter goal to help you achieve more goals down the line. When we learn how to better manage our time, we are then able to focus on the things that matter or are most important to us.
Better Communication
Learning to become a better communicator can open doors wide in relationships, opportunities, and so much more. Growth in communication is a great step in becoming a better person as a whole with more meaningful relationships and experiences.
Manage Stress
A lot of people set losing weight as a new years resolution. But maybe you are overweight because of stress and stress eating. Setting a goal to better manage stress can ultimately help you reach your desired weight. Possibly agreeing to go to the gym more to relieve stress or watch what you are eating when you stress eat can help you achieve those things that matter deep down.
Practicing Gratitude
Making a commitment to be more thankful for all the things (including the little ones we forget) can improve your overall quality of life. Gratitude is an attitude.
Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
If life begins at the end of your comfort zone, you aint’t living until you step out of it. Setting a goal to get out of your comfort zone allows you to grow in every way.
Find Your People
Make a commitment to yourself to find people that support, love and are positive influences for you. Having good company around you allows you to grow into a better person.
Confidence
Find ways to work on our confidence. If you do not believe in you, how can you expect others to?
Positive self talk
Learn how to encourage yourself and speak words of positivity to allow yourself to see a boost in confidence and overall self-worth.
Travel
Go to unfamiliar places to see how other people do things in different parts of the world. Opening yourself up to new and different experiences allows you perspective for your own life.
34 comments
Thank you for these book recommendations! I definitely need to check out the first one.
Thank you for these book recommendations! I definitely need to check out the first one.