I’ll be the first to tell you I’m an avid reader who has fallen off the wagon in recent years. I used to devour books as a child and young adult, but motherhood pushed reading anything long-form to the back burner unless it was a book about sleep training, potty training, or something so very practical that I needed to know to move forward in my parenting journey.
A couple months ago I started reading The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod (more on that later…) and one of the things I loved the most about the book was the emphasis on making reading part of your daily (early) morning routine. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that after reading The Miracle Morning I also happened to complete a handful of other books, and for someone who has been stuck in a start-stop pattern with book reading that’s really saying something!
My biggest tip if you want to get back into the habit of reading books would be to make small goals, like reading just 5 or 10 minutes per day, and easing into reading again. I got stuck telling myself that I didn’t have time to read, because I had the misconception that I needed to have an hour to read if I was going to really get into a book. But the truth is that I don’t know if I’m going to consistently have an hour to read for the next 10 years while raising little kids, so I’m biting off small chunks. Also, although I much prefer hard copies of books, in this season of life, having books on Kindle and the Kindle app on my phone is more practical. Then, instead of reaching for my phone to scroll social media when I have down time, I’m more likely to open my Kindle app and read a few pages instead.
Here’s what I’ve been reading lately!
1. The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod (free on Kindle)
Like I mentioned above, The Miracle Morning was the book that jumpstarted all my new reading. I’m already a morning person by nature, but this book was an awesome read that encouraged some really wonderful, new practices into my morning routine and gave it additional structure and purpose.
2. The Magic of Motherhood by Ashlee Gadd
If you’re a mom, chances are you’ve read at least one of the beautiful essays on the blog Coffee + Crumbs. I’m always encouraged by their site and podcast and this book is no different. It’s a collection of essays about motherhood that had me feeling all the feels. I cried so many happy/sad tears while reading this book that Joe was worried about me. I would highly recommend this as a gift to the new moms or expecting moms in your life!
3. Grace Not Perfection by Emily Ley
The Simplified Planner creator, Emily Ley, is a mom of three little kids, including a set of twins who are Ainsley’s age. I loved her book – which is not only beautiful but also a really encouraging, heartfelt read about finding time for what truly matters and giving yourself grace in the journey of motherhood. She had me laughing, nodding in agreement and even crying at times.
4. Oh Crap Potty Training by Jamie Glowacki
Yes, this is a parenting book, a potty training book none the less, but it was such a helpful, funny read! Anyone who can make potty training both educational and entertaining gets all the kudos in my book. And if you’re even thinking about potty training your toddler, get this book sooner rather than later. Our potty training experience was so smooth and uneventful because of it.
5. The Wellness Project by Phoebe Lapine
Friends! You need to read this book. If you’ve ever wanted to live a healthier lifestyle and improve your wellness but also want to find a happy balance of still living life, I can’t recommend this book enough. The author, Phoebe, is a personal chef and blogger who spent a year in search of improving her health and overall wellness. I learned so much about gut health, stress management, and more. And I think anyone who is curious about how their personal care products impact their health will find that chapter particularly eye-opening.
6. You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero
I hated this book. And I don’t say that lightly. I know, it’s trendy and gets rave reviews all over the internet but I just couldn’t stomach this book. Although the author talked a lot about God and faith, her entire perspective on the topic was very mystical and hardly rooted in sound Biblical principles. It was very “rah rah!” “the power is within you!” and while that might feel good to read, and I’m all about empowerment, I think self-reliance is a slippery slope. Additionally, I felt the book was repetitive and light on actual content.