While we're all stuck inside with the COVID19 crisis, I wanted to start a post about great books to work on self-improvement. One thing I love about the red pill is that it really nurtures this idea that there's always room for improvement and you have the ability to do better. I realize there is a stickied self-improvement thread, but I thought this could potentially flood it so created a separate post.

These are some books that I have felt really helped me grow as a person:

The Four Agreements - this is a more spiritual type book, and while I am very much Christian, the ideas are still good anyway, especially learning to not take things personally. I think as women we have a tendency to read into things and make ourselves crazy by assuming the worst, assuming things are about us, assuming intentions, etc.

The Sutble Art of Not Giving a Fuck by Mark Manson - this, along with Boundaries and The Four Agreements, helped me realize I don't need to worry so much about other people, what they think, etc. His writing style is pretty abrasive, so definitely look at a preview first to see if you're okay with that.

Every book written by Brene Brown - she deals extensively with the topic of vulnerability, which is something that has really transformed my relationships with others. She is a little bit left leaning, but her ideas are overall good.

Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend - I was raised with narcissistic parents and spent a lot of my life being guilted, blamed, gaslit, etc. I ended up burning out in a career that had no limits to what I was asked to do in the name of "being a good person" and this book helped me realize just how impossible life is if you don't understand boundaries or know how to practice them. It really helped me understand the power of the word "no" and realizing what I'm responsible for in my life and what other people are responsible for in their lives. These authors are Christian but I don't think it's heavy handed.

Our Mothers, Ourselves by Cloud and Townsend which is a great look at how our mother's influence have influenced us into adulthood and how we can repair some of the damage. I wanted to read this before my daughter was born so I woulnd't make the same mistakes.

For the Family's Sake by Susan Schaeffer - This is actually the book that helped me really understand how significant the role of a homemaker and mother as well as the role family plays in society and to realize what our society has lost as home and family has become less of a priority. I felt really guilty leaving my career since I saw myself as so capable and had so much potential to help people but I realized I can do just as much, if not more, with the freedom of being home. Heads up that it is a Christian book