Although I have a miles-long list of novels I’d like to read (and more are released every week, ensuring I will NEVER catch up!), there’s something to be said for a good non-fiction title. A memoir that lets you walk in the shoes of another… a home or garden book that provides beauty and inspiration… advice from an expert on finance, health, or another critical topic… all of these enrich our minds and souls in different ways.

My Goodreads Want-to-Read shelf is overflowing with both fiction and non-fiction, and I find myself adding quite a few of both these days. It’s easy to pick up the latest bestseller or the next book in a favorite series, but I’m making a goal to increase my consumption of non-fiction titles this year.

Here are a few that I’ve recently added to my TBR…

The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi

Doesn’t the title of this just grab you? If I have an option to be a lazy genius and succeed, let’s hear more. Okay, maybe that’s not the takeaway but it sounds like a book most of us could take to heart:

The chorus of “shoulds” is loud. You should enjoy the moment, dream big, have it all, get up before the sun, track your water consumption, go on date nights, and be the best. Or maybe you should ignore what people think, live on dry shampoo, be a negligent PTA mom, have a dirty house, and claim your hot mess like a badge of honor.

It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed by the mixed messages of what it means to live well.

Kendra Adachi, the creator of the Lazy Genius movement, invites you to live well by your own definition and equips you to be a genius about what matters and lazy about what doesn’t. Everything from your morning routine to napping without guilt falls into place with Kendra’s thirteen Lazy Genius principles, including:

– Decide once
– Start small
– Ask the Magic Question
– Go in the right order
– Schedule rest

Discover a better way to approach your relationships, work, and piles of mail. Be who you are without the complication of everyone else’s “shoulds.” Do what matters, skip the rest, and be a person again.

Welcome Home by Myquillyn Smith

Known as The Nester on social media (and also as The Cozy Minimalist, having published a prior book by that name), Myquillyn Smith thinks we shouldn’t have to go crazy and buy out the entire store to have a stylish home. As someone trying to clear out the clutter, this is an idea I can get behind. (Note: I actually OWN this book and have been looking at the beautiful cover, but haven’t yet sat down to read it. That changes this spring!)

No matter what the world says, embracing the seasons does not require bins of factory-made décor or loads of time. In fact, it’s possible to decorate for each season without frustration, going overboard, or blowing your budget.

Drawing from the cozy-minimalist principles in Cozy Minimalist Home, stylist and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Myquillyn Smith will help you create a home that’s fresh, meaningful, beautiful, and (bonus!) always ready to host. With engaging how-tos and inspiring photos, she guides you step by step through purposeful design decisions to cultivate a space where loved ones gather, meaningful connections are celebrated, and lasting memories are made.

Myquillyn’s realistic and down-to-earth design tips will teach you how to:

• • • Seasonalize your living spaces with simple, actionable steps
    • Cultivate easy, seasonal rhythms of change in your home
    • Incorporate the beauty of the natural world through the five senses
    • Feel confident in volunteering your house for gatherings, parties, and impromptu get-togethers
    • Know what to focus on and what not to worry about as a relaxed and confident hostess

Bigger than the latest and greatest trends, Welcome Home aims to usher in the seasons without using more resources, money, or stuff than needed.

Get Your Life Back by John Eldredge

Simplicity is a big buzzword these days, and for a good reason. Our lives have become  packed and busy, even frantic sometimes. So how do we stop the train? This book has some ideas. I’ve even seen this one offered as a book study at my church recently.

A practical, simple, and refreshing guide to taking your life back.

By practicing a few wonder­fully simple practices—or what John calls “graces”—you can begin to recover your soul, disentangle from the tragedies of this broken world, and discover the restorative power of beauty.

Ask yourself:                 

• • • Are you happy most of the time?
    • Do you feel deeply loved?                                            
    • Are you excited about your future? 
    • How often do you feel lighthearted?

After reading this book you will… 

• • • Learn how to insert the One Minute Pause into your day
    • Begin practicing “benevolent detachment” and truly let it all go
    • Offer kindness toward yourself in the choices you make
    • Drink in the simple beauty available to you every day
    • Take realistic steps to unplug from technology overload

These simple practices and others are ready for the taking. You don’t need to abandon your life to get it back. Begin restoring your life here and now. Your soul will thank you for it.

That Sounds Fun: The Joys of Being an Amateur, the Power of Falling in Love, and Why You Need a Hobby by Annie F. Downs

Fun. Remember fun? The word sounds vaguely familiar. So I ask you, friends… what have you done lately, just for fun? I just heard about this one today, thanks to a Modern Mrs. Darcy post, and it immediately went on my list.

We know there are certain things we must have to survive–food, shelter, and safety to name a few. But there are also aspects of life that truly allow us to be joyful and fulfilled. For popular podcaster and bestselling author Annie F. Downs, fun is close to the top of that list. Few would argue that having fun doesn’t enrich our lives, but so much gets in the way of prioritizing it. Tough days, busyness, and feelings that are hard to talk about keep us from the fun that’s out there waiting to be found.

With That Sounds Fun, Annie offers an irresistible invitation to understand the meaning of fun, to embrace it and chase it, and to figure out what, exactly, sounds fun to you–then do it! Exploring some research and sharing some thoughts behind why fun matters, she shows you how to find, experience, and multiply your fun. With her signature storytelling style and whimsical vulnerability, Annie is the friend we all need to guide us back to staying true to ourselves and finding the fun we need.

So how about you? Any great non-fiction titles on your list? Any good ones you’ve read recently? Gush about them in the comments. Happy reading, friends!

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