My favorite books to treat yourself better

Why am I passionate about this?

As a life coach and author of two dozen self-help books, I’ve spent the past twenty years helping people treat themselves better. Doing so is fundamental to personal growth and making real, purposeful change. When you fully appreciate yourself and treat yourself well, you will feel so much better! You will be in a much stronger position to overcome challenges, achieve your goals, and get more out of life. 


I wrote...

Self-Worth Essentials: A Workbook to Understand Yourself, Accept Yourself, Like Yourself, Respect Yourself, Be Confident, Enjoy Yourself, and Love Yourself

By Liisa Kyle,

Book cover of Self-Worth Essentials:  A Workbook to Understand Yourself, Accept Yourself, Like Yourself, Respect Yourself, Be Confident, Enjoy Yourself, and Love Yourself

What is my book about?

Self-esteem is how you see yourself. Self-worth is how you value yourself. Helping people improve how they view themselves has been a fundamental step in my coaching practice over the past twenty years.  I've devised practical techniques to improve people's self-perceptions and self-esteem.  I've designed this workbook to guide you through the seven essential phases of improving your self-worth. This book is for you if you would like to understand yourself better, accept those things you like least about yourself, like yourself more, treat yourself better, improve your self-confidence, find new ways to enjoy being you, and learn to love yourself. Yes, you are worth it.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Magic

Liisa Kyle Why did I love this book?

Step one in treating yourself better is to cease focusing on what isn't going well and to put your attention on what is. Be truly thankful for your blessings. No matter what challenges or situations you are facing, there are things you can be grateful for. You have air to breathe and water to drink, for example. Start there. The more you focus on the positives in your life, the more good things you will attract. This book guides you through a month of gratitude activities that will have you feeling better about every aspect of your life. 

By Rhonda Byrne,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

In The Magic a great mystery from a sacred text is revealed, and with this knowledge Rhonda Byrne takes the reader on a life-changing journey for 28 days. Step by step, day-by-day, secret teachings, revelations, and scientific law are brought together to form 28 simple practices that open the reader's eyes to a new world, and lead them to a dream life.


Book cover of The Disease to Please: Curing the People-Pleasing Syndrome

Liisa Kyle Why did I love this book?

Are you a people pleaser? A lot of my clients are. They worry about people liking them. They end up taking on tasks they really don’t want to do because they don’t know how to set boundaries or say “no” effectively. This book looks at the mindsets, habits, and emotional components of people-pleasing, and provides a 21-day plan to teach yourself specific skills to overcome these tendencies. When you do, you will automatically be treating yourself better.

By Harriet Braiker,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Disease to Please as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

What's wrong with being a "people pleaser?" Plenty!

"A fascinating book... If you struggle with where, when, and how to draw the line between your own desires and the demands of others, buy this book!" Kay Redfield Jamison, bestselling author of An Unquiet Mind and Night Falls Fast

People pleasers are not just nice people who go overboard trying to make everyone happy. Those who suffer from the Disease to Please are people who say "Yes" when they really want to say "No." For them, the uncontrollable need for the elusive approval of others is an addiction. Their debilitating fears…


Book cover of Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda: Overcoming Regrets, Mistakes, and Missed Opportunities

Liisa Kyle Why did I love this book?

Are you stewing about regrets, disappointments, and perceived “mistakes” you’ve made? It’s hard to treat yourself well if you are berating yourself for things you did or didn’t do in the past. This book guides you through proven tools to process what happened. It will help you let go of resentments so you can move on with your life. Once you let go, you can treat yourself better.

By Arthur Freeman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Who of us can claim never to have made a mistake, missed a goal, regretted a choice, or suffered because of another's action? For those who suffer from a constant sense of regret about the past, who feel their present lives have been immutably shaped by actions they could or should or would have taken but didn't, real help is at hand. In clear, uncomplicated language, Dr. Arthur Freeman, a leading exponent of cognitive therapy, and his colleague Rose DeWolf, a skillful translator of the cognitive method, describe the techniques and provide exercises that will enable readers to actually "unblock"…


Book cover of Feel the Fear...and Beyond: Mastering the Techniques for Doing It Anyway

Liisa Kyle Why did I love this book?

Another thing that prevents people from treating themselves well is fear. Jeffers’ first book (Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway) is a classic for working through worries and anxieties. I usually recommend this book instead because it has more practical activities and suggestions for managing fear. When you do, you boost your self-confidence, your self-esteem, and your self-worth.

By Susan Jeffers,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Feel the Fear...and Beyond as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

At last, step-by-step guidance and concrete exercises that tailor the Feel the Fear program to the demands of your busy life!

With her phenomenal bestseller Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, renowned author Susan Jeffers has helped millions of people overcome their fears and move forward in their lives with confidence, action, and love. Now in this new work, Dr. Jeffers takes us by the hand and gives us step-by-step examples that help us to incorporate her profound insights into our daily lives.

Tailored for both individual and group use--including an invaluable 30-Day Power Planner--Feel the Fear . .…


Book cover of Finding Your Own North Star: Claiming the Life You Were Meant to Live

Liisa Kyle Why did I love this book?

First, I love how Martha Beck writes. She’s funny! Also wise and candid. I would happily recommend any of her books. This particular one is helpful in treating yourself better because it guides you through specific exercises to evaluate your essential self, to appreciate it, and to pursue your unique, authentic path. 

By Martha Beck,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Finding Your Own North Star as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

New York Times bestselling author and Life Designs, Inc. creator Martha Beck shares her step-by-step program that will guide you to fulfill your own potential and create a joyful life.

In this book, you'll start by learning how to read the internal compasses already built into your brain and body--and why you may have spent your life ignoring their signals. As you become reacquainted with your own deepest desires, you'll identify and repair any unconscious beliefs or unhealed emotional wounds that may be blocking your progress.

This will change your life, but don't worry--although every life is unique, major transformations…


You might also like...

Book cover of This Animal Body

Meredith Walters

New book alert!

What is my book about?

Neuroscience PhD student Frankie Conner has finally gotten her life together—she’s determined to discover the cause of her depression and find a cure for herself and everyone like her. But the first day of her program, she meets a group of talking animals who have an urgent message they refuse to share. And while the animals may not have Frankie’s exalted human brain, they know things she doesn’t, like what happened before she was adopted.

To prove she’s sane, Frankie investigates her forgotten past and conducts clandestine experiments. But just when she uncovers the truth, she has to make an impossible choice: betray the animals she’s fallen in love with—or give up her last chance at success and everything she thought she knew.

By Meredith Walters,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked This Animal Body as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Frankie Conner, first-year graduate student at UC Berkeley, is finally getting her life together. After multiple failures and several false starts, she's found her calling: become a neuroscientist, discover the cause of her depression and anxiety, and hopefully find a cure for herself and everyone like her.

But her first day of the program, Frankie meets a mysterious group of talking animals who claim to have an urgent message for her. The problem is, they're not willing to share it. Not yet. Not until she's ready.

While Frankie's new friends may not have her highly evolved, state-of-the-art, exalted human brain,…


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