To receive positive messages just when we need them the most can elevate our spirits in a variety of ways.
Sometimes, when you sit down with a good book that shines a light on a new perspective or concept, it’s easy to imagine the possibilities. As you journey through treatment and into recovery, use some of these motivational books to plot a different course, rid yourself of old habits, or take a fresh look on life.
The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
After a horrific car accident, Elrod was dead for six minutes. He awoke from a coma to be told he’d never walk again. But, these events didn’t inspire this book. Only after he struggled with depression, went hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, and lost his house did he find the inspiration to write The Miracle Morning. The book outlines a structure of six steps to practice each day: silence, affirmation, visualization, exercise, reading, and scribing.
One powerful quote from this book is: “The moment you accept total responsibility for everything in your life is the moment you claim the power to change anything in your life.”
Adventures for Your Soul: Transform Your Habits and Reach Your Full Potential by Shannon Kaiser
If you’re looking for someone to be in your corner, Kaiser is that person. Considered one of the “freshest voices in mental health and wellness,” her mission is to help you see your best self. The author of a number of books, she tailors this one to provide 21 emotional explorations to identify the habits that may be keeping you from achieving your potential. Her site, Play With the World, offers additional inspiration, including audio guides and workshops.
A positive affirmation from this book is: “Trust your heart. It knows what your head has yet to figure out.”
The Art of Saying NO by Damon Zahariades
Being a people pleaser comes naturally to many people, sometimes at the sacrifice of necessary self-care. The extended subtitle of this book is “How to Stand Your Ground, Reclaim Your Time and Energy, and Refuse to Be Taken for Granted (Without Feeling Guilty!)” Whew!
Zahariades explains the top reasons why we often say yes when deep down, we know the answer should be no; strategies for turning down people “with finesse;” and the best methods for establishing professional and personal boundaries—something often important for people in recovery to adapt.
One of the lead quotes from this book is: “Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s necessary. The problem is, if you’re constantly saying ‘yes’ to other people, putting their priorities ahead of your own, you won’t have the time or energy to care for yourself. And you’ll slowly become irritated, cynical, and miserable.”
Mirror Work by Louise Hay
Considered one of the founding members of the self-help movement, Hay’s amazing inspirational empire started in 1976 with her first book, Heal Your Body. Rising from a childhood filled with poverty and abuse before surviving divorce and cancer, Hay believed that positivity and affirmations create a foundation for healing.
One of her final books before her death age 90 was Mirror Work: 21 Days to Heal Your Life. It provides readers with daily themes of teachings and exercises designed to build confidence, learn deeper methods of self-care, move beyond change resistance, and improve compassion and love with self and in other relationships.
Her guiding hand is felt with this quote from the book: “Love is the most powerful healing force there is. You can take this love out into the world and silently share it with everyone you meet. Love yourself. Love one another. Love the planet and know that we are all one. And so it is.”
The Life You Were Born to Live by Dan Millman
If you visit Dan Millman’s site, you’ll have the chance to do the Life-Purpose Calculator to understand your nine-year life cycles, and “harness spiritual laws to overcome hurdles in your path.” It’s the primary philosophy of this book, and the predictive nature of it astounds many people. This approach is one of many leaps Millman has taken in his 40-year aspirational career, and it all started with Way of the Peaceful Warrior, the first in a trilogy of novels that demonstrate a seeker’s journey.
His prominent quote that encapsulates the trilogy applies to other aspects of life as well: “We’re all peaceful warriors in training—learning to live with peaceful heart and a warrior’s spirit.”
