Ah, the new year. Time to settle back down to earth and kick into goal-setting mode. New Year’s resolutions are all about improving revamping what we already dig about ourselves.
Sure, there’s value in creating a “not to-do list” and crafting a resolution focused on positive, affirming messages. But, that doesn’t mean our lofty goals for the new year have to be kicked curbside. What is does mean is we find the tools and resources necessary for turning lofty goals into actionable items.
That’s why we’ve rounded up the best books that will help you strategize and stick to a positive new year’s resolution. And it’s not too late! Whether your resolution is managing your money better, kicking ass at work, or treating yourself more kindly, here are the reads that will help you make it happen.
If your resolution is all about saving money…
We write a lot about money, and for good reason. It’s one of the key ways we gain independence and are able to partake in society. But, it’s can also be mystifying, stress-inducing, and intimidating. Key to saving more money lies beyond knowing what we’re spending it on. We must also grasp how money functions at-large, how we can make it work for us and when we must play the long-game. The books in this list, including some forthcoming titles for 2019, help demystify money by keeping the conversation light-hearted and relatable.
For starters, learn how to make a working budget in Get Money by Kristin Wong, refresh your mind on the basics with I Am Net Worthy by Chris Smith, or dive into the nitty-gritty of investing in Erin Lowry’s Broke Millennial Takes On Investing. Or, challenge yourself to reset your money habits with the 30-Day Money Cleanse by Ashley Feinstein Gerstley, learn how to live frugally in The Financial Diet by Chelsea Fagan, or laugh and learn about money at the same time in Gaby Dunn’s Bad With Money.
If your resolution is all about being more productive…
Inevitably, we all feel the crunch of time, don’t we? If you spent the better part of the last year trying to squeeze more hours in the day, then this list, dear friend, is for you. This roundup of books titles covers varying time-saving strategies, from the merits of bullet journaling (The Bullet Journal Method), to 500 everyday time-savers (Productivity Hacks), to how we can live a minimalist lifestyle (Digital Minimalism).
For those of you who want a more holistic approach to time saving, check out the following titles. In How to Get Sh*t Done, Erin Falconer helps us determine how to zero in on important tasks, while An Edited Lifeby Anna Newton helps us declutter every aspect of our homes. Looking for a bigger mindset shift? Consider Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done, which proposes approaching life thinking you have all the time in the world.
If your New Year’s resolution is relaxing more…
Life gets stressful, no matter how much we may try to plan for when things go wrong. And while we’re hoping that 2019 is nothing like the dumpster fire that 2018 was, there will inevitably be some rough patches along the way. If you’ve been looking for new ways to conduct a little more self-care in the new year, this book list is a good start.
We’ve included some journals and meditation how-to guides (see The 5-Minute Mindfulness Journal,There Is No Right Way to Meditate: And Other Lessons, and Into Nature: A Creative Field Guide and Journal). If you’re looking to pick up journaling again, The Power of Quiet gives creative writing prompts, while The Art of the Wasted Day—part memoir, travelogue and biography, reminds us that some of the greatest minds have embraced solitude. Oh, and let’s not forget that adult coloring like World of Flowers remain one of the simplest ways to slow down and relax.
If your New Year’s resolution is to be kinder to your body…
We’ll argue that being kinder to your body and who you are starts with a shift in mentality. So often we beat ourselves up about our appearance. And all that does is leave us feeling, well, terrible. If you’ve been looking for a reminder that your body is a friend, and most definitely not a foe, then look no further than the following book titles. Megan Jayne Crabbe (a.k.a., @bodyposipanda), dives into the history of diet culture in Body Positive Power to remind us to embrace our bodies as is, while poet-activist Sonya Renee Taylor provides an empowering manifesto in favor of self-love in The Body Is Not an Apology.
If you’re looking for new recipes, consider Chrissy Teigen’s Cravings: Hungry No More, her follow-up to the first cookbook. Looking for the more on the science behind our favorite meals? Then consider the How Not to Die Cookbook, and The Mind-Gut Connectionwhich focus on the value our bodies get from certain foods.
Finally, if you’re looking for a well-rounded approach to feeling good, inside and out, take a look at High Vibrational Beauty. With a focus on self-care, it gives “mantras, meditations, natural skin care regimens, and more than 100 plant-based recipes to help you achieve radical radiance.” Not too shabby a way to start off 2019.
