Buying gifts is easy but buying meaningful gifts can be pretty hard and with the holidays right around the corner you may be brainstorming gift ideas for your loved ones. I am a big believer in giving meaningful gifts – like a gift that keeps on giving (I know, cheesy!) but books are great for that and luckily there are so many incredibly great books out there for all sorts of needs, wants and tastes. Today, I’ll be sharing books that have read over the last few years that have really made an impact on me and that I highly recommend to my friends and family.
The Body Book by Cameron Diaz
This book is great for the person who is looking to live a healthier lifestyle and not necessarily in the form of nutrition (even though that is a huge factor) but it inspires you to love your body and treat it well. This book is filled with important and useful information that you can use to become a healthier person – mind, body and soul.
The Green Beauty Guide by Julie Gabriel
Part of living a healthy lifestyle is not just how many times you work out or what you eat but also about fully understanding the ingredients in what you eat AND in the products we use on our bodies (makeup, lotions, shampoo, nail polish, etc.). This book is for the person who will find an interest in learning about the harmful chemicals that are added to products we use in our everyday lives. This is a book I always keep handy and use a reference guide pretty often when contemplating a product purchase.
The Happiness of Pursuit by Chris Guillebeau
This is an interesting and fun read (I read it while on vacation to Costa Rica a year ago) so it is a bit nostalgic for me! This book really takes you into a world of journeys and quests and inspires you to take risks and be curious about what else is out there for you. This is a great book for someone who is searching to find more meaning to their life, this books provides a good foundational guide that anyone can use to begin taking steps towards the life they envision for themselves.
The Best Advice I Ever Got by Katie Kouric
This book is a collection of essays written by celebrities, politicians, authors, etc. and it is a fun and encouraging read. I like that this book keeps it relatively light and it is a great book to read whenever you are need of some uplifting positivity. This may be a great book for someone who is beginning to read books on empowerment and positivity.
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
This book was given to me by an employer after a team training while I was still in college. Maybe since it was the first book of its kind I had ever read – it made such a big impact on me. While it was definitely a sad book it makes you realize how important it is to live a life that provides a positive impact for yourself and those around you. This book is full of inspiration, a lot of great advice and would make a great gift for almost anyone on your list.
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
And last but not least, I could not do a book round up without including Big Magic. This is my most recent read (I actually have about 15 pages left) and I cannot tell you how glad I am to have picked this book up. Big Magic encourages you to embrace those magical moments in your life – some of them are very obvious but others can be easily glossed over, it also encourages you to embrace whatever you are passionate about and to make sure you incorporate whatever makes you happy into your everyday life. This is a must read for anyone (or everyone) on your list.
Do you have book recommendations? Any good books you have read recently that were a gift? Share below!