We all do what we can to boost our intentions, especially during recovery. Some people rely on positive affirmations. Others try different mindfulness practices. If you’re eager to add to your motivation in all areas of life, inspirational books often provide new perspectives that can propel your thoughts and actions into new directions. Here’s why.
Cultivating the Spark
Okay, this might seem like a no-brainer. After all, who doesn’t want to be inspired to manifest good things in life? But some people haven’t been exposed to the various practices that help build a growth mindset, and need help unlearning certain thought and behavior patterns to clear the way.
In an article for the Washington Post, behavioral scientist Katy Milkman states that motivation is something you cultivate. “Create an environment that’s conducive to making the choices you want to make. Think in advance about what could cause you to fail so you can think strategically about how you can overcome that obstacle.” In the same article, B.J. Fogg—founder of the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University—notes that “people tend to misjudge future levels of motivation—they don’t understand that high motivation today will drop down to low motivation or that other motivations will come in.”
When you choose to incorporate regular messages of motivation and inspiration into your daily routine, you’re essentially doing the work required to consistently develop habits that matter to you and align with your values. Even reading or listening to a chapter a day of a motivational or inspirational book can make a difference.
But not every message will resonate, and that’s okay. Psychologist, professor, and researcher Tim Carey states in a Psychology Today article that “self-help books are, by and large, stories about what the author found helpful in becoming the sort of person they want to be. Will the discoveries they made about what was helpful for them be helpful for you? Who knows?” He stresses that if the presented ideas suit you, then apply them, but if not, “it might be helpful to consider that what you were trying on was never yours in the first place.”
So the goal is to be willing to expose yourself to various ideas that spark something different in your approach to life.
Add to Your Motivation With These Inspiring Books
Your local library is a wonderful resource for trying a wide range of motivational books and audiobooks. Depending on the book, you might also find free PDFs of it online. Here are some interesting titles.
- Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear
One of Clear’s main points in this book is “you do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” A former performance coach for athletes and business executives, Clear breaks down how to “change your habits and get 1 percent better every day,” calling habits the “compounded interest of self-improvement.” He’s expanded the Atomic Habits personal development concept to also address aspects of parenting and business.
- 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson
Peterson is a celebrated psychologist and professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. He stresses that “the foremost rule is that you must take responsibility for your own life. Period.” and helps people understand the importance of self-reliance, self-betterment, and good behavior. He recently produced “Dragons, Monsters, and Men” to help you “discover your purpose and slay the dragons that stand in your way.
- You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
Author and success coach Sincero presents a no-nonsense approach to self-help transformation. One reviewer states that “if touchy-feely self-help tomes make you feel, shall we say, less than inspired, this no-nonsense manifesto to awesomeness might be just what you’re looking for. Filled with blunt and sassy advice, do-it-yourself exercises in personal transformation, and a whole lot of hilarity, take a day off from looking for your inner goddess, and spending some time cultivating your outer badass instead.” Get a snapshot of her approach by downloading her “10 Secrets to Being a Badass!”
- The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life by Shawn Anchor
“For me, happiness is the joy we feel striving for our potential,” says psychologist Anchor, CEO of Good Think, Inc. Although he’s been doing research for decades, he rose to fame with a series of TEDTalks, including “The Happiness Advantage: Linking Positive Brains to Performance”. In this book, he presents methods for rewiring your brain for more optimism.
- Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brené Brown
In her many books, Brown—a social scientist, notable speaker, and someone who’s also in recovery—explores many avenues of vulnerability, shame, guilt, and other darker emotions to shed light on how you can accept and move beyond them. Leading with the message that “true belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are,” this book provides avenues of insight. Brown also offers helpful worksheets and conversation starters to guide you along.
Ivory Plains: Your Partner in Long-Term Health
Successful addiction rehabilitation treatment is more than just detoxification. Answering the question of “why” and believing in your ability to evolve into the best possible version of yourself is part of the process, too. At our addiction rehabilitation program in Adair, Iowa, we provide additional resources to our clients to help them navigate sober living in meaningful ways. If you or a loved one are ready for this type of positive change, call us today to learn how we can help.
