Starting on a personal growth journey really turned my life around. That tiny choice of making a change set me on a path of success and happiness. I know that sounds easier said than done, but once you make a choice to improve and grow, it becomes almost second nature to seek out answers and a better way of living. Because making the choice to change is the difficult part and if you’ve done that, then it’s all smooth sailing from here.

My journey began at the beginning of last year. I was once again burnt out from a business I had built and didn’t love, wasting hours on my couch binge eating while watching Friends re-runs. I think I remember feeling rather hollow and sort of at a standstill in life. A part of me really wanted to get up from the couch and do something about my life but my body felt heavy and my excuses were weighing me down. Then one Saturday afternoon while doing a Target run I stumbled upon a book that changed my life and started me on my personal growth journey. The moment I read the first few pages I knew that I had made the conscious choice to change my life.

Along the way I found a few helpful wellness resources that helped me ease into the world of personal development. These were the first things that helped me understand how to turn my life around and even start working on my mindset. I am going to walk you through them in the chronological order that I found them. Ready? Let’s dive in!

1. The Ultimate No-Fluff Personal Growth Book

I’m one of those people who can’t stand self help books. I just have never liked them. I wouldn’t consider the book that changed my life self help because it doesn’t feel like it. Jen Sincero really spoke to me, the way she writes is so witty and hilarious that you don’t feel like someone is shoving a bunch of therapy down your throat (which is how I personally feel many self help books are). When I grabbed You are a Badass at Making Money, I knew I had just found gold. This book was the first taste I had in the personal growth realm and I cannot stress this enough… it changed my life. This book not only taught me that I am worthy but it gave me actual tools and exercises that I could apply in everyday life when I feel blue. Read it, you won’t regret it.

2. The Great & Powerful Oprah

This wouldn’t be a personal growth resource list without mentioning Oprah. The second step in my journey was stumbling upon her free 21 day meditation. I don’t even remember how I found it, but at the time she was doing this “Destiny & Desire” free mediation with Deepak Chopra. I did all 21 days with my husband and that particular meditation really spoke to me. It is all about finding your purpose and your true calling. Embracing what makes you unique and learning to pull from your inner strength.

This one changed my life so much that I purchased it so I could have it forever. I still do it every now and then because it is that powerful. What I love about this meditation is that Oprah sets it up with a personal story and then Deepak guides you with some light theory about life and stuff. It is amazingly magical. Trust me, you wanna hop on this train. If you’re not a meditation peep like I was, never fear, this one is super light and because they talk to you it makes it easy to follow along.

3. Big Magic!

This is another book and my second favorite. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert is SO good. I actually got into the habit of reading a couple of pages in the morning before starting work to get into a zen and creative mindset (try it out with any self help or motivational book!). If you’re a creative entrepreneur this book is a MUST, it is a great book that balances being a creative entrepreneur and pursuing personal growth. I feel like it touches a lot on your fears and how they hold you back.

There’s a lot to take away from this book and I really think you should read it but if reading is not your jam, her podcast dives deeper into the lessons in the book. Either way, she gave me the tools I needed to have for the days that I struggle and feel like reverting back to my couch loving persona. Simply put, Big Magic is like the pep talk you need when you’re feeling particularly shitty.

4. Journaling For Dummies

The fourth step I took into my personal development journey was to start journaling. Now, I am not the journaling type. I have a planner and I’m ocd about writing out my tasks and to-do lists, but journaling is a whole other world. It took me a while to get the hang of it but once I did it helped me sort through some of my emotions and even figure out limiting beliefs and patterns that held me back. Without journaling I wouldn’t know what I have to work on to grow. In fact, these journals have prompts in them to help you sort through your thoughts. You can even choose one based on what you are working on or want to explore. So if you have a hard time getting your thoughts on paper, those journals will help you — sort of like a fill-in-the-blank sort of deal.

5. Community

Finding people that are going through the same challenges as you is key. It is so helpful to have someone to talk to about your progress or your struggle. People who can lend an ear, cheer you on and maybe even help guide you if they are further along than you. Community has been one of the most important parts of my personal growth journey. The funny thing is that once you start working on yourself, it’s like you become a magnet for people that are in similar vibration as you or that are also working on bettering themselves.

Having a community of like minded peeps helps a lot when the going gets tough. If you are looking to find people, I suggest checking Facebook groups, or even buying an e-course that has a community. You can also join a class somewhere — I met new people by joining a gym and they became my personal growth tribe! Before that I used my husband as a sounding board. Build a community so you can grow together and your intentions and progress will become more powerful.

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Are you pumped? Ready to start your personal growth journey? Let me know in the comments so I can cheer you on!