What our Readers are Reading for Self-care this Mother’s Day.
Happy Mother's Day!
From the day a child is born to the day she breathes her last, it is said that "a mother only lives for her child". The duty of a mother is ENDLESS and her job is relentless. There are no days off and sometimes there's no gratitude. However, if there is one thing we can give our mother's on their special day, is a day of peace, relaxation, and a good book to read.
We asked our Instagram followers what they are reading these days for relaxation and self-care. Many of you responded, and we picked the top 5!
"When I need a break to myself, I splurge on a little bit of trash, self-help, and romance novels to take my mind off of the days struggles & stress." - April R., California
You’ll be pleasantly surprised as we were to see the list of books our readers indulge in. So much so, we're picking up a few of these titles from B&N and Amazon this weekend! Hope you feel the same!
#1 on the list: IKIGAI: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life (Ichigo Ichie).
The Ikigai is the International Bestseller, selling 1.5 mil copies worldwide. Several readers mentioned this book, as well as the 2nd book on the list. Ikigai is a Japanese term that means having a purpose in life, or finding what makes life worthwhile. Whether our moms find their children worth living, or they have their own reasons for living, this came up as our number one recommended book on the list.
#2 on the list: The Things You Only See When You Slow Down: How to be Calm in a Busy World (Haemin Sunim).
Sometimes the world moves at lightning speed; but none of us have to. Maegan from Wisconsin shares why this book came in at number two on the list for us. "This book meant so much to me when I first found it at a local book store. It taught me to slow down, take breaks, be intentional with my 'me time'. As a mother, that was so hard to do for so many years but now that I'm in my 50's, I feel like I want my 2nd phase of my life to be my BEST years... Don't get me wrong, I love being a mom, but somehow I lost myself and this book showed me the world is more beautiful when I take my time to relish in it." Haemin Sunim speaks openly about the anxieties we experience in our busy lives and how simply learning to pause, enjoying the little pleasures in our own environments and communities, that come from slowing down.
#3 on the list: I'm so Effing Tired: A Proven Plan to Beat Burnout, Boost Your Energy, and Reclaim Your Life ( by Amy Shah, MD)
This self-help, self-care book came up as number three on the list from readers who said that this book was important to their becoming "Boss Moms" after leaving dysfunctional relationships that left them single mothers. Jeleasah from Maryland said, "I needed support. I needed to get up from feeling depressed and upset that my children's father left the picture. I was feeling sorry for myself and I needed someone, or something [THIS BOOK] to get my ass in gear!"
Jeleasah shared that this book helped her through 'parenting burnout', stating that she had only enough energy to get her children to school and back and fed; that she didn't have any energy for herself, outside of sleep (aka, Hello Depression!).
#4 on the list: Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess: 5 Simple, Scientifically Proven Steps to Reduce Anxiety, Stress, and Toxic Thinking (by Dr. Caroline Leaf)
This book has been our our top 5 list for a long time. We follow Dr. Caroline Leaf's Instagram , and have been for quite a while. She's a Neuroscientist and an expert on mental health. Her interventions on our mental mess (anxiety, depression, toxic stress) are backed by scientific research and being therapists, we couldn't go without recommending this book with our mothers, and really all readers alike. Sometimes we have to own our mental health matters into our own hand by asking for help, whether that is through self-help books, mindful meditation, or scheduling our first therapy session. This book is a good start. You got this, Mom!
And FINALLY, #5 : GOOD VIBES, GOOD LIFE: How Self-Love is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness (by Vex King)
Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King just gives us good vibes all over! A reader said it best when she texted, "When you can't afford therapy, Good Vibes, Good Life IT IS! There's so much going on in life that you literally have very little time to process all of it. This is why I found Vex King's book on the law of manifesting so real. Like, you have to start working on your messed-up belief system in order to improve the quality of your own life." We agree.
If there is anything that can top off the Top 5 List of reads for this Mother's Day, it's ending with the message to all mother's to enjoy their special weekend with self-care, self-love, and grace to know that no matter what is on our plates as mother's, that we were given a special gift to carry life, and literally change the world with every child that we bring into it. But just for today - Relax... Release... and REVIVE BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.
Happy Mother's day to all mothers; to the mother's we've lost; to the mother who lost a little one; and to the mothers still trying again... You are loved.
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