5 Inspirational Books to Knock those Winter Blues

It’s about that time of year where the holidays have ended, the Christmas decorations have been taken down, and that empty corner of your house looks a little lonely and sad without a nice glittering tree to take up the space. The diets have started. You’re miserable because you can’t eat all the cheese and fried foods that you want if you want to stick to those New Year’s resolutions. And it’s cold AF outside. Usually those blues don’t hit me until February as January is my birth month and usually that means my happy mood carries on all month long. Not this year, it’s too cold to be happy. So, because I’m feeling a little lazy and unmotivated and I’m sure there’s some of you out there feeling the exact same way right now, I put together a short little list of books that inspire me or make me happy. Sometimes it just takes that good read to lift your spirits a little.

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1. Talking As Fast As I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and Everything in Between) – Lauren Graham

I could reread this book every year. I love love love Lauren Graham. Her characters are usually so full of life and mischief and she seems like a pretty down to earth woman. This book will make you laugh out loud, cringe with embarrassment, and reflect on your own successes and failures. It’s one of the most relatable collections of essays I’ve ever read.

She talks about her humble upbringing and her struggles to make something out of herself. She talks about how its ok to turn down roles/jobs you are uncomfortable with and that, even though it’s okay for someone else, it might not be right for you. She talks about her struggles with dating and discusses how everyone should to be able to experience being single at least once in their life.

And of course, she shares stories and memories from her days on the sets of her two biggest television achievements (may make you choke up a little, I know I did): her famous role as Lorelai Gilmore and how the abrupt ending to the original series made it so much sweeter to return to the role so many years later, and the emotional end to Parenthood and the lasting relationships she made working on that show.

2. Gmorning, Gnight – Lin-Manuel Miranda

This book is the ultimate gem. I discovered, for the first time last year, this amazing musical called Hamilton and the wonderful man who not only co-wrote the whole damn thing, but starred as the titled character (I was a few years late, I know). I instantly had to follow him on Twitter (@Lin_Manuel if anyone was wondering) and found his inspirational daily messages filling up my feed.

Lin writes pep talks. One in the morning and one in the evening as his own kind of sign-off from the world of social media for the day. Lots of times those were the first things I read in the morning and, more often than not, they were things I really needed to hear to get the day going or to cool off after a rough day at work. NOW THEY’RE IN BOOK FORM!!! And you can read them whenever you want. You can find your favourites without having to scroll through a Twitter feed for hours.

I’m the actual worst at giving myself pep talks or doing any positive “self-talk”. Talking to myself in the mirror and saying how great I am? That’s not something I’m at all comfortable with. But giving yourself some positive pep talks are supposed to be amazing for your self-confidence, this book helps with that! I try and read one every morning and one every night and say them out loud as a little pep talk to myself.

3. On the Road – Jack Kerouac

Is this a weird choice? I feel like it is. And it might not be for everyone. There can be a lotta downers in this book but it’s the sense of adventure and the unknown that inspires me. I love to travel but I’m also a planner and everything needs to be at least half planned before I get up and go. Yes, I can change my plans as I go but having a plan in place is a huge relief. Just getting up and going where the road takes me and getting there any way I can, however long it takes? That stresses me out. But it’s also something I dream of doing someday. Living wild and carefree like a beat writer (maybe not quite as wild as they were though). It may not be the most uplifting book but it’s full of adventure.

4. Girl Wash Your Face – Rachel Hollis

Ok, in the practice of being honest, I have not read this one. BUT, I know many people who have and they devoured it. Even my sister, who doesn’t find much enjoyment out of reading a lot (*gasp* I know! How are we related!?), finished it in record time.

The First time I seen this book was on the train between Edinburgh and London. My friend, whom I was travelling with, couldn’t seem to put it down and yet I could not focus on my own book whatsoever. So, I feel like it’s about that time to give it a try, right?

This book talks about the lies that we tell ourselves and have believed in for so long that we have begun to feel so much self-doubt and unworthiness. I think it’s an interesting concept and I’d love to learn what these lies are and whether this book is as good of a confidence builder as people say.

5. The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien  

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”

With an intro like that, how could this book not make you happy? As many children’s stories do, this book will bring you on the adventure of a lifetime. In the dead of winter when it’s cold and windy and you no longer have the energy to go out skating or building snowmen, nothing could be better than curling up with a hot drink and a blanket and diving into this “Unexpected Adventure”.

Bilbo Baggins is such a pure character, he sees the best in people and that itself is so inspiring. Hobbits, trolls, goblins, wizards, dwarves, battles, and, of course, dragons, this book is the perfect cure to those winter blues. For those that have read it, it’s always a joy and a comfort to return to those old familiar stories that you love so much. And for those that haven’t, get on it!

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Well, there we are. If you have nothing to do this weekend but stay in and hide from the cold, pick up one of these books! You won’t regret it. And please, share with me some of your choices for uplifting reads! I always love to discover new books and add them to my ever expanding TBR list!

-Tay