Welcome back to Bookstr’s Three to Read! This week, we’re recommending three self-care books in honor of National Self-Care Awareness Week. Taking time to slow down and put energy back into yourself is an important part of maintaining personal well-being. For many book lovers, getting cozy to read is a way to foster personal wellness. Reading these three picks will offer more ways for book lovers to tend to themselves.
HOT PICK
Hello, Higher Self: An Outsider’s Guide to Loving Yourself in a Tough World by Bunny Michael
SYNOPSIS:
Throughout the course of their life as a non-binary person of color, Bunny Michael has endured the feeling of being an outsider in society. This book leads the reader to reconnect with their “higher self,” which Michael describes as the natural self-acceptance we were born into. Michael uses their writing to call on readers to leave behind the “Learned Hierarchical Beliefs (LHBs)” that take us away from self-compassion.
WHY:
Hello, Higher Self targets many areas of life where Learned Hierarchical Beliefs appear, ranging from creativity to work to relationships to race to sexual pleasure and more. Readers will learn to embrace their worth in all instances they might struggle with. No matter what your insecurities are, with this read, you’ll learn to work through them.
COFFEE SHOP READ
How to Stop Breaking Your Own Heart by Meggan Roxanne
SYNOPSIS:
By drawing from her experiences with anxiety and depression, Meggan Roxanne offers guidance on how to get through struggles found in day-to-day life. Some of the lessons she imparts wisdom on include overcoming negative thought patterns, moving away from perfectionism, breaking free from expectations, saying ‘no’ to toxic people and situations, setting boundaries, and more.
WHY:
This self-care read offers suggestions for balancing time for yourself with the busy world. Readers will learn how to craft a life infused with self-love. Before you sit down to check work off your to-do list in a coffee shop, take a few minutes to receive the advice from this read and learn how to prioritize wellness.
DARK HORSE
Practices for Embodied Living: Experiencing the Wisdom of Your Body by Hillary L. McBride
SYNOPSIS:
This book is an experience-focused guided journal that aims to lead the reader through how to practice embodiment. A few of the topics that are covered through prompts include disembodiment, stress and trauma, sexuality, body image, pain and illness, oppression, and more. Each prompt provides an opportunity to reflect on the given topic and sets out to help readers reject harmful societal norms about body image, recognize all the good their bodies do for them, and get more in tune with themselves.
WHY:
Because the book operates more like a guided journal, this will be a different reading experience. The interactive exercises help engage the reader and make the learning process of the practices part of the book. The development and growth take place while investing time in the journal, making it a good option for people who need something more direct.
Thanks for tuning into this week’s Three to Read! Make sure to come back next week for more themed recommendations!
Click here to read last week’s Three to Read on Children’s Books by Hispanic Authors.
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