One of the most important habits in my daily and weekly reset isn’t loud or flashy.
It’s quiet. It’s simple.
And it has changed my life more than almost anything else.
Reading.
I don’t read to escape my life. I read to lead it better.
Morning reading has become part of how I reset my mindset before a new day begins. Even a few chapters can shift how I think, respond, and show up as a mom, a woman, and a leader.
Last year, I leaned heavily into personal growth books. Some challenged me. Some stretched me. A few completely changed the way I make decisions. Below is a full list of what I read, the books that impacted me most, and what I’m prioritizing this year. Then I included my even longer list of books I plan to read in 2026!
📚 Personal Growth Books I Read Last Year
Here’s the complete list of growth-focused books I worked through last year:
Girl, Wash Your Face
Girl, Stop Apologizing
Lean In
No Excuses
The Compound Effect
Emotional Intelligence
The Total Money Makeover
Crucial Conversations
Every one of these brought something valuable, but a few stood out in a big way.
⭐ The Top 3 Books That Made the Biggest Impact Last Year
1. The Compound Effect, by Darren Hardy
My favorite book of the year and possibly of all time definitely goes to The Compound Effect.
This book completely reframed how I think about success. It reminded me that massive change doesn’t come from dramatic moments. It comes from small, consistent actions done over time. As a single mom, this mindset was everything.
No overnight pressure.
No comparison.
Just daily choices stacking up.
This book reinforced why routines, habits, and consistency matter more than motivation.
2. No Excuses, by Brian Tracey
My second favorite book No Excuses challenged me in the best way. It reinforced personal responsibility without shame. It helped me see where I was unconsciously giving my power away by waiting on perfect timing, perfect circumstances, or perfect energy. This book strengthened my self-trust and confidence in my ability to follow through even when things feel uncomfortable.
3. Crucial Conversations
Crucial Conversations helped me change how I approach difficult conversations, boundaries, and conflict.
As a woman and a single mom, learning how to communicate calmly, clearly, and confidently is a life skill. This book helped me pause, respond instead of react, and protect my peace without shutting down. It’s one I still reference often.
📖 My Reading Goal for This Year
This year, I’m being very intentional with my growth.
My goal is to read at least two personal growth books per month.
Not to rush through them, but to actually apply what I’m learning.
I want my reading to support:
Calm routines
Strong habits
Financial confidence
Emotional awareness
Purposeful living
Healthy and Fit Lifestyle
📘 First Book Finished This Year
I already kicked off the year strong by finishing The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins, and it was the perfect way to start.
This book was freeing, grounding, and empowering all at once. It reinforced the idea that peace often comes from releasing control, expectations, and unnecessary emotional weight.
It helped me refocus on what’s mine to manage and what isn’t. An incredible reset book for a new year or a new season of life.
📚 The Top 3 Books I’m Most Looking Forward to This Year
While my full reading list will grow as the year goes on, these are the types of books I’m prioritizing next:
- Books that deepen emotional intelligence and communication
- Books focused on habits, mindset, and long-term consistency
- Books that support financial clarity and confident decision-making
I’m choosing books that align with the life I’m building, not just the one I’m busy surviving.
On my Goodreads list for this year:
The 4-Hour Workweek, Never Split the Difference, Thinking Fast and Slow, Spark, Start with Why, The 100 Simple Secrets of Successful People, You can Heal Your Life, The Unteethered Souls, Steve Jobs, The Universe Has Your Back, The Secret and Manifest.
The ones I am most excited about are…
1. Start with Why: This one excited me because I’m not just building habits, routines, and structure. I am building a life with intention. This book seems to be all about clarity, purpose, and alignment, which mirrors my reset philosophy and the way I lead as a mom, coach, and content creator.
2. The Untethered Soul: This one is calling to me because I’ve learned that peace isn’t about controlling everything around me, it’s about understanding what’s happening within me. This book focuses on awareness, letting go of mental noise, and creating space between your thoughts and your reactions. It feels like the natural next step after Let Them and aligns deeply with my goal of living calmer, more grounded, and less reactive, especially as a single mom navigating a full life.
3. The 4-Hour Workweek: This book excites me because I’m no longer interested in being busy for the sake of being busy. I’m focused on building a life that allows for flexibility, freedom, and intentional use of my time. This book challenges traditional ideas around work, productivity, and success, and it aligns with my current season of refining how I work, earn, and protect my energy while still building something meaningful.
Why Reading Is Part of My Daily & Weekly Reset
Reading at least 10 pages daily helps me:
-Slow down
-Set intention
-Keeps my mind focused for the day(s) ahead
On Sundays, I read a few chapters instead of just ten pages. It is crazy how just a few chapters can change how the week feels. Growth doesn’t require huge blocks of time. It requires consistency and intention.
Read all about my Sunday Reset Routine that creates a calm and prepared week.
Final Thoughts
Personal growth isn’t about becoming someone else.
It’s about becoming more of who you already are. If you’re building a calmer, more intentional life, start with what you allow into your mind. Books have been one of the most powerful tools in my journey from survival mode to steady, grounded confidence. And they continue to shape how I show up every week.
If you want links to any of these books, I’ve made it easy to grab them all in one place.
👉 My Reading List