Summer’s here, and what better time is there to grab some short self care books to read and improve your life? Get outside, even if it’s just to a park, and spend a little of each day getting a leg up.
Here is a collection of short books, meaning less than 200 pages, that you can consume within a few hours. Most of them go deep, and you’ll probably want to read them more than once.
1. Rich Habits
Thomas Corley interviewed his wealthy clients over many years and compared their personal finance habits with those of poorer people. Ten simple principles are given in a step-by-step format that will help you become successful in business and gain financial success.
2. Who Moved My Cheese?
Spencer Johnson wrote this book to help people deal with the rapid rate of change in today’s world. He deals with attitudes we have about change. It takes the fear and anxiety we have about the future, providing simple ways to move ahead in life. Johnson takes two mice and two sprite-like people living in a maze and writes a parable about how they adjust when the cheese moves every day.
“Cheese” has been on the bestseller lists for over a decade and is the follow-up to his co-authored book, The One Minute Manager.
3. Eliminating Stress, Finding Inner Peace
In this book, Brian Weiss mentions how stress has magnified in our modern world with harmful mental and physical effects. The book gives simple relaxation techniques in the form of scripts to help you calm down and find peace.
4. Tao Te Ching
Stephen Mitchell’s translation of the Book of the Way, the classic manuscript by Lao Tzu, explains life’s three treasures: simplicity, patience and compassion. In alignment with the Tao, one effortlessly achieves wisdom in action. Your mindset will change upon reading of the basic problems of being alive and how to gain balance when flowing in the Way.
5. As a Man Thinketh
James Allen’s work, written over a century ago, is still an inspirational guide. It helps readers to find direction and purpose in life. His main theme is that your mind controls your fate. You need to take responsibility for your life. From this comes empowerment and success. Once you stop complaining about the outer circumstances in your life and begin the inner search you will come upon the thoughts that bring you rapid progress and ultimate success.
6. The Greatest Salesman in the World
Og Mandino’s story of an inspired camel boy who becomes “The Greatest Salesman in the World” includes 10 spiritual principles that describe how to not only succeed in business, but also in life. It shows how to be certain of one’s destiny and have perseverance until it is achieved.
7. Life Was Never Meant To Be a Struggle
Wilde reminds us that animals do not struggle. They make some effort for sustenance, but do not get emotional or desperate the way humans do. We have many false assumptions that are programmed, like “struggle ennobles the soul.” Wilde examines these, and the common reasons for and aspects of struggle. Then he presents eight ways for you to dump struggle in your life and to transcend it.
8. You Are a Gift
Edwin Shaw gives you simple instructions on how to do your own talent management. Part of your nature is to be talented at something, and probably at many things. But you tend to be unaware of your full potential. Using this step-by-step guide you will acquire a new mindset that will change the way you think and act. You will advance quickly in your career to success levels attained only by a very small percentage of people.
9. The Curse of Blessings
Mitchell Chefitz brings you tales that are very simple yet express life’s most complex truths. He does this by way of a old master instructing his apprentices about life. The apprentices and the reader will be enlightened if they are open to what the master has to say.
10. How To Keep a Journal For Beginners
Sarah Miller has written this book to describe journal writing. She tells you what the benefits are and goes on to give techniques so that even if you are a beginner you can get started. Life is so fast-paced today that too many don’t take the time for refection and recording of experiences. This is to your benefit for making important life changes and not repeating past mistakes.
Follow this book’s instruction and you will lead a more fulfilled life.
11. Thirty Pages to Change Your Life
Shel Shamus has taken a broad spectrum of spiritual traditions, from ancient to New Age wisdom, presenting it in only 30 pages. You will learn transcend your normal self to become more peaceful, happy and successful.
12. Abnormalities
Joseph Solar shows you the stories of many people to illustrate how small chance events make life-shattering differences. After reading this short book, you won’t dismiss any of your life’s events as inconsequential.
13. Life Changing Workbook
Kellie Jo Holly presents you with the question: what in your life needs changing? You know that something is not right, but what? This workbook helps you determine that by teaching you to ask the right questions.
Your subconscious mind hold all of your beliefs, including ones that are detrimental. With this workbook you will have the opportunity to examine and change old beliefs to create a new and better life for yourself.
14. 5 Steps To Reprogramming Your Subconscious
Pat Kammer has provided five steps to reprogram your subconscious. Your subconscious has been laid down when you were very young and governs your beliefs, including those that hold you back in all aspects of life. Use this method to remove limiting beliefs in areas of health, finances, relationships and happiness.
15. Do Big Things
Tony Baker provides empowerment, in this series of little books, to attain your goals. Every book in the series gives you success definitions, inspiring narratives, questions and action steps to move you along your path. You need to get yourself motivated and have faith that you can achieve what you want. High self-esteem and intention help, too. This book series helps you recognize these qualities in yourself.
16. How to be Happy
Are you unhappy? Even if you’re happy, you can always be more happy. In this book, Carla Stein gives you simple tools to a happier life. She has gathered information from research, read many books on the topic and learned from her own life experience. Stein explains the causes of unhappiness and the mistakes you make when looking for it. You learn the false assumptions that hold you back, and how to let go of what’s holding you back. She provides 10 techniques to create real happiness by adding meaning and purpose to your life. You can begin right away to add happiness to your life on a daily basis.
17. Getting It Done, Now!
Hiram Tolworth’s book gives you a simple five step approach to making things happen. You will determine your priorities and with specific action steps begin right away to create accomplishments. You can finish your to-do list by getting rid of procrastination and excuses. Make a habit of getting things done!
18. Goal Getting
Coleen Cook begins her short book by telling you the distinction between a goal-setter and a goal-getter. Reading this will give you Cook’s insights towards intention and achievement. When you get perspective, you see what your specific strong points are and prioritize your goals so that what you do on a day-to-day basis builds towards your long term goals.
19. Thoughts Become You
Are you ready to to awaken your full potential for personal growth and development?. Mack Buckley shows you how to eliminate negative beliefs and develop positive ones. Determine what is keeping you stuck and learn how to use positive thinking and gratitude as vehicles to change your life. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their life.
20. Dare 2 Change
With Omar Jarvis’s book, you have the opportunity to take the most pressing area of your life and change it for the better by forming new habits. All areas of your life can be changed by implementing this challenge, but it’s best to work on only one per 30 day period. By always keeping your eye on the goal, even though you are taking small steps, you do not lose your steam in the overall process.
Jarvis says that starting is the most difficult part of the process. He guides you to make small daily positive changes. You will be empowered with a set of techniques and skills to change your life in very positive ways that will surprise you.
21. This Ain’t No Self-Help Book
Jack Terry tells his story of his realization one day that his life was way off track from where it should have been. He made a long voyage of return. In documenting his experiences he includes his many mistakes and affirms that they are to be welcomed as part of the journey. Terry acknowledges that he cannot directly help anyone, but if you pay attention to what he has to say during his return, you might benefit from what he has learned.
Featured photo credit: 20140719-BatteryParkCityNY/Joe Zlomek via morguefile.com
