10 Books to heal from a broken heart
The journey of healing is extremely complex, it requires you to look within and go on a journey of self-discovery. It can easily seem intimidating to you because the journey is going to filled with loads of tumultuous ups and downs (along with the occasional few steps backwards for every few steps forward). But access to or knowledge of the right resources can lead to great progress being made while gaining essential understanding of oneself and valuable guidance. For so many of us, literature offers a safe space that allows them to feel understood and have their pain acknowledged in the lines of text that resonate with what they have lived and soothe the lingering pain. There are so many books one can read to deal with their heartbreak.
Literature is a resource with suchh powerful insights that can help in the practical implementation of various recovery strategies with the help of examples, personal author anecdotes, exercises, affirmations and various other tools. These act as an aid in the complex process of healing and bettering oneself. This list aims to provide a selection of must-read books (in my humble opinion) that empower women in their healing journey, assisting them in understanding their experiences as they work on healing and rediscovering their self-worth. Whether you’re looking for ways to self-reflect, tips for building healthier relationships, or motivation to embrace your self-independence journey, these books are great companions on your path to healing and personal growth as they provide invaluable insight and assistance that eases the transition from heartbroken to healed. If you’re looking for solace and guidance to heal from a broken heart, there are numerous books to help you heal and move on.
1. The Modern Breakup
If this wasn’t already on your to-read list, it definitely should be now. It offers a rather refreshing take on what your relationship ending could mean for you. And it is this difference that sets it apart from all the post-breakup self-help books on the market. It chooses to focus on personal growth rather than heartbreak. It encourages readers to deviate from the cliche perspective of breakups. Suggesting that instead of viewing things as a failure or something that happened to you, the author suggests we instead see it as a chance to figure out who you really are and what you want in a relationship. By understanding that we can still win the situation by picking up valuable lessons from our past relationships, the book helps in navigating ones healing journey with clarity and strength in order to learn how to foster healthier connections in the future. It is an incredible book to read for healing.
2. A Toolkit for Modern Life
A book that offers practical advice and is full of strategies for dealing with complexities of modern dating, maintaining relationships AND preserving your personal well-being? Sign me up! The author is able to cover a wide range of topics like growing your emotional intelligence, practicing self-care, and methods of effective communication in a compelling and engaging way. It is one of the best books for self healing and self improvement. I think it can be a very good read for anyone trying to make healthier decisions in their love life and prioritize their well-being. The book is empowering in nature and urgers the readers to learn how to create healthier relationship patterns and teaches them the importance of prioritizing their emotional well-being and boundaries in the overly complex modern world.
3. Unattached: Essays for Singlehood
Feeling down about being single? Then this collection of essays is just for you. This book celebrates the experience of being single while tackling the challenges that come with it in a very mindful way. It encourages women to embrace the independence that accompanies being single and follow the yellow brick road to self-love. By reframing singlehood as a valuable phase for personal growth the author does a marvellous job in providing readers insight on how they can heal from their past relationships while working to redefine their identities beyond partnership and truly come into their own.
4. Women Who Love Too Much
This book is an absolute gem to read. It provides incredible insightful into the psychological patterns that often causes women to get overly attached or become attracted to unhealthy partners. It is a thought-provoking examination of the causes women find themselves in the cycle of unhealthy relationships. It talks about how our past experiences can shape our relationships in unhealthy ways. It guides you on how to recognize these patterns while sharing tips on how to break free and build healthier connections. Definitely worth a read if you want deep insight on why your hurt causes you to choose the wrong guy time and time again. It could also be a great suggestion for loved ones in your life that might be caught up in a relationship pattern that is hurting them more than they realise.
5. Attached
If you enjoy relationship psychology or want to better understand yourself and the role you may be playing in feeding into the behaviour that only hurts you then this book is an incredible read. Focusing on attachment theory, the book explores how different attachment styles impact romantic relationships. By being able to identify our own attachment style we can better navigate the modern dating pool and avoid being deceived and the partners not meant for us. It is an essential in the pile of books to help you heal. It also helps us in understanding our partners attachment style and how to work with it without creating discomfort for ourselves. The book provides such valuable insight that allows you to be able to navigate emotional responses and complex relationship dynamics much more effectively. This knowledge can allow for a more self-compassionate healing attitude as one learns to build healthier connections moving forward. It is honestly a must read for anyone looking to be in a wholesome, soothing, healthy relationship in a world full of fooling around, lying, cheating and getting heartbroken.
6. 5 Ways to Forgiveness
If you’re looking to heal from the past, working through it is absolutely essential and forgiveness plays a key role in doing that. Not just forgiving others, but forgiving yourself too. This book acknowledges how crucial forgiveness is in the healing journey and offers five practical methods that guide you through the process of letting go and reclaiming your emotional well-being. Learning to forgive and let can really lighten the load of resentment. If you want to open the door to a brighter, healthier future, it is key to understand that you don’t forgive for the other persons sake (unless they’re asking for your forgiveness which is a different case), you forgive so that you aren’t consumed by the bitterness of being wronged, whether that is by circumstances or people or more often than not, both. I’d highly recommend this book for people who struggle with letting things go, it was a great read for me.
7. Don’t Believe Everything Your Mind Says
This book is a very wonderful read, regardless of what stage of healing you are at. It allows you to tackle negative thought patterns which often tend to take root after toxic relationships. It helps you challenge and control harmful beliefs you may have as due to experiencing toxic dynamics or toxic relationships. It helps you foster a more positive mindset and learn the difference between controlling your thinking and being controlled by your thinking. This book acts as a guide in to learning the tools to combat self-doubt and anxiety on your journey of emotional healing.
8. How To Series
Literature is a resource with powerful insights that help in practical implementation of recovery strategies using examples, anecdotes, exercises, affirmations and various other tools that act as an aid the complex process of healing and bettering oneself. This list aims to provide a selection of must-read books (in my humble opinion) that empower women in their healing journey, assisting them in understanding their experiences as they work on healing and rediscovering their self-worth. Whether you’re looking for ways to self-reflect, tips for building healthier relationships, or motivation to embrace your self-independence journey, these books are great companions on your path to healing and personal growth as they provide invaluable insight and assistance that eases the transition from heartbroken to healed. Whether you’re seeking practical advice or emotional support, these books to help you move on can offer a path to healing and renewal. These books to help you move on can provide comfort, guidance, and inspiration as you navigate the complexities of heartbreak.
9. It Didn’t Start with You
Sometimes we’re stuck in pattern or cycle of toxic relationships because we carry trauma we’ve internalised but isn’t truly ours or we learnt the wrong definition of what healthy love looks like growing up. Sometimes the patterns we carry out truly aren’t are our own and this book address that. It delves into how familial patterns and unresolved traumas can be affecting our current relationships. By recognizing these inherited issues, we can work toward healing for ourselves, our parents and also the future generations (nieces, nephews, your kids if you have or wish to have them). Understanding the roots of our emotional struggles allows for a deeper form of healing and the ability to form and understand healthier relationships. Dealing with the roots allows for us to heal in a way that will prevent us reverting back to the negative patterns that were hurting us. It is a must in a list of books to help you move on.
10. Buy Yourself the Damn Flowers
This book has to be my favourite read of 2024 so far. Tam Kaur does an exceptional job in empowering women to practice self-love and treat themselves with the same care they offer others. She offers personal anecdotes that make you feel seen and understood rather than being given generic information. The layout of the book, the comprehensive information and the end of chapter homework section are just incredible. The book radiates a sense of comfort while motivating you to push yourself beyond the comfort of the toxicity you are far too familiar with and work on healing the parts of yourself that are wounded and ache, even if isn’t the most comfortable. It allows you tackle the question “how to heal a broken heart” in a wholesome yet empowering way. The nurturing mindset this book in centred on is essential for healing from past trauma and embracing a brighter, healthier future.
Healing is journey, one that isn’t easy and sometimes we make it harder for our-selves due to not wanting to leave our comfort zone, being stuck in the cycle of toxicity (maybe it’s all you’ve ever known or maybe because you’re addicted to its dopamine rush) or simply not knowing how to start. Reading isn’t for everyone but the knowledge it provides is incomparable, especially if you don’t feel ready for therapy or maybe you can’t afford it. These books to help you heal can provide the tools and insights you need to overcome heartbreak and come out stronger. If reading isn’t your cup of tea maybe check out these titles in audiobook form. More than anything I hope these books help you heal, from one person on their healing journey to another.