One of the best ways to slow down and enjoy the season is to sit and read a book.

The build up to the Holidays has us rushing around and being so busy, that we often miss out on celebrating the end of the dark days and the return to light. Yes, the days start to get longer again now…woohoo!!!

And traditionally, this time of year is a time of introspection. For me, I look at what I hope to achieve during the next year. And I also like to reflect on what brought me joy during the departing year.

And favorite books are part of both looking ahead and back.

I’m sharing a few books I enjoyed reading this year. With the hope that they uplift, inspire and wish you a Merry Holiday Season…

In no particular order, my favorite books this year:

Peace from Broken Pieces by Iyanla Vanzant

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Iyanla shares why everything we need to learn is reflected in our relationships and the strength and wisdom she has gained by supporting others in their journeys to make sense out of the puzzle pieces of their lives.

After watching Oprah and Iyanla on Super Soul Sunday I knew that this woman had something to teach me. I just couldn’t put this book down! A definite keeper, which I’ll read again next year.

Wishes Fulfilled by Dr. Wayne Dyer

This book will help you See—with a capital S—that you are divine, and that you already possess an inner, invisible higher self that can and will guide you toward a mastery of the art of manifestation. You can attain this mastery through deliberate conscious control of your imagination!

After reading this, I listened to the CD version in my car and even made hubby pay attention. Wonderfully inspiring, especially if you or a loved one are facing illness.

The Law of Divine Compensation by Marianne Williamson

Marianne reveals the spiritual principles that help us overcome financial stress and unleash the divine power of abundance. A guru to anyone interested in spirituality, Williamson’s words ring with power and truth as she assures us that, with faith in God’s promise of prosperity for all, we need never fear the future.

I got this as an audio from the library and listened to some tracks over and over again. Marianne’s messages of love are always powerful. This book sums up such a loving way to approach your life.

Watch Her Thrive by Kimberly Riggins & 82 Powerful Change Initiators (+ I’m one!)

We all have the power to change the world, but we have to start at an individual level. The essays’ authors, having faced loss, death, abuse, hardship, and more, demonstrate how they didn’t let their difficult moments hold them back from success, joy, or living life to its fullest. Offering insight, stories, and heartfelt emotions, this powerful work reminds women not only of their right to live a happy, healthy life, but that they are not alone in their struggle.

And I’m one of the Contributing Authors! Woohoo!!! All proceeds from book sales go directly to Women for Women International, a charity working with socially excluded women in countries where war and conflict have devastated lives and communities.

An Apple a Day by Joe Schwarcz

My list wouldn’t be complete without a book on Healthy Eating!

Eat salmon. It’s full of good omega-3 fats. Don’t eat salmon. It’s full of PCBs and mercury. Eat more veggies. They’re full of good antioxidants. Don’t eat more veggies. The pesticides will give you cancer.

Forget your dinner jacket and put on your lab coat: you have to be a nutritional scientist these days before you sit down to eat—which is why we need Dr. Joe Schwarcz, the expert in connecting chemistry to everyday life. In An Apple a Day, he’s taken his thorough knowledge of food chemistry, applied it to today’s top food fears, trends, and questions, and leavened it with his trademark lighthearted approach. The result is both an entertaining revelation of the miracles of science happening in our bodies every time we bite into a morsel of food, and a telling exploration of the myths, claims, and misconceptions surrounding our obsession with diets, nutrition, and weight.