40 Books that Shaped My 40s

Parenting, Self-Care, Poetry...Oh My!

Hi friend! I'm Vanessa - writer, certified life coach, and midlife menopausal maven. I share honest reflections on creativity, energy, and finding flow during midlife. Welcome. 🦋

Happy Sunday, friend.

I’m leaning into the lull.

A bit of a slowdown.

Coming up for air. Just a bit.

Our week started with stunning spring weather, a visit to a local lake, and my twins boated, while I walked with a friend (her book is linked below).

By the end of the week, the temps slowly ticked up, and the Carolina humidity made itself known.

Summer’s right around the corner.

Maybe you’re looking for books to add to your summer reading list.

I’ve got some great titles below.

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Books from parenting to perimenopause and everything in between

Last fall, I compiled a list of books that have shaped me, opened my eyes, made me think critically, brought tears of joy to my eyes, and helped me grow.

I decided to share it here, too.

To be clear, I’ve read way (way!) more than 40 books in the last ten years. There are too many to count, including ones about homeschooling, parenting, health, cookbooks, and oodles of fiction.

Books are the foundation of my personal development as a certified life coach, space holder, and writer.

The highlighted books are ones by people I know. I’m fortunate to have such wonderful and creative souls to connect with.

Have you read any of these books? What books have shaped you over the last decade?

1. Afro Minimalist – Christine Platt
   A journey into minimalism through a culturally inclusive lens, exploring sustainable simplicity.

2. Be the Bridge – Latasha Morrison
   Inspiring insights on racial reconciliation and the power of bridge-building in our communities.

3. Coming Home: A Quick & Practical Guide for Preparing a Mother's Hearth, Mind, & Home for Homeschooling – Camille Kirksey
   Practical support for moms homeschooling with heart, balance, and joy. Camille is such a beacon in the homeschool community. I always appreciate her tips, her humor, and her honesty. Check out her YouTube channel here.

4. Creatrix – Lucy H. Pearce
   A guide to embracing feminine creativity, wisdom, and power. My favorite book about creativity. I recommend this one to everyone!

5. Dance of the Dissident Daughter – Sue Monk Kidd
   A memoir exploring feminine spirituality and the quest for identity.

6. Edge of Wonder – Victoria Erickson
   A poetic and heartfelt call to live fully, embracing creativity, love, and resilience. She is one of my favorite writers, hands down. I’ve been fortunate to participate in four of her workshops over the last year. She’s a gem!

7. Goddesses in Older Women – Jean Shinoda Bolen
   Honoring the powerful archetypes within women as they age and mature.

8. Healing Journeys with the Black Madonna – Alessandra Belloni
   Spiritual journeys to connect with the Black Madonna inspire healing and resilience.

9. Health Is Wealth – Andrea Beaman
   A holistic approach to health and wellness, emphasizing the connection between nutrition and vitality.

10. Homeschooling Your Child With Special Needs – Shawna Wingert
    Guidance for parents homeschooling children with unique learning needs, with empathy and expertise. I will forever be grateful to Shawna. Her support, her words, her guidance, and her friendship over the years have been a gift.

11. Home Body – Rupi Kaur
    A powerful collection of poetry exploring love, growth, and personal healing.

12. Hormone Intelligence – Dr. Aviva Romm
    A comprehensive guide to understanding and balancing women’s hormones for optimal health.

13. Human Design for Business – Jamie L. Palmer
    Using Human Design as a framework for building authentic, aligned business strategies.

14. Italian Folk Magic – Mary-Grace Fahrun
    An exploration of traditional Italian healing and spirituality practices.

15. Keep Moving – Maggie Smith
    A moving collection of essays and poems on resilience and finding hope after loss.

16. Mary Magdalene Revealed – Meggan Waterson
    A deeply spiritual exploration of Mary Magdalene's life and teachings for the modern soul.

17. Medicine Woman – Lucy H. Pearce
    A blend of personal journey and ancient wisdom for embracing the healing archetype of the medicine woman. The only author with two books on my list. I couldn’t choose just one.

18. The Menopause Brain – Dr. Lisa Mosconi
    Insights into brain health for women, focusing on menopause and cognitive vitality. The best menopause book I’ve read.

19. Miracles and Other Reasonable Things – Sarah Bessey
    A memoir on faith, healing, and embracing the beauty of imperfection.

20. More Than Enough – Kara Anderson
    Encouragement for homeschool parents, focusing on self-compassion and doing “enough.” I was lucky to receive an early copy of this book back when Kara wrote it. We’ve been good friends for years, and she even mentions my MIL in the book (she’s been my kids’ homeschool math teacher on/off for years). Be sure to visit her Substack here.

21. Peace On Your Path – Tracy Brooks
    A thoughtful exploration of finding peace and contentment within daily life. Tracy has been a guide and mentor for me the last several years—helping me tap into my intuition, especially during perimenopause into menopause.

22. Priestess – Julie Parker
    Discovering the modern priestess path, connecting with feminine spirituality and empowerment. I was fortunate to train under Julie through the Beautiful You Coaching Academy.

23. Project 333 – Courtney Carver
    A minimalist fashion challenge that teaches the joy and freedom of living with less.

24. Raising a Sensory Smart Child – Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske
    A practical, compassionate guide to supporting children with sensory processing issues. This was one of the first books that truly helped me navigate parenting challenges with understanding and compassion.

25. Resilience – Jolinda Johnson
    Insights and strategies for women to cultivate resilience, especially through midlife changes. Jolinda has been my coach, mentor, and friend since 2020. Her ability to guide and hold space is truly magical. The book has great prompts and tips you can start using today.

26. Set Boundaries, Find Peace – Nedra Glover Tawwab
    A transformative approach to boundary-setting for healthier relationships and self-respect. I recommend this book over and over again. I truly appreciate Nedra’s tips, insights, and powerful voice.

27. The Lady Vanishes – Bryan Seymour, Allison Sandy, and Liz Hayes
    A true-crime account that unveils the mystery behind a disappearance, highlighting justice and truth. Side note: this book is based on my favorite true crime podcast ever. Haven’t listened yet? WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

28. The Meaning of Mary Magdalene – Cynthia Bourgeault
    Reexamining the life and legacy of Mary Magdalene with fresh spiritual insight.

29. The Next Right Thing – Emily P. Freeman
    Gentle guidance for making decisions that align with clarity and peace.

30. The Very Good Gospel – Lisa Sharon Harper
    Examining the concept of “good news” in faith through the lens of justice and equality.

31. The Way I See It – Temple Grandin
    Personal insights and professional wisdom from the perspective of someone with autism.

32. Think Differently About Learning – Maren Goerss and Angela Sizer
    Fresh perspectives on education, advocating for adaptable approaches to learning. I will always be grateful to Maren and Angela for inviting me to be a guest on their podcast, Homeschool Unrefined, three times over the years. And for asking me to share a homeschool story in their book.

33. This I Know is True – Various Authors (including ME!)
    A collection of powerful stories exploring resilience, authenticity, and truth. It was an absolute honor to be included in this collection of essays with other women from around the world. It was a dream come true to be published in a book in 2021. Definitely one of the biggest highlights of the last ten years.

34. Walking with Persephone – Molly Remer
    It is a poetic journey through life’s cycles, focusing on resilience and feminine wisdom. Molly is an incredible, intuitive writer. I even sent this book to a friend because I found it so relatable and inspiring.

35. Wild Words – Nicole Gulatta
    A guide to cultivating creative writing and authentic expression, especially for women. This is one of my favorite books about writing. Nicole actually lives near me, and we meet up at a local lake to have walk-and-talks. It’s been such a gift.

36. Wintering – Katherine May
    An exploration of embracing life’s winters and the power of rest and renewal. One of the best books I read while in the throes of my menopause transition.

37. Women Who Run with the Wolves – Clarissa Pinkola Estés
    Insights into the “wild woman” archetype and the power of instinctual, liberated living. Truth be told, I haven’t fully finished this book. But I have been slowly working through it, going back it passages and chapters over and over again the last five years. Her words have led me down other rabbit holes, too.

38. Writing Down the Bones – Natalie Goldberg
    It is a classic on writing as a practice of freedom, mindfulness, and self-discovery.

39. Your Light Is Rising – Lisa McCrohan
    A book of wisdom and encouragement to embrace your inner light and self-compassion. Lisa and I have connected via social media, and she’s also on Substack. Her writing and podcast episodes are soothing and inspiring.

40. When Things Fall Apart – Pema Chödrön
    Buddhist wisdom on navigating tough times with grace and inner peace.

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Summer writing and publishing schedule

After six months of weekly writing and posting, I’ll be slowing down a bit for summer.

I have some projects that need attention and, as I mentioned in my June newsletter, I tend to cocoon in Summer.

Got a book I should read this summer? Have a topic you’d like to see me cover?

Hit reply and let me know.

Wishing you a wonderful week,

Vanessa 🦋