Inspirational Books on My Reading List for Summer 2021
I have so many book recommendations saved to my phone, it's starting to get out of hand! Since this reading list is considered inspirational to me, I wanted to share them with you all here today. Let's get into the inspirational books on my reading list!
All of the blurbs used to describe the books are found on Amazon.com, and this post is not sponsored, nor affiliated.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
Print length: 381
There are so many bloggers, influencers and celebrities that have recommended this book on my social media. According to Amazon.com,
The 7 Habits have become famous and are integrated into everyday thinking by millions of people because they work! The author, Stephen Covey, provides the added takeaways on how the habits can be used in our modern age.
If you would like to know what the 7 Habits are at a surface level, they are:
Be Proactive
Begin with the End in Mind
Put First Things First
Think Win/Win
Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
Synergize
Sharpen the Saw
I am super interested in learning more about what these 7 Habits actually consist of, and I hope you are as well!
Big Magic: How to Live a Creative Life by Elizabeth Gilbert
Print length: 304
I had no idea that Elizabeth Gilbert wrote Eat, Pray, Love until I started looking into inspirational books that would inspire me and how I live my life. This book is all about drawing out your inner creative in your life, and how to have creative living beyond fear.
As a direct quote from Amazon.com,
With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us.
I love this outlook on life and it rings true to how I currently operate in my daily life. I always believe that things can improve & be better, so I am very interested in reading this book in my near future. Let me know in the comments if you are as well!
The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck by Mark Manson
Print length: 224
If the title of this book doesn't catch your eye, I don't know what will.
According to Amazon.com,
Manson makes the argument, backed by both academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade but on learning to stomach lemons better... Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek.
I think it is important to remember that toxic positivity exists, and to be bluntly honest, life sucks sometimes. Not everything is rainbows & butterflies — there is some tough shit in life that we experience and it's not easy to sugarcoat. I cannot wait to read this book, and I think my husband would also be interested in this book, since this quote really resonated with my husband & I...
There are only so many things we can give a fck about, so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience.*
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
Page length: 198
If you have not seen The Secret on Netflix yet, here's a quick description of what it is all about. From what I have heard, this book shows characters such as Aristotle & DaVinci, so this supposed "secret" dates far back in history.
On the Amazon listing, it mentions:
In this book, you’ll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life—money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You’ll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that’s within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life.
I have not watched the Netflix feature yet, so I am interested to watch The Secret and read it!
The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale
Page length: 218
Within my research of inspirational books I might want to read, I came across The Power of Positive Thinking which piqued my interest.
According to Amazon.com:
With the practical techniques outlined in this book, you can energize your life—and give yourself the initiative needed to carry out your ambitions and hopes.
You’ll learn how to:
Believe in yourself and in everything you do
Build new power and determination
Develop the power to reach your goals
Break the worry habit and achieve a relaxed life
Improve your personal and professional relationships
Assume control over your circumstances
Be kind to yourself
Do you think this book sounds inspirational? I do! And I absolutely cannot wait to find it and read it.
The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins
Page length: 248
The essential point of this book is to take 5 seconds for yourself in your daily routine.
According to the Amazon listing:
Using the science of habits, riveting stories and surprising facts from some of the most famous moments in history, art and business, Mel Robbins will explain the power of a 'push moment.' Then, she’ll give you one simple tool you can use to become your greatest self.
I'm really excited to learn a new life skill with this book, so it's definitely going at the top of my reading list!
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
Page length: 160
According to The Four Agreements, life is run by four different agreements — be impeccable with your word, don't take anything personally, don't make assumptions, and always do your best.
Apparently, this book was featured in the premiere issue of O: The Oprah Magazine and on Oprah's Favorite Things 2000 segment. The Four Agreements reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob people of joy and create needless suffering.
I believe this book could provide a positive insight into someone's life, and it is an addition to my reading list for sure.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Page length: 320
I actually have the Atomic Habits book as an app on my tablet, but I have yet to read it! There have been a multitude of people that have recommended this book to me, so I am very eager to read it.
According to the Amazon listing, this book will help you learn how to:
make time for new habits (even when life gets crazy)
overcome a lack of motivation and willpower
design your environment to make success easier
get back on track when you fall off course
and much more…
The description of the book also mentions that:
If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you'll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.
I think I saved the best book for last, as I am most excited to read this book (obviously, because I downloaded the app to read it). Let me know if you think this book sounds interesting to you!
Now that I have told you what inspirational books are on my reading list, now it’s your turn!
Let me know in the comments on this blog post OR on social media @inspiredbydianeblog with the books on your reading list!
