10/08/2025

ON SUNDAY August 10, 2025 theSunday Special IX

T HE personal development genre can sometimes be a chal lenging topic to read. In a sea of non-fiction picks, there is only so much time we have on hand to go through every one of them. If you’ve been meaning to add meaningful titles to your book collection and don’t know where to start, we’ve rounded up some self-help favourites that are worth looking into. Navigating hardships can take a toll on one’s self-esteem and sometimes, all you need are uplifting words that can guide you to rise above the obstacles. This book dives deep into the topic of self-sabotage and how to turn it into self-mastery, making it particularly helpful to those who are going through a hard time in life. Weist uses positive language and skips the complex terminology, making it an easy, casual read to help you understand your subconscious and how to build a stronger mindset by identifying self limiting beliefs that can hinder your growth. The Mountain is You by Brianna Weist

Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman Why do some bonds feel easy to maintain and why do others require work? You may or may not have heard of love languages on the In ternet. For the unfamiliar, this book talks in detail about the different ways people show love and receive love. These are five universal love languages we all use: words of af firmation, physical touch, quality time, gift giving and acts of service. This applies not just to your roman tic partner, but also to your close friends and family. Improving your quality of life includes improving your relationships. If that sounds like something you’d like to work on, look to this book for guidance.

Turn the page, turn the mirror These aren’t just books, they are moments of clarity y

BY DENNIA LEAH

How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis With work occupying so much of our time, home management can take a backseat for many of us. After dealing with clients with such issues, Davis, who is also a therapist, wrote this book to make homemaking less daunting by breaking down tasks for its readers. Davis wrote from the perspec WLYH RI VRPHRQH ZLWK $'+' R̆ HU ing practical techniques for those who have a hard time keeping their home organised when they are overwhelmed, stressed or going through chronic illnesses. Learn how to eliminate shame and guilt surrounding mess and disorganisation through the author’s gentle reassur ances. How to K Drownin With wor time, ho backseat with cli who is book t daunt for its Da WLYH R ing p who the are go Le a a t a

The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel Unlike many other finance books that focus on growing wealth through invest ments or how to generate more income, this one focuses more on the mindset we have around money through timeless lessons on wealth, greed and happiness. Housel’s use of psychology makes us take a deeper look at our relationship with money and how accumulating wealth of ten makes people want more, while going LQWR GHEW WR D̆ RUG H[WUDYDJDQW OLIHVW\OHV 7KH VKRUW VWRULHV ZLWKLQ WKH ERRN R̆ HU eye-opening anecdotes that change your perspective on what wealth truly means.

Atomic Habits by James Clear As the saying goes, discipline is the highest form of self-love. If you struggle to cultivate a better lifestyle, such as building an exercise routine or making smarter daily choices, this one’s for you. A highly popular book for many reasons, this book teaches you how to be your ideal self through life-changing habits. Through its

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pages, you’ll begin to under stand the power of good habits and how to make them an instinct. The main takeaway from Clear is how “identity emerges from your habits”, proving that nder ower abits to m an The way r is ity m ”, at e r even the most minor changes can make a significant impact.

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert While there are no complex rules on how to cultivate creativity, there are ways to harness it and this breezy book teaches you how to live a life that embodies creativity WKURXJK GL̆ HUHQW JXLGLQJ SULQFLSOHV that are easy to incorporate into your daily life. In here, Gilbert talks about her process when writing her bestsell ing book Eat, Pray, Love. She also explores the fear behind creativity and how to approach it in a more free ÀRZLQJ ZD\ ZKHWKHU \RX¶UH DQ DUWLVW writer, designer or someone who needs a creative boost in the workplace. B G W on th thi to l WKUR tha your In proc ing b explo and ho ÀRZLQ writer, a creati BiM ibEli b h