5 Books That Every Business Woman Should Read

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll have probably seen some of my latest Instagram Stories where I've been sharing what books I've been reading. Reading hasn't always been something I've done so actively; I was quite a slow learner when I was little, and I found it hard to learn how to read. When I did learn to read, I found it hard to keep my attention, or find books which really gripped me. 

There were a few exceptions to that rule, and I definitely devoured a few books (hello reading Twilight instead of studying for my IGCSE's!) but they were quite rare. 

I'd always been drawn to self improvement books when I was reached my teens, but felt far too embarrassed to even dream about picking them up. It wasn't until I turned 23 that I finally just let myself read whatever I wanted, and stopped caring what people thought. 

Reading is now something I do daily, and fills my life with so much joy. I've learnt more in the last two years about business, and most importantly, about myself, than I ever thought possible, and most of it has been because of these books. I full on geek with this stuff; highlighters and pens are always by my side, and Tom does sometimes think I'm crazy, but it's the way I absorb things best. 

So without further ado, here are the business and self improvement books that I've found to be the most helpful, and inspiring! 

1. "You Are A Badass - How To Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living An Awesome Life" by Jen Sincero * :This had to be number one, because I've just finished it, and I don't think this book will ever leave my side. It's amazing! A little bit "woowoo" for some people, but also very subtle, I've devoured this book. This book has it all, from teaching you how to meditate, to uncovering what limiting beliefs you have about yourself, to explaining how it's actually our subconscious which runs the show, not our conscious mind. It's full of little activities, and I encourage you to actually do them - I have, and they've already opened my eyes to a lot of weird things I do/think. This is a book you'll want to go back through time and time again, so do what I did and grab a pen and underline the bits that spoke to you the most, so that it's easy to get back to them! I've just started "You Are A Badass At Making Money," the "sequel" to this one (I'm not sure you can call it that, but you know what I mean) so I'll be sure to report back on how I find that one when I'm done!

2. Daring Greatly by Brené Brown * : Another book that I read very recently, and loved. Daring Greatly is all about vulnerability, and how once we accept our vulnerabilities and share them with others, we are not weaker, but much stronger. I've always been quite a vulnerable and sensitive person, so reading this was extremely powerful for me. If you feel like you struggle with showing your vulnerable side, this book is for you. 

3. How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie * : You've probably heard of this book... because let's face it, it's pretty famous. But for good reason; it's pretty amazing! This book is filled with practical advice topics such as: making friends, increasing your popularity, winning over new clients and customers, and being a better public speaker. I put off reading this book for a very long time, because it felt like something a bit arrogant to want to read, but it really isn't. It's simply about understanding human nature better, which can do nothing but help you in the long run!

4. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert * : I won't lie, half the reason I bought this book was because of it's beautiful front cover. The other half, was because I heard EVERYONE raving about how good this book was for people working in a creative field. This book is very much like a template on how to unleash your creativity. Gilbert shares stories from her life, as well as the stories of people she's met along the way, that are inspiring, encouraging and sometimes a bit challenging. Big Magic really helps you to embrace what we love doing the most, as well as look at what we fear. It's definitely a book you should read if you work in any kind of creative field!

5. Essentialism by Greg Mckeown *:  I like to describe "Essentialism" as the "minimalist approach to business." Minimalism can be seen as a bit of a trend at the moment, but I certainly believe it's much more than that. This book will help you to analyse where in your business, and life, you are working on things that are not essential. It can feel like a challenging perspective, but the more I read this, the more it began to make sense. "Essentialism" did a lot for me in terms of mindset, and definitely helped me to improve on my business. If you have a tendency to take on too much, or feel like you have to do it all, I highly encourage you to read this book! 

So there you have it, 5 books I've loved, and highly recommend! Do you have any books that you could recommend to me? I'm always looking for new ones to add to my Amazon Wishlist! 

* Please note that any links with a star next to them indicate that these are affiliate links.