7 Amazing Self Improvement Books for Women

Looking for good-quality, helpful self-improvement books for women? I’m a self-improvement and self-help junkie, and am constantly reading some kind of self-help book.

The way I see it – self-help books re-parented me. As an adult, I’ve struggled with traumas (like many of us) that impacted my worldview and my perception of everything going on around me.

I struggled in all areas – relationships, work, money, everything. I self-sabotaged myself in so many ways, which led to:

• loneliness and isolation; having few good relationships
• being chronically single
• being in debt
• and being completely burnt out in my job as a teacher
• constantly dealing with fatigue, stress, and irritation
• being resentful and envious of the success of others (I felt I worked so hard, why didn’t I have what they had?)

I credit several books I’ve read to teaching me how to look at life differently and create a very different reality for myself. If you’re interested, you can read my transformation that happened as a result of these books here.

For now, let’s jump into the books that have helped me change my life! These are 9in my opinion) the best self-improvement books for women that have put me on my path to true happiness and fulfillment.

Best Self-Improvement Books For Women

1. The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage into Self-Mastery

By: Brianna West
Amazon Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.7)

The Mountain Is You is about breaking cycles of self-sabotage for long-term self-improvement. I have read many self-help books in my life, and found this one particularly inspiring and wise.

I listened to the Audiobook, mostly on my own and some with my 12-year-old daughter, who also found it so wise, helpful and insightful.

2. You’re Not Listening: What You’re Missing and Why It Matters

By: Kate Murphy
Amazon Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5)

You’re Not Listening is about the underrated art of really listening to others. One of the biggest improvements I’ve made in my adult life has been learning to listen to other people effectively and know when someone has truly listened to me.

Loneliness and isolation are practically an epidemic now, and I know they have impacted me in many ways. Learning to deeply understand, accept and empathize with others is a life-changing skill that has deepened my relationships, and even made me see who I want to spend time with (people who practice attentive listening to me in return.)

A side note: Emotional intelligence is something that AI cannot replicate and is a useful skill in the workforce going forward

3. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

By: James Clear
Amazon Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.7)

Atomic Habits is about small changes, which in the long run, amount to a massive difference in your life. It’s so inspiring to think that you don’t need to spend a lot of time each day doing something. Even just a small amount of time (5 or 10 minutes) can make a huge difference in the long run.

The author was able to achieve great things after an injury, even with only a small amount of time each day to spend on it. It’s about spending small amounts of time towards big things that matter to you, but also breaking bad habts that only hold you back.

4. Stillness Speaks

By: Eckert Tolle
Amazon Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.8)

One of the most helpful things I did for the improvement of my life was to separate my ego from myself. We all have an ego, and when we don’t separate from it and look at it objectively, it can rule our lives, and our relationships – and not in a good way.

Stillness Speaks helped me realize that I am not my thoughts – and it helped me show up more authentically for myself and my relationships.

5. Lucky Bitch: A Guide for Exceptional Women to Create Outrageous Success

By: Denise Duffield-Thomas
Amazon Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.6)

In Lucky Bitch, Denise Duffield-Thomas tells the story of how she won a contest for a fully-paid trip around the world for 6 months.

She didn’t win out of luck, she ‘manifested’ it. However, as you read the book you’ll see it’s not as whooey as it sounds. Along the process, Denise is telling you exactly how she turned the dream of winning into a reality, while giving you tips along the way.

You might not be entering a contest necessarily, but do you have a dream that seems far-fetched and unlikely to happen? Then this is a book to read to help turn that dream into something that you can actually see happening.

This really book is really just about how often, we create our reality. Life isn’t something that just happens to us – our worldview and actions contribute to the realities we have.

Interesting fact: Denise Duffield Thomas ended up becoming a money mindset coach after winning the contest – I’ve read many of her books, followed her on social media, and ended up taking her Money Bootcamp course. The things I’ve learned from her have been life-changing in my journey.

6. Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

By: Adam Grant
Amazon Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.6)

I just assumed that if I didn’t show some early talent at it, then I must not be very good at it. Hidden Potential will change how you think about ‘born with’ talent and make you see that often, people who present as mediocre often end up excelling.

I wasn’t always a straight-A student, and I didn’t excel at everything I did. Not achieving at certain things became apart of my identity that I internalized – but reading this book blew my mind, because I realized that I do have unbelievable potential within me. We all do!

It might just give you the nudge to keep trying at something that you’ve written off for being that you’re just not good at.

7 . Feel Better, Nomatter What: A 4-Week Course to Love the Life You Have Right Now

By: Stan Tatkin
Amazon Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.6)

First off, the title of this book doesn’t quite capture what I got out of it. It’s not just a book about loving your life, its about loving yourself.

Self-love and acceptance is the key to life, and almost none of the other books are relevant unless it’s coming from a place of really loving yourself.

Feel Better Nomatter What is a book about love and accepting yourself, and I found some of the techniques life-changing. In addition, there’s a whole section on body acceptance and positivity, which is particularly important for women. It’s the best self-acceptance book I’ve read and I highly recommend reading it and doing the work!

8. (BONUS) Wired for Love: Wired for Love: How Understanding Your Partner’s Brain and Attachment Style Can Help You Defuse Conflict and Build a Secure Relationship

By: Stan Tatkin
Amazon Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.6)

Wired for Love is a book to read to help in your romantic relationships -whether you’re currently in one, or not.

A strong romantic relationship or marriage is so golden. I know that you can totally ‘do it all on your own,’ but life is much easier and healthier when we have a support system, and a life partner is a part of that.

I realized in my 30s that:

a) I had an anxious attachment style and
b) It was toxic to all the relationships I had in my life

This book is about attachment styles, but how to work with a partner whose attachment style may be different from yours, and how to support each eachother.

As a millennial, I was raised in a generation that said “you don’t need a man (partner), you can do it on your own.” And while that’s true, loneliness is toxic, and we were meant to have help and a support network. I hope that this book can change your relationships for the better, as it changed mine.

If you’re not in a relationship and want to be, then I recommend Meeting Your Half Orange Instead. I read that one when I was still lonely, and that’s when my husband came into my life. After he was in my life, we both read attachment style books. It improved my anxious attachment, our relationship, and both of our lives so much!

Final Thoughts on Self-Improvement Books for Women

I hope that these 8 books are what you were looking for in self-improvement books for women. I will continue to update this list regularly based on any feedback I receive from others (please reach out to me if you’d like to share!) and as I continue to read more books. I’m always reading more. As a woman who did almost a 180 in life, I wish I’d read these books much sooner (see my recommendations for books to read in your 20s)