February is the month of love and romance. It’s the season of roses, chocolates, and candle-lit dinners with your special someone.
Romantic passion, however, is just one type of love. There are many kinds, but one could argue that the most valuable type of love is the one you have for yourself. Self-love can lower psychological distress and improve physical and mental health. It’s important to treat yourself with the same kindness and care you would shower anyone else.
So take this as a sign to celebrate love by loving you. Buy some gorgeous flowers, take yourself to a spa, and indulge in a self-care book or two. Below, we have some book recommendations for the love month and beyond:
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
Photo / Fully Booked
Filled with sparkling wit, laugh-out-loud humor, and intimate wisdom, Dolly Alderton’s memoir deals with the trials and triumphs of adulting – from falling in love to finding a job, wrestling with self-sabotage, getting drunk, and getting dumped, with a sprinkling of catastrophic house parties in between. Underneath the self-deprecating humor is a message young adults need to hear loud and clear: recognize that you and you alone are enough.
I Used to Have a Plan: But Life Had Other Ideas by Alessandra Olanow
Photo / Fully Booked
In this uplifting and delightfully illustrated book, author Alessandra Olanow chronicles her journey of healing after leaving a toxic marriage, becoming a single mother to a toddler, and losing her mom to cancer. Warm, relatable, and filled with 100 illustrations that have struck a chord with people worldwide, I Used to Have a Plan is a friend to those who need help through grief, unexpected change, and loss.
Advice From a Blob by Lennnie
Photo / Fully Booked
You may have seen the trending videos of this cute, adorable, and sassy blob named Lennnie online, offering encouragement and making people smile with its empowering messages. Now, Lennnie has crossed over to print with this full-color, illustrated self-care book filled with wisdom helping us improve our mental health, or at the least, get through a bad day. As Lennnie reminds us, we’ve got this, no matter where we are.
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum
Photo / Fully Booked
Forget fast-paced, octane-fueled books. This Korean smash hit about an unhappy divorcee who quits her job and opens a bookshop in a small neighborhood is a slow-paced read perfect for relaxing and recharging yourself. It teaches us that no matter what age, it’s never too late to pursue your dreams. The book reaffirms our belief that books are magical places for healing and human connection.
Love for Imperfect Things: How to Accept Yourself in a World Striving for Perfection by Haemin Sunim
Photo / Fully Booked
In this book, the renowned Buddhist teacher and bestselling author of The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down offers a refreshing perspective on nurturing self-love and compassion in a world that teaches us perfection is a must. Divided into chapters on self-compassion, courage, healing, and acceptance, Haenim Sunim illuminates us that it’s only in embracing our flaws and accepting we are enough that we get to love our lives, our world, and everyone in it. Just as on airplanes where we’re told to put on our masks first, we must be at peace with ourselves before making peace with the world around us.
The Book of Overthinking by Gwendoline Smith
Photo / Fully Booked
In this groundbreaking self-help book, clinical psychologist Gwendoline Smith takes on overthinking in the modern landscape, its deeply-rooted causes (including inheriting it from our parents), and how to manage compulsive ruminating or what she calls “thought viruses.” Filled with anecdotes, analogies, and solutions rooted in cognitive behavioral theory, this book will help overthinkers finally break free from the cycle of ceaseless worrying.
Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton
Photo / Fully Booked
Is your life brimming with stress and exhaustion? Enrich your life with wabi-sabi, a captivating Japanese aesthetic concept that can reshape every area of your life and give you lasting happiness. Filled with simple and profound wisdom, this book will teach you to slow down, let go (we have a misguided belief that we can control everything), find beauty in imperfect things, and be kinder to yourself.
Being Comfortable Without Effort by Kim Soo-Hyun
Photo / Fully Booked
Learn to nurture your inner self with Being Comfortable Without Effort, Korean bestselling author Kim Soo-Hyun’s sequel to I Decided to Live as Me. This teaches readers that to have a beautiful relationship with others, you must first fall in love with yourself. The book is a practical and beautifully illustrated manual on how you can start nurturing harmony within and outside yourself.
Are you looking for more reads? Head over to Fully Booked Online and enjoy free shipping when you order a minimum of P799. Explore the latest bookish news features on their blog.
Disclaimer: Article used with permission from Fully Booked
What do you think? Share your thoughts below!
Do you have a story for the WhenInManila.com Team? Email us at story.wheninmanila@gmail.com or send us a direct message at WhenInManila.com Facebook Page. Interact with the team and join the WhenInManila.com Community at WIM Squad. Join our Viber group to be updated with the latest news!
