The best books for women who are ready for change

Men don’t like nice girls. I know that sounds way harsh, but it’s true. If you’re too nice, you will be taken for granted in relationships. Men love a challenge, and that’s why they prefer bitches over nice girls. Sherry Argov explains that men prefer strong women over “yes” women and people pleasers. She answers the difficult questions that cause sleepless nights and gut-wrenching heartache for many women stuck in disrespectful, unfulfilling relationships. 

I purchased this book after a demeaning and disgraceful Valentine’s Day dinner with my boyfriend. I ended up giving him a gift and paying for our dinner. Did I mention I picked him up, too? At that time, I was so insecure and lacked confidence and self-esteem. I thought I had to overdeliver for him to like me, but my relentless efforts backfired. He didn’t respect me because I wasn’t a challenge. I turned the tables and balanced the books when I read this book. He still grieves over losing me to this day. 

Argov’s feisty tone inspires women to face truths about how they behave in relationships. For instance, are you always available? Do you make it convenient for him to see you? Do you sacrifice your needs and wants to please him? These behaviors cause men to take advantage of you because they perceive your consistent submissiveness as a weakness. Women who are too nice and too accommodating are not as respected by men as women who are strong, confident, and less accommodating. Moreover, Argov believes that the highest honor a woman can receive from a man is to be labeled as “high maintenance.” Bottom line–Don’t make it easy for him.

Steve Harvey wrote a playbook for women on knowing whether a man is in love with them. Harvey’s no-bullshit approach to relationship advice empowers women by forcing them to think critically about how men perceive them. He asks all of the tough questions so women can see what a good man really is and isn’t. He brings things to light that I hadn’t considered before, such as how men are fixers. Harvey claims that if you go to your man with a problem, and he doesn’t try to fix it, he is not in love with you. 

I have been married for almost nine years, but when I bought this book, I was in the depths of hell (aka the dating world). The advice I received from Steve Harvey helped me to leave a toxic relationship with a narcissistic mama’s boy who was 27 years my senior. After reading this book, I knew that man wasn’t in love with me, and that realization led me to a man who was. 

Harvey provides information about specific signs that women should be on the lookout for, such as the title. If a man doesn’t claim you with a title like “girlfriend” or “this is my lady,” he doesn’t think any more of you than a friend. Having this kind of insight into the male psyche is invaluable. To find a good husband, any woman who is dating needs to read this book because Harvey shows you the differences between a man and a boy.

There’s a reason this book is the bestselling success book of all time. When I first read it, this sentence changed my perspective about my wealth ability: “Success comes to those who become success conscious” (p.11). So, if there’s a secret to accumulating wealth, that’s it. According to Hill, if you think it’s impossible to be wealthy, it is, but if you think it’s possible, it is. 

The bottom line is if you’re struggling financially, look no further. This book holds the information that will mold you into a wealthy person. You will learn how to use your innate powers to attract the amount of money you desire. I was broke when I bought this book with little knowledge about the power of my thoughts. After reading it, I was no longer clueless, and I was no longer broke.

Welcome to the Holy Grail of spirituality provided by the late Louise Hay, our queen of positive affirmations. This book absolutely changed the way I viewed my health. Before Louise came into my life, I thought my health was out of my control and that disease happened by chance. This book taught me about the connection between my thoughts, emotions, and health. I had no idea that my emotions were powerful enough to create good and bad health, but once I learned the connection, I used Louise’s methods to release negative emotions. 

You will learn the true meaning of forgiveness and how to forgive people who have wronged you, including yourself. You will learn about the diseases that are associated with negative emotions. For instance, arthritis might result from feeling unloved or from long-held criticism and resentment. A new thought pattern is provided for each physical ailment, and if the new thought pattern is cultivated, the health issue is more likely to improve or be eliminated for good. 

Anyone seeking a better life should read this book. Your health will improve if you’re open to integrating Louise’s methods into your daily life and are consistent. It is a one-stop shop for self-empowerment, strong emotional intelligence, and optimal health.

Kaplan debunks everything you were taught about luck. If you’re like me, you were taught that some people were lucky and others weren’t. Have you ever heard someone say, “Well if I didn’t have bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all!”? That’s a ridiculous thing to say because why would anyone associate luck with something bad? This is exactly what Kaplan brings an awareness to. 

Lucky people create their own luck; anyone can do it if they believe they are lucky. That’s it. Certain behaviors create luck, and those behaviors are fully outlined. For example, place affects luck. The book explains that “To get lucky, you have to be in a place where opportunities are going to be around you” (p. 53). Opportunities will elude you if you’re hanging out at the same bar with the same people for twenty years in a row. But opportunities will fall in your lap if you spend your time in a place that feeds your soul and enables you to do something you love. 

If you think you’re unlucky, that’s OK. Just read this book and learn how to be lucky.