Reading books has always been an essential way to learn about new things, get whisked away to fantasy lands, or focus on bettering yourself both physically and mentally. Mental wellness books also known as self-help books–have become much more popular in recent years for many teens and young adults (myself included) in order to increase confidence levels and reduce stress. These types of books have been very helpful as I continue to grapple with my own mental health and anxiety.
Mental health is at the forefront of everything. All of our encounters, relationships, and experiences demand it. It has the power to fully affect how we think, feel, and act in various situations. This power took a toll on many people during the pandemic, as they began to struggle more with their mental health and unfortunately, it wasn’t always the easiest thing to reach out for help from licensed therapists.
Luckily there are many ways to cope with mental health struggles whether it’s through yoga, journaling, meditation, or my personal favorite: reading books that make me feel more powerful and in control of myself.
The self-help book genre is so vast, stemming from empowering #girlboss novels, all the way to calming meditation guides. These books have the power to help you take charge of your mental health and make you feel more comfortable in your own skin. The three self-help books listed below are among the millions of books within this genre that can put you on the path towards overall mental, physical, and spiritual wellness. Even if reading may not be your cup of tea, I can assure you that these books will be well worth your time.
1. Calm The F*ck Down by Sarah Knight
While the title of this self-help book may be blunt, sometimes we do need that straightforwardness to get us to act (I know I do). In this book, Knight goes through several anxiety-inducing scenarios that could happen in our lives and teaches us ways to quickly reduce and manage our stress levels. The premise of this book is to help individuals accept things in their lives they can’t control, and to focus on what they do have power over. This book has immensely helped me to calm down, better control my anxiety, and take charge of my life in ways that I had never thought possible.
2. You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero
After reading this book, I can wholeheartedly say that your confidence levels will reach an all-time high. Sincero teaches us to focus on loving ourselves by giving ourselves affirmations and working towards not caring about what others think. I’ve read this book over and over again, and each time I always come out of it with several new reasons as to why I am “a badass”, as Sincero states.
3. Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski
Burnout and emotional exhaustion are things that everyone has experienced at least once in their life or–if you’re a college student like me–at least once or twice a day. The Nagoski sisters teach us why women experience burnout differently than men, and how we can work towards ending that cycle of feeling overwhelmed and overly exhausted all the time. This book has been a major help for me in battling my own stress and burnout levels, and thanks to the Nagoski sisters’ expertise, they’ll be able to help you do the same. Believe me; this book works wonders.
While I was only able to list three of my favorite self-help books here, there are multitudes of others to choose from that deal with any emotion you may be feeling, or any problem you may be dealing with. Self-help and self-care is always something that you should prioritize, and these books will help you to do just that.