As humans, we are all striving for inner peace. As the world gets more complicated by the day, we want to feel a sense of harmony within ourselves. Instead, we are often overwhelmed, anxious and stressed. As always, books hold the answers to all your burning questions. Here are 10 self-help books which will offer you solace and also a way to finally find the inner peace you’ve been looking for.

This list forms part of The Extraordinary Reading Challenge 2018.

01

The Gifts Of Imperfection

Brene Brown

Self-worth is one of the cornerstones of inner peace. If we don’t accept and love ourselves, imperfections and all, it is nearly impossible to be truly happy. In The Gifts Of Imperfection, famed sociologist Brene Brown explores the importance of overcoming paralysing fear and self-consciousness. She provides ten guideposts on how to be true to ourselves and embrace our flaws to live a perfectly ‘imperfect’ life. This book is more than just a self-help bible as Brown’s insights are based on a decade’s worth of rigorous research.

Buy it here.

02

The Miracle Of Mindfulness

Thich Nhat Hanh

In The Miracle Of Mindfulness, master of Zen meditation and one of the world’s most respected Zen Buddhist monks, Thich Nhat Hanh offers practical advice on how to bring mindfulness into your daily life. He explains the benefits of mindfulness and that even your daily activities can be a form of meditation. He combines practical exercises with candid tales to help you find peace within.

Buy it here.

03

Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill

Matthieu Ricard

In Happiness, Matthieu Ricard, a French scientist turned Buddhist monk, explains how happiness is not just an emotion but a skill that can be developed. He breaks down 25 centuries worth of Buddhist tradition and draws from fiction and poetry, Western philosophy as well as scientific research. He not only makes a case for dedicating energy towards being happy but also provides simple exercises that will train the mind to concentrate on the important things in life. You will learn that inner peace and happiness comes from within and is not reliant on external circumstances. 

Buy it here.

04

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice For Difficult Times

Pema Chodron

While we’re always on the lookout for inner peace, it is in the most painful circumstances that we need it the most. In When Things Fall Apart, famed spiritual teacher, Pema Chodron shows us how there is potential for happiness even in the direst of circumstances. She explains how to use pain to develop wisdom, compassion and courage, openness in communication and how to reverse our negative patterns. This book will comfort you and give you a reason to rise above your pain and find happiness.

Buy it here.

05

Tiny Beautiful Things

Cheryl Strayed

Dear Sugar was one of the most popular online columns for several years. Written by the once-anonymous Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild, thousands of people turned to this column for advice. Unlike many agony aunt columns, Strayed’s advice was given with compassion and informed by personal experience. Life can be hard, and sometimes a little help is needed to navigate it. In Tiny Beautiful Things, you will find the best of Dear Sugar in one place, including columns which have never been published. You’ll find advice on dealing with professional jealousy, on breaking up, on coping with the death of a child, and many more varied subjects. Filled with humour, insight and honesty, this book is sure to help you. 

Buy it here.

06

The Wisdom Of Insecurity

Alan Watts

In The Wisdom Of Insecurity, Alan Watts combines both Eastern philosophy and Western religion to explore man’s quest for psychological security. He believes that we live in a near-constant state of dissatisfaction and anxiety, and crave security which is both impossible and undesirable. He postulates that our insecurity is a result of us striving to be secure and that we should live fully in the present moment and recognise that we have no way of saving ourselves. According to Watts, the road to inner peace lies in embracing the present instead of anticipating the future or lamenting the past. 

Buy it here.

07

The Zen Commandments

Dean Sluyter

Sluyter draws on a variety of sources from the Dalai Lama and Bob Dylan to Monty Python and the Wizard of Oz to postulate 10 zen commandments for achieving inner peace. His suggestions include letting go, practising greater kindness and compassion, freeing yourself from labels and limitations, and laughing deeply.  With warmth, humour, clarity and common sense, he eschews dogma and instead focusses on what works to give you ‘spiritual street smarts.’

Buy it here.

08

The Dalai Lama’s Little Book Of Inner Peace: The Essential Life And Teachings

Dalai Lama

In this book, the Dalai Lama provides a portrait of his early life and the personal and political struggles that shaped his understanding of the world. In a simple manner, he offers powerful advice on how to live a fulfilling and peaceful life and invites you to rediscover fundamental values like love, respect and integrity. He explains how mundane concerns like praise and blame affect our lives because we let them and how we can control our minds by asking ourselves important questions like ‘Who am I?” This book will not only help you achieve inner peace but also explain how important it is for changing the world.

Buy it here.

09

The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck

Mark Manson

If traditional self-help books are not your cup of tea, you’ll enjoy Mark Manson’s irreverent take on what you need to find inner peace. In The Subtle Art, Manson argues that we have a limited number of ‘fucks’ to give in our lives and what we concentrate on determines our happiness. He believes the traditional concept of positivity will never lead to happiness or success and instead suggests that we need to accept our flaws and limitations in order to improve our lives. We need to choose the parameters by which we judge ourselves carefully as, if the parameters themselves are flawed, finding inner peace will not be possible. With real-life examples, personal anecdotes and his trademark humour, Manson will provide you with a completely fresh take on how to achieve inner peace.

Buy it here.

10

The Book Of Secrets: Unlocking The Hidden Dimensions Of Your Life

Deepak Chopra

Through The Book Of Secrets, spiritual guru Deepak Chopra assures you that “find the hiding dimensions in yourself is the only way to fulfil your deepest hunger” and shares 15 secrets to help you find inner peace and much more. He distils a lifetime of insights and wisdom to provide a new tool for achieving a personal breakthrough. In this book, he explores how death makes life possible, the importance of transcending your egocentric self and how evil is not your enemy.

Buy it here.

Have you read any of these books? Do you believe that self-help books can help you achieve inner peace? Which other books would you recommend? Share with us in the comments below.