The Best Books of 2018
My 2018 consisted of some super stellar reads. I grew my list of authors and learned a thing or two in the process of reading their work. These are books I love for their message, empowerment, story line, and tangible steps to bring real, sustainable change to your life. I am not talking about the books filled with “fluff”; the “how-to-get-happy in 5 easy steps” books. Quick remedies like those never really stick. After a stressful week of appointments or a heart throbbing break-up, we often go back to self-sabotaging tendencies.
The authors of these book tell it like it is regardless of how unpolished it appears. Rather than ignoring real life, they address reality. Life is hard; love is fragile; the world is a tough place at times. They talk about it all and offer their failures and successes as well as tools they used (or wish they had) to fight through the low points.
Whether you feel at the height of happiness or are working through a dark place, the following is a list of books I recommend for all seasons of life. Without further ado and in no particular order, I give you the five books that I will be bringing with me in 2019.
1. For the Love – Jen Hatmaker
I have legitimately read this book cover to cover at least three times. My copy is filled with highlighter, underlining, notes in the margin, and page corners folded over. If you aren’t already familiar with Jen, by the end of her book, you will feel like her bestie. She is so stinkin’ real about her life, her struggles, and her faith that I now want to have her over for coffee (or wine) to discuss all the things.
“For the Love” is a powerful read largely because Jen is so relatable and her sense of humor rolls onto the page like butter. By the book’s end, you will find yourself on the floor while contemplating every time you questionably wore leggings as pants (see Jen’s chapter on fashion trends for her opinion on the matter). Along with humor, Jen writes sincerely about the areas women struggle with most. Marriage, friendship, parenting, work-life balance, and being like Jesus are all aspects we battle with on a daily basis. Loving people is hard; loving yourself can be a challenge; being like Jesus in this world can feel impossible. With these truths stated upfront, Jen unpacks her wisdom and experience in trying to work through it all.
If you like Jen’s work, after reading “For The Love”, check out her most recent release “Of Mess and Moxie” along with her weekly podcast.
2. Girl, Wash Your Face – Rachel Hollis
If you follow me on any social media platform, you may have seen mention of Rachel Hollis, the Hollis Company, her hubby Dave Hollis, Noah, Sawyer, Ford, Jackson, their goldfish (R.I.P Mysterious), her morning show (that no one knows), or any other thing slightly related to the Hollis company. I am a massive believer in Rachel’s message and want everyone to have the opportunity to hear it.
I stumbled upon Rachel Hollis in the middle of 2018 while searching YouTube for self-development videos. An old keynote speech of hers appeared and I decided to give it a listen. At that point, I had no idea who she was or the level of influence she has in the self-development space. After listening to her speak, I began looking for more content. It quickly became apparent to me that she had a large presence on all social platforms and had recently released her non-fiction book.
“Girl, Wash Your Face” is a book for all women- students, mothers, wives, teens, grandmas, sisters, cousins- there really is no limit. Rachel starts each chapter with a lie she has believed at some point during her life and explains the self-deprecating habits that brought her there. At the end of each chapter, she provides three things that helped free her from the lie she was believing. Rachel stands confidently in her truth and her transparency allows other women to say “Me too”.
If you like “Girl, Wash Your Face”, make sure to listen to her business podcast “RISE” and her relationship podcast “RISE Together”. Rachel’s next book “Girl, Stop Apologizing” releases in March and is sure to be equally as insightful.
3. The Happiness of Pursuit – Chris Guillebeau
I picked this book up at the Chicago Airport after a friend recommended it to me. The premise of the book is to find a purpose greater than ourselves. To inspire his readers, Chris refers to this idea as a quest and the entire book offers examples of other people’s quests and their journeys pursuing them. Some quests are a lifelong endeavor and others have an obvious end. Chris shares that he embarked on a quest of his years ago to visit every single country in the world. EVERY SINGLE ONE. This ambition alone is interesting enough to base an entire book off of however, he also incorporates the quests of others in an attempt to spark the reader’s creativity in crafting their own life’s quest.
As you read each story it becomes clear that a quest can take form in many different ways. Chris clearly outlines the key components to a quest and the distinction between a quest and a goal. His experience and the experiences of those that he writes about inspire the reader to think large and realize that there really is nothing that is impossible.
Although Chris’ book isn’t one I would typically find myself reading, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. This book is for the dreamers. The adventure-seekers. And anyone looking for a bigger, bolder future.
P.S. – Chris completed his mission of visiting every single country before his 35th birthday.
4. She’s Still There – Crystal Evans Hurst
I remember purchasing this book at Target unaware of its true contents. Prior to the purchase, I had never heard of the author. However, the mantra on its cover Rescuing the Girl in You caught my attention. I love any book where the author offers their wisdom and knowledge about how to live well and think big. “She’s Still There” encourages readers to pursue the goals planted deep in their hearts no matter the season or stage of life.
Crystal reminds readers that life rarely walks down the path we planned but that doesn’t give us permission to abandon our dreams. It is never to late to be the person you want to be and “She’s Still There” is all about providing a road map to get back up after life spins us around.
The road map begins by using life, in its current state, as a platform to build our dreams. Through this process, Crystal shares her own story of rising above the past. Through her transparency, she creates a safe place to be vulnerable. Where vulnerability exists, truth is welcome. It is through this framework that the contents of “She’s Still There” take form.
5. Love Does – Bob Goff
Oh Bob, how I love thee. Bob Goff is one of a kind. If you have never heard of him, please pause and type his name into any social media platform. Scroll through his page and in seconds you will understand the title of his book. Bob is love; he doesn’t just talk about love, write about it, or speak on it. He IS love with every ounce of his being.
It’s hard to imagine what being love looks like. In the pages of “Love Does”, Bob beautifully illustrates what it means to exude love. It is effortless, requires no script or sermon, and doesn’t demand a microphone. All it takes is kindness and intentionality.
Bob tells story after story of how he answered “yes” when life called and the amazing (and at times humorous) outcomes that came from it. From spending sixteen days in the Pacific Ocean with five friends or accidentally agreeing to be a Ugandan diplomat, Bob Goff has seen it all and lived to tell his tale. His work is a true testament to his life and I trust this book will leave you feeling light-hearted, uplifted, and ready to be an example of love in your own life.