Holiday Self-Development Book List

The holidays are a great time for rest and reflection. If you are anything like me, you like to take the occasional break from the hustle and bustle to do some quiet self-reflection and reconnect with the things that bring you joy during the holiday season. If not, perhaps somebody on your shopping list does

Consider this thoughtfully curated list of personal development books my gift to you this holiday. This list includes some of my all-time favourites and some of my newest interests. Ranging in topics from mindfulness to overcoming fear to the science of energy, there is something for everyone in this list. I hope these books spark your curiosity, bring you moments of insight and inspiration, and fuel your passion and excitement for the coming New Year. 

Happy reading (or listening)!

1.     The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment – Eckhart Tolle

“Any action is often better than no action, especially if you have been stuck in an unhappy situation for a long time. If it is a mistake, at least you learn something, in which case it's no longer a mistake. If you remain stuck, you learn nothing.”

One of my all-time favourite self-development books. A must-read, if you will. Eckart Tolle describes in detail the path to enlightenment; how to overcome the inevitable challenges of human life and find peace. This book is written in interview style making it easy to digest and, more importantly, easy to apply to your own life experiences. 

2.     Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know – Malcolm Gladwell  

“To assume the best about another is the trait that has created modern society. Those occasions when our trusting nature gets violated are tragic. But the alternative - to abandon trust as a defense against predation and deception - is worse.”

You may be familiar with Malcolm Gladwell’s previous best sellers: The Tipping Point, Blink, or Outliers. His latest, Talking to Strangers, takes you on a journey of understanding the common errors we make that lead to conflict and misunderstandings in communication. Gladwell infuses his books with current psychological research, relevant history and current affairs, making each one a fascinating and insightful read.

3.     For the Love of Men: A New Vision For Mindful Masculinity – Liz Plank

“The biggest lie is that the fight to address male suffering is separate or at odds with the battle to liberate women. We all experience gender. We are all limited by oppressive gender stereotypes.”

One of my newest favourites, Liz Plank, dives deep into the unexpected consequences of traditional masculinity and male gender roles on men, their relationships with women and each other, their mental and physical health, and overall quality of life. This book challenges you to see men (yourself) as human; a role men are so often shamed out of. 

4.     Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – And the Unexpected Solutions – Johann Hari

“What if depression is, in fact, a form of grief—for our own lives not being as they should? What if it is a form of grief for the connections we have lost, yet still need?”

This one is so good, it was nearly impossible to choose just one quote to highlight. Johann Hari takes you on his own personal journey across the world to explore the root causes of his own depression and anxiety. Through this journey, Hari interviews several leading experts, and identifies nine underlying causes of depression and anxiety. For those struggling with chronic depression and anxiety, this book offers new insights and hope for lasting solutions.

5.     The Universe Has Your Back: Transform Fear to Faith – Gabrielle Bernstein

“I’ve learned that fear is simply an illusion based on past experiences that we project into the present and onto the future.”

If you’ve found yourself in a dark tunnel and can’t seem to find the light, Gabrielle Bernstein, is the light you are searching for. Sometimes we encounter situations that truly have no clear path and the fear that arises with uncertainty can be paralyzing. Bernstein guides you through the process of overcoming fear and trusting in the universe, no matter how dark it may seem. 

6.     Meta Human: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential – Deepak Chopra

“Personal reality is where the whole game is played. It contains all the potential that humans have fulfilled, but also the limitations that hold us back.”

For those of you that want to dig deeper and enjoy getting outside of your comfort zone, Deepak Chopra, will challenge the way you think about your limitations and inspire you to reach beyond your greatest potential. How is that even possible, you might wonder. Chopra shows you how to expand your awareness to reach heightened states of consciousness, recognizing that you create your reality and the possibilities are infinite. This book is nothing short of transformative. 

7.     Energy Medicine: The Science and Mystery of Healing  – Jill Blakeway

“There is a lot of scientific proof that healing works, but being able to understand why is really important.”

For the skeptics and the open minds, Jill Blakeway explores the anecdotes, scientific research and the history of energy medicine and mind-body-spirit healing. What I love most about this book is that it challenges you to view your experience from a holistic perspective, taking into account not only the mental and physical aspects of your health but the forces that are less tangible and yet equally as significant. 

8.      Things No One Else Can Teach Us  – Humble the Poet

“Noone needs to have everything figured out, and honestly, nobody really does.”

Humble the Poet shares his own personal challenges that all of us can relate to and the universal lessons he learned from these experiences. This book is a vulnerable exploration of the things that make us human and how to turn our biggest losses into life lessons that will propel us toward our greatest life experiences. Humble gives you the gift of compassion for yourself and others. We’re all in this together. 

9. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed – Lori Gottlieb

“We can’t have change without loss, which is why so often people say they want change but nonetheless stay exactly the same.”

If you’ve never been to therapy or wondered about what goes on in the lives of therapists, Lori Gottlieb, a psychotherapist, provides an intimate look into her own life and the lives of her patients, in this memoir. This book offers an in-depth look at what you can expect in therapy and will undoubtedly lead to your own moments of insight. 

10.      The Humans  – Matt Haig

“This was, I would later realise, a planet of things wrapped inside things. Food inside wrappers. Bodies inside clothes. Contempt inside smiles. Everything was hidden away.”

For the lovers of fiction, and those that need a temporary escape from reality, Matt Haig’s, The Humans, is a dark and comedic novel about the paradoxes of human nature. Martin, an extraterrestrial sent to Earth on a mission, unexpectedly finds the beauty of our imperfections and summarizes his observations into “advice for a human.” Haig provides a unique take on what it means to be human from the outside looking in. 

Read any good self-development books lately? I would love to hear about them. Share your own favourites in the comments below.