Last Updated on March 11, 2024 by Angela Vaz
The longest relationship you have is going to be with yourself. As daunting as it might sound to hear, it’s actually very real and makes you feel grounded.
Loving yourself is not selfish. And only if you are able to love yourself, can you actually healthily love others.
It’s taken me a long time to love myself, and I owe a lot of peace to reading these self-love books, meditating and journaling.
I’m not very proud to say that I’ve lived a long time not loving myself. I didn’t do it consciously. I genuinely believed I loved myself. But I’d often walk in shit just to make the other person comfortable. I always placed the person I loved over me.
And I can see now how unhealthy it is.
In this post, I want to cover some of the best self-love books I’ve read in the last six months that are all geared toward falling in love with life and, ultimately yourself.
Before I cover the best self-love books I’ve read, I want to cover 2 important questions first. Skip these and go straight to the books if you already know about them.
But before that really quick, get my free guide on how to really reset your life.
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What is self-love?
Loving yourself is a lot more than just taking a warm bubble bath and taking a spa day.
It’s about accepting yourself for who you are and knowing that you are enough.
It’s about being happy at the moment and not reliving the past constantly or wishing to be in the future.
How can I practice self love?
Self-love means becoming more aware of yourself, your needs, and your wants. Once you reach this phase, you’ll stop being materialistic and focus more on experiences.
In this way, it’s very similar to minimalism.
To love yourself, you need to take some time off and listen to your thoughts. This is where meditation comes into play.
Initially, all the pain and heavy emotions that have been suppressed for years will come to the surface. This will feel very uncomfortable. So uncomfortable, that you might start crying or want to play some sound in order to escape it.
But sit with yourself. And do it daily. And slowly, things will fall into place.
You will feel delighted with life. You’ll find yourself trying new things, and you’ll be content.
You will also feel very peaceful.
That’s the best way I can describe it.
7 best self-love books to help you fall in love with yourself
I’ve read and own all of the books mentioned below and I never recommend books that I don’t genuinely love and find useful.
1. You can heal your life by Louise Hay
I am a huge fan of Louise Hay after reading her You can Heal your Heart book. It was just what I needed at the time. I picked up this book right after my mum passed away from cancer and it really helped me heal.
The title of the book is apt. This book revolves around affirmations and she divides the book into very well-organized chapters.
She covers multiple topics like relationships, success, the body, and so on. She also covers why we resist loving ourselves and how to get over that. I recommend this book to every woman and man who wants to heal and start loving themselves.
2. A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson
Contrary to the title of this book, this book isn’t about finding love outside. It’s about finding love within ourselves.
This book will teach you how to weather any storm without taking it personally or getting lost in the tide.
There are a few references to Christianity but I didn’t mind it because she was using the principles to bring about her points.
This book will teach you to trust the process and let go. I recommend it to anyone who has trouble letting go of the past or just wants to live in the present.
3. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Believe it or not, I was not a big fan of Eat, Pray, and Love. But I wanted to give Big Magic a try. And I loved it.
I couldn’t relate to it a few years ago, but I began to read it with an open mind and I could see what Elizabeth Gilbert was talking about.
This book is about creating.
Creating with a passion and creating unhindered. There is usually a reason why we procrastinate or don’t feel like writing/drawing/dancing etc., and this book will help you discover the source of the problem and eliminate it with a punch.
Creating is a form of self-love. So, if you’re a Creator, you HAVE TO read this book.
4. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living – Dale Carnegie
Are you the type that constantly worries? Or is overly anxious?
Then this book is for you. I reread this book every year because it reminds me how to stop worrying about things that are out of our control.
The best part?
He includes multiple examples and stories of real people who solved their worrying problems by following his simple approach.
5. Good Vibes Good Life by Vex King
This book is way ahead of its time. Just by reading this book, you can pretty much tell that the author is serene and extremely mindful.
Good Vibes, Good Life teaches you how to become more mindful and avoid anything that is toxic.
It teaches you to treat every bad event as a lesson from the universe and remember the takeaway.
This book covers self-love, mindfulness, achieving your goals, and most importantly – getting over your fears so you can be your true self.
6. Think Like A Monk by Jay Shetty
This book is really big. It covers multiple topics – like finding happiness within you, learning how to see the positive aspects of every situation and also teaches you how to let go.
What I liked most about this book is the chapters where he teaches you to let go of negative thoughts. We are often hardest on ourselves.
This book also includes several meditation exercises so you can really take your time with this one. It’s written in nice easy-breezy English so it’s very delightful to read.
7. The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer
This book is a best-seller for a reason. Michael starts by giving you examples of how your mind is constantly in motion.
And the book teaches you how to slow down, how to become aware of your thoughts and just become extremely conscious of the way you think and the way you treat yourself.
By the end of this book, you will feel wiser and more peaceful.
What is the best book on how to love yourself?
I couldn’t honestly pick one. All these books complete each other in their own way because they each teach you a different thing. You will have a lot of aha moments and just reading one won’t do.
Self-love is a journey. And reading these books will awaken a desire within your life.
To want to live and to want to love yourself.
You will feel joy and unhindered peace.
It won’t happen immediately. It will take some time to get there. But you will notice yourself feeling less sad and anxious or angry and more happy, peaceful, and unbothered.
Which book are you going to read first? Or do you like a book that’s not on the list? Let me know in the comments below!
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2 Comments
I loved the two books by Chidera Eggerue which are What a Time To Be Alone and How to Get Over A Boy. Incredible reads.
These books sound amazing, I am definitely going to check it out. Thanks a lot for the suggestions, Edith. =)