These 5 books made me a better person. Here's why

First thing first, if you know me, you know that I LOVE self-help books. I began really reading again about 3 years ago and I would mostly read cookbooks. Then I slowly shifted to self-help books. This kind of book really gave me another perspective on life, love, hope, and motivation, and that's why I think you should try to read these 5 books.

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5 love languages - Gary Chapman

Gary Chapman's book is mainly about relationships. But hear me out! The principles explained in this book can just as easily be applied to friendships as to parental relationships, which is why I find this book all the more interesting. Gary Chapman explains in his book that each individual has a way of expressing and receiving love, and therefore reacts to and receives love according to his or her own language. When people don't receive love in the language they speak, their "emotional reservoir" is emptied, and an imbalance in the relationship can be created, which can even lead to tension. I highly recommend this book! For me, it has not only made me aware of my own love language, but it has also made me aware of the love language of others, so that I can better respond to the emotional needs of those around me.

The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz

If you also enjoy reading self-help books, then you're probably familiar with the 4 Toltec Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. This is one of the best-known books on the subject and well deserves its notoriety. Don Miguel Ruiz explains that to achieve personal freedom, there are 4 principles to be scrupulously followed: always speak impeccably (don't talk badly about others), don't take anything personally, don't make assumptions, and always do your best. At first glance, these principles may seem a little simplistic, but as we read on, Don Miguel Ruiz explains the importance of meticulously respecting these principles, and how they can help us live a serene life. I personally loved this book and noticed how these seemingly simple principles can have such a positive impact on my daily life.

How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie

The title of this book may seem controversial, but the content is less barbaric than it appears. The book is divided into 4 distinct parts. The first part discusses fundamental techniques for managing relationships with others. Part 2, on the other hand, gives tips on how to get people to like you. Part 3 discusses how to get others to agree with your point of view. Finally, the author explains how to position yourself as a leader and how to change people's opinions without offending them. I found this book fascinating! Being by nature rather insecure and avoiding conflict, this book gave me concrete tools to better assert myself and manage potentially stressful situations.

The Courage to Be Disliked - Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga

One of my favorite books in any category! The story uses the principles of psychologist Adler and illustrates them in a conversation between a young person and a philosopher. Each principle is explained in concrete terms throughout the book, and serves to explain how to detach oneself from the gaze of others and have the courage to be happy. It's a dense but very interesting book. I sometimes found myself in certain situations, so it helped me to deconstruct why I had certain behaviors that turned out to be to my disadvantage.

How to talk to anyone - Leil Lowndes

This book is for my introverted girls! If you're like me, then you probably dread parties where you know (almost) nobody and have to do small talk. Being an introvert by nature, it was always difficult for me to initiate an interesting dialogue with someone I didn't know at all. So that's where Leil comes in! This book is great because it gives very concrete advice that allows you to apply practical, realistic advice in any situation.