5 Books That Got Me Through My Quarter-Life Crisis

The 5 Things We Cannot Change by David Richo

I'll be honest, this one came as a referral. From my therapist. I guess you could say I had a bit of a control problem?

I've never really been one for therapy, even though it's the thing to do in Los Angeles. Almost everybody has a meditation app, a favorite green-juice spot, and a therapist on-call 24/7. Submitting to peer pressure, I decided to give it a shot, which led to this book. It outlines (spoiler) the five things we have no control over. And let me tell you — I LOVE to control things. When you tell me I can't, the defiance in me wants to prove you wrong. But this book really hit home. It allowed me to let life be. The less we try to control, the more time we have to focus on the things that really matter. It taught me to accept what I can't change (including my mother), the courage and strength to change the things I can and should (like my surroundings, associates, and lifestyle), and the advice to decipher the difference.

Live Fast, Die Hot by Jenny Mollen

This one may come as a shocker, but when I was falling off the rails and felt like I was a little too crazy, Jenny Mollen proved to one up me with her antics. It was a very fun read with surprisingly poignant flutters in between. It helped me learn to surround myself with people that can accept me for who I am, as well as to accept myself for who I am.

Walking out of it, I was ready to embrace my inner crazy (and seriously consider doing Ayahuasca).

Power Your Happy by Lisa Sugar

My happy needed lots of powering last year. A majority of the news was such a drag. As mindful and grateful and present as I tried to be, I needed a little reassurance that following my dreams was something that was OK to freak out about. I had learned to embrace myself, but I was still really struggling with where to go next and whether or not it was the right journey for me.

Self-doubt is something we all face. Lisa Sugar's anecdotes and tips to maximize your dreams and work through life's minicrises was just what I needed, especially coming from someone that struggled herself but persevered.

It made me refine my direction, learn to trust myself again, and really want some candy.

The Art of Living Other People's Lives by Greg Dybec This is not another self-help book, nor is it a pro playbook, but instead a fun collection of essays that helped remind me that even though I don't have it all figured out yet, things will work out as they should. The neurosis read like my inner dialogue, and the lessons learned were a pat on my back reminding me that everybody goes through this. It's life, and I just have to live it to the fullest. Crappy jobs, bad relationships, unfortunate travel blunders, and of course, the occasional "it's my civic duty to save a prostitute" moment we all have at one time or another.

Get Your Sh*t Together by Sarah Knight

Every millennials' desire! I had learned to stop trying to control everything, to embrace myself, and to trust my gut and my journey, but what I really needed was a road map. I needed something that would help me map out my day-to-day and start planning what I wanted for my future.

I'll be honest, I read Sarah Knight's last book and I liked it. But this one? I loved. It helped me stop psyching myself out and showed me how to break tasks up into small, manageable chunks. Everything is achievable when we learn how to sort it. This one really helped set my tone for 2017.

If you feel upside down and like you're being tossed around with no sense of direction, GYST is the slap in the face that you need to wake up and realize, you can do this (with the action plan to actually do it).