Personal Development Leads to Happiness
“Progress equals happiness. Even if you’re not where you want to be yet. If you’re on the road, if you’re improving, if you’re making progress, you’re gonna love it. You’re gonna feel alive!”
-Tony Robbins
Happiness does not magically happen when we have endless amounts of money or stuff.
Or when we have reached some level of power and recognition by others.
Or when we look like some unrealistic notion of what some people think is beautiful.
Think about it – when are you happy? Is it when you’re making progress in whatever it is? A relationship? Your job? Your health? A sport? A hobby?
Oftentimes this is the case – that progress leads to fulfillment and happiness.
My Friends, I want to share six of the best personal development books I have read, in hopes they may help lead you to progress, fulfillment and happiness on your journey!
One of my favorite relationship reads, Richo gently guides us through his ideas on the needs each of us has in relationships and the cycles of life we progress through.
Using mindfulness as the foundation for his views, Richo uses both Eastern and Western concepts to portray how being present is the underpinning of relationships.
Being. Present.
The book begins with a beautiful image Richo draws of how human relationships begin and evolve:
“We are born with a capacity to dance together, but not with the necessary training. We have to learn the dance steps and practice until we move with ease and grace. The joy in it requires work.
Some of us have been damaged physically or in our self-confidence and we will have to practice dancing more than others. Some of us have been so damaged we may never be able to dance well at all…”
Truth be told, when I originally read this years ago, it came off as a bit more spiritual than I was feeling at that time, not religious, but spiritual.
Fast forward to today, now that I have learned to remove my armor and take off my damn game face in order to feel my emotions and be vulnerable! And that all of this is not just okay, it is necessary to embrace life! Say hello to the spiritually evolved LDub!
Great to read at different stages in life, considering how much we all change. Single, coupled, whatever stage you’re in, there are valuable lessons for us all.
The seemingly simple, but totally mind-blowing ideas laid out in Singer’s must-read book, has not only made a massive impact on my life, but countless others. It has been such a seminal work, that it has evolved into more books, courses and the like.
Singer begins by explaining the human condition, with something we all have: the voices in our heads. Sometimes these voices are peaceful, quiet, content and we are present. Other times we wish these voices would just shut the hell up – know what I’m sayin?!
I liken the voices in my head to monkeys running around, banging pots on the inside of my head (what a sight, right?!) When we think of stress, these voices are a major contributor.
Next, Singer shares with us his concept of the awful inner roommate voice. You know, the constantly negative voice, always blaming, criticizing and judging. Always arguing, complaining and whining.
We sometimes call this part of ourselves our own worst critic, but what do we do with it and how do we manage it? How do we keep this doom and gloom inner roommate voice from running the show?!
Singer asks:
“Why do we have to think about ourselves all the time? Why are so many thoughts about I, me and mine? Look how often you think about how you’re doing, whether you like things or not and how to arrange the world to please yourself.”
If you’re feeling, “Whoa LDub, this is some heavy stuff.”
Let me share with you my Friends, get ready for your mind to be blown when you read this book!
I was introduced to The Untethered Soul during my yoga teacher training, so I was in an emotional, mental, physical and spiritual space to get it. If you are in the space to dig deep, then this work is a must-read for your personal development mission!
For those that know her groundbreaking and heartfelt work, Brene Brown is a brilliant force. Her pivotal Ted Talk created a ground swell of interest around topics many of us didn’t used to talk about: shame and vulnerability.
Brown’s Ted Talk was nothing short of riveting! She and her work were originally introduced to me by my therapist, in a hilarious text. I was all in from that moment! Curious about my experience? Check out my blog post about it here. I can feel you nodding your head and saying, “Damn LDub, this blog is deep girl!” Y’all know the famous saying,
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” – Tao Te Ching
Brene Brown has made a deep impact on so many of us. Her academic research teaches us the importance of awareness and self-expression. And that self-expression requires us to be vulnerable, open and authentic. And that it takes a hell of a lot of courage to be our true selves, so to treat ourselves and our fellow humans with compassion and grace. And to lay off the blame, criticism and judgment, so pervasive today.
Definitely a must for your journey of self discovery – also available as an audio book. Get ready to take notes, reflect and learn more about yourself and life!
You know how sometimes a friend recommends a book and it has a seemingly vague title? When my good friend recommended this one, I must admit, the title didn’t spark my curiosity.
A few pages in, however, I was pleasantly suprised, so do not judge this book by its cover! Kelly’s work here is meaty and although the concepts are easy to understand, they hit home.
Consider some of the thought-provoking questions Kelly tackles:
What does intimacy mean to you? How does it manifest in your life?
Are you armored up, game face on with most people so you can avoid intimacy? I know some of you are saying, “oh damn LDub, got me!”
Many of us use these tactics to protect ourselves; the more traumatic experiences we’ve had, the more we rationalize why we need to continue to wall ourselves off and avoid opening ourselves up fully.
Kelly’s premise, that the meaning of life is to be the best version of ourselves, is one of my mantras (and the concept behind my eBooks; check them out here!)
How can we be our best selves?
We are instructed to begin with our relationship with ourself, then expand into our other relationships, both intimate and interpersonal.
The different levels of personal growth and awareness Kelly lays out, takes us on a journey of self-exploration, introspection and learning. Relationships may begin as superficial, but have the potential to evolve into deeply meaningful, if we are mindful and aware. Another one to read over and over!
A collection of essays, Havrilesky takes a humorous, albeit thought-provoking look at some of the ways we live in modern society. In her chapter, To Infinity and Beyond, she paints a striking picture of society today:
“We shop for friends and colleagues on Twitter and Facebook, shop for mates on Tinder and shop for everything else on Amazon…
For every tier of service, there is a higher tier of service. For every product, an upgrade. For every luxury, there is something even more luxurious out there, somewhere…
We are so conscribed by the market driven mindset that we can no longer experience anything outside of the context of “more’’ and “better”. We can’t take things as they are…”
If this resonates, then pick up What If This Were Enough and ask these questions to yourself. What if you were enough? What if each of us was enough? What if each moment was enough?
When you need some laughs to bring you into present moment awareness, while calling bullshit on the façade many of us live behind today, grab Havrilesky’s book!
Since the late 1960’s, the Hoffman Process has continued to evolve into a global movement for the process of human transformation. The Hoffman Process’ well-renowned retreats, help many make massive impacts in their lives.
I learned about the Hoffman Process from the awesome Tim Ferris, author, entrepreneur and self-proclaimed human guinea pig. Being a fan of some of his works, I stumbled across his mention of the Process and I said to myself, “Aha! Need to check this out LDub!”
Gifted and wise beyond his education, Bob Hoffman began working with people that psychotherapists couldn’t help. Hoffman was successful in helping people find answers and solutions, by doing a deep dive into their childhoods. Out of this, the Hoffman Process was born.
Grounded in the concept that many problems in life are based on hurts, issues or trauma from childhood, the Hoffman Process uses a variety of scientifically proven modalities of psychotherapy to help participants heal, grow and learn.
Okay, now you may be wondering, “Sure LDub, that sounds like you read the description off something. What’s it really like?”
No joke – the actual process is so unbelievably complex, I have not found a way to explain my experience to those that have not taken part!
Although I highly recommend participating in the Hoffman Process for the full experience, if you want to get a taste, then check out Tim Laurence’s (one of my Hoffman Process instructors) book!
The Hoffman Process remains one of the most transformative experiences in my life. Seriously. I am eternally grateful for the selfless love, support, and guidance of the beautiful, tireless souls that make up the Hoffman Process team.
Make A Choice
Wherever you are in life, make the choice for yourself to take a step forward. Grab one of these phenomenal books, take it for a spin and see what comes out of it!
After reading this blog, if one of these books speaks to you, you can purchase it here. Simply click on the book title or image, knowing your purchase supports our business! Are you down?! Remember, you have awareness and you have choices. If you’re aware you want something different from life, make a new choice.
“Awareness is the greatest agent to change.” – Eckhart Tolle
The Musings of LW and I are here to serve you my Friend. I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of these books, so drop me a line here or in the Leave a Comment section below! Travel the road of progress, enjoy the journey and remember toLIVE LIFE FULL OUT!
Want More Personal Development Tips?
Check out my Blog, How To Overcome Fear and Embrace Life! Explore my personal journey and find useful nuggets to apply to your own life!
Also check out my original eBook series, 5 Easy Ways…Find the resources you need at TMOLW!
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Thank you for your kind comments and come back again soon!