Books are my go-to when I need a spoonful of self-care or dose of inspiration. I like consuming as much positivity and wisdom through the written word as possible. I've been feeling a little blue recently but reading these books have bought a little sunshine to my life, and I hope they can for you too.
Women Don't Owe You Pretty by Florence Given
One of my all time favourite non-fiction books because it literally changed my world. Florence teaches you to challenge the patriarchy and set yourself free to grow. Reading this book left me with so many 'oh my god' moments where everything fell into place and it helped me uncover more layers of myself and helped me challenge myself. The main things I took away from this book was 1) I realised the moment my ED started and 2) it helped me understand my relationship with other women...
"Refuse to find comfort in other women's flaws"
It covers: feminism, living in a patriarchal society, protecting your energy, loving yourself, navigating your sexuality, your privilege etc! I honestly cannot recommend this book enough - it will transform you. The illustrations are pretty cool too, it has a very 'coffee table' vibe if you know what I mean.
How to be a Wildflower: a field guide by Katie Daisy
I've always aspired to be a free spirit. When I picture my dream self, I picture myself wearing a flowy white dress with daisies in my hair walking through meadows picking flowers and natural ingredients for my dinner and homemade skincare. This book is beautiful and a manifestation of that dream self. This book self declares itself to be used freely - 'write in it, draw things, pick green bits and pretty things and keep them inside' and aims to remind you of the worlds magic.
"In each new day, wherever you may be, there is always waiting for you some beautiful discovery"
It's basically full of quotes, pretty illustrations, to-do inspiration, how to be closer to nature, recipes and space for your own discovery.
How to Balance Your Life by Robin James
I simply adore a self-help book! This one is all about everyday tips for inner peace and balance. It covers all the essentials like mindset, movement and physical wellness, a positive environment, happy relationships, nature and gratitude. It's great for flicking through the chapters and focusing on one particular goal at a time.
"The best place to begin balancing your life is within you"
Being Beautiful by Helen Gordon
When I need a self-love boost, especially about my appearance I always flick through this book. Beauty is immeasurable and impossible to define: this is a collection of words from writers, celebrities and philosophers on what beauty is to them. Some passages are a sentence long and others are a few pages - but they're all inspiring and enlightening. It will make you smile and help you navigate your own perception of beauty.
"Beauty is something strange, don't you find? To me it is a word without sense because I do not know where its meaning comes from now where it leads to"
The Joy of Less Journal, Clean Your Inner Clutter by Francine Jay
Francine is a decluttering expert / minimalist but this self-help guide is about turning minimalism inwards - and finding inner peace and clarity. It's basically a prompt journal so it asks you questions that you can write your answer to. This helps you to process your thoughts, find new perspectives and de-clutter your mind. Again, it's super easy to flick through as and when you need it.
"We'll give our thoughts and emotions the same inquisition that we gave our stuff - what are you? How did you get here? Are you worth having in my life? - and decide whether we're better off letting them go"
I hope these books bring you as much joy and empowerment as they did for me. Let me know if you want to borrow any of them and tell me your thoughts if you've read them / once you've read them!
Emmanuelle x