26 Best Self-Help Books For Women In 2022, Ranked

In an age of self-care and trying to stay more tuned in, turned on, and connected, the self-care shelves can provide a wealth of useful insights and information. Whether you want to empower yourself in business, rekindle the courage to be creative, or want to work through deeper spiritual insights, there’s sure to be the right book to build you up. From celebrity superstars like Michelle Obama to licensed therapists, doctors, and more – we have sifted through the best of the self-help genre and come up with a list of the 26 best self-help books for women in 2022.

09/23/2023 03:28 am GMT

Our Favorites, Ranked

• Best for motivation to try something new: Year of Yes
• Best for spiritual renewal: The Power of Now
• Best for courage: Daring Greatly
• Best for boosting self-esteem: The Self Confidence Workbook
• Best for creativity: Big Magic

The Best Self-Help Books Out There

Women face a myriad of issues and many of these stem from centuries of living under a patriarchal system. From unraveling self-doubt to letting go of ideas around perfectionism and learning to carve out time for creativity, these self-help books can raise us up to meet our full potential.

Self-Love Workbook for Women: Release Self-Doubt, Build Self-Compassion, and Embrace Who You Are by Megan Logan

For those who want a book that goes beyond passive reading and who prefer to take a proactive approach to boost their self-esteem, this book from therapist Megan Logan will light a fire under you. Filled with practical exercises, quizzes, proven techniques, and affirmations, you can immerse yourself in this wonderful workbook and find your way to self-love.

• 174 pages

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

Famed blogger Mark Manson captures the mood with this defining book on how to cut through the crap, clear out the cult of positive thinkers, and instead truly learn to metabolize our fears, faults, and limits with unflinching honesty. Raw, real, and a sharp reminder that humans are utterly flawed beings, this book could be the breath of fresh air you have been seeking. While not to everyone‘s taste, this book may balance out the pressurized mindset of always needing to care.

• 224 pages
• $13

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

Brene Brown is here to help us lean into our vulnerable selves. In a world where we are forever trying to shrug off our deepest feelings, Brene Brown reminds us to embrace them, connect with them, and explore the paradoxes of courage. Using a blend of intensive research and personal memoir, this book reminds us to fight beyond the sense of shame and to lean into a life where we can be more open in every avenue. Inspiring risk-taking in everything from love to parenting, this book is a salve against the chafe that can show up with ideals and ideas around perfectionism.

• 320 pages

The Happiness Project Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen Rubin dedicated a full year to actively pursuing what we are all looking for – a little more happiness. Offering practical advice and tips on how to be happier, more productive, more creative, and healthier, this book is a bible of self-care. The New York Times bestseller brings together science, humor, awareness, and lots of inspiring ideas to get you on the road to joy. From simple acts like cleaning closets to reading Aristotle and singing in the morning, cultivating happiness is a blast.

• 368 pages

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

World-famous spiritual leader and thought provoker Eckhart Tolle reminds us of one of the simplest paths to happiness – live in the power of now. Eckhart Tolle remains one of the best teachers out there – thanks to his ability to shape big complex ideas into easy-to-understand and concrete philosophies. With a wide range covered – everything from chi to embracing more enlightened relationships and the cycles of life, there’s so much to eat up in the pages of this book.

• 236 pages

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

For all those women out there feeling like they aren’t where they are supposed to be, this number one bestseller from Rachel Hollis may be the dose of inspiration you need. Tackling twenty misconceptions that hold us back from living our finest and most joyful lives, Rachel deals with big vulnerable topics around parenting, relationships, family, love, success, and so much more. As a lifestyle and motivational speaker, she’s got the jargon to empower her readers.

• 240 pages

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

Based on the feature-length film of the same name in which Rhonda Byrne shares the life-changing ‘secret’ of the universe, this book is part inspiration, a part instruction manual on how you can harness the secret and use it to transform your life. The secret refers largely to the law of attraction and how to use this method to tap into your fullest power and deepen your relationships, happiness, financial wealth, and health. With wisdom from modern-day teachers and shared stories, The Secret is worth ruminating on for those who want to manifest and meet their full potential.

• 198 pages

You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

Success coach Jen Sincero brings together over two dozen bite-sized chapters filled with advice and exercises to help you embrace your inner badass and cultivate the life you want to live. While some of the self-help advice may be old stomping ground, Jen Sincero brings a feminine freshness to the mix and helps us put the spin on negative self-talk and overcome all shades of doubt.

• 256 pages

Let That Sh*t Go by Monica Sweeney

Learning to let go is rarely an easy feat but this empowering book from Monica Sweeney may help you do just that. Brimming with journaling activities and leaning on the catharsis of profanity, this workbook is an exercise in nurturing a healthy sense of redirecting thoughts and switching up moods so you can work through the things that have been bogging you down and finally let that stuff go. There are some good exercises, coloring pages to give your mind a break, and a blend of practical and funny offerings that some readers may find helpful.

• 128 pages

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

Therapists need therapy too and this fascinating memoir from Lori Gottlieb takes a look at what happens when she moves from the therapist‘s chair to the patient‘s couch. A New York Times Bestseller, this riveting book sucks you right in with its bite-sized chapters biting beautiful humor, and unabashed conversational honesty. It takes an honest look at what it means to move through personal growth – both when helping people and when helping yourself. Enlightening in a subtle way and without leaning heavily on the self-help trope, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is a breath of fresh air.

• 432 pages

Professional Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones

We all have fears that dog our steps and this book by New York Times bestselling author and TED talk superstar, Luvvie Ajayi Jones helps us tackle those fears head-on. Bringing wit and warmth to this fear-flighting manual, Luvvie reminds us to be utterly audacious when stepping into our lives, our careers, and the fullest flush of our dreams. Rather than pretend that we can get to a place where we live with no fear, Luvvie is all about recognizing the fear and finding ways to move forward regardless.

• 304 pages

Yoke by Jessamyn Stanley

Inviting us all to find acceptance on and off the yoga mat, Yoke by Jessamyn Stanley helps us confront the toughest things while staying in our sweet energetic flow. Brimming with thoughtful autobiographical essays, this book tackles a whole range of challenges – from imposter syndrome to the job of learning to love yourself. Along with this, Stanley also holds up a lens to the western world of yoga and their own practice. Balancing light and dark, good and bad, and delving into the yoke of it all, this book is a real raw treat.

• 208 pages

Find Your Unicorn Space by Eve Rodsky

With life stepping it up a notch and everyone feeling the treadmill of business, Find Your Unicorn Space from Eve Rodsky is all about carving out creative space. This glorious, fun, and glitzy inspirational guide helps us to reconnect with the things that excite us, set new goals, and get to grips with cultivating more creativity. It’s not just about artistic creativity but finding space to nurture whatever floats your boat – from activism to second careers. She speaks to thought leaders, and trailblazers, and brings forth solutions and radical answers that will encourage women to unleash more of themselves and to find the permission to be unavailable so they have time to follow those threads.

• 336 pages

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

The book that triggered the series that made everyone ask ‘does this spark joy’ while holding up every item they own, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up is revolutionary. For those who want to declutter, simplify, and turn their home into a sacred space, these tips from Marie Kondo are the cure. In-depth guidance, a clear commitment to intentional living, and learning how to love and appreciate every singular thing in your life – this is more than a tidying manual, it‘s a complete state of mind.

• 213 pages

Difficult Mothers, Adult Daughters by Karen C.L. Anderson

For anyone who has a mother wound that still smarts, this book from Karen C.L. Anderson – a master certified life coach, author, and blogger – can help you to reclaim your autonomy. By making the shift and learning how to step away, Anderson blends personal stories with tactical tools and journal prompts so that you can untangle and detach and make your own life centered around your own ideals and beliefs. With an emphasis on learning how to re-mother yourself, and meet your own needs.

• 200 pages

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

Untamed made a big splash when it came out and sitting down with this Glennon Doyle memoir you may be able to tell why. Ferocious and tender, this book gets right to the heart of what happened when the author realized one day that she wasn’t living the life she was meant for. After a short sharp wake-up, she experiences divorce, blending together a new family, and learning how to mother in a way that doesn’t compromise herself. It‘s a book about boundary and expectation breaking, honoring our deeper authentic selves, and making decisions that may rock the boat but that ultimately pull us closer to who we are supposed to be.

• 352 pages

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

Radical empathy sits at the heart of this gorgeous book from Cheryl Strayed. The author of Wild and cohost of the beautiful podcast Dear Sugars pulls together her responses and letters from her years as an agony aunt for The Rumpus. Without shying away from honesty and pure unadulterated compassion, there is nothing generic about these in-depth essays and letters that deal with everything from loveless marriages to finding courage in creativity.

• 368 pages

Manifesting Miracles and Money by Michelle Paisley Reed

Just like the title suggests, this book from Michelle Paisley Reed is all about the art of manifesting miracles and money so you can live a peaceful life littered with harmony, happiness, and a sense of sweet freedom. By learning what has been holding you back from your best life and by doubling down on the law of attraction, you can overcome resistance, and self-doubt, and harness the power of 10. Simple tools and transformational wisdom can be found tucked up in these pages for readers who don’t mind leaping high.

• 204 pages
• $20

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

Be impeccable with your word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, and always do your best. In this cult status book from Don Miguel Ruiz, we can learn how to transform our lives without overcomplicating matters. Using this potent code of conduct, you can welcome love, happiness, freedom, and truth into your world. Pulling on ancient Toltec wisdom, it‘s no surprise that this book became a bonafide bestseller.

• 160 pages

Becoming by Michelle Obama

The memoir of former first lady Michelle Obama, Becoming has been flying off the bestseller shelf ever since. Dubbed as being emotionally authentic, inspirational, candid and laced with truth, this book captures the grace and dignity that Michelle Obama was so loved for. While it is primarily a memoir, you can’t help but be inspired and moved to make a positive change when reading her words.

• 464 pages

Your Time to Thrive by Marina Khidekel

End burnout, boost your wellbeing, and live up to your full potential with this book by Marina Khidekel. This book is all about the importance of making micro steps rather than big leaps to get to where you want to be. By taking steps so small that they are hard to fail, this book has been called the micro step bible. By sharing practical and science-backed habits, you can start walking towards big changes in everything from relationships to health, sleep, nutrition, play and rest, and so much more.

• 272 pages

Unfuck Your Brain by Faith Harper

A licensed counselor and funny woman with a PHD (her words), Faith Harper is here to bring a no-nonsense approach to using science to get over anxiety, and freakouts, and move past trigger points. Weaving together a blend of science, humor, patience and plenty of swearing, Dr Harper lets you know exactly what is going on inside in your brain and talks you through the best steps to take to retrain your mind so that you don’t get pulled into a meltdown. For those who aren’t perturbed by the dropping of F-bombs, this book is full of useful techniques to understand exactly what is going on inside.

• 192 pages

Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office by Lois Frankel

With an emphasis on how women can subconsciously sabotage their own careers, this book from Lois Frankel predates the lean in philosophy and provides insight into over 130 distinctive sets of behaviours that can hold women back. These can be mistakes that vary from getting involved in office politics to avoiding negotiations, inappropriate use of social media, and asking permission for things. Dr Lois Frankel has a long career as a consultant, keynote speaker, and author of books based on business and building success. While some of the self-help ideas may sound old-fashioned to some people, there are sure to be some nuggets of gold within these pages.

• 384 pages

Girl Seeks Life by Laura Bannerman

Part memoir and part guidebook, Girl Seeks Life by Laura Bannerman is all about wading through the muddy banks of young womanhood and moving from angsty awkward teen to thriving woman. Deeply personal and dealing with difficult subjects with a delicate hand, this book provides insightful reflections, and practical tools for discovery, and discusses everything from friendship to family, love and sex, feminism and success, and creativity and play.

• 188 pages

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

The author of Eat, Pray, Love is back and this time she is bringing all the inspiration we need to live our best creative lives and learn to let go of the fears that keep us from reaching our dreams. With a sprinkle of spirituality and an optimistic upbeat approach, Elizabeth Gilbert can help you to get the juices flowing. She delves deep into attitudes, adjustments, and daily habits that can kickstart our creative hearts and celebrates a life that leans towards bravery, lightheartedness, and a sense of play. While it’s more inspirational than practical, it will appeal to those looking for magical mentorship.

• 304 pages

Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes

We are all swooning over the joy that is Shonda Rhimes. In her witty and bright vivacious book Year of Yes, we follow the prolific writer of TV hits like Grey‘s Anatomy and Scandal to see what happened when she decided to make the mental leap and say yes to everything that came her way. For those looking for a funny, funky, and heartfelt memoir that encourages them to stay open and curious about opportunities that come their way, this book weaves together some crushing honesty with the inspiration of watching someone rise to the challenge.

• 352 pages

Self-Help Books for Women FAQ

Do successful people read self-help books?

Yes, studies have shown that 85% of successful people will read two or more self-improvement books a month.

What type of self-help books are there?

From step-by-step instruction manuals to inspirational memoirs, workbooks, and progressive thinking books – there are lots of different styles of self-help books out there to suit every taste. You can choose science-backed, spiritual, celebrity authors or books from everyday people.

What is the difference between self-help books and self-help articles?

Self-help books are more likely to delve deeper into the subject matter than self-help articles. Self-help articles will only have limited space to explore the issue whereas books may be more personal and lean heavier into research.