It’s Never Too Late to Help Yourself: Get Inspired with These “New You” Titles at Legible
by Tania Runyan
It’s commonly cited that a whopping 80% of people give up their New Year’s resolutions by February. The fitness app Strava has analyzed close to 100 million fitness activities to suggest that the real “Quitter’s Day” is even earlier: January 19, to be precise, when we start to ask ourselves whether lime Sour Patch Kids can count as a foundational ingredient in our green smoothies.
The good news is that it’s never too late to take a step, or re-step, toward self-improvement, especially when you focus on making small, consistent lifestyle changes rather than diving headfirst into unsustainable goals. So however the first few weeks of 2022 have played out in your life, you’re just one click away from a book on Legible that can help you refine that beautiful ’22 You! (Hint: They’re not kale recipe books.)
Everything Is Going to Be All Right: Poems for When You Really Need Them, edited by Cecilia Knapp. Hopping on that treadmill may be good for you, but taking a few minutes each day to care for your emotions is even better. This collection, ranging from the classic lines of Emily Dickinson to contemporary voices like Ocean Vuong, Jericho Brown, and Ada Limón, will not only give you a “comforting light in the dark” during this stressful era, but it will also develop your poetry reading chops one cup of relaxing herbal tea at a time.
100 Ways to Be Kind: Everyday Actions to Change Your Life and Save the World, by Theresa Cheung. While I’m old enough to remember the “Be Kind, Please Rewind” stickers from video stores of yesteryear, I could use some concrete ideas about how to fill 2022 with kindness. Feeling like you care about your fellow humans is one thing (and trust me; some days I’m far from it). Taking action is another. This book will help you build connections, develop empathy, and change people’s days for the better, even in the time of COVID-19. And whether you’re taking better care of yourself, changing the way you behave online, smiling at a grocery store worker, or nurturing a plant, kindness feels good!
The Little Book of Tidying: Declutter Your Home and Your Life, by Beth Penn. Whether you love Marie Kondo, find her system overwhelming, or just need a quick little kick in your decluttering pants, this book will help you take control of your environment, clear your space and mind, and find freedom from those “stuffocating” possessions.
The Book of Moods, by Lauren Martin. Self care and world care go hand in hand, with those dangling airplane oxygen masks serving as an apt metaphor — especially for women — for how to help everyone breathe a little easier. So what does it look like to put your mask on first? Learn how to harness “your worst moods into your best life” by understanding and taking control of your negative emotions. Lauren Martin, the founder of Words of Women, explores how her own experiences with family, work, friends, beauty, and more have helped her create new perceptions and healthy patterns.
How to Live Plastic Free: A Day in the Life of a Plastic Detox, by Luca Bonaccorsi and the Marine Conservation Society. Trust me: I find the title daunting, too. But this book doesn’t demand perfection but rather, small, sustainable changes in daily life that can make a big difference in the health of our oceans. From using shampoo bars instead of bottles to opting for wooden toys, compostable dog poop bags, and homemade cereal, you can impact the future of the planet without moving to an eco-commune in that cave off the highway (not that there’s anything wrong with that). See my full review of the book here!
