25 Self Development Books To Change Your Life In 2024
You don’t need to waint until the new year for an opportunity to take sstock and start making a positive change. Whether you want to focus more at work, introduce small habits that will make a big difference, learn to manage your finances, or just need a little bit of motivation – take a look at our pick of self development books to make practical, positive changes in 2024 and beyond.
Self Development Books To Read In 2024
How To Do The Work
By Dr Nicole LePera
Known for her Instagram account The Holistic Psychologist with over three million followers, Dr Nicole LePera revolutionises mental health by merging psychology, physical wellness, and spirituality.
Frustrated with traditional psychotherapy, she has developed a philosophy for holistic wellbeing and shared the life-changing insights she’s learned along the way. This book serves as an essential guide to leading a more joyful and authentic life.
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The Body Keeps The Score
By Bessel van der Kolk
Dive into the transformative insights of “The Body Keeps The Score” by Bessel van der Kolk, a riveting exploration of the lingering impact of past emotions on our bodies and minds. Van der Kolk’s lifelong dedication unveils the profound effects of stress, providing practical tips to liberate ourselves from its grip.
Discover how to untangle the past, rejuvenate your life, and step into a future unburdened by the weight of past experiences. An eye-opening read that will help you pave the way towards a more fulfilling life.
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The Course Of Love
By Alain de Botton
In this book, acclaimed philosopher Alain de Botton unravels the illusion of ‘happily ever after.’ Exploring the complexities of modern marriage, the book offers a dose of reality through relatable anecdotes and valuable learning moments. Far from romanticised notions, de Botton’s work embraces the messy, authentic side of relationships, providing readers with a refreshing perspective on love.
In a world inundated with fairy-tale ideals, “The Course of Love” stands as a beacon of wisdom, offering genuine insights to help us navigate the beautiful chaos of contemporary relationships.
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IKIGAI
By Héctor García & Francesc Miralles
The concept of “Ikigai” is a Japanese term translating to “a reason to live”, and this book offers a roadmap to align your needs, wants, and desires. It simplifies the quest for joy, acknowledging the challenges of turning passion into a career, prioritising wellness and cultivating a purposeful life.
The authors highlight the transformative impact of small changes, and how by embracing this philosophy we can enhance our wellbeing for a longer, more fulfilling life.
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How To Fail
By Elizabeth Day
A captivating blend of memoir and inspiration derived from her celebrated podcast, Elizabeth Day’s “How to Fail” encourages a powerful message about how embracing failure can actually be a pathway to success.
She skillfully illustrates that within failure lies the seeds of growth. “How to Fail” is a poignant reminder that stumbling blocks often pave the way for personal triumphs, and sometimes, things going wrong is a beautiful part of our journey.
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The Discomfort Zone
By Farrah Storr
Farrah Storr challenges comfort zones in this insightful guide, urging us to confront our fears and thrive when challenged. The former Elle UK editor-in-chief advocates for the notion that growth arises from “brief moments of discomfort,” presenting an adaptable method to navigating these moments and emerging victorious.
She inspires readers to explore their discomfort, access their untapped potential and discover the extraordinary possibilities that await beyond their comfort zones.
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Just One Thing
By Michael Mosley
Dr. Michael Mosley’s “Just One Thing” is an adaptation of the popular BBC podcast that delves into simple, surprising everyday changes that can have a big impact on your mental and physical health.
Alongside experts and special guests, the author road tests these practical tips to help you enhance your everyday life.
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If In Doubt, Wash Your Hair
By Anya Hindmarch
From quick fixes and practical tips to advice on confidence and creativity, Anya Hindmarch’s wise, practical and realistic self development book will show you how to live your life a little better. Sometimes, the answer can be as simple as washing your hair (we’ve all been there).
A mother of five, stepmother, entrepreneur and globally renowned businesswoman, in If In Doubt, Wash Your Hair, Anya Hindmarch shares what she’s learned during her busy life, what she still worries about, and the advice she’s received along the way.
Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?
By Dr Julie Smith
Tackling the everyday issues that affect us all, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? offers easy practical solutions to life’s ups and downs – think of it as your very own therapist toolkit.
This is a must-have self-help book for optimising your mental health, with expert advice and powerful coping techniques that will help you stay resilient no matter what life throws your way.
Written in short, bite-sized entries, you can turn straight to the section you need to find help with managing anxiety, dealing with criticism, battling low mood, building self-confidence, finding motivation, and learning to forgive yourself.
Get Your Sh*t Together
By Sarah Knight
In her bestselling self help book, The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k, ‘anti-guru’ Sarah Knight introduced us to the joys of mental decluttering. Get Your Sh*t Together takes it one step further – organizing the f*cks you want and need to give to help you quit your day job and move abroad, balance work and fun (and save money while you’re at it), or tackle that project you’ve been putting off.
In short, this book will help you get your sh*t together.
Speak Your Truth
By Fearne Cotton
Speak Your Truth came to be when Fearne was told that she was at risk of needing a throat operation. A voice that’s familiar to millions through television, radio or her Happy Place podcast, in Speak Your Truth, Fearne contemplates what silence would mean for her, and reflects on times her voice has gone unheard as a young woman.
Brave, vulnerable and deeply personal, Speak Your Truth dives into all the ways we learn to stay quiet for the wrong reasons, and explores how to find your voice, assert yourself and speak out with confidence.
You Are A Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life
By Jen Sincero
A fresh take on a self development book, this entertaining how-to guide serves up 27 bite-sized chapters full of hilarious, inspiring stories and easy exercises from bestselling author and success coach Jen Sincero.
You Are A Badass will help you identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviours that stop you from getting what you want, creating a life you love, and making money – with the occasional, refreshing swear word along the way.
Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love Is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness
By Vex King
Change the way you think, feel, speak and act, and you’ll begin to change the world. That’s what we can learn from Vex King’s wisdom in Good Vibes, Good Life, which oozes self-love and positive vibes.
Having overcome adversity and becoming an inspiration for thousands of young people, this book draws from Vex’s personal experiences to help you find your higher purpose, overcome toxic energy, invite great opportunities into your life, cultivate positive lifestyle habits, overcome fear and manifest your goals.
The 5AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life
By Robin Sharma
Ever wonder how great geniuses, business titans and the world’s wisest people start their mornings? The 5am Club is their secret.
In this life-changing self-development book, you’ll discover the early-rising habit that’s helped so many accomplish amazing results whilst upgrading their happiness at the same time. Based on a revolutionary morning routine, elite performance expert Robin Sharma will help you maximise your productivity, activate your best health and bulletproof your serenity.
MANIFEST
By Roxie Nafousi
Manifesting is the self-development practice to help you reach your goals, cultivate self-love and live your best life.
A philosophy practised by millions, self-development coach and ‘Queen of Manifesting’ Roxie Nafousi’s book MANIFEST will help you turn your dreams into reality with her simple, seven-step guide to feeling more empowered and creating the life you’ve always dreamed of.
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
By James Clear
Think that if you want to change your life you have to make big, drastic changes? Think again. In this ground-breaking book, world-renowned habits expert James Clear reveal how making minuscule changes can result in life-altering outcomes.
From inspiring stories of Olympic gold medallists and leading CEOS to cutting-edge psychology and simple life hacks, in Atomic Habits you’ll learn the science and compound effect of tiny habits that will keep you productive, motivated and happy.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
By Elizabeth Gilbert
Whether you want to write a book, create art, cope with challenges at work, or simply make your everyday life more vivid and rewarding, Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic will take you on a journey of creative exploration filled with wonder and unexpected joy.
Sharing her wisdom and unique understanding of creativity, as well as stories from her own life, Big Magic will challenge you to embrace your curiosity, tackle what you love most, and face down what you fear. A must-read for any creative.
The Comfort Book
By Matt Haig
As someone who owns and loves Matt Haig’s entire collection, choosing just one of his books is quite the challenge. The Comfort Book however is unique and special – a book to reach for when you’re feeling low and don’t feel like reading a book.
Made up of reflections on hope, maxims and memoirs to soothe modern minds, it’s full to the brim with comforting life lessons to help make the bad days better.
The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (And Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did)
By Philippa Perry
Full of judgment-free, actionable advice, Philippa Perry’s The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read takes a deep dive into the elements that lead to good parent-child relationships and helps you understand how your own upbringing may affect your parenting.
Clever and funny, this book will help you break negative cycles and handle both your own and your child’s feelings – whilst acknowledging that there’s no ‘perfect’ way to parent.
How To Win Friends And Influence People
By Dale Carnegie
One of the most groundbreaking and timeless bestselling self-help books of all time, read by millions of people across the globe, How to Win Friends & Influence People is a must-read for anyone who wants to achieve their maximum potential.
In the book, you’ll learn six ways to make people like you, twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking, and nine ways to change people without arousing resentment. A practical, helpful guide to taking any situation in life and making it work for you.
The Life Changing Magic Of Tidying Up
By Marie Kondo
With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house “spark joy” (and which don’t), Marie Kondo’s international bestseller will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home—bringing with it the calm and motivated mindset it can inspire.
The book that inspired the hit Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, introducing you to the KonMari Method and its revolutionary category-by-category decluttering system, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you’ll never have to do it again.
Deep Work: Rules For Focused Success In A Distracted World
By Cal Newport
Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a demanding task – a skill that in an ever-distracting world is becoming increasingly rare.
In Deep Work, Cal Newport will teach you how to cultivate a deep work ethic that will produce huge benefits, quickly mastering complicated information and producing better results in less time. You’ll learn a rigorous training regimen, presented as a series of four “rules,” for transforming your mind and habits to support this skill – and send you on your way to achieving extraordinary results.
Toxic Positivity: Keeping It Real in a World Obsessed with Being Happy
By Whitney Goodman
It seems like every day we’re met with pressure to be positive. But constant positivity isn’t necessarily a good thing, often leading to anxiety, burnout, and little space to process our real feelings.
In this refreshing and honest guide, therapist Whitney Goodman explores just how damaging toxic positivity can be to ourselves and our relationships, owning our own emotions, and showing up authentically as you truly are.
Financial Wellness And How To Find It
By Melaine Eusebe
Full of tools and resources to reset your relationship with money, Financial Wellness and How to Find It will teach you to approach your finances as you do your health and wellness and take positive action towards financial happiness. And that doesn’t necessarily mean being rich – instead, this book will help you understand your emotions around money, and become aware of how your self-worth impacts what you think you deserve.
An essential read for anyone who wants to get a better grip on their finances for 2024.
Out Of Office: The Big Problem And Bigger Promise Of Working From Home
By Anne Helen Peterson & Charlie Warzel
In a post-pandemic world, we’re seeing two employer trends – companies that have gone fully remote, and companies that are itching to get employees back to the office full time. But the lockdowns of 2020/2021 have shown us all a new way of working – one that isn’t confined to any one location, and the best working environments are those that benefit companies and employees alike.
Out Of Office shines a light on the factors that should be driving the conversation: trust, fairness, flexibility, inclusive workplaces, equity and work-life balance, communicating that ultimately, companies that listen to their employees will be more productive and more profitable.
An insightful read for anyone navigating the world of hybrid work – from employees to managers – that highlights the revolutionary potential of working from home.