Winter is in full effect! The days of sitting by the fireside watching old Christmas movies with the one you love and drinking some sort of hot, delicious Starbucks drink are here to stay. January may be the start of a new year but fortunately for the lovers of the winter, there’s still plenty of time to settle into the cold nights with a fluffy blanket and some invigorating winter reads. With a lot of time spent inside your cosy apartment, it becomes a lot tougher to motivate yourself and it sometimes seems hard to find the perfect activity for those cold months, but it’s the perfect time to gear up for the upcoming year.
Regardless of the repetitive nature of this time of year, a new year brings the perfect opportunity to dream bigger and reach higher. While resolutions may seem unreachable or cliché, let this be the year you become the best version of yourself. There is always room for improvement, but improvement can’t occur without the perfect inspiration.
Let inspiration be found in the form of incredible women who are making a difference in the world – and were kind enough to share their years of wisdom in the form of a book. A lot of incredible female authors have released a wealth of knowledge for our reading pleasure in the last couple of years; so take these next few weeks to bulk up on your winter inspiration and start 2016 off with a jolt of creativity. Who knows, maybe this will be the year you write your first screenplay, become a published author, or begin a fashion dynasty to be rivalled. Whatever you do, remember you follow in the footsteps of very wise women. So let that be a source of joy for you this season.
Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham
If you’re not yet aware of the incredible female force that is Lena Dunham — you are doing something wrong. Not only is she a writer, actress, and all around feminist, but she is kind enough to pay it forward for the next generation. If you’re looking to take this new year by storm, and create a legacy for future generations, then you need to read this perfectly crafted piece of literature.
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
The best moments in life come when we let go of what is holding us back — insecurities, fear, failure — and truly grasp onto the adventures present in every day. Shonda Rhimes learned the meaning of this when she embarked on saying yes to everything for an entire year. Let her experiences enlighten and inspire you for the journey ahead in your own life.
Leave Your Mark by Aliza Licht
This book is the perfect way to score your dream job in the new year. If you have been afraid to pursue a new passion or dream a new dream because you don’t know the steps it will take to get you there, well, look no further for your next career advice book. Leave Your Mark details Aliza Licht’s rise to the top of the PR world, as she shares her beautiful tips for women no matter what your career pursuit.
Wildflower by Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore has lived about 10 lives at this pace. She has had her fair share of ups and downs, and shares them for you in this beautifully written memoir. She has an incredible career and a beautiful family, and she tells the stories that got her to this point in her life.
Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
We are all guilty of being “bad feminists” at one point or another. Roxane Gay’s book does not exile anyone from the feminist tribe, but instead invites us each in to this world of feminism as she views it. You’ll be happy, you’ll laugh, and you’ll be angry while reading this book, but you will also want to take action and make some changes on behalf of women, and that is the most important part.
Going Off Script by Giuliana Rancic
I think we’re all old enough to know that life isn’t always going to go our way. We are going to find ourselves in places we never dreamed of — for reasons both good and bad — and in the midst of our busy lives we will find our true purpose. Giuliana Rancic’s memoir is a beautiful ode to the life we are all dying to live, but the one we may have never thought possible.
Why Not Me? By Mindy Kaling
You will devour this book in one sitting, I promise. Mindy Kaling knows what it means to be a starving artist, and a wildly successful TV writer. Both of which she doles out advice on in this hilarious, and at times eye opening, book of essays. Read this and you will believe you can accomplish anything — because you can.
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
If you have felt lost, on top of the world, wildly afraid of the future, and beautiful all at the same time, then you would love the inspiration this book will provide. We all need help remembering that success doesn’t come in a straight line, and rarely ever looks like what we think it will. This winter, let Amy Poehler mentor you through her words and provide the ultimate inspiration for the road ahead.
The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons From Extraordinary Lives by Katie Couric
There is advice from practically every famous actor, author, entrepreneur, artist, that you could imagine in this book. In between the pages of wisdom, Couric also provides her own beautiful insight into what it means to live a life you’re proud of. This is practical advice you can take to heart and really let sink in this year.
#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso
The title says it all. Learn about what it took Sophia Amoruso to accomplish an amazing fashion empire, and become one of the leading business women in the industry. She knows a thing or two about being a girl boss, and after this winter, so will you.
