My Top 5 Book Picks for Self Confidence
I am definitely my worst critic. Yes, I realize this is a trait that is no good for any party involved. But……hey in the words of G.I. Joe, “knowing is half the battle”. As I continue to struggle with loving me for me, I relish in reading books by women whose confidence and tenacity speaks to me on many levels. These 5 titles shifted how I walk through life, they speak to the chances I decided to take and get the hell out of my own my way and just do the damn thing.
Becoming by Michelle Obama – Michelle discusses her humble beings living in the Southside of Chicago, from her college days at Princeton and then onto Harvard Law School. The sweet tender days of when she met Barack Obama while he was interning at Sidley Austin the same law firm she worked at. Then onto becoming the First Lady of the United States for eight years. Michelle Obama did this all with smarts, poise and tenacity, after reading this I felt as though I could run for President (not really) but you get the point. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with self-worth, confidence or if you just wanna continue being the badass that you are.
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes – I have got three words: READ THIS BOOK!! This book is for any and everyone who at some point did not believe in themselves or talked themselves out of doing something they wanted to do, but was afraid. Shonda’s witty and quirky sense of humor added a realness to the novel that I was not expecting. I listened on audio ( read by Shonda), and I was constantly nodding my head in agreement most of the time. Familiarly I have found myself in similar situations or I agreed with what she was saying. Once I finished this book, I felt as though there was not anything I could not accomplish…as long as I took a chance on myself and said YES!
True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself by Janet Jackson– I’m not even gonna lie, it has been a while since I read this book, so I’m pretty stale at remembering a lot of this. But, If you know and love, Janet…Ms. Jackson if you nasty, story like I do, you know how much she has struggled with self-love, confidence and loss. Janet fan or not, just read it, you will finish it feeling pretty badass and that is what matters.
You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero – I began reading this book in the first couple of weeks of new job. The job I left, I was supposed to retire from but my journey lead me elsewhere. Although, this new position was taking me back to my Criminal Justice roots, I was the new kid on the block and that was a struggle at first. Reading this book, provided me with the confidence and insight to realize, I spend a lot of time talking myself out of things instead of just…doing. This quote resonated with me: “ All of us are connected to this limitless power and most of us aren’t using but a fraction of it”. Reading this gave me a much clearer view point of how to love myself and to stop doubting my greatness.
A New Model: What confidence, Beauty, and Power Really Look Like by Ashley Graham – I LOVED this book! As someone who has struggled with body confidence my whole life, this book was the sweet nothings whispering in my ear; that I too am beautiful and desirable. Ashley has some great advice for me, girls and women everywhere. This is a book I will continue to reference as a reminder to feel confident inside and out. One of my favorite quotes: “No matter what your size, you are a sexy goddess. Remember that.”
