Is it just me, or does reading change with the weather? I love reading all year round, but there is nothing better than getting cosy with a good book in the autumn and winter months. I love the whole ritual of making a hot drink, getting changed into comfortable clothes, settling on the sofa with a blanket and really enjoying whatever I’m currently reading. I’ve really noticed this becoming a routine over the last few weeks, as the nights have become darker. Instead of reading for 10 minutes in my garden after dinner, and then getting distracted by something else, I’m finding myself retreating to the living room to snuggle up with my book before bed. Thinking about this has made me reflect on some of the self-development books I’ve read over the last few years that have changed the way I think, act or live.

The Magic by Rhonda Byrne It’s a bit of cliché that ‘The Secret’ by the same author was a gateway into self-development for so many people. I was given it to borrow at age 25, and I read it and enjoyed it, but for me, The Magic is far more powerful. A 28 day gratitude practice which helps you to think differently, and genuinely seems to make magic happen! I make a point of reading this every January, and I love the way it feels.

The 5am Club by Robin Sharma I read this on holiday last year. After years of following a solid 6am morning routine, I wasn’t sure how useful this book would be. Fairly quickly I was convinced that getting up an hour earlier would be beneficial for me. The book takes the format of a story, which I really enjoyed, but it also has a clever way of changing your thinking. I altered my alarm clock when I returned from my holiday, and it’s been set at 5am ever since. I am far more productive and feel as though I have much more time to myself as a result.

The One Minute Millionaire by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G Allen Similarly to The 5am Club, this book was based on a story, but it also offered information – rather unusually, the story was presented on the left hand page and the strategy on the right. Switching between the two so often was strange, but I found that it kept me focused and forced me to pay attention! I was hooked by the story, and didn’t want to put the book down, but there were also some very actionable and thought provoking points made.

The Emotion Code by Dr Bradley Nelson A friend recommended this book to me after she had an Emotion Code session with a practitioner. Reading this taught me so much about an area I’d only briefly explored previously – the impact of trapped emotions within the body. I found the book fascinating from start to finish, and love that it contains instructions to help you to release trapped emotions for yourself or others.

The Inside Track by Peter Sage As a fan of coach and thought leader Peter Sage, it was so interesting to read about his short stint in prison, and how he managed to reframe a scary and unfair situation into a chance to grow and to help others.

And one that I’ve struggled to persist with, but is still very much on my list of books to read, is The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel. This is a 24 week ‘course’, with a practical task or mental exercise to practice during each week. When I first tried to read this book last year, I was unable to even complete week one, which required me to set aside 20 minutes each day, distraction free, to sit with my thoughts. Upon trying to work with the book again this year, I was happy to realise that this was now possible for me, but even so, I’ve lost momentum around week five, and now feel as though I need to go back to the beginning again! Perhaps now that autumn is here, I will have more opportunity to focus and maintain momentum.

What should I read next? If you have a life changing self-development book you think I might enjoy, email me at smile@makemeaplan.com and you never know, I might write about what it taught me in a future blog!


PS – If you want some more guidance and to ponder on the big questions in life, why not check out the Philosopher-in-Residence series. Out every fortnight on a Thursday, and written by our Principal Planner, Anna Pascoe.  You can take a peek at the latest edition here: ON DUTY - Make Me A Plan