The best books to help you start your day off right

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m just an ordinary person who’s struggled with their own habits and compulsions. My fear and anxiety led me to read many self-help books over the last thirty-something years, and a lot of them helped me to firmly believe that if you start your day in the best way you can, then there’s no limit to the things that you can achieve!

Each of the books I’ve recommended has given me simple tools to help me do just that. Ultimately, I know they inspired me to create the Bad Habit Kicker system. I truly believe they can all help others optimize their lives and become the best versions of themselves!


I wrote...

The Bad Habit Kicker

By Lou Lomas,

Book cover of The Bad Habit Kicker

What is my book about?

The book is about The Bad Habit Kicker system, which I invented to help me deal with some unhelpful habits that were really holding me back from living the life I was dreaming of. It’s an easy-to-implement system which will help you to ditch those bad habits so you can make room for new ones.

It can be implemented within a few hours by using visualisation to help you short-circuit the brain-based pathways we all establish, which lead us repeatedly into behaviours that frustrate us and don’t serve us anymore.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8am)

Lou Lomas Why did I love this book?

In 2016, after my Mum passed away suddenly from lung cancer, I was in desperate need of a reset in my life. Fortunately for me, that’s when I came across this book.

The thing that’s so wonderful about it is that it’s a really simple system, which encourages you to start your day by spending time on just six easy activities - which you can remember by using the acronym S.A.V.E.R.S. What I found when I started doing The Miracle Morning every day was that it helped me to knock so much of my anxiety on the head that it then allowed me to be creative every day.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough. There’s a really vibrant community on Facebook where people share hints and tips on how to keep their practice going long-term and share their successes!

By Hal Elrod,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Miracle Morning as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

USA Today Bestseller

Start waking up to your full potential every single day with the updated and expanded edition of the groundbreaking book with more than 2 million copies sold.

Getting everything you want out of life isn't about doing more. It's about becoming more. Hal Elrod and The Miracle Morning have helped millions of people become the person they need to be to create the life they've always wanted. Now, it's your turn.

Hal's revolutionary S.A.V.E.R.S. method is a simple, effective step-by-step process to transform your life in as little as six minutes per day:
Silence: Reduce stress and…


Book cover of Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway

Lou Lomas Why did I love this book?

I must have listened to this on audiobook a hundred times in 2000 when I had to drive hundreds of miles a week up and down the UK for my job until I felt as if the author’s words and message were seared into my brain!

It’s written in an easy conversational style, with practical examples from the author’s experience, and every idea in it is simple and easy to use in your own life. This book helped me through a difficult time and made me realise for the first time that I actually wasn’t alone or in any way weird, and that most people struggle with their fears.

To this day, I still tell myself, “I’ll handle it!” when I’m faced with a difficult or scary task!

By Susan Jeffers,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Internationally renowned author, Susan Jeffers, has helped millions of people around the globe to overcome their fears and heal the pain in their lives. Such fears may include:

Public speaking; Asserting yourself; Making decisions; Intimacy; Changing jobs; Being alone; Ageing; Driving; Losing a loved one; Ending a relationship.

But whatever your anxieties, Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway will give you the insight and tools to vastly improve your ability to handle any given situation. You will learn to live your life the way you want - so you can move from a place of pain, paralysis and depression…


Book cover of How To Stop Worrying and Start Living

Lou Lomas Why did I love this book?

This is an oldie but a classic in the self-help arena and a book that I’ve re-read many times. There are some real nuggets of gold in the book, including the author’s advice to live in "Day-tight compartments," and I absolutely love the 32 true-life examples that are included in the back.

It just goes to show that the simplest ideas are timeless—this book was originally published in 1948!

By Dale Carnegie,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How To Stop Worrying and Start Living as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"""Let's not allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget. Remember 'Life is too short to be little.'" An expert on interpersonal skills, Dale Carnegie gives his readers the facts of worry and techniques of dealing with it while focusing on the more important aspects of life. Drawing from high personal experience, he speaks of the golden rule for keeping your energy and spirits high. Ingrained with true stories to inspire readers in overcoming worry and moving on to success, this self-help book uses everyday nuances to help readers focus on keeping spirits high.""


Book cover of The Artist's Way: A Course in Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self

Lou Lomas Why did I love this book?

Anyone who’s looking to establish a daily creative practice would be well advised to read this book and put the beautiful ideas inside into practice.

It’s packed with 12 weeks' worth of ideas for bringing out your artistic side. The ideas can help with any type of creative endeavour and are sure to encourage those creative juices to flow!

By Julia Cameron,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Artist's Way as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'I love it. A practical, spiritual, nurturing book.' - Russell Brand

Since its first publication, The Artist's Way has inspired the genius of Elizabeth Gilbert, Tim Ferriss, Reese Witherspoon and millions of readers to embark on a creative journey and find a deeper connection to process and purpose. Julia Cameron guides readers in uncovering problems and pressure points that may be restricting their creative flow and offers techniques to open up opportunities for self-growth and self-discovery.

A revolutionary programme for personal renewal, The Artist's Way will help get you back on track, rediscover your passions, and take the steps you…


Book cover of The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage

Lou Lomas Why did I love this book?

If you’ve ever felt the pull of resistance, and the frustration of knowing that there’s something that you really want to do, but then that little voice in your head steps up and stops you, then this book will 100% help you. It explains a very easy way of short-circuiting that discussion.

It’s another simple idea, which is what makes it so powerful and helpful. And if you enjoy listening to podcasts, Mel now has an excellent one, "The Mel Robbins Podcast," which you can find on all platforms.

By Mel Robbins,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The 5 Second Rule as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

National Bestseller!

As seen on The Today Show!

How to enrich your life and destroy doubt in 5 seconds.

Throughout your life, you've had parents, coaches, teachers, friends and mentors who have pushed you to be better than your excuses and bigger than your fears. What if the secret to having the confidence and courage to enrich your life and work is simply knowing how to push yourself?

Using the science of habits, riveting stories and surprising facts from some of the most famous moments in history, art and business, Mel Robbins will explain the power of a "push moment."…


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The Woodland Stranger: A Fairy Tale with Benefits

By Jane Buehler,

Book cover of The Woodland Stranger: A Fairy Tale with Benefits

Jane Buehler Author Of The Ocean Girl

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Storyteller Introvert Romantic Norm avoider Backyard birdwatcher

Jane's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

Burne’s been hiding out in the forest since deserting the King’s Guard. Each time he tries to return to the village, he begins to panic. And then one day, he encounters a handsome stranger picking flowers and hides behind a tree instead of talking.

He wants to be braver—and he’s about to get another chance. Because the stranger is Gray, a fairy and master of illusions who’s now following Burne home. And Gray’s got more on his mind than talking. Would a fairy that beautiful ever want someone like him? Stranger things have happened.

The Woodland Stranger: A Fairy Tale with Benefits

By Jane Buehler,

What is this book about?

Whoever said, Don't talk to strangers?


Burne hid behind a tree. He wanted to talk to the handsome man picking flowers at the edge of the forest, but he'd only flub it if he tried-he'd stumble over his words and blush bright red. And now the man is gone.


He tries to continue on to the village, but the same thing happens as always: his hands start shaking and panic wells up inside him. What if he runs into the bullies who tormented him in the King's Guard last spring? Ever since he deserted, he has hidden out in the…


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