A non-fiction reading list for simplifying life and unleashing creativity
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I love reading but making time to do it doesn’t always feel easy with everything else going on in life.
It has to be a real page turner to keep me interested else I quickly start thinking what else I could be doing with my time. I feel like this reading list has hugely contributed to who I am today. These books are worth the read. They’ve taught me lessons in minimalism, how to organise my stuff, how to nurture my creativity and made me believe a simpler more creative life is actually possible. These are the books I’ve enjoyed and learned the most from over the last few years. I think you’ll enjoy them too.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A simple, effective way to banish clutter forever– This is the book that started my obsession with minimalism, showed me living with less stuff made me happier and although the do it once and do it right method can be too intense for some, I think everyone interested in simplifying should read it. It gets bonus points for taking all of two days to devour the entire thing. If you need someone to geek out with over folding after you’ve read it feel free to email me!
Playing Big: A practical guide for brilliant women like you– Tara Mohr helps women play bigger, believe that they have the right to take up space in the world and follow their dreams. Whatever they might look like. This book was one I could relate to A LOT and there’s a great ‘inner mentor’ exercise in there where you listen to a 20 minute mediation and meet your future self who you can later rely on for advice and guidance – sounds kind of woo I know but trust me, it’s brilliant!
steal like an artist– If you want to embrace your creativity but you’re worried you aren’t original or you’re stuck for ideas – read this. This book helped me get over those ‘but I’m copying other people’ or ‘all my ideas have already been done’ worries. It’s one of those very easy to read books that’s crammed with useful practical advice on creativity. I’ve read it three times.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear– Oh Liz! I wish I’d had Elizabeth Gilbert in my life when I was a teenager. I wish she’d been a teacher, a real friend or even an imaginary one. Anything would have done, and thanks to the internet I have her now. You’ve read or at least seen Eat Prey Love haven’t you? She lived and wrote that story. This is everything she’s learned about creativity over the span of her writing career so far and her advice is platinum. She’s also got a podcast called magic lessons that’s well worth a listen.
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less – I LOVE this book. It’s a business book but it applies to every nook and cranny of life. This book taught me to ask and answer questions like ‘what would happen if I didn’t do that?’ and ‘Is this really the best use of my time?’. It also played a leading role in my learning to say no and for that I’m ever grateful. I know people who have read it, applied it and then gone on to work half the amount of hours they were putting in whilst doubling their income.
Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Someone Who’s Been There– This book was recommended to me by creative coach Jen Carrington and was everything I needed to hear when I was struggling to have a little faith in myself. It’s a collection of her ‘Dear Sugar’ advice columns that featured in the New York Times. It covers a wide variety of issues including advice to women in their twenties, what to do when you can’t write, what to do when you know you don’t really want to be with the guy but there’s nothing technically wrong with him. I genuinely think this book should be handed out to teenagers when they’re about to leave school and go out into the world.
Essential: Essays by The Minimalists– After Marie Kondo, these guys were my main minimalist inspiration and I’d regularly read their blog for guidance whilst I was figuring out my own version of minimalism. This book is a collection of their blog essays offering to the point practical advice on how to simplify all areas of your life. I especially love how this book covers all areas of life including money, which most people shy away from talking about.
The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store– Cait’s story is truly inspirational and as a former shopping addict it’s one I can relate to. Fed up of reactive consumerism Cait set out on a year long spending ban where she bought only the essentials on her approved list. She documented her experience on her blog and later in this wonderful book. I love how openly Cait talks about money. My favourite part of this story is that living with less led her to a creative career she loves. Her blog is also fantastic.
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are– I class myself as a recovering perfectionist and if there’s one person that gets that it’s Brene Brown. My word for this year is wholehearted and it’s all thanks to this book which I read over Christmas. In this book she covers the ten guideposts we can lean on to embrace imperfection and live a wholehearted life where we engage with our lives from a place of worthiness. If you haven’t heard of Brene before watch this Ted Talk and then get back to me! It blew my mind.
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead– I love Brene Brown so much she appears on this list twice. Daring Greatly is one of those truly life changing books. There are a lot of – shall we say not so great – self help books out there but the best thing about Brene is that her work is based on first hand academic research. Her theories around embracing vulnerability have really helped move past those ‘but what will people think of me’ fears that were holding me back from doing so much.
Enjoyed any of these already? What about you, got any reading recommendations for me? Leave them in the comments below.
