Books to Help You Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

It’s that time of year! The time to write down, commit to, and then inevitably forget about your New Year’s resolutions. But we’re here to help. Joli, Becky, Kathleen, and I each shared one book we’ve read that has helped us or will help you keep your resolutions.

Janna

I read Do Your Om Thing by Rebecca Pacheco late this summer and loved it. I am always on and off the yoga bandwagon and think I’ll revisit this in January to get back on track with my yoga practice and mindfulness. Do Your Om Thing is a book about yoga for the everyday person, and I think this could be immensely helpful if your resolution is tied to mindfulness or doing yoga on a regular basis.

Joli

I have to recommend Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson. It’s not only a ridiculously hilarious read, but will also provide one of the best first-person accounts of living with mental illness that you’ve ever read. I think this is a must-read for anyone interested in A) humorous reads and B) understanding and destigmatizing mental illness. Whether learning about and understanding mental illness is on your list of resolutions or not, this is something you should put on your to-read list.

Becky

The Happiness Trap by Dr. Russ Harris. This was recommended to me or I honestly wouldn’t have picked it up. I normally overthink self-help books or find their methods to be unrealistic. There were aspects of that with this book, but the way the material was conveyed was so gosh darn easy to relate to that I bought in. Also, for us analytical/logical/process-oriented people, there are lots of free resources that accompany this book.

Kathleen

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. I read this funny little book which famously asks you to determine which of your belongings “brings you joy”in January of 2015, and my closet has been clean ever since. Even Emily Gilmore used it to change her life this fall. It’s just the ticket!

These are just a few of the many, many books you can use to keep yourself motivated this year. Whether your resolution is tied to your physical or mental health, career goals, money, or food, there’s a book out there for you. You just have to find it. Good luck!