Personal Growth & Self-Understanding

The Gifts of Imperfection - Brené Brown

How to embrace vulnerability, courage, and authenticity (without trying to “fix” yourself).

Daring Greatly - Brené Brown

On shame, courage, and showing up even when it’s uncomfortable.

Self-Compassion - Kristin Neff

Learn to treat yourself with the same kindness you offer everyone else.

Atomic Habits - James Clear

Tiny, realistic shifts that help you grow sustainably (not rigidly).

The Gap and The Gain - Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy

Stop measuring yourself against perfection, celebrate the progress you actually made.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone - Lori Gottlieb

A therapist’s deeply human look at what it means to grow and change.

Untamed - Glennon Doyle

Learning to trust yourself instead of trying to meet every expectation.

The Mountain Is You - Brianna Wiest

On transforming self-sabotage into growth and self-understanding.

Podcasts to pair with this section:

Unlocking Us - Brené Brown: Courage, connection, vulnerability

The Happiness Lab - Dr. Laurie Santos: The science of what actually makes us happy

On Being - Krista Tippett: Deep conversations about meaning

Terrible, Thanks for Asking - Nora McInerny: Honest, often funny takes on hard feelings

Creativity & Making

Big Magic - Elizabeth Gilbert

Permission to create without pressure, and make things just because you love them.

The Artist’s Way - Julia Cameron

A creative recovery journey through journaling, reflection, and play.

The War of Art - Steven Pressfield

What creative resistance actually looks like - and how to make peace with it.

Art & Fear - David Bayles & Ted Orland

Why artists struggle, and how to keep making anyway.

Everything Is Figureoutable - Marie Forleo

Reframing “I can’t” into “how can I figure this out?”

Real Artists Don’t Starve - Jeff Goins

Living creatively without believing the starving-artist myth.

Podcasts for creative minds:

Magic Lessons - Elizabeth Gilbert: Stories about fear, creativity, and following curiosity

The Jealous Curator: ART FOR YOUR EAR - Danielle Krysa: Artist stories + creative honesty

Being Boss - Emily Thompson & Kathleen Shannon: Creative work without hustle culture

Neurodivergence & Mental Health

Driven to Distraction - Edward Hallowell & John Ratey

A foundational ADHD book that still holds up.

A Radical Guide for Women with ADHD - Sari Solden & Michelle Frank

Practical tools and compassion for living authentically with ADHD.

Your Brain’s Not Broken - Tamara Rosier

Understanding emotional regulation, motivation, and ADHD patterns.

The ADHD Advantage - Dale Archer

Reframing neurodivergence as strength, not deficit.

Divergent Mind - Jenara Nerenberg

Exploring neurodivergence (especially in women) with nuance and care.

The Body Keeps the Score - Bessel van der Kolk

Understanding trauma, healing, and the connection between body and mind.

Podcasts that feel like support groups (but funnier):

ADHD Experts Podcast - ADDitude Magazine: Real advice for ADHD life

The Hilarious World of Depression - John Moe: Mental health, but make it funny

Mental Illness Happy Hour - Paul Gilmartin: Honest stories about mental health

Rest, Energy, & Sustainable Living

Rest - Alex Soojung-Kim Pang

How rest fuels creativity - and why doing less helps you do better.

How to Do Nothing - Jenny Odell

Resisting the attention economy by learning to simply exist again.

Laziness Does Not Exist - Devon Price

Why your worth isn’t measured by productivity.

Burnout - Emily & Amelia Nagoski

Understanding stress cycles and how to actually complete them.

Four Thousand Weeks - Oliver Burkeman

Time management for humans (not robots) - embracing limits.

Podcasts to slow down with:

Hurry Slowly - Jocelyn K. Glei: Working better by working slower

Everything Happens - Kate Bowler: Living with uncertainty, meaning, and humor

Creative Business & Sustainable Income

Company of One - Paul Jarvis

Why staying small might actually make you happier (and more successful).

The Handmade Marketplace - Kari Chapin

A friendly guide to selling your crafts sustainably.

Creativity, Inc. - Ed Catmull

Insights on building creative businesses without losing your soul.

The Right-Brain Business Plan - Jennifer Lee

Planning that feels visual and creative, not corporate.

Profit First for Creatives - Kayla Voigt

Practical money strategies made maker-friendly.

Playing Big - Tara Mohr

For women ready to create boldly without over-apologizing.

Building a StoryBrand - Donald Miller

Simple storytelling for people who hate “marketing.”

Two Weeks Notice - Amy Porterfield

A practical path to leaving your 9-to-5 for creative work.

The $100 Startup - Chris Guillebeau

Starting small businesses that fit your life.

Keep Going - Austin Kleon

A short, illustrated reminder to keep creating even when it’s hard.

Show Your Work - Austin Kleon

How to share your process without feeling salesy.

Podcasts for creative entrepreneurs (without the burnout):

Online Marketing Made Easy/ The Amy Porterfield Show - Amy Porterfield: Simple, genuine marketing

The Goal Digger Podcast - Jenna Kutcher: Creative business with boundaries

Daily Creative - Todd Henry: Staying inspired long-term

Yarns at Yin Hoo - Maker stories and fiber community love

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