14 Books to Help You Slow Down and Cheer Up

Erin Loechner, founder of the blogs Design for Mankind and Clementine Daily, became an internet superstar before turning 30. She has been profiled in The New York Times and has an audience that numbers in the millions. In her first book, Chasing Slow, Loechner explores all the ways in which her own life was speeding toward fame while her heart was being left behind. In more ways than one, Loechner introduces the idea that slowing down allows us to enjoy our lives in the present and view life as a gift rather than a promise.

Alexandra Kuykendall, writer, blogger, and mother to four daughters, was feeling overextended and drained. She decided to do an experiment on her own life. She made the decision to take nine months to "rekindle her love of her ordinary life." What emerged was her book Loving My Actual Life. Kuykendall's book not only acts as inspiration but also a how-to book about incorporating one new thing every month that will help you uncover a more fulfilling life. If you're looking to reevaluate the weight of expectations and fully embracing the importance of living in the now, this is the perfect read for you!

If anyone hasn't told you yet, allow Jessica MacLeish the honor: You've Got This! This creative, feel-good guide provides writing prompts, coloring book pages and so much more to ensure that your creativity and goals continue to flourish and thrive.

Shauna Niequist is steadily becoming a leader in the field of inspirational and spiritual living. Her book Present Over Perfect not only explores her own personal journey through slowing down but also provides valuable advice to incorporate a slower, more meaningful pace in your own daily life.

Rachel Macy Stafford started the blog Hands Free Mama to encourage mothers (and people, in general) to step away from the computer, put down the smartphone, and be present. Stafford shares some of her inspiration behind her message and her newest book, Only Love Today, by spotlighting the magnitude of allowing space within your everyday norm to invite meaningful connections, conversations, and moments of self-reflection and enjoyment to lead a successfully happy life.

It has been said that Emily Freeman "creates a space for souls to breathe" on her blog. That is what she has also achieved with her book Simply Tuesday. She defines her latest release as a way to disentangle your life from the hustle. Doing more and dreaming bigger can be inspirational, but it can also be overwhelming and anxiety-inducing. Freeman strongly believes that we need to focus on the smaller moments in life as well as embracing each moment.

Emily Ley is a busy mom of three young children. She is the creator of a very popular life planner called the Simplified Planner and a self-taught designer. Even with her busy life, she felt that it was incredibly important to explore a topic that she was passionate about in Grace, Not Perfection: the idea of simplifying. Ley feared that there were many women like her out there who had become trapped on the "hamster wheel of trying to do it all." She wanted to bring to light the power of grace over perfection and how people tend to take life too seriously.

Erin Boyle, the voice behind the wildly popular blog on minimalism Reading My Tea Leaves, has written a book that explores the concept of living with less but enjoying more. As in her blog, Simple Matters focuses on the small moments, like the way light bounces off her kitchen table, a small box of toys and the hours of enjoyment it can provide, and a sparse bed for peaceful sleeping.

Kendra Adachi, the creator of The Lazy Genius podcast, has written a book that breathes life into the normalcy and significance of doing what matters to you, as opposed to giving into the social expectations of what it means to live well. In her book, The Lazy Genius Way invites readers to define their own significance towards what matters to them and lazy about what doesn't. Prioritizing principles that elevate your state of being while discovering new ways to approach relationships within your life is the echo of hope within Adachi's book.

Like many of us, Joshua Becker came to the realization that it was time for a change. Inside Becker's book The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own, he provides a redirection towards rethinking the concept of organization and what it means to invite the idea of simplicity with owning less and gaining more.

What does slow living truly mean? Brooke McAlary illustrates this philosophy in her book, Slow: Simple Living for a Frantic World, by reintroducing ways to conduct a joyous and fulfilling life while disconnecting from the demands of giving and wanting more in a fast-paced world.

There's much more to simplicity than what meets the eye! Courtney Carver, author of Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More, highlights the process of pursuing a minimalistic lifestyle for the sake of easing stress while creating more time for space, love, and life.

Get ready to step away from the phones and step into this refreshing read! Tiffany Shlain, author of 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week, illustrates the impact of disconnecting from the digital world while introducing new methods to establish stronger and more heartfelt connections with those we hold dear to us in our everyday lives.

Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, has garner inspiration from her popular TED Talk to create her 2020 book titled Brave, Not Perfect: How Celebrating Imperfection Helps You Live Your Best, Most Joyful Life. Not only does this book pack important takeaways of letting go, becoming yourself, and finding your voice, but it also highlights the bravery it takes when each and every one of us establish the habit of living authentically and unapologetically.