Black Friday Madness: My 5 Fave Life Altering Books

5 Life Altering Books:

The word purpose gets tossed around a lot in the world of self-development.

I tend to use it pretty often myself because I truly believe that existing without that sense of purpose leads to unhappiness and a generally unfulfilling life.

But sometimes it’s hard to do the deep work of figuring out your purpose…and then even once you have, figuring out how to go after it, despite everyone else’s opinions and the voice in your head that tells you “You can’t do it. You don’t have the right background. You don’t deserve it. You aren’t enough.”

So here’s my list of the books that have helped me to break out of the gray box of society’s expectations and to do the work I was meant to do on this earth.

All of these are books that have truly changed my life.

One of them just might be that book for you…or for that person on your list who already has everything. (Betcha’ they don’t have these!)

Inspired and Unstoppable: Wildly Succeeding in Your Life’s Work by Tama Kieves

The title of this book really doesn’t do it justice. It’s a call to arms, a glorious proclamation of the truth that needs to be shouted from the rooftops:

we all have a calling.

But it’s not all sunshine and roses, even once we figure out what we truly want to do with our lives.

There will still be those times when we want to throw in the towel and call it quits.

Tam Kieves writes about a particularly tough time in her life, and how even when she wanted to stay in her car and cry, she got out and spoke truthfully and honestly to her audience.

She says, “That night I learned something very powerful that has change my life and has empowered many of my clients… I don’t have to be in the right mood for truth. What truly  moves my soul with always move my soul. Even when I’m in a different place, there is a part of me that is strong and sure and knows its way. I can feel  as small as a pinpoint, but a pillar of holy fire resides within. This enormous presence gets activated when I offer my talent and services to others.”

How awesome is that?

Every paragraph rings with this sort of beautiful, inspiring writing. (Oh, and as an added plus, she’s given you some amazingly thought-provoking exercises in the back.)

Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting by Lynn Grabhorn

For everyone out there who’s read the Secret or the Law of Attraction, but haven’t quite been able to figure out how to actually put any of it into practice, this is the book for you.

Accessible and real, Lynn gives real ways to turn away from negative thinking patterns and open back up to the “feel good” feelings that are needed for bringing forth anything that you feel is needed in your life, from money to the right relationship.

(She was a mortgage broker and used these techniques with her own successful business, so the book is accessible to anyone.)

The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks

How are you limiting yourself to the life you’re leading right now?

Is it possible that you subconsciously believe you don’t deserve financial abundance and a thriving relationship?

Gay walks you through the most common limited beliefs (he calls them Upper Limit Behaviors), as well as ways to tell if you are operating with them.

And then he shows you ways to break through them.

One of the most helpful parts of this book for me was his construct of  time, and how to give yourself more of it by changing your thoughts around time.

He says that since we are all energy, then we are also all time. (I might be paraphrasing that a bit inelegantly, but that’s kinda the jist of it.)

I’ve been walking around saying to myself “I am time”. And I think it’s kind of working!

Learned Optimism: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life by Martin Seligman

If you feel like you just aren’t as happy as you’d like to be, the research in this book could really open your eyes to the power of detrimental thoughts that are playing themselves out in your mind and keeping you from feeling optimal.

It’s not an easy read, but if you are a science-based, rational thinker…then this one will show you the incredible importance of learning to redirect your thoughts, and techniques for doing that.

(Me, personally, not so much liking to dig through the old science-o, but you can kind of skip around to the “how do I change my own life” parts.)

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

This is one of those spiritual books that doesn’t read like a spiritual book. It’s ancient wisdom from the Toltecs, distilled into easy and plain English.

Essentially, it’s a blueprint for acting with integrity towards yourself and others, but that makes it sound kinda boring, and it’s not.

Not taking it personally?

My favorite part of this book is the agreement that asks you to not take anything that anyone says or does personally, both the good and the bad. Because you are the only one who needs to love you.

(Kind of hard to really grasp that concept, but truly internalizing that can break those bonds of needing external approval to move forward with a decision. Or with anything, really.)

This one is a quick and easy read, so feel free to put it in your own stocking and give yourself a Merry Christmas hug from me.

[These are all affiliate links. That means that some teensy percentage will come back to me if you purchase books from Amazon using these links; I’ll let you know when the private jet arrives. But no, I haven’t been paid to tell you about any of them…though if you are one of these amazing authors, I’ll happily accept payment in the form of chocolate and adoration.]