Favorite Books Read in 2021

Below, is a list of my favorite books I read in 2021. I’m a junkie for non-fiction, mental health and self-help books, as you will be able to tell from my list! My goal was to read one book a month for the entire year. I reached my goal, plus more! Below are my favorites, in no particular order.

If you are interested in my favorite toddler books, be sure to check that post out here!

Favorite books read in 2021

The Mind-Gut Connection by Emeran Mayer, MD

There is a strong connection between the gut and the brain. If you’ve ever had a “gut feeling,” your body and mind are working together. I picked this book up because I’ve been struggling with gut issues for years now. From adrenal fatigue, bloating, acne, anxiety, depression and candida (to name a few…) the gut is a tricky and complicated place! This book covers a slew of topics including stress, how food affects our gut and emotions, prenatal nutrition, the affects of industrial farming to our gut microbiome, emotions and decision making and the mind-body connection. This book takes some focus to read, but has loads of great information.

Break the Mold by Dr. Jill Crista

If you are struggling with mold toxicity, this book is a great resource! This book goes over mold facts, how it survives and multiplies, what it can do to you and your body (cravings, allergies, food sensitivities, bloating, shortness of breathe, depression, brain fog…so much more), and how to get tested for mold sickness. Dr. Jill Crista shares the steps to take to detox from mold, what to eat, what to avoid, supplements to take, etc. Like I said, this book has GREAT information.

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

I REALLY liked this book. He hits you with some hard truths that really make you think about why you do what you do. It touches on happiness, success/failure, values, problems, self love and relationships. Some of my takeaways:

• More is not always better. Often we are happier with less.
• Acts of love are only valid if they are performed without expectations.
• The more something threatens your identify, the more it threatens you, even if its a good thing.

I could keep going on and on but I’ll stop there. Read this book!

Switch on Your Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf

Our minds are SO powerful. Dr. Leaf teaches the science and scripture behind how our minds work. What we think about affects our emotional and physical well being. This is a step-by-step approach to replace the toxic thoughts we have with healthy ones. Chapters are pretty short with a summary at the end of each chapter, which I greatly appreciated!

Soundtracks by Jon Acuff

I listened to this book as an audible. If you are an over-thinker, or tend to have negative thoughts, this book is for you! Acuff teaches you how to use “soundtracks” to improve your life. Focusing on the positive, will lead to more positive. Flip the negative thought and ask yourself; “is it true? Is it helpful? Is it kind? Would I say this to a friend?” Some of my favorite soundtracks from the book are,

• “spare change adds up”
• “nothing good is ever easy”
• “I’ll feel awesome after”
• “everything is always working out for me”

I highly recommend this book!

The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy

This book was SO good. I listened to it as an audible. The book teaches you how to set and achieve goals, how to practice self discipline, how to make changes and discover your “why” by looking at your core values and gives motivation tools to get you motivated when you feel stuck. I think there were a lot of good take-aways from this book as well as actionable steps to take along the way. I don’t think I’d do the audible version of this book again, because I think I was missing visuals from the book.

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

The Power of Now is a guide to help you live fully in the present. It takes you through life situations such as stress, unhappiness, health issues, negativity and other problems that arise in life. Being in the present moment is your way to a joyful and fulfilling life, and he walks you thorough how to do that. I really liked this book and found it very interesting. I took pages of notes as I listened on audible. It might be worth grabbing a hard copy, if you enjoy highlighting important takeaways, like I do! A good book for everyone to read!

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

This is an oldie, but goodie! I listened to this book on audible about 3 years ago, but was multi-tasking and didn’t fully pay attention. I decided to give it another listen because so many people have said they loved this book. I’m so glad I listened to it again! This book is GOOD! I love a book with some “tough love” to really hit ya where needed. This is a easy listen (or read) with tons of great takeaways, such as:

• “Nothing that lasts is accomplished quickly.”
• “Its’ not about the goal or dream you have. It’s about who you become on the way to that dream or goal.”
• “Trust Gods timing. Nothing is more important than today.”
• “Set goals, not time limits.”
• “Someone else is praying to have the current chaos you’re complaining about. PERSPECTIVE is everything.”
• “YOU get to decide the life you want to live. How are YOU choosing to live it?”

The Joy of Missing Out by Tanya Dalton

I REALLY liked this book. It has practical tips and tricks for living a more productive but meaningful life. Say yes to things that matter and no to everything else that doesn’t align with your vision or core values. This book helps you identify what’s most important to you, develop core values, set goals and visions, simplify systems and create good habits. If you are feeling overwhelmed with life, this book is for you! She’s also got resources and visuals to help organize your thoughts while you read this book.

The Genius Life by Max Lugavere

The Genius Life is a GREAT read! If you are interested in nutrition, sleep, blood sugar control and the endocrine system/hormones, this book is a must! Lugavere breaks the book apart into sections, giving you a breakdown of ways to live a healthy life and WHY. I love learning the science behind things, and he gives it to you in an easy format to understand. I love taking notes when I read, and this book had tons of takeaways I don’t want to forget. Some of my takeaways:

• a single late night meal (or carb snacking at night) can make us worse at handling glucose the next day, affecting our hunger and energy.
• acetaminophen causes a sharp reduction in the livers ability to create glutathione in your bodies, which is your bodies master detoxifier for brain and body.
• light emitting devices (TV, phone, etc.) affects the release of melatonin (sleep hormone), which can cause sleep disturbances. Melatonin also controls inflammation, oxidative stress, blood sugar control and cells “recycling.”
• When under slept, hormones are out of wack. you produce more insulin and blood sugar is likely to stay higher, causing us to eat more.

Rhythms of Renewal by Rebekah Lyons

If you’ve been longing for a more meaningful life, this book is helpful in identifying what’s most important to you. It helps you take a look at all areas of your life; faith, marriage, work, parenting, etc. Lyons shares how to live a life of slowing down, REST, creating rhythms for your life, connecting with others, deepening your faith and doing so in a sustainable way. I didn’t want to put this book down!

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk

I am not finished with this book yet (it’s long), but so far, it’s extremely interesting. Trauma can affect people in so many ways. For anyone who has lived through trauma, this book is a must read for you. Really, this book would be beneficial for anyone to read, to help understand people who have experienced traumatic events; both big and small. Bodies hold on to trauma and can show up differently from one person to the next.

So far, the part I’m finding most interesting is developmental trauma and the connection between a child’s early life events and how it shapes their future. Caregivers have a HUGE role in a child’s life, helping children make sense of the world and their part in it. Children who have lived through traumatic events, might end up having developmental issues, learning difficulties, social disorders and/or behavioral issues.

The studies shared in this book definitely will open your eyes to mental illness and how early neglect and abuse many times turn into mental and psychological issues later in life, due to the trauma held in the body. Like I said, I’m not finished (currently only halfway through), but although its long, its worth the read.

What are some of your favorite books?! Have you read any of these?! If so what were your big takeaways? Share below! =)