Five Books For Igniting Radical Self-love

As December rolls in and the weather continues to gets colder, you’re inevitably going to be spending more time indoors getting cozy with family (hugs, multiple families in one house, and/or crowding around someone’s phone for cute pictures of babies or dogs). Having a self-care practice in place can help us stay healthy, peaceful, and present for the ones we love most during the holiday season.

A self-care practice this season might look like a slow morning meditation, warming foods, and ample sleep to keep us in rhythm with the shorter, darker days. These simple, but not always easy, behaviors help root us in a state of well-being.

But no amount of pranayama or vegetable soup will support you in being your most radiant you if it is without self-love.


Loving ourselves. This is the hard work. Undeniably harder than the spontaneous decision for a bubble bath or a #treatyourself yoga class. This is the daily, conscious choice we make to meet our quirks, short-comings, and differences with acceptance and compassion. It’s understanding that we are so much more than the sum of our accomplishments and failures. It’s whole-heartedly embracing the consequences of being who we are right in this moment.

When we aren’t loving ourselves or our circumstances, we aren’t able to be fully present and loving for the most important people our lives. Our minds will wander to our own insecurities, worries, preoccupations, and to-do lists.

It’s my belief that when we support our bodies and our minds and souls, we have a solid foundation to rise as the most radiant and loving version of ourselves each day. Rising Rooted health coaching is designed to help you build a unique and sustainable set of practices for both self-care and self-love.

“When you love yourself, you heal yourself. When you heal yourself, you heal the world. And that, dear heart, is what makes you a hero” - Sara Ajna


I’m sure you’ve heard of someone described as being able to “light up a room.” This is a person who seems to emanate a bright light wherever they go and who is genuinely confident, secure, and happy with just being herself. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s more than just a green juice giving her that glow.

I believe our visible inner light, our radiance, stems from a mindset which favors choosing love above all else. When we choose to shed the light of compassionate love on on our own lives, we are then able to understand others in the same way. This is why self-love isn’t selfish. Loving ourselves is the prerequisite to being able to love others in the deepest, most authentic way.

Choosing love…
turns lack into abundance.
turns judgement into acceptance.
turns jealousy into admiration.
turns grief into gratitude.
turns resentment into forgiveness.
turns fear into hope.
turns chaos into calm.

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Affirmation: Above all else, I choose love.


But how do we begin to illuminate our lives in this way?

Self-love is a journey and, from my personal experience, I’ve found it’s not a straight and narrow path. As a holistic health coach, I’ll provide you with meditations, journal prompts, thought-provoking conversations and more to support you along the way in addition to helping you reach goals related to your physical well-being. If you’re interested in working together in this way, head over to the coaching section of my website to learn more.


And, as promised in a previous post, here are my go-to reads when my mind and heart need a reminder to always choose love. ♥

1. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay
The book which started it all for me. Originally published in 1984, Louise Hay reminds us that almost anything can be healed when we first heal our thoughts. With her beautifully illustrated affirmations and wise words, this book gives you the tools to set a foundation for an inspired and overwhelmingly love-filled life. Thanks for gifting me this one, Momma!

2. Loveable by Kelly Flanagan
"Embracing what is truest about you so you can truly embrace your life” is the subtitle to clinical psychologist Kelly Flanagan’s book. Made famous by the letters he writes to his kids and shares on his blog, Dr. Flanagan tells stories of the relatable and oftentimes humorous journey of learning to see ourselves as completely and wholly loveable. Want to learn a bit before you commit to the whole book? Dr. Flanagan has the first few chapters of the book available for free on his website.

3. When The Heart Waits by Pema Chodron
Waiting is uncomfortable. Waiting in traffic and long lines or on test results and news updates can almost feel painful. Pema Chodron shares how she feels God’s presence and gives herself grace when the waiting seems unbearable. “The wound is the place where the Light enters you” -Rumi.

4. Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist
The most fitting read for girls and women who feel the weight of the world on their shoulders to be the best friend, daughter, mother, wife, student and employee all at the same time. Shauna Niequist’s stories of her own experience with finding stillness and calm in the midst of our self-created craziness reminded me how sweet it is to simply be PRESENT with the people I love rather than trying to be perfect for them.

5. Perfectly Imperfect by Baron Baptiste
A great read for any regular yogi curious about the parallel nature of what happens in our minds on and off our yoga mats. This book will help you tune into your intuitive voice and transform your approach to stepping outside of your comfort zone. Fun fact- my 200 hour yoga teacher training followed Baptiste methodology.

+a few honorable mentions from my (mile long) hit list of books I want to read in 2019…

A Return To Love- Marianne Williamson
Gifts of Imperfection- Brene Brown
Self-Compassion- Dr. Kristin Neff

Have you read any of these books? Do you have an interest in seeing a Rising Rooted virtual book club in the future? Are you just feeling pulled to send me a message saying hello? I’d love to hear from you! xo