PaleOMG Fall Book Club

I’ve never been a big reader. I still remember when I was in 7th grade and I was told that I would need to be in a special needs reading class and that forever stuck with me. Ever since then, I’ve had it in my head that I’m a terrible reader and because of that, I’ve steered clear from reading most of my life. Crazy how much our adolescence scars us. Along the way I got hooked to Twilight in my teenage years and dove into the Hunger Games series a little later, but I mostly filled my time with…well…writing! I’ve written over 2500 blog posts, 13,000 instagram posts, and lord knows how many Facebook posts since I refuse to get on there and look these days. My point is, reading has never been my thing because I’m almost always on my phone, computer, or in the kitchen creating content I can be proud of in the future. But luckily our world has shifted to audiobooks and it’s made it easier than ever to learn while I work, while I work out, while I go on walks, while I put on makeup, and while I fold laundry. Now I’m able to get through books within a week or two (sometimes days) instead of months. It’s freaking awesome!

I’ve been sharing books on instagram a ton lately, so I thought it was finally time to round them all up in one blog post and continue to share new book club posts each season as I find new books that resonate with me and what I’m going through at that time in my life. For me, this time is all about spirituality, growth, and self-improvement. So you may not resonate with these books if those topics do not interest you. Either way, I want to share some of the books that have helped me recently and hopefully they can do the same for you. And if you have any books you loved or that you think I should read, please leave them in the comments below. I would love to hear what you’re digging into these days and add that to my list! Now let’s get into my latest favorites!

Dying to Be Me – This book resonated so deeply with me. As I dive into spirituality and trying to figure out what makes the most sense to me, I have loved listening to different books, but this one spoke to me. The author shares her near death experience and what it taught her about the universe, why we are here, and what we will experience after. This book made me feel more connected to the world around me and compassionate for people who are all experiencing life in different ways. It made me see life through a new, more beautiful lens and made me look at death in a completely different way. I loved this book with all my heart.

Many Lives, Many Masters – This was the first book I listened to when I embarked on my own spiritual path. It shares a psychotherapist’s experience and story of one of his patients who began recalling their past life traumas during hypnosis. Some people believe we have past lives and some don’t, but I thought this was a very eye opening read that helped me see life a little differently and look at the relationships and people in my life in a new way. This is a super quick read/listen that I highly recommend, no matter your religious or spiritual views.

Spiritually Sassy – I started following Sah D’Simone on instagram probably a year ago and quickly connected to his spirit and drive to create his best life possible. I also connected with his passion for meditation, breath work, and self-growth. I highly recommend listening to this book because you get to hear Sah share his life story and his practices in his own voice, which is even more inspiring, in my opinion. This book is in the self-help genre, but it feels like you’re simply listening to a friend who wants the best for you.

Letting Go – This book changed my husband and forever changed our relationship for the better. It’s one of the main reasons we are still going strong in our marriage, which was not the case a few months ago. This book is all about surrender. Surrendering to life, letting go of the things that hold us back, and embracing whatever life may throw at us. I found this book a bit dry to listen to, but it has a ton of helpful information in it that you can use in every day life. It has helped Brian immensely with letting go and finally living life. It’s fucking awesome.

Greenlights – Do yourself a favor – don’t read this book, LISTEN to it. I always thought of Matthew McConaughey as the guy who worked out shirtless on the beach with other famous people, but his story is a great reminder that we really don’t know most people. People are deep, complicated, and their stories and traumas create the outer shell we all see, while their curiosity creates their path long term. McConaughey’s story is a beautiful one, told even more beautifully by his narration in the audiobook. Hearing his story might ignite something inside of you to take the path less traveled and to create a life you are proud of.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck – I read this book a loooong time ago, but I thought I would share it here because I still love it so much. I’ve followed Mark Manson for quite some time now, but his book resonated with me for obvious reasons. I mean, it has the word fuck in the title. This guy gets it. Mark shares stories of other people throughout the book along with entertaining anecdotes from his own life that help inspire you to experience life, fuck up along the way, and stand back on your two feet with your head held high…all while cussing along the way.

Think Like a Monk – I loved this book so much that I bought it for my dad. He did not love it. You win some, you lose some. But for me, this book gave me little nuggets throughout that I’ll take with me in my day-to-day life. It’s helped me become more aware when I’m on walks, taking in things I normally wouldn’t. It’s helped me remember that everyone is fighting their own battle, experiencing life in a completely different way, and it’s helped me stay present in the now. Since reading this book, I find myself smiling at people more, saying hello to strangers every chance I get, and letting go of any comparison I have when it comes to other people. It’s pretty rad.

Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself – I LOVE this book. Think about how many times you’ve said, “It’s just who I am.” But have you ever questioned who you actually are? And if that person you who decided was you…was actually you? Joe Dispenza is someone I love listening to on podcasts and tv shows, and I really love listening to his idea of bringing together spirituality and neuroscience to help you create your own reality, not the reality that our genetics and society has told us we are. Through meditation and manifestation, Dispenza lays the groundwork to help you create the life you always wanted. Plus his meditations are incredible!

Untamed – This book was recommended by so many people, so I decided to give it a try. And I now completely understand why people loved it so much. Glennon Doyle is an incredible writer, she’s so gifted. This book is all about inspiring you to live the life by simply hearing someone who bravely lived theirs. Doyle shares her own story of love with a man and then a woman, blending her family, navigating raising a family along the way, and how to learn to trust your instincts instead of burying like society has taught us to do. It’s a hell of a good read.

Deep – This isn’t a book I would normally pick up, but my close girlfriend recommended it and she’s pretty much read every book on the planet so I trusted her. And I’m so glad I did. I listened to this book and loved listening to the author James Nestor. It was like listening to a friend who has lived an incredible life and is an even more incredible storyteller. Nestor shares his stories of watching free divers dive to incomprehensible depths for minutes on end, spending time in the ocean diving with whales and sharks, and what the water has taught him through each experience. It’s a beautiful book that brings you to respect the ocean like never before.

The Power of When – If you’ve ever wondered why you find yourself wide awake at night or why you cannot ever sleep in or why you don’t have endless energy like your partner does…it may be because of your chronotype. Michael Breus shares the four chronotypes he has created based on our biology and hormones. Whether you’re a bear, lion, dolphin, or wolf; Breus gives a breakdown of how to get in sync with your natural rhythm so you can get the most out of each day, no matter your chronotype. Want to know the best time to drink coffee? Best time to have sex? Best time to have a level-headed argument with your spouse? He breaks that down for each chronotype to help you get the most out of life so you’re not constantly tired or running on empty.

Why We Sleep – If you didn’t know this already, sleep is CRAZY important. Wildly important. It keeps our appetite regulated, it improves our memory, it reduces health risks, regulates blood sugar, and more. But we live in a society that praises people who sleep less and work more. But that narrative needs to change and this book seals the deal for me. This book educates you on the importance of sleep so you can hopefully make it a priority in your life instead of putting everything else before it.

Drug Use for Grown-Ups – Let me be honest here…I haven’t finished this book yet. I just started it. So I shouldn’t be recommending it quite yet, BUT I did listen to Dr. Carl Hart on a podcast and really loved his idea on drug use. If you’ve listened to my podcast, you know my stance on drugs and it was really interesting to hear someone who has a similar stance, but from a person who has been part of governmental recreational drug studies. If you are anti-drug or pro-drug, it’s simply enlightening to hear someone’s honest experience with being a responsible drug user who is also a responsible parent, husband, and professor.

Hope you enjoy this list and I can’t wait to see what resonates with me so I can share even more in the future!