So what is on your book reading list over the holiday season? Now is the perfect time to unplug and unwind ourselves from the daily hustle and bustle. As a woman entrepreneur, mother, wife, partner, daughter, sister (just some of the roles that we proudly hold) , spending time with your loved ones and attending holiday parties are all enjoyable activities that you’ll probably be doing a lot of. But what about “you time?”
You know…that special time you dedicate to just yourself. During holidays, you hopefully will be recharging your batteries (or creating a new year’s resolution). AND it’s the perfect chance to grab a good book and feed your soul – and your mind.
So if you are a female entrepreneur, get a dose of inspiration this holiday season from these book recommendations – or at any moment you need a pick me up.
1. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Over the years, Elizabeth Gilbert’s books have inspired and empowered a worldwide audience of all ages. In this book release, she tackles a unique perspective regarding creativity and offers great wisdom and inspirational insights. She takes a deep dive to address what we hold close to our hearts and how to let go of fear. This book will help you to embrace curiosity and leave any negative thinking at the door. You can expect to find helpful strategies to balance your approach to life, produce quality work and adopt a healthy attitude. So, if you are looking to overcome challenges in the workplace, enhance creativity or to adopt a positive, yet productively pragmatic attitude – Big Magic is a remarkable read. You can also watch Elizabeth discussing these topics in her TED talk.
2. Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs by Kaira Rouda
If you are woman entrepreneur looking for empowerment – this book is for you. Kaira’s book is all about how to discover a business, love your brand and bring it to real fruition. Real You Incorporated is split into two sections: Personal development to define your brand, followed by business implementation to make it a reality. Kaira Rouda takes a unique perspective on how to maximise and endorse your own brand as an aspiring female entrepreneur. She helps you realise the importance of developing your own brand story and how it can be promoted to your team, staff, customers, and partners. Her narrative involves providing real life case studies from women in various industries such as retail, real estate, publishing, restaurants and much more. You’ll get an entrepreneurship 101 course with visual charts to complete, applicable to every industry and sector.
3. What Men Say, What Women Hear: Bridging the Communication Gap One Conversation at a Time by Dr. Linda Papadopoulos
It’s time to examine the couple status. Being a woman entrepreneur may take a toll on personal relationships and how we understand one another. It’s not uncommon to feel that we are one with our company and sometimes we may put our marriage or a relationship on the back burner. However, Dr. Papadopoulos has tapped in the communication tactics between women in men and how to “bridge the gap.” Don’t think this is just another self-help book about gender issue, OH no. It’s actually very insightful as to how you could communicate more effectively with your partner – and surely, we all want to keep our love life healthy and intact. Coming home to problems outside of the existing work challenges is not ideal for our mindset and general wellbeing. Regardless of whether you are in a relationship or just thinking about it, What Men Say, What Women Hear, is a perfect guide to understanding your partner and keep a supportive loving relationship in check.
Dr. Linda Papadopoulos will also be speaking at the Creative Women Conference in May 2017. Don’t miss her as Keynote Speaker at the three-day networking event!
4. Make it Happen: Surrender Your Fear. Take the Leap. Live On Purpose by Lara Casey
Are you constantly looking for the perfect moment? Perfect strategy? Well, then Lara Casey’s book is for you. She has written and dedicated Make It Happen to powerful women who may be “perfectly imperfect.” This book addresses female leaders who are looking for the right timing to make their move, but who hesitate due to fear. Lara inspires readers from all walks of life through a personal narrative about how she, a mompreneur and wife, gathered the strength to jump into a series of business ventures. As incorporated in the title of the book Take a Leap, she extends her message that we should strive not depend on luck or accidents – but live with a strong purpose.
“You know all those things you’ve always wanted to do? You should go do them.”- Lara Casey
5. Become An Idea Machine: Because Ideas Are The Currency of the 21st Century by Claudia Azula Altucher
What is really unique about Claudia’s book is that it acts like a personal workbook. Become an Idea Machine ignites a practical approach that you can do every single day. Come up with ten ideas – there are no good or bad ones. Claudia Azua Altucher makes you exercise your brain muscle to think and get the creative juices flowing on a daily basis. Being an entrepreneur means thinking quickly, being creative and solving problems by thinking out-of-the-box. In order to produce ideas, more emphasis should be given to exercising your mind, which is what Claudia explains. There are months and months’ worth of daily prompts to flex your idea muscle and how to push yourself to be a better woman entrepreneur. You’ll learn to come up with original solutions to any potential problem you may face while building your business.
6. Radical Self Love: A Guide to Loving Yourself and Living Your Dreams by Gala Darling
Taking on a business venture is not for the fainthearted. Many experienced women entrepreneurs will tell you that it is not an easy ride with all the challenges that come with it – financial, sleepless nights, networking, pitching. It’s hard to separate yourself from your business since YOU are your business. If you experience any turn down from others along the way, this can wear down your self-confidence. Gala Darling understands all these difficulties and she does an amazing job packing Radical Self Love with strategies to keep you head strong. She will teach you how to be your own best friend with your step by step guide to infusing passion in your work and keeping your confidence levels high. As Gala says –“love and sequins” inside your heart.
7. Ladies Who Launch: Embracing Entrepreneurship & Creativity as a Lifestyle by Victoria Colligan and Beth Schoenfeldt
Although it’s easy to assume that Ladies Who Launch is dedicated to women starting a business – but you can’t be further from the truth. Victoria and Beth go beyond the idea of “launching a business” and base it around achieving your set goal. It could be meeting a health goal or taking a course that you’ve had it mind, you’ll learn how to hit your goals. If you’ve been thinking about being a women entrepreneur and starting your own business, get inspired now. Victoria and Beth will help you understand why you aren’t reaching your potential and how to make things happen. So if you’ve regretted never starting something or think it’s too late, this will help you become a go-getter. Read this book for inspiration, to keep moving forward and meet the goals you have for yourself (and your ideas).
Make sure not to miss some amazing Keynote Speakers at our event where we will be discussing and offering hands-on workshops on topics covered by these books! Register Now!
Have any other books written by women, for women, helped light your fire along the entrepreneurial path? Share your recommendations in the comments.
A better and healthier you is a more creative woman entrepreneur.