Books That Inspire Personal Growth & Radical Independence

Self-care. Self-empowerment. Self-love.

These terms are not to be interpreted as self-absorbed, self-centered, or selfish, but are meant to take control of your life and develop independence—especially if you find yourself navigating a major transition in your life, whether it be personal or professional.

Are you looking to break free from co-dependence, people-pleasing, and validation from others? If so, you’ve taken your first step into self-empowerment.

Even during times of adversity, you are never without the power to change, grow, and become mentally, emotionally, creatively, and spiritually independent. You just need the right guidance to trust yourself, heal from dependence, and build a strong sense of identity on your own terms.

So, where to begin? Well, a good place to start is to get comfortable being by yourself and learn the difference between loneliness and being alone. Alone time is always good. It gives you a chance to de-stress from others’ energies and allows yourself to discover what you can do on your own. Loneliness could hinder this, especially if your past involved co-dependence or abuse. Healing from those takes time, but once you’ve learned how to function and be by yourself—and even enjoy your own company—the sky’s the limit!

In her acclaimed essay collection How to Be Alone: If You Want to, and Even If You Don’t, award-winning comedian, writer, actor, and musician Lane Moore writes of how she grew up without safety nets or family support. She sheds light on an often-stigmatized condition and reveals how she harnessed and drew strength from her loneliness to become the creative powerhouse she is today. Her experiences are at once heartbreaking and hopeful and is a must-read for anyone who desperately wants to feel less alone and a little more connected through reading her words.

• “You do the best you can with what you have and where you came from and all of the overlapping messages there.”—Lane Moore, How to Be Alone

Gala Darling’s Radical Self-Love provides a litany of tools and techniques to help you manifest a life bursting with magic, miracles, bliss, and adventure! Featuring fun homework exercises and cool illustrations, this book will take you from learning to fall madly in love with yourself, to loving others, to making your world a more magical place through style, self-expression, and manifestation.

“I believe that radical self-love can go hand in hand with a ruby-red lip…that learning how to love yourself can be a party: streamers, disco balls, helium balloons, and all!”—Gala Darling

 And setting healthy boundaries is crucial for self-care and positive relationships. This requires good communication skills and assertiveness. You must clear and straightforward about what you like and what you don’t, and steadfast in your position.

In her instant New York Times bestseller Set Boundaries, Find Peace, licensed therapist and relationship expert Nedra Glover Tawwab provides simple yet powerful ways to establish healthy boundaries in all aspects of life. Rooted in the latest research and best practices used in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), these techniques help us identify and express our needs clearly and without apology–and unravel a root problem behind co-dependency, power struggles, anxiety, depression, burnout, and more.

Practicing self-love can also unleash your creative side, and journaling is an excellent way to tap into it. From asking yourself questions that explore your emotions, look to the future, or connect with others, journaling offers a pathway to self-discovery and self-reflection. Need a little help getting started? There are many self-guided journals available that offer prompts, including:

• Self-Love Journal for Women: Prompts and Practices for Your Journey to Self-Worth, Self-Care, and Self-Acceptance by Jordan Brown

• Self-Love Workbook for Women: Release Self-Doubt, Build Self-Compassion, and Embrace Who You Are by Megan Logan

• The 5-Minute Gratitude Journal: Give Thanks, Practice Positivity, Find Joy by Sophia Godkin

Want to explore a different aspect of your creative side? Perhaps you want to try creative writing, drawing or painting, sculpting, or even taking up and instrument and composing music. Where to begin?

Legendary music producer Rick Rubin, co-founder of Def Jam Records, has worked with performers ranging from Johnny Cash to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and is a master at helping people connect with the wellsprings of their creativity. His #1 New York Times bestseller The Creative Act  distills the wisdom gleaned from a lifetime’s work into a luminous reading experience that puts the power to create moments—and lifetimes—of exhilaration and transcendence within closer reach for all of us.

 However you choose to begin your journey to self-empowerment and independence, know that there are many paths you can follow. You don’t have to wait for someone to empower you—start with the powerful reads we’ve recommended and choose the book that calls to you and begin your next chapter today!