I’m sure all the book lovers out there (including myself) are thinking about what to read this year, what new and exciting titles are out that could potentially empower us to improve our well-being. While there are a ton of good books in this department, I wanted to focus on life-changing topics that can deepen our understanding of our purpose on Earth, how to find our true selves, and how to use this knowledge toward fulfilling our destinies.

In the list below you will find topics on mindfulness, meditation, thinking, meaning of life, the power of imagination, love, vulnerability and a few others. I have thoroughly researched this list meaning that even though I haven’t yet read all the books, I have read the many reviews and do plan to read all of them at one point.

As you will notice, some of the books on this list are recently published while others were published decades ago, or as in one case a millennium ago. The reason I wanted to include both the old and new is that we shouldn’t dismiss or forget about the older books that may include perhaps even more wisdom than today’s books and that were written by authority figures in their respective fields.

Here we go, in no particular order:

Many see vulnerability as a weakness but Brene Brown wrote a whole book on how vulnerability can improve our lives. The book has become an immediate bestseller and is the talk of many forums on some major social networks.

This book provides a guide to designing your life intentionally. It is packed with tips and exercises that can be applied to any part of life including love, work, and personal development.

Renowned Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh provides direction on how to sit properly focusing on posture and breathing, along with instructions to reach spiritual awakening. He also includes a series of guided meditations.

Deepak Chopra offers simple advice to grow spiritually through 7 laws of success: The Law of Pure Potentiality, The Law of Giving and Receiving, The Law of Karma, The Law of Least Effort, The Law of Intention and Desire, The Law of Detachment, and The Law of Dharma.

Another one of Brene Brown’s bestsellers. Dr. Brown includes years of research to show us how wonderful it is to be ourselves just the way we are.

This is a story of one man’s life journey inspired solely by love in action versus love in feeling. It is a book that will change your take on the true meaning of love.

A New Earth is a follow up to the international bestseller The Power of Now. Just as powerful and in any easy to understand text, Tolle explains why detaching ourselves from our egos is the first step toward awakening.

His Holiness Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu are close friends who get together to discuss finding joy in the time of world suffering. The book also includes meditation practices.

Goodreads‘ Choice 2012 Winner, this book is for all the introverts out there wishing they weren’t. It is also for everyone who thinks that introversion is a weakness. Backed by research, this is a powerful book that dissects the introvert personality and gives voice to the quiet.

If you enjoyed reading The Secret, this book will blow your mind. Written 28 years before The Secret, Creative Visualization guides the reader through meditation techniques to help shape positive attitudes toward life. As per Oprah, “this is the book that created a movement.”

Written by a Greek emperor (and philosopher) close to 2000 years ago this empowering classic covers topics such as nature of moral virtue, perceptions, and freedom. It is ironic that it was not meant to be published because it has helped millions of people change their thinking. “The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.”

This tiny book could become your new best friend. Using real life examples, it provides thoughtful and beautiful instructions on how to handle stress and negative emotions and also how to slow down.

In this highly rated book the author explains 2 systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. He also explains how fast thinking can be both beneficial and detrimental.

This is a thought-provoking fiction on memory loss and where we place our values. Written in a mysterious tone, it will grip you from the beginning.

Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl wrote a memoir about his World War II survival and the importance spirituality played to overcome suffering and find meaning in it.

And that is my list for 2017.

Have you read any of these books? Do you plan to read any? I would love to hear your feedback on this list, as well as any other suggestions you may have for some great inspirational books we should all know about.