3 Books for a Fresh Start in the New Year

Who isn’t trying to make a fresh start in the new year? I’m using these three books to inspire me to make healthy changes in January and beyond. Join me for a peek into their pages.

Make Your Move: Finding Unshakable Confidence Despite Your Fears and Failures

When I heard Lynn Cowell speak about the Old Testament daughters of Zelophahad at She Speaks 2017, I was intrigued by her insight. These women displayed brave confidence and trust in God, especially within the limitations of their culture. Oh, how I need their inspiration today!

I also appreciate Lynn’s disclosure of her confidence struggles. As an aspiring author in the traditionally-published market, I’m always searching for behind-the-scenes stories from authors who have succeeded. Lynn has done so, but not without multiple rejections. She had to push through 19 no’s and several discouraging years to receive the one yes she desired. Along the way, she had to cling to confidence that God’s calling in her life wasn’t imagined or superficial. She had to learn to persist, like the daughters of Z. This book is about persisting in courage, based on faith in the one true God.

Make Your Move is my Bible study of choice for the new year. Skimming through the stories, I laughed out loud several times at Lynn’s wit and wisdom. She is humble and self-effacing, which draws me into the study. She digs into many different biblical examples of courage, giving fresh insight into familiar texts. The questions she poses in each chapter help me consider how many areas I am lacking in confidence–way more than I expected. This book will help me grow in areas neglected far too long. Make Your Move is already inspiring my faith in the new year, and it will do the same for you.

Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals

I’m a big fan of Michael Hyatt. I took his Get Published course in 2015, and it set me on a professional writing track after years of experimentation. His book Platform is an essential resource for bloggers and writers, and his book Living Forward gave me a practical, wide-angle perspective on what I want to accomplish. I’m also a proud member of Platform University. So, I was excited to serve on the launch team for his latest book, Your Best Year Ever.

Michael’s signature style is uber-positive and inspiring. I have a naturally melancholy bent, so I constantly seek influence from optimists like him. Goal-setting can be daunting and discouraging–who hasn’t lost a battle with a New Year’s resolution? But Your Best Year Ever lays out a specific, targeted plan for setting up goals that are less likely to tank.

Yesterday I spent two hours applying the principles in the book. He describes ten main focus areas for improvement. You can find your top focus areas with this free, interactive online quiz. I wrote a page for each area in my planner, and set SMARTER goals based on Michael’s system. What I enjoyed most is digging into the motivation behind each goal, and writing If/Then statements. That’s the main difference between the “plain” goal setting I’ve used on my own, and I believe it will help me actually reach my goals in the new year.

Example of my application:

I want to prioritize decluttering so I can enjoy fewer distractions and invite others over without fear. If I spend 15 minutes decluttering every day between Jan. 1 and Aug. 1, I will reward myself with a new digital camera.

Do you have big goals for the new year? Or do you just want to truly kick a bad habit or keep a new one? This book can help you actualize your goals with specific targeting techniques. You’ll get special bonuses if you order the book from this site.

If you take the quiz, I’d love to hear your focus areas in the comments! Mine are Vocational, Physical, and Emotional.

I received a free review copy of this book from the author. Thank you, Michael!

Staying Stylish: Cultivating a Confident Look, Style, and Attitude

Since my teen years, I’ve admired Candace Cameron Bure. My two tweens love watching old episodes of Full House, and my daughter and I enjoyed her Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel this December. Candace seems like a fun friend to have, and she always looks great. I could use some style inspiration in the new year, and her book is giving me fresh ideas.

I love reading magazines, and this book reminds me of my favorites, yet it goes more in-depth than magazine articles. It’s divided into chapters on topics such as fashion, skin care, and fitness. Even though Candace is a well-known celebrity, she is modest and down-to-earth. She shares high-end product recommendations as well as budget-friendly ones, which I appreciate. I like her tips on travel, eating right, and developing a skin care routine. The chapter I’ll use most this January is the one on fitness, because she has great strength-development tips.

This book has gorgeous photos on almost every page, which make it a delightful read. I enjoyed the hundreds of little tips and different ways to celebrate being a woman. Candace is also a woman of committed faith. I cheer her for using her significant platform to honestly share her faith with her fans. She inspires me in many ways, and I’m glad to add her book to my library. My 9-year-old daughter is enjoying it too. I’m grateful for a stylish, wholesome model for her to follow.

The BookLook Bloggers Program provided me a free review copy of this book–many thanks!

Disclosure: If you purchase any of the books above through the links provided, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support of my writing ministry!

Question for you: Which book looks most interesting to you? I love hearing your thoughts in the comments section!

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