The 7 Best Mental Health Books to Read in 2022

by biesingerfirejourney | Feb 14, 2022 | Retire & Enjoy

This post may contain affiliate links; please see our disclaimer for details.

Have you ever…

Found yourself in a “slump” and struggling to pull yourself out?

Sometimes it might feel like you can’t stop a certain cycle of thinking. Next you find yourself with those intrusive thoughts spiraling in your mind.

Or, have you ever felt like your relationships around you are breaking down? You may feel like you can’t seem to pick up the pieces fast enough!

These thoughts and feelings can weigh you down and keep you from living your best life.

Some people don’t understand a lot about mental health. No one should be telling you it is an easy spot to be in because it is tough.

The good news is this is your year!

With the mess of 2020 and 2021 behind us, 2022 will be the year to turn around.

You can start with a great book!

In this article, I will share more about each of the 7 best mental health books to read in 2022.

1. Own Your Self – Kelly Brogan
2. Breaking Negative Thinking Patterns – Gitta Jacob, Hannie van Generen, Laura Seebauer
3. Own Your Anxiety – Julian Brass
4. This Too Shall Pass – Julia Samuel
5. Mindful Relationship Habits – S.J. Scott, Barrie Davenport
6. How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body – David R. Hamilton
7. Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions – Russell Brand

Mental health books have been around for a long time, but these 7 take new approaches and innovative ways geared toward lasting results.

The authors give you tools for dealing with the struggles of relationships to battling severe addictions. Other topics covered include conquering your intrusive thoughts to taking anxiety and turning it into a superpower.

These books have you covered on the path to healing.

Some many valuable ideas and lessons stem from the books. These lessons will help you change your mindset and help you to achieve more than you ever thought possible! 

Now let’s jump in!

2) Own Your Self – Kelly Brogan

Dr. Kelly Brogan, a New York Times bestselling author, has captivated the world with her book Own Your Self.

This book details the importance of reclaiming your life, mind, and mental health. According to Dr. Kelly Brogan, the book helps guide you to better ownership over your feelings, body, and self.

Dr. Brogan has an Ivy League medical background. Her specialization in neuroscience has helped her understand the human mind’s intricacy.

In a video created by Dr. Brogan, she discusses how more than half of Americans are on prescription medications and how she once was a firm believer in the idea that “medications will fix all.”

Now, she has gained valuable insight from her chronic illnesses and has shifted her mindset to a more holistic approach.

This book has been featured in the New York Times, HuffPost, Goop, and numerous other sites. Through this book, she wants to give you the tools to help heal yourself.

One of the key takeaways is we have the power to heal many ailments in our bodies, and we can work toward a better mind, body, and spirit.

There are few things on this planet more fulfilling than the ability to heal yourself and know you dug yourself out of that dark place.

If you’re looking for a book about taking control and conquering your life, this book will be a great fit.

2) Breaking Negative Thinking Patterns – Gritta Jacob, Hannie van Generen, Laura Seebauer

This mental health book, written by authors Gitta Jacob, Hannie van Generen, and Laura Seebauer, is a new and refreshing read revolving around mental health.

This book is a great introduction if you have never heard of Schema Therapy.

Jacob, Generen, and Seebauer focus on schema mode to help the reader break the patterns related to negative thoughts.

There are two parts to this book. Part one focuses on, more specifically, understanding the “modes” and becoming familiar with your modes.

Part two of the book revolves around changing your modes to help break harmful patterns.

An interesting feature of this book is the presence of case studies related to Schema Therapy and how useful it has been for many patients.

The American Psychology Association describes Schema Therapy as looking at lifelong patterns.

This specific type of therapy has helped patients with difficult psychological diagnoses who have tried years of other therapies but have not achieved much progress.

This book is a wonderful guide to helping you break these potential lifelong mental patterns you have struggled to overcome.

Check this book out if you are looking for a new approach to mental health! 

3) Own Your Anxiety – Julian Brass

Are you a person who feels like your anxiety can get the better of you, or have you ever sat on the sidelines because your anxiety was overloaded so that you couldn’t try something new?

Sometimes thoughts are just too overwhelming to control.

Julian Brass has taken anxiety into a secret power in this new mental health book. Own Your Anxiety illustrates the message that. If channeled properly, your anxiety can give you an edge.

This sounds like a dream for a person who has struggled with lifelong anxiety. This is a new and bright perspective for people living with anxiety.

The reason is that having the ability to take what has been thought of as something that hinders you in life and turn it into a tool to better your surroundings is amazing.

Brass has used these methods himself to create a vibrant and fulfilling life! Through his book, he is eager to share his natural approach to changing the world around him.

The 99 simple yet powerful ways he has described to channel your anxiety into vibrant energy is a delightful read.

The first message in the book is to breathe. Yet, Brass approaches it with vigor and insightful information that takes breathing to a different level.

For those who frequently feel anxious, this is a must-read.

4) This Too Shall Pass – Julia Samuel

Julia Samuel, the author of This Too Shall Pass, utilizes the story-telling method to illuminate the hardships people have faced and how these people have overcome those hardships.

The book targets moments of significant change in a person’s life and how change can be much more complex and difficult than we realize.

Julia Samuel is a psychotherapist who has helped countless clients work through their hardships, and she has learned lots about the common struggles everyday people face.

The stories shared within this book are deeply intimate and wonderfully enlightening.

As hard as it can be to deal with life’s difficulties, Samuel’s book reminds us of the similarities in our struggles.

Reading this book and the messages it sends related to the different decisions people make in the face of adversity can help you have a clearer and more sound understanding of your struggles.

This book will also highlight how other everyday people have dealt with their problems which can help you to work through your own.

Samuels has first-hand experience helping people with their hardships in life.

This one is for you if you are looking for a powerful book full of deeply relatable lessons and struggles. 

5) Mindful Relationship Habits –  S.J. Scott, Barrie Davenport

Sometimes we just feel disconnected and out of sync with our partners. Maybe the “wow” factor feels like it has slipped away. The hustle of everyday life may have taken away some of the connection.

Sometimes it is just the loss of intimacy and forgetting the little things that made the relationship so special in the beginning.

We all wonder, “is this how everyone feels in a relationship?”

S. J. Scott and Barrie Davenport have created a book that covers 25 detailed practices that you can use to reignite the flame in your relationship.

After reading this book, you can use these tools to help cultivate a better overall connection with your partner and have a deeper understanding of your relationship.

The tools found in this gem of a book can help you learn to become more proactive to your partner’s needs or more proactive to issues within the relationship and less reactive to the challenges you face.

Experts and scientific research back the habits discussed within these pages.

After using the information found within this book, you will be more conscious and more aware of how your actions and words create positive and negative consequences within your relationship.

You will see your relationship with your partner grow and flourish with this book! 

6) How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body – David R. Hamilton

We all have heard how the power of thought can change your life. Well, one author has taken that idea to the next level.

Dr. David Hamilton, the author of How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body, explains the mind-body connection we all have the power to utilize.

Originally written in 2008 and then updated with new information in 2018, this book is chock-full of information regarding meditation and visualization techniques that will help to boost your body’s ability to heal itself.

Dr. Hamilton also details scientific research to demonstrate the power of visualization between two groups.

A section reviews how certain practices can help specific medical conditions. It is also an incredible read if you want to learn more about how the brain works.

How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body is an extremely interesting read that leads to many thought-provoking questions about this connection that we all can experience.

If you are interested in alternative ways to heal your ailments without taking numerous medications, this mental health book is a great place to start!

7) Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions – Russell Brand

We all know him as the funny guy who was once married to Katy Perry, but did you know he is also an incredible author?

Russel Brand opens up about his struggles with addictions in his book related to mental health called Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions.

Since a comedian wrote it, there is a comedic side to the book as Brand dives into his addictions to sex, drugs, food, and fame.

His openness to his struggles over more than ten years is refreshing and honest. Brand shares his advice and the tools he used to recover.

He also recognizes the road to recovery. Addiction is not a straight and easy road, and no two recovery stories are alike. Like Brand, many people struggle with addictions, which is a difficult battle.

So, if you feel alone and are struggling with a serious addiction or want to finally kick your caffeine addiction to the curb, check out this well-received book–Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions.

To Wrap Things Up

Mental health can affect anyone, and we all struggle with our issues.

Even though sometimes it feels like we are alone and have nowhere to turn, people–like the authors mentioned–have either been through the same struggles or have researched and developed tools to help lead you to the road to a successful and fulfilled life.

Mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and addiction can be serious and lead you to a life of hardships.

These books will help you to begin to heal. They can bring feelings of peace, love, and acceptance and have a brighter and more caring life.

If those are the feelings you want to cultivate, get your hands on these books this year!

Disclaimer

The content on this blog includes our personal experiences and opinions in regard to pursuing a healthier lifestyle. We hope the information provides valuable insights to every reader but we are not health advisors. When making your health choices, we recommend researching multiple sources and/or receiving advice from a doctor or licensed health professional.

How to Get on the Same Page Financially With Your Spouse (9 Tips)

by biesingerfirejourney | Feb 4, 2022 | Retire & Enjoy

This post may contain affiliate links; please see our disclaimer for details.

Money plays a vital role between two people in a relationship. It’s no secret that money problems can be a big reason for relationship problems or even divorce.

One way to prevent this is to ensure you and your spouse are financially on the same page.

So how do you get on the same page with your partner regarding finances? This is a common and important question that many of us ask ourselves.

When I first married my wife we had many disputes about money. At that time, truth be told I did not have good money habits.

While my wife is great at managing money, I used to be a spender!

Over time my wife took some steps to help me change. I was willing to listen and started to change even though some of my changes came slowly.

Now we are completely on the same page and let me tell you, this has made our marriage much more enjoyable and happy. 🙂

Based on our experiences, here are 9 tips to use when working on your finances as a couple.

1. Understand Finance Backgrounds & Be Willing to Change

Let each person share his/her understanding or background in finance.

Learn how each other was taught money growing up! You’ll gain a better understanding of how and why two people have different views on money.

When I first heard how my parents-in-law handle their money, I began understanding why my wife has such an amazing saving and investing mindset.

When my wife heard how my family spends money, she understood why I loved spending money to buy things I didn’t need, haha.

There is no need to be angry if your spouse has a different financial perspective because most of the time it comes from the way they were raised or lack of education.

INSTEAD, we should be understanding and helping each other by sharing money stories and explaining the importance of saving and investing.

When first engaged, my wife did not push me to change my poor spending habits all at once, but really gave me a better idea of what good personal finance looks like.

She shared many stories about how her parents worked so hard to save money and then invested in real estate and stocks, which is why they are free to travel everywhere, really, I feel like they travel every day haha.

After hearing my parents-in-law’s financial story and seeing how they have such an amazing life, I knew who I wanted to be.

A big thanks to my wife for sharing her story and background about finances, which sparked my desire to learn and change.

Being open and willing to change will help you and your spouse in many ways!

2. Read Valuable Finance Books (or Watch Videos)!

If you or your spouse have never had any saving, budgeting, or investing ideas since childhood, I highly recommend reading good books or watching videos to help change your financial mind which will open up a new world.

The first finance book I read was ” Rich Dad Poor Dad”. This book is so amazing. My eyes were opened, and a seed was planted for improving my personal finance and investing decisions.

To learn more about this amazing book, you can check out this other article I wrote: Rich Dad Poor Dad – 9 Wealth Building Lessons.

Later, my wife found out about Dave Ramsey, and she started watching many of his Youtube videos. She always recommended a good one to me when she watched it.

My wife and I changed A LOT after watching Dave Ramsey’s video and learning about his baby steps.

Now we have zero car debt, and we regularly contribute to our emergency fund. Through hard work, I could graduate with my MBA student debt-free. We thank Dave Ramsey for teaching us to get out of debt.

We do not 100% follow his teachings because everyone has different views about finance, but in many ways, he has really helped our family’s finance a lot.

Related Content: Dave Ramsey 7 Baby Steps | Do They Actually Work?

By recommending good finance books or videos and hopefully soon, your partner will be on board and on the same page with you. 

3. Recognize the Impact of Bad Money Decisions

When you get married, everything becomes family-centered. Having stable finances is important, especially when children come into the picture.

If you or your significant other likes to spend money indiscriminately and doesn’t like saving money, you should discuss how those decisions will impact your family’s future.

For example, you should both discuss the need to save up an emergency fund, and understand the negative consequences that could arise from not having one.

Many people lost their jobs during times like the 2008 economic recession and COVID-19. If we were one of them and without an emergency fund, our family will be in big trouble.

But if we save up a 3-6 months fully-funded emergency fund, we will have money to cover our bills and expenses – talk about peace of mind!

Another subject to discuss is how to avoid or get out of debt. Here is an article I wrote specifically identifying 11 Strategies to Get Out of Debt Fast!

4. Be Honest With Each Other

Marrying another person means you both become a team. You are not independent anymore, but you can accomplish more with two minds and hearts working together.

Make sure there are no financial secrets in the relationship, and you’ll stay accountable and build a stronger relationship.

It is dishonest not to disclose your income, hide money, secretly spend money to buy what you want, owe an undisclosed debt, etc.

If you keep these things a secret, it will be a weight on you and hurt your mental health, and relationships. You’re burdening yourself with guilt and jeopardizing your partner’s trust in you.

This type of dishonesty will make both parties miserable.

If you and your partner are working on becoming on the same finance page, it’s important to be completely open and honest with each other.

I’m glad that at this point, my wife and I have not had any of this type of dishonest conduct, but have been very honest about our finances even before we got engaged.

Be real and be honest with each other. You won’t regret it!

5. Set Financial Goals Together

One of the best ways to get your spouse on the same financial page as you take time to sit down together and make the same financial goals.

What do you want your finances to look like in 5, 10, or even 30 years? Do you want to be completely out of debt? Do you want to save up your kids’ college education fund? Do you want to retire early?

The end goal for my wife and me is to achieve FIRE (Finance Independence Retire Early). We have been working hard for this goal to make it happen one day through saving, investing, and being wise with our money.

Setting the same financial goals together will give you a direction of where you hope to end up.

Once you and your spouse have the same financial goals, you will be on the same page and working as a team!

Goals also motivate us and give us a positive vision for the future. 🙂

When married couples have the same goals, it will also strengthen their marriage.

My wife and I love setting goals together, you check out our 2022 Financial Goals and How to Achieve Them.

6. Budget As a Team

After you’ve set your goals, it’s time to create a budget!

A budget is one of the most important steps to financial success.

Write down all of your family expenses and ensure that both of you have enough money for when those bills are due.

After expenses, see how much money you have left and can go toward investing for other things.

It’s also good to look through your bank statement history often and see where you both need to improve.

One way we love to save money is by using Mint Mobile where you can get a great plan for just $15 a month!

Part of budgeting should include investing –

Related content: How We Save 56% of Our Income [Family of 3]

Related content: How We Budget Our $100K Income As A Family of Three

7. Combine Finances

We combined our finance the day after we engaged! I still remember it was in a taco bell at our school, and I gave my debit card to my wife because I knew she was better at managing money.

We were also working together to save our first house downpayment; combined finances helped a lot! We to on the same page when money is being saved or spent.

I’ve seen many couples keep their finances separate for many reasons like previous bad marriages, or getting married at an older age, etc.

No matter what kind of reason, separate finance may work for a few married couples, but it doesn’t seem to work for most.

One of the youtube channels we like is called Our Rich Journey. In their channel, a very happy couple worked together as a team and were able to retire at 39.

They are our example and motivation!

Combining finance has many benefits as you work together towards your goals and dreams.

8. Open and OFTEN Communication

When you work to get on the same page with your spouse about your finances, often and open communication is CRUCIAL.

Talk about what you and your spouse have accomplished and what you hope to accomplish next.

You can review/reevaluate your budgets, financial goals, and plans to achieve them.

You can also share your true feelings, happy and unhappy things about each other, and things you hope the other person can improve upon.

Oh, if your spouse made a good change, like eating out less, don’t forget to tell he/she a good job in your communication!

Give praise for wise money decisions your spouse is making!

My wife and I both like to communicate before bed, and we express ourselves very directly.

We are grateful that we can talk freely and openly and feel safe sharing our thoughts.

We feel an often and open communication can help us understand each other better, work better together as a team, and stabilize our marriage.

9. Love and Patience

Unfortunately, fights will often occur when money comes up in a conversation between a couple.

If you wish to get your spouse on the same financial page, you must find a healthy way of communicating and use love and patience instead of fighting.

Remember that you have been raised differently and have different backgrounds as mentioned previously.

Quarrels don’t typically end in an agreed-upon solution, but love and patience will help you get to a happy solution much faster.

You can’t expect your spouse to change immediately. It is impossible.

Big changes are made by small changes consistently and sustainably. Over time, these small changes will compound into big changes.

During the tough and painful waiting process, please be patient. Showing your encouragement and love is more useful than blaming and anger.

I made a rule with my wife: every time we fight, we kiss or hug each other and have to hold for three seconds. It’s amazing what a little love or affection can do to diffuse heated situations.

This method worked so well for us; we got better immediately and would laugh together.

You can try or find a method that could work for your marriage.

In Conclusion

I know that life is difficult when you and your spouse are not on the same financial page. You may feel helpless or hopeless sometimes, but hang in there! Read this post with your loved one and know we’re rooting for you!

The 9 tips below will guide you to get your spouse on the same page during your journey to financial freedom!

1. Share Your Finance Background and Knowledge, Be Willing to Change
2. Read Valuable Finance Books (or Watch Videos)!
3. Recognize the Impact of Bad Money Decisions
4. Be Honest With Each Other
5. Set Financial Goals Together
6. Budget As a Team
7. Combine Finances
8. Open and OFTEN Communication
9. Love and Patience

The change process won’t be easy and might be painful at times.

I hope you can use these tips to build a stronger relationship and become better at saving, budgeting, and investing for your family’s future.

Last but not least, if you need help, ask for it! Don’t be ashamed. Whether it’s financial counseling or other counseling.

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment below with your thoughts and experiences, we’d love to hear from you!

Disclaimer:

We hope the information in this article provides valuable insights to every reader but we, the Biesingers, are not financial advisors. When making your personal finance decisions, research multiple sources and/or receive advice from a licensed professional. As always, we wish you the best in your pursuit of financial independence!

How to Set and Achieve Health Goals in 2022

by biesingerfirejourney | Jan 30, 2022 | Retire & Enjoy

This post may contain affiliate links; please see our disclaimer for details.

Hello Everyone!

2022 is here, along with the opportunity to create impactful health goals to start things off right. Maintaining physical, emotional, and mental health can also go a long way to helping you gain control over your life and finances.

This post is about health but remember that enjoying financial freedom requires good health. 🙂

I have set some big goals this year and am excited to share those with you later on in this article, but first, let’s discuss health goals and explore tips on how to set and achieve them in 2022!

What are health goals and why are they important?

Health goals are defined to provide direction and guide efforts to improve overall health plus help measure progress.

Maintaining good health is an important area of life, and it’s important to set health goals and take action to achieve them.

Setting meaningful health and wellness goals will almost always lead to increased health and disease prevention.

Creating healthy eating and exercise routines will have many incredible results. Below are some of the common benefits of living a healthy lifestyle –

• Help control your weight and keep weight off (1, 2)
• Boost your mood and improve mental health (1, 3)
• Reduce the risk of heart disease (1)
• Strengthen your muscles and bones (1, 2)
• Improve the quality of your sleep (3)

10 examples of possible health goals for 2022

1. Drink more water each day
2. Stretch more often
3. Get more adequate or consistent sleep
4. Eat more fruits and vegetables
5. Eat more whole-grain bread and cereals
6. Achieve/maintain a healthy weight
7. Get regular physical activity
8. Don’t sit too long in front of the computer
9. Take a walk after eating
10. Don’t eat at too late night

My Personal Health Goals for 2022!

1. Win HealthyWage challenge – 200 lbs by April 17. Sign up today using my link to get $40 added to your bonus! Click HERE for more!
2. Stretch daily
3. 30 day push up and sit-up challenge
4. Track calorie consumption & weight through the FitBit app
5. Find new delicious & healthy food
6. Implement positive self talk

How to achieve your 2022 health goal?

Health goals will be easier to achieve when they are S.M.A.R.T. – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-Bound.

I will break down each part of a SMART goal below.

1. Be Specific

Take some time to create a clear mental image of what goal you want to accomplish and how you can accomplish it, then write it down in detail.

Make sure the details are crystal clear with no room for misinterpretation.

Try to not be too vague, such as “I will eat healthier”.

2. Be Measurable

Make your health goal measurable by adding metrics to the HOW you will achieve the goal.

Breaking up a large goal into smaller milestones is also very helpful.

Making goals measurable means you will know 100% whether you have fully hit the goal or not.

3. Be Attainable

A goal is attainable when it can be reached on or before a certain deadline.

The biggest recommendation I can give is to start where you are at.

Add flexibility to your goal as well so it is not too difficult to complete, prepare for the unexpected.

Take some time to write down your day-to-day schedule with any potential barriers or challenges you may need to overcome. Doing so will help you become aware of any time constraints and mentally prepare to overcome barriers.

4. Be Relevant

A relevant goal means that each aspect of the goal aligns with your purpose and enhances your sense of worth.

Begin with the end in mind, and make sure the goal doesn’t put off other priorities or create an imbalance in life.

5. Be Time-Bound

Adding an end date or deadline will make your goal time-bound.

There are many ways to stay accountable to the deadline, try finding one that keeps you motivated.

For more details on creating S.M.A.R.T. health goals, you can check out this other article I created going through step-by-step with examples on how to set a SMART Health Goal.

Extra Tips to Achieve Your Health Goals

Look for the positive

Taking action on your health goals will take effort and unexpected challenges will surely arise. Try looking for any positives when things get tough. Remember, the process is refining, and things will get easier as time goes on.

I’ve noticed when I turn a negative into a positive, my entire attitude changes, and I have greater uplifting energy. Although easier said than done, I hope you can look for the positives to help you on your journey.

Have a backup plan in place

Being flexible is key, especially for those with busy schedules (which is probably most of us).

Part of being flexible is having a plan B / backup plan. For example, if the original goal is to work out for 45 minutes but something comes up, try to fit in another prepared workout that is shorter. Doing something is always better than not taking action on your goals.

Love yourself in every health phase – set mental health goals!

Loving thyself happens when you build yourself up and are your best friend. This isn’t always easy, but I’ve noticed it gets easier as I consciously practice positive and loving self-talk.

It’s important NOT to have the mentality of “I will be happy once I reach my goal” but instead say, “I am happy now and enjoying the journey; I love myself now.” Using this type of positive and reinforcing self-talk will go a long way to improve your happiness and ability to keep going.

Final thoughts

Remember, setting health goals for the body, mind, and spirit is important.

The quote below helps remind us that health takes many forms and is in our control.

“Your health is what you make of it. Everything you do and think either adds to the vitality, energy and spirit you possess or takes away from it.”

Ann Wigmore

What are some of your health goals this year? Let us know in the comments section below!

Disclaimer

The content on this blog includes our personal experiences and opinions in regard to pursuing a healthier lifestyle. We hope the information provides valuable insights to every reader but we are not health advisors. When making your health choices, we recommend researching multiple sources and/or receiving advice from a doctor or licensed health professional.