5 Self-Help Books That Are Actually Helpful

We, like most people, complain — a lot. Usually about unimportant or petty things. In this incredibly useful book, Will Bowen explains why we do it and why it's destructive. (Hint: When we complain, we focus on the negative instead of actually proposing change.) Not gonna say we never get annoyed anymore, but we’re much more aware of our motives and expectations when lamenting the fact that the waiter forgot to put our dressing on the side.Buy the book

Jon Kabat-Zinn’s enlightening book is basically an intro to mindfulness. (Which, if you’ll remember, is hugely beneficial.) Kabat-Zinn has a way of simplifying complex topics into digestible lessons that are easy to actually incorporate into your life. (No hour-long meditation required.) One thing that really stuck with us was the idea of non-doing, or letting things unfold the way they will. Buy the book

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own lives that we forget that the things weighing on us — deadlines at work, arguments with husbands about recycling duty — really aren’t that important in the long run. That’s where Richard Carlson’s big-picture message comes in. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuffis an excellent reminder to put things into perspective and live in the moment, without making you feel like you’re being petty (even if you are).Buy the book

This anti-self-help book avoids the aggressively positive, everything’s-great model in favor of smaller-scale solutions for being happier. For instance, the next time you're stressing about spilling hot fudge on your sweater, the author says you should imagine something way worse happening--say, your house burning down. (Extreme, we know.) The idea, though, is that you'll come to realize that whatever's weighing on you really isn't the end of the world. Buy the book

OK, so this one isn’t available just yet (you can get it March 1), but it’s worth putting on your radar now. Comedian Jacqueline Novak’s hilarious and very real approach to dealing with her own depression is refreshingly frank and makes light of mental illness without diminishing its severity. Expect funny lists like “Ways to avoid charming your therapist,” and “top four tips for crying in restaurants.” Buy the book