I’ve always loved non-fiction and feel like it’s a genre that can really enrich our lives and allow us to learn from a safe space. Self help literature and books have been around since the dawn of time but I feel like personal growth is an umbrella that can cover many aspects of life that we can learn and grow from. So today I want to share some of the best personal growth books – in my opinion!

Best Personal Growth Books

Some of these you will NOT consider a “conventional” personal growth book. Obviously, I have not read every personal growth book lining the shelves of my local library but this selection have been meticulously selected, based on what they brought to my life when I read then and what I believe they can bring to you, too.

Personal growth can cover everything from your finances, your relationship with the Universe, productivity and more. In this selection of best personal growth books, I’ve included a wide range of topics which will enhance your knowledge and open your mind to new ideas in a variety of different sectors and niches.

Here are the best personal growth books to read in 2022!

Best Personal Growth Books

Bigger Than Us Fearne Cotton

This is my most recent read out of the lot of these and Bigger Than Us came to me at a time when I desperately needed it. For spiritual growth, acknowledging your relationship with the Universe and digging deep into what it means to be connected, then this one is definitely for you. Fearne’s way of engaging with the readers in this book is really lovely, it feels like talking to a friend.

We All Know How This Ends by Anna Lyons and Louise Winter

This is one of the most profound books I’ve ever read. If I had to recommend just ONE best personal growth books for you to read, it’d probably be this one. We All Know How This Ends completely altered my view on death, made me open my eyes to the funeral industry and massively improved my own relationship with the idea of death. This is an OUTSTANDING read.

The Reluctant Yogi by Carla McKay

I read this one a little while ago and if you’re someone who isn’t *that* into Yoga but would perhaps like to be, this would definitely be a great read for you. The Reluctant Yogi breaks down the idea that Yoga is only for health nuts or spiritualists, from the point of view of someone that went in skeptical but came out a convert!

Personal Growth Books

Washing Up Is Good For You

Washing Up Is Good For You is the perfect read if you’re someone, like me, who always has to be *doing* something. Who always seems to have an endless to-do list and floats through life without stopping to look around every now and again. This book explores how slowing down and noticing the magic in the mundane can have a profound effect on your life.

Lagom: The Swedish Art of Balanced Living by Linnea Dunne

And if you’re into the art of slowing down, then Lagom: The Swedish Art of Balanced Living will be another personal growth book to add to your list. You’re probably familiar with the Swedish term, “lagom” but this book really elaborates on it’s meaning and how it’s practiced in Swedish culture – and why you should adopt it too!

Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

I feel like personal growth should always extend beyond our own personal experiences. Personal growth relies heavily on learning about the experiences of others and vowing to educate ourselves on how we can do better to help support and advocate for others too. Why I’m Not Longer Talking To White People About Race is an excellent example of one of those books.

It’s Not About the Burqa by Mariam Khan

Similarly to above, It’s Not About the Burqa is another excellent book I feel is important to our own personal growth but learning about other cultures and discrimination they face. It’s Not About the Burqa is an excellent collection of essays for Muslim women, surrounding divorce, feminism, Queer identity and more.

I feel like my own personal growth has accelerated when I’ve looked into different aspects, not only of my own life but of others too. By learning about other’s experiences has helped me validate and look at my own. Like I said, personal growth is SUCH a diverse topic, with so many important and fascinating elements to look in to.

I hope these books can help you on your own personal growth journey! Have you read any of these? Which ones are you going to pick up first? Let me know!

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60 Comments

  1. Ooh! I am definitely adding We All Know How This Ends to my reading list. I’m in a fiction phase for 2022, but I always love a good self-development 📕 book! Thanks for the recommendations.

  2. Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race is something everyone should read! I have Black and British to read next on my non-fiction pile

  3. I’ve never read any of these books before but I’ll for sure be checking them out. I especially love the sound of the Fearne Cotton one as I’m a huge fan of hers. Thank you so much for sharing this with us lovely Xo

    Elle – ellegracedeveson.com

  4. They all sound interesting. Ive been reading Untamed by Glennon Doyle and have a been looking for more self help/wellness books that can be good to read at night. Will definitely take this ones into account.

  5. These are nice recs. So far, Why I’m no Longer Talking to White People About Race seems to be the only one on this list I’ve heard about. I love essay collections so I’ll be adding It’s Not About the Burqa to my list and We All Know How This Ends sounds like it’s a book that will change my perspective and enlighten me on death.
    Thanks for sharing.

  6. These are great recs, I never really seen them except Lagom! Living in Sweden you really get to see it in action. Dong something not too much or not too little gives a real calmness.

  7. Great post! I’m currently reading Fearne Cotton’s Bigger Than Us – almost finished it and I’ve loved it. I loved her book ‘Happy’ too, which was also really helpful. My personal favourite growth/spiritual book is Good Vibes Good Life by Vex King. Such a good read! I don’t know about you, but I love to read a couple of books at the same time lol preferably a self help/spiritual and a Fiction book.

  8. I read Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race last year and it really opened my eyes. I absolutely love the sound of The Reluctant Yogi as I think yoga would have lots of benefits for me, but I’m still a little skeptic! We All Know How This Ends definitely sounds interesting, but I think I might have to wait a few years before reading it x

  9. While I’ve never been one to really enjoy nonfiction of any kind, every once in a while there’s a self-help or personal growth book that really benefits me. I feel like there’s a few in this list that would be incredibly helpful for me right now! I appreciate you sharing!

  10. This post gave me some excellent ideas of the next books I should buy. Lately I have been reading tons of fiction and left my other readings behind. We all know how this ends seems fascinating to me.

  11. I like the sounds of “We All Know How This End” and seems the kind of book that I need to read at the moment. I might need to check “Washing Up Is Good For You” and “Bigger Than Us” too. Thanks for sharing your list, Jen 🙂

  12. I have Lagom and Washing Up is Good For You and enjoyed them both. I still dip in and out of them from time to time. But although it’s not a subject I ever thought I’d read about, you have me very intrigued about, “We All Know How This Ends”. That sounds so utterly different from anything else out there, a really insightful read. Fab picks, Jenny! xx

    1. Yes it’s not a typical book most people would pick up but it’s SO important and tackles some really interesting (and obviously difficult at times) topics surrounding all things death.

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