In time for New Year resolutions, here are some self-help reads to help you frame your goals in 2023 with knowledge and transformation
By tradition, this is the season for personal reinvention. The ringing in of a new year brings with it the possibility of a fresh start, or at least a fresh reminder to turn the page on some ways we can grow and mature in the next season of life. Whether it’s fitness goals, year-end reflections, or career choices, we always hope that next year will be filled with life-enriching habits. This language is what we can find in self-help literature.
RELATED: Podcasts Worth Getting Into to Start the New Year Right
While it may be challenging to initiate a program of self-improvement, it’s great to know that there is always more room to grow and learn. With the right book, anyone can end this year filled with wisdom. Below are some of the best books on self-improvement that you can check out to headstart your goals for the coming year.
For fitness motivation
The One-Minute Workout by Martin Gibala, Ph.D. with Christopher Shulgan
It is true that after Christmas joy comes the new year—responsibilities to resume, resolutions to be made, and procrastination to be ignored. One of these challenging goals involves fitness. With the book titled The One-Minute Workout, we can be guided with a scientific approach to physical health. It provides concise instructions on good nutritional intake and methods that perfectly supplement our fitness goals for 2023.
For embracing change
The Power of Regret by Daniel H. Pink
This book gets off to a fast start. The author highlights the fallacy of the phrase “no regrets.” Daniel Pink conducted an international survey to discover previous research findings, determining these regrets. He found that the regrets expressed by people worldwide can be divided into four major categories, and each of these core regrets has its own chapter in the book. Explanations throughout the book are liberally sprinkled with examples from Pink’s surveys and research. Recognizing regrets, whether for things we did or did not do, reminds us that they are a normal part of life for us to move forward.
For endless opportunities
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
The singular brilliance of Shonda Rhimes, brought by her best works in television like Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder, was translated into a book. Although the book does not talk about the adventurous journey of fictional characters in Shondaland, it tackles the author’s experiences as an introvert in the entertainment industry. According to one of Rhimes’ interviews, she wrote this book after the realization of shutting herself up in the closet for too long—saying no to many opportunities and focusing solely on her job. Now that she is successful but not as happy, she concludes that she should start welcoming any invitation and saying yes to everything for a year, including the publication of this book.
Like Rhimes’ experience, this past year might be for saying no to everything. Still, we can always do differently next year by slowly choosing yes to life’s adventures and endless opportunities.
