Books for the Season After Striving
What I’m recommending now, and why
Over the past year, I’ve noticed something shift in what I’m drawn to read and listen to.
I’m no longer looking for books that promise transformation, breakthroughs, or a better version of myself waiting somewhere in the future. I’ve read those. I’ve lived those. And while they had their place, they’re not what I need now.
What I’m drawn to instead are books that support presence, emotional maturity, and life as it’s actually lived, relationships, creativity, uncertainty, and the quiet work of being human without constant self-improvement.
I was recently asked for Audible recommendations around mindfulness and relationships, and it made me realize I’ve quietly built a small internal list of books that feel deeply aligned with this phase.
Here are a few I genuinely recommend, not as prescriptions, but as companions.
Grounded Presence & Nervous System Regulation
These are books I return to when I want to feel settled, not motivated.
Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach
A compassionate, steady exploration of what it means to stop fighting ourselves. This book is deeply regulating, less about insight and more about kindness toward what’s already here.
When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön
A classic for a reason. Honest, practical, and comforting when life feels uncertain. Not about fixing anything, more about staying present when we don’t have answers.
Being Peace by Thich Nhat Hanh
Simple, embodied mindfulness. Beautiful to listen to on walks or quiet mornings. Nothing flashy, just reminders of how to inhabit the moment gently.
Relationships Without Fantasy or Collapse
These books approach love and connection with sobriety, responsibility, and care, not drama.
The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck
Old-school and surprisingly relevant. Explores love as discipline, honesty, and growth, not chemistry alone.
All About Love by bell hooks
A clear-eyed look at love as an active practice of care, respect, and responsibility. Grounded, thoughtful, and deeply human.
Attached by Amir Levine & Rachel Heller
Practical and clarifying. Helpful for understanding relational patterns without self-blame or over-analysis.
Creativity, Identity & Self-Trust
For artists, founders, and anyone returning to creativity without pressure.
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
One of the most aligned books I’ve read recently. About creating from presence rather than performance. Quiet, spacious, and wise.
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Encouraging without being pushy. Especially helpful for creatives recovering from burnout or perfectionism.
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Short, direct, and clarifying. Less spiritual, more practical, useful for cutting through resistance without drama.
Integration After Awakening or Healing
These are for the phase after the big insights.
After the Ecstasy, the Laundry by Jack Kornfield
This one fits this season exactly. About living well after insight, relationships, work, family, and ordinary life.
A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
Less about transcendence, more about loosening identity and living with presence in daily moments.
