Here is a list of more books on living your life in your own authentic and kick-ass way and feeling good about doing it!
I hope it isn’t a secret to anyone who reads my blog, I’m far from perfect, and I’m always on a quest to learn and grow! I’m going to admit right up front that I have not read many of these books… yet. But I was looking around for more books on this topic (because I’m a big believer in living authentically, of course!) for my own use and thought, why not share what I found with you? So, the following is a list of books that are now on my “to read” list, and I hope you might be interested in some of them, too!
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The Little Book on Authenticity
by Dr. Nina Burrowes
Have you spent most of your life fitting in? Are you unsure about who you are? Who you should be? Who you want to be? Welcome to a fresh look at authenticity. Find out why being authentic is much more interesting than simply revealing who you are; why fitting in is so tempting to do; and why being authentic is the only doorway to your self. An illustrated book from cartooning psychologist Dr Nina Burrowes.
from The Little Book on Authenticity description on Bookshop
This little book looks like it is probably quite useful and fun! Dr. Nina Burrowes is both a cartoonist and a psychologist, and this book talks about some important psychology-based ideas but does it through illustrations. It seems to me that the author is living her own advice about living authentically!
Looking through various reviews of this book, I get the idea that this book can easily appeal to teens and older children but that adults may ultimately be the intended audience. Many people say this book explains in an accessible way what can sometimes be treated in overly complex ways by other authors. One reviewer wrote (since it is all done in cartoons), “Read it in 10 minutes, and then come back and read it again over 10 weeks. This book is important.” So! This definitely sounds like my kind of book!
Living Authentically:
Embracing Your Unique Identity by Dorothy Vincent
The book also explores the importance of body positivity, self-care, and developing a growth mindset. Through the lens of gratitude and appreciation, readers will gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world, and learn to embrace diversity and spirituality as essential parts of their authentic identity.
from Living Authentically description on Bookshop
What drew me to this book was some of the wording in the description. I love that this book focuses on the importance of body positivity, for one thing. I have a lot of books on my list that are solely about body positivity and self-care around finding out how to live in the bodies we were blessed with. I love that this is a book about living authentically, and body positivity is a part of the bigger picture.
I’m very drawn to having and/or developing a growth mindset. I have always had a learning and growth mindset, and I thought that was typical. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that having that mindset isn’t necessarily always the norm or even encouraged. But I think it is one of the most valuable things we can strive to have and be in the world.
To top it off, in the description, it is mentioned that the book helps us to learn to embrace diversity and spirituality as essential parts of our authentic identity. When it comes to me, I think this book may be preaching to the choir, but I am always open to seeing how others write about and teach these concepts, and of course, I’m always open to the idea that I have more to learn!
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck:
A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson
There are only so many things we can give a f**k about so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.
from The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k description on Bookshop
I did read this book several years ago. I had been struggling because I couldn’t find where I fit in anymore. The start of the pandemic shocked me because it showed me sides of people I had always thought I fit in with, and suddenly I felt like a stranger in their midst. So, I was searching for a way to come to terms with all that and move forward in life. I found this book and thought, well, maybe it will be the thing to help.
I’ll admit that I’m probably more drawn to this book because of the “F*ck” in the title. I realize it is probably a bit of a cheap marketing tactic, but then again, it tells you whether this book will speak to you or not. I’m attracted to rebellion-type messages, and sometimes when we’re trying to find and set free our authentic selves, it can feel a lot like a rebellious undertaking. And I think that is the charm of this book. The author does reflect that feeling in his writing and his style.
This book did help me to feel better about where I was in life at the time. While I’ve always felt like I was living a pretty authentic life, it still took me a while to get where I am today, and this is one of the books that catapulted the current iteration of my authentic me. Just to explain, I think it is natural and normal to find the deeper parts of ourselves and our authenticity in layers as we get older. So, at 50, we may well be a whole other person than we were at 20, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! I recommend this book if, like me, you’re a little bit irreverent and maybe need a little more permission to shed parts of you that no longer fit or you are just looking to live a more contented and grounded life.
How to Be Weird:
An Off-Kilter Guide to Living a One-Of-A-Kind Life by Eric G. Wilson
A guidebook for beating the monotony of the everyday by purposefully cultivating the surprising joys that come from living an off-kilter life.
It’s all too easy to get caught up in the often monotonous nature of our day to day–moving from one rote task to the next, only to rinse and repeat the next day. Weirdness, however, is an easily accessible antidote to these feelings of languishing. The quirky, eccentric, and peculiar can take us out of our normal habits of thought and perception, surprising us by breaking up our routines and reminding us that there’s more to life than the everyday.
from How to Be Weird description on Bookshop
Ok! Now, this one is also speaking my language! How to be weird! What’s more authentic than letting your brand of weirdness come out? I’ve always considered myself to be weird. I have a page on Facebook, pretty much for my own amusement, lovingly called called “God Bless the Freaks,” where I share weird and funny stuff that makes me laugh in hopes that other people will laugh too. I’ve always sort of considered that I have a place in the “Freak” group for life. I’ve lived a pretty off-beat, kind of strange and weird life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
So, what attracts me to this book is that it has suggestions and exercises to help you embrace your weirdness and how to find more of it in the world. It seems like this book could help a person to see life differently and to live it more freely. If that idea appeals to you, as it does to me, this may be the right book for you. Honestly, I’ve always loved to be weird. I’ve always loved being a “freak.” And I’ve always loved finding people who love their own weirdness and want to share it with others.
Being Weird Is a Wonderful Thing:
Inspiration for Living Your Truest Self by Kathryn Petras and Ross Petras
A gift that celebrates being yourself in your own unique way.
Do you ever feel different? A little weird, a little wacky? It’s time to own it, because, as Meryl Streep proclaimed, “what makes you different or weird, that’s your strength.” In this inspiring collection, singers, poets, actors, activists, comedians, designers, athletes, and philosophers share wise and pithy reflections on what it’s like to march to the beat of a different drummer. Every statement is a powerful, positive reminder that to live successfully is to be completely unapologetically you.
from Being Weird Is a Wonderful Thing description on Bookshop
This one checks off a couple of boxes for me, which is why I’m drawn to it. Maybe it checks off a couple of the same boxes for you too, so I thought I’d tell you a little about why this will be a good book to add to my collection.
First of all, of course, I love the title. Another book about being weird. I love being weird myself, and I love that books that celebrate being weird are being written. Maybe I feared being weird when I was a kid, but now I just wave my “freak” flag high and don’t worry about it. The people that matter don’t mind, and the people that mind really ought not to matter to me! So I love the title of this book and what it seems to be celebrating,
Secondly, I am a mad quotation collector from years and years ago. Before there were two gazillion or so places on the internet where you can look up any quote you might have on your mind, the only way to collect quotes was to keep your own list. I used to collect so many favorite quotes that I’d often even make special “quote” books for my friends as gifts. I’d select quotes to share with that specific person and either hand-write them into a journal-type book or type them up and take the pages to a print shop to be spiral bound. I’m a quotation lover, for sure! So, the fact that this is a collection of quotes about marching to your own drummer is just super cool, as far as I’m concerned!
Authenticity
The truth is that the word “authenticity” is kind of a buzzword of our times. I think many authors, creators, celebrities, life coaches, and so on use this word a lot. Maybe a little too much. And maybe, to some degree, it has lost some meaning in its ubiquitousness. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still strive to live authentically or allow our most authentic selves to shine. Hopefully, some of these books will strike your fancy as much as they have mine.
These books and more can be purchased from The Sparkling Soul Bookshop on Bookshop.org. Bookshop.org is a fantastic alternative to buying books on Amazon. Bookshop.org sources your book purchases from local bookstores. Buying from Bookshop.org is a great way to shop locally with the convenience of online ordering!
If you want more recommendations for books on Authenticity, check out my article, 5 Books on Authenticity That Are Well Worth the Read, HERE.