The dawn of 2024 represents an opportunity to take on fresh challenges, confront old fears, and try new approaches. Whether you’re looking to do more, do less, or just do things differently, these five motivational books will give you the new year’s nudge you need to get started:“A Year of Living Kindly: Choices That Will Change Your Life and the World Around You” by Donna Cameron
According to the author of this book, kindness is more than being nice or agreeable — it involves engaging in the lives of other people with an attitude of attention, care, and patience. Across 52 short chapters (one for each week of the year), Donna Cameron shares research, stories, and discussion questions that encourage and equip you to commit to kindness as a way of life.
“Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals” by Oliver Burkeman
The average human life spans 4,000 weeks — simply not enough time for everything you need and want to do. In this thought-provoking book, Oliver Burkeman makes the point that even the best productivity hacks and time management techniques can never overcome the finite nature of life. Instead, he recommends making choices that recognize what really matters in life (and what doesn’t) so you can more fully experience and enjoy the weeks, months, and years that remain.
“Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual” by Luvvie Ajayi Jones
If you’ve ever struggled with fear, self-doubt, or feeling like an imposter — and who hasn’t? — this book by Luvvie Ajayi Jones presents a funny and inspiring antidote. First, Jones walks you through the process of recognizing fear and finding the inner power and confidence to face it. Then, drawing on her outspoken sense of humor and considerable storytelling skills, she shows how to draw on this power to speak out, take action, and make a difference in the world.
If you’ve ever struggled with fear, self-doubt, or feeling like an imposter — and who hasn’t? — this book by Luvvie Ajayi Jones presents a funny and inspiring antidote. First, Jones walks you through the process of recognizing fear and finding the inner power and confidence to face it. Then, drawing on her outspoken sense of humor and considerable storytelling skills, she shows how to draw on this power to speak out, take action, and make a difference in the world.
“The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity” by Julia Cameron
Since it was first published more than 30 years ago, “The Artist’s Way” has sold millions of copies and motivated countless readers to pursue their creative dreams. Whether you have specific artistic goals in mind or just want to get more creative in your everyday life, Julia Cameron’s classic book provides wise counsel and innovative techniques to help you find and cultivate the artist within. Most importantly, each chapter presents writing exercises, assignments, and other tools so you can put Cameron’s advice into practice.
“Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?” by Dr. Julie Smith
Expanding on her years of experience as a clinical psychologist and her wildly popular TikTok videos, the therapist Dr. Julie Smith wrote this book as “a toolkit for staying resilient in hard times and optimizing mental health every day.” Across eight chapters packed with expert advice and effective strategies, you will learn how to process grief, cope with stress and anxiety, regain motivation, and navigate many of the other challenges that everyday life can bring.
From creativity to mental health to time management, these books will help you tackle life with renewed purpose — and sustain the effort even after New Year’s Day has come and gone.
Since it was first published more than 30 years ago, “The Artist’s Way” has sold millions of copies and motivated countless readers to pursue their creative dreams. Whether you have specific artistic goals in mind or just want to get more creative in your everyday life, Julia Cameron’s classic book provides wise counsel and innovative techniques to help you find and cultivate the artist within. Most importantly, each chapter presents writing exercises, assignments, and other tools so you can put Cameron’s advice into practice.
“Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?” by Dr. Julie Smith
Expanding on her years of experience as a clinical psychologist and her wildly popular TikTok videos, the therapist Dr. Julie Smith wrote this book as “a toolkit for staying resilient in hard times and optimizing mental health every day.” Across eight chapters packed with expert advice and effective strategies, you will learn how to process grief, cope with stress and anxiety, regain motivation, and navigate many of the other challenges that everyday life can bring.
From creativity to mental health to time management, these books will help you tackle life with renewed purpose — and sustain the effort even after New Year’s Day has come and gone.