If you are new to positive affirmations, a great way to get started is by finding some books that will help you get going. These books will help you create a daily routine that you can enjoy anywhere, will brighten your day, and even teach you some of the research around practicing affirmations, mindfulness, meditation and positive thinking. We have found affirmation books of all types for you to choose from. Some are highly visual and artistic, others are more informative, and even interactive if you’re interested in guided practices. We hope that you’ll enjoy these books as much as we have.
Please keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this is no cost for you and does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice. Thanks for reading.
How do you choose positive affirmation books?
When we set out to find some good books on affirmations and mindfulness, we wanted to set some ground rules.
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Diverse representation of authors
Representation from different types of people from all walks of life is important to us. With that in mind, we found authors that were diverse and had very different personal experiences. We’ve provided some brief information on the authors as well if you’re interested.
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Reviews
We had to filter a large amount of self care books so we decided to draw a line on how other readers have rated the book online. Every book in our list has at least 100 reviews and is over 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon.
A Year of Self Care – Dr. Zoe Shaw
Everyone should have a daily go-to affirmations book that provides new ways to be mindful and reminds us of how powerful we are. That’s exactly what A Year of Self Care is by Dr. Zoe Shaw. The entire book is beautifully designed, each page gives you amazing bits of information that can help add to your self care routine. There are different topics of focus for each month such as purpose, boundaries, gratitude, relationships, and much more. Each page has several days on it, so one day’s read is quick and easy. She references Atomic Habits by James Clear which is an amazing book that we recommend and talk about all the time, check it out if you’re also interested in breaking bad habits and creating new ones. It consistently delivers on what you need for the day in a delightful format that’s easy and fun to enjoy.
I am a vessel of strength, joy, and resiliency. I fill up myself daily so that I can serve myself and my people in the way in which I was created. Like a cocooned butterfly, I am growing and changing in the most beautiful ways.
– Dr. Zoe Shaw, A Year of Self Care
Dr. Zoe Shaw is a licensed psychotherapist, motivational speaker, podcast host of The Dr. Zoe Show, life coach and fitness fanatic. She is a wife and mom to 5. She is passionate about helping women find strength in the sometimes difficult relationship with themselves.
Shine On: Empowering Affirmations for Extraordinary Women – Doreen Caven
Inspiration is important to keep you motivated as you start to practice affirmations, and the combination is perfectly balanced in Shine On: Empowering Affirmations for Extraordinary Women by Doreen Caven. Seeing powerful and thought provoking quotes from world renown women like Oprah Winfreh and less popular, but just as impactful in their own right like Sarojini Nadu is amazing. Being able to learn about these women that I hadn’t even heard of before was really refreshing as well. There are even historical notes on some of these women in the book to give you some detail into how truly amazing these women were. It’s a great read and makes for an excellent piece for your living room table for bits of inspiration for others and yourself on any given day.
There is so much beauty in discovering who we are. The stories, wisdom, and inspiring choices shared by fellow women from all walks of life can help light our path. This discovery only comes from learning who we are outside of our fear. When we decide to speak honestly about our experiences as women and live in our authenticity, we not only release ourselves, we unlock in others the strength to do the same.
– Doreen Caven, Shine On
Doreen Caven is drawn to centering women’s stories. Her passion for amplifying the voices of women, led her to co-create the women’s community, The girls like me (TGLM), a space where all women and non-binary people are encouraged to share their unique stories on its online journal.
Doreen was raised in Nigeria but moved to the US as a teenager. Her dual upbringing gives her an insight into what relates to women, regardless of their different backgrounds.
Wonderful You!: 100 Inspirational Quotes for a Little Pop of Joy – Carin Rockind
This next book is full of quick, fun, and even some edgy content for a quick daily dose of motivation. The artwork is beautiful, it almost felt like I was scrolling the Instagram of one of my favorite motivational profiles. This book is made to pick up randomly and just enjoy how you see fit for that day. It could make a great gift for someone you care for.
Happiness comes down to two words: We CHOOSE. We’re in charge of our own happiness. When we engage in activities we love, surround ourselves with nourishing relationships, do work that fulfills us, and rise up from challenges with courage, we feel wonderful. When life gives you sh*t, turn it into fertilizer that sprouts your biggest dreams. When life controls you, hit PAUSE, breathe, and chart your own path forward.
– Carin Rockind, Wonderful You!
Carin Rockind is an international speaker, coach, and happiness expert. She teaches you to own your power, transform your pain into purpose and claim your purpose in the world. She is one of the first 250 people in the world with a Masters degree in positive psychology, the science of happiness, from the University of Pennsylvania and is the founder of PurposeGirl LLC, a movement to empower girls to become healthy, successful women.
A Year of Positive Thinking – Cyndie Spiegel
Practicing affirmations alone can be great but learning to have a positive mindset can work wonders for you. A year of positive thinking by Cyndie Spiegel is a great way to begin transforming the way you think with informative, bite-sized meditations and prompts that are based in positive psychology, neuroscience, and personal development. This book also is made for each day of the year and perfect for just jumping in and getting started on becoming a more positive thinker. In the book, Spiegel writes from a very down to earth perspective. She calls out that while having a positive mindset is extremely beneficial, we all have to deal with negative thoughts, experiences, and trauma. She further explains that how you choose to handle these issues is what makes all the difference in our lives. Positive thinking from a self-declared realist, she doesn’t do the fluffy stuff and focuses on what truly matters. I highly suggest you give this one a try if you’re just getting started or would like to incorporate positive psychology into your daily routine.
How exactly do your thoughts reshape your brain? Through neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout our lives. Because new thoughts create new neural pathways and repeated thoughts reinforce existing ones, our thoughts can literally change the structure and the function of our brains. By using repetitive mental activities like positive thinking, we can retain our brains to become more inclined toward positive feelings.
– Cyndie Spiegel, A Year of Positive Thinking
Cyndie Spiegel is an author, community builder and a true force of nature who rallies people to lead more boldly and refine their mindsets for good. Her unique blend of straight talk, relatability, sass, and inspiration has made her a sought-after keynote speaker for brands, conferences, and events.
Retrain Your Brain (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 7 Weeks: A Workbook for Managing Depression and Anxiety) – Seth J. Gillihan, PhD
This book is by far the most detailed and structured on our list. It does a great job in giving you useful information around the overall practice of mindfulness, replacing negative thought patterns and behaviors with healthier ones. The book manages to do this with a very insightful weekly program for 7 weeks that continuously build on the previous week’s practice. It’s made for beginners and we think it’s a great way to help work on reshaping your mindset.
Research has shown that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most effective treatment for depressive and anxiety disorders, surpassing medication and other types of therapy in its ability to ameliorate suffering and prevent relapse. But what is CBT and how does it work?
It’s difficult to appreciate CBT’s power to heal until you have seen it in action. In my clinical work, I have witnessed people debilitated by these disorders awaken as they learn cognitive-behavioral techniques.
– Seth J. Gillihan, PhD, Retrain Your Brain
Licensed psychologist Seth J. Gillihan, PhD, specializes in mindfulness-centered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other conditions. Dr. Gillihan has written and lectured nationally and internationally on CBT and how the brain is involved in regulating our moods.