Truth be told, even though I’m a librarian and read pretty widely, I haven’t really ever truly explored the world of self-help books. To me, they always seemed a little hokey, and also, who are these people that write these books? I mean, really. Lately, though, I’ve spent time gleaning tidbits from a few of the self-helpers, and though I haven’t become an evangelist of any one person or methodology, I’ve taken something away from each that makes the books worth mentioning.

My journey down this rabbit hole began when two friends invited me to join their self-care book club. As a mom, this concept meant something to me, so I decided to participate. Our first book was Brené Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. I’m sure you’ve heard of Brown before. She’s given some pretty internet-famous TED talks, has written a slew of books, and has some sound advice to share. I dig her. What’s most interesting about this book is Brown’s ability to frame her advice so warmly and with acceptance. This book is for: people who struggle with perfectionism and people pleasing.

I may be betraying a bit too much of my own personal struggles with this next one, but hell, if I learned anything from Brown’s book it’s that being honest and vulnerable is a strength, not a weakness. In Food: The Good Girl’s Drug: How to Stop Using Food to Control Your Feelings, Sunny Sea Gold talks openly about the complexities of food issues that range on a scale from an unhealthy relationship with food to a full-blown eating disorder. Gold focuses mainly on binge eating disorder which has received a lot less media attention than either anorexia or bulimia and yet affects millions. This book is for: anyone who believes they’re using food to cope or who has body image issues. Bonus points for tangible suggestions for change and for posing thoughtful questions meant to encourage journaling and reflection.

Natalie gave me this one, and I’m so glad she did! It’s The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck: How to Stop Spending Time You Don’t Have with People You Don’t Like Doing Things You Don’t Want to Do by Sarah Knight. I’m sure you’re familiar with Marie Kondo’s tidying up book, and Knight’s take is a parody of that one. We’re talking mental clutter in this book instead of physical clutter, and Knight’s love of the word “fuck” is pretty perfect (and pretty Grammatical-Art-aligned). This book is for: anyone who has no fucks left to give and wants to laugh out loud while reading about how to be okay with giving zero fucks.

The books I’m exploring next: Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristen Neff, The Food Therapist: Break Bad Habits, Eat with Intention, and Indulge Without Worry by Shira Lenchewski, and You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero. Ever read any good self-help books? Do tell!