The Best Self-Development Audiobooks for Women

Want to live your best life? From self-love to creating a work-life balance, these audiobooks will help kickstart your self-development journey and inspire you to be the best version of yourself.

The best self-help audiobooks for women zero in on universal themes nearly every woman grapples with in her daily life. From mental health and impossible beauty standards to the expectation that a woman should always be nice, women confront many forces that leave them fractured and hurt. In these listens, experts on self-help for women offer a healing balm to that pain with suggestions on introducing more self-love, self-esteem, self-improvement and self-confidence into your life. In this list of the best self-help books for women, find positivity, empowerment, and comfort to add to your audio routine.

Average Is the New Awesome

A Manifesto for the Rest of Us

Written by: Samantha Matt

Narrated by: Samantha Matt

Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins

Release date: 2020-01-07

Language: English

Not rated yet

Women are often caught in the struggle to "have it all," and with their social feeds highlighting their seemingly more successful peers, it’s not hard to see why. Fortunately, in Average Is the New Awesome, journalist Samantha Matt gives each woman permission to embrace being average and stop feeling the toxic pressure to be perfect. Humorous and heartfelt, this listen will kickstart your mindset and help you love the person you are, not the person you feel you must be. Listeners should expect laughter and many resonant moments from Matt’s narration of her words.
The Body Is Not an Apology, Second Edition

The Power of Radical Self-Love

Written by: Sonya Renee Taylor

Narrated by: Sonya Renee Taylor

Length: 5 hrs and 11 mins

Release date: 2021-01-11

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 152 ratings

Feeling insecure about your body? Many women struggle alongside you to accept and love themselves. Try The Body Is Not an Apology by activist-poet Sonya Renee Taylor to reclaim joy in your body and let go of self-doubt. This groundbreaking, bold audiobook helps you rewire your negative thoughts about your figure and transform them into body positivity. Covering topics like shame and guilt and building a self-love practice in an era of mass loathing, The Body Is Not an Apology challenges each listener to imagine another way of relating to her incredible body. Add this pick to your listening queue if you want to add more self-love to your audio rotation.
Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies

And Other Rituals to Fix Your Life, from Someone Who's Been There

Written by: Tara Schuster

Narrated by: Tara Schuster

Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins

Release date: 2020-02-18

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 140 ratings

By her late 20s, Tara Schuster was by any measure a success. Not only had Schuster worked on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, but she was also crucial to the launch of the critically acclaimed show Key & Peele. Yet depression and anxiety began to surface in her life, and eventually, Schuster could not outrun her unhealthy coping methods. From that experience, the author coaxed lessons that any woman can use to bring more self-love and self-awareness into her life and compiled them into this title. Be prepared to gain valuable insight and nod with Schuster’s frank yet comforting narration.
Do What Feels Good

Recipes, Remedies, and Routines to Treat Your Body Right

Written by: Hannah Bronfman

Narrated by: Adenrele Ojo, Hannah Bronfman

Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins

Release date: 2019-01-08

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 1 rating

Entrepreneur Hannah Bronfman’s attitude of self-acceptance and owning positive beauty standards was formed early on as she witnessed a close family member struggle with disordered eating. Now a wellness influencer, Bronfman channels her past experiences into positive ones by promoting a two-fold philosophy about being healthy: it’s beautiful and should bring you pleasure. In Do What Feels Good, Bronfman adapts her point of view into an easily accessible manifesto on living life with healthy indulgences. Serving up recipes along with resources, this is an inspiring listen from which every woman can draw a little light.
Everything's Trash, but It's Okay

Written by: Phoebe Robinson, Ilana Glazer - foreword

Narrated by: Phoebe Robinson

Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins

Release date: 2018-10-16

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 37 ratings

Ready for some truth talk? Actress and New York Times bestselling author Phoebe Robinson cuts through the noise and delivers a fiery and funny guide on how to get by as a woman when the world is a mess. A true Millennial, Robinson packs many pop culture references in her audiobook, deploying skilled examples that resonate while discussing topics like feminism, intersectionality, and how society’s notion of beauty is problematic. By drawing on her own experience, Robinson brings an unapologetic candour to her hangups. Listeners who love a dose of tough love with humour won’t want to miss Robinson’s sharp storytelling and narration.
I Really Needed This Today

Words to Live By

Written by: Hoda Kotb

Narrated by: Hoda Kotb

Length: 4 hrs and 30 mins

Release date: 2019-10-15

Language: English

5 out of 5 stars 2 ratings

Sometimes all it takes to feel uplifted and empowered is the perfect quote or affirmation. And in I Really Needed This Today, that’s exactly what Today show host Hoda Kotb has curated. Across 365 mind-expanding quotes and sayings, listeners get a daily dose of wisdom to schedule at their convenience. Whether you need a spark of hope in the morning or a thoughtful reflection before bed, I Really Needed This Today is the perfect companion to a woman’s journey through life. This must-read title has been adapted into a must-listen audiobook by the author herself. Remind yourself of these quotes as part of your personal development journey.
The Likeability Trap

How to Break Free and Succeed as You Are

Written by: Alicia Menendez

Narrated by: Alicia Menendez

Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins

Release date: 2019-11-05

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 8 ratings

How often have we heard someone call a female character "unlikeable?" Whether in fiction or their real lives, many women feel pressured to be "likeable," a gendered term that demands women to be friendly, successful, and ambitious. This impossible standard is what acclaimed journalist Alicia Menendez identifies as an unattainable "likeability trap." Menendez’s The Likeability Trap digs deep to uproot the history and core of this unhealthy expectation and offers listeners a way out of the conundrum. Prepare to be extra enlightened and emboldened by the author’s passionate narration from the moment you hit play.
More Than Enough

Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say)

Written by: Elaine Welteroth

Narrated by: Elaine Welteroth, Adenrele Ojo

Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins

Release date: 2019-06-11

Language: English

5 out of 5 stars 90 ratings

As editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue and the second person of African American heritage in Condé Nast’s 107-year history to hold such a title, Elaine Welteroth ushered in a new era of social awareness for a new generation of young women readers. Throughout her influential tenure, the magazine saw the dawning of a readership eager to participate in social justice issues while also practicing self-love and self-acceptance. In More Than Enough, Welteroth relives her revolutionary leadership at Teen Vogue, adapting critical takeaways from her experience for listeners. Treat yourself to the experience of Welteroth narrating her audiobook, a performance that brings an extra level of intimacy to an already candid memoir.
the princess saves herself in this one

Written by: Amanda Lovelace, ladybookmad

Narrated by: Amanda Lovelace

Series: Women are some kind of magic, Book 1

Length: 59 mins

Release date: 2018-01-30

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 9 ratings

As little girls, many women are exposed to fairy tales where dashing princes rescue helpless princesses before going on to live happily ever after. Feminist poet Amanda Lovelace tackles the damaging impact of those stories in her verse while inviting women to bring more self-care and self-love into their lives. The first instalment in Lovelace’s women are some kind of magic series, the princess saves herself in this one and reinvents such harmful tropes. For an empowering listen, the audiobook is read by the author, and Lovelace’s narration enhances the poems by drawing precise meaning from every word.
Untamed

Written by: Glennon Doyle

Narrated by: Glennon Doyle

Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins

Release date: 2020-03-10

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 4,776 ratings

When Glennon Doyle published her bestselling self-improvement book, Love Warrior, it seemed on the surface like life could not get any better. But behind the scenes, Doyle went through a turbulent time after her husband’s infidelity came to light. Throughout that painful process, however, Doyle underwent an era of deep self-reflection, eventually realizing her identity as a queer woman. In Untamed, Doyle offers practical advice to listeners, urging them to ask themselves the hard questions and invite uncomfortable—but liberating—truths to emerge just as she did. By narrating her audiobook, Doyle brings the same commanding voice she uses for her speeches.
Where to Begin

Written by: Cleo Wade

Narrated by: Cleo Wade

Length: 57 mins

Release date: 2019-10-08

Language: English

5 out of 5 stars 5 ratings

Only have an hour for an uplifting and inspiring listen? Check out Where to Begin by poet and author Cleo Wade. For many women, the current social turbulence crushes optimism that we can heal again together. In Where to Begin, Wade offers her prescription for how to find hope for personal and community resilience despite the challenges inherent in today’s world. This listen is the blueprint many women are looking for on how to begin taking better care of themselves, their loved ones, and their community. Brief but enlightening, Where to Begin is a great single-session listen for a quick pick me up.
Year of Yes

How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person

Written by: Shonda Rhimes

Narrated by: Shonda Rhimes

Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins

Release date: 2015-11-10

Language: English

5 out of 5 stars 594 ratings

As the creator of TV series like Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, Shonda Rhimes penned strong, flawed, and relatable female characters. In her own life, however, Rhimes still struggled with confidence and routinely turned down invitations that might require putting herself out there. When her sister challenged her to stop saying "no" to experiences and start saying "yes," Rhimes embarked on a year of being open to new opportunities, however anxiety-inducing they felt. In Year of Yes, Rhimes reflects on how the experiment opened her world—and how it can change yours, too. This listen was a 2017 Audie Award Finalist for Audiobook of the Year, so you won’t want to miss this outstanding audio experience narrated by the author.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

Written by: Marie Kondo

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Series: The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Book 1

Length: 4 hrs and 50 mins

Release date: 2015-01-06

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 933 ratings

Marie Kondo is a Japanese organizing consultant and star of the Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. In The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, she provides listeners with the tools to declutter their homes and maintain a clean and calm environment. Kondo believes if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you’ll never have to do it again. Her approach is to get rid of everything that fails to "spark joy." This method has been tried and tested by her many clients. So why not get started this year by adding this life-changing listen to your audio library and transform your living space into a tidy and tranquil sanctuary? A clean home can significantly impact your mental health, after all.
Eat, Pray, Love

One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia

Written by: Elizabeth Gilbert

Narrated by: Elizabeth Gilbert

Length: 12 hrs and 49 mins

Release date: 2006-01-01

Language: English

5 out of 5 stars 273 ratings

Around the time Elizabeth Gilbert turned 30, she experienced something that resembled an early midlife crisis. She was an ambitious young woman with a great career and personal life. But instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she was consumed with panic, grief, and confusion. Gilbert endured a divorce, depression, and another failed relationship. Her next move was a bold one. To discover who she was and what she truly wanted, she quit her job, stepped out of her comfort zone and set off on a year-long solo journey—first to Italy, then to India and finally to Bali. Beautifully written and uplifting, Eat, Pray, Love is one of the best audiobooks to demonstrate how you can change your life in just a year.
Daring Greatly

How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

Written by: Brené Brown

Narrated by: Brené Brown

Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins

Release date: 2018-06-26

Language: English

5 out of 5 stars 2,255 ratings

Dr. Brené Brown explores the power of vulnerability in her number-one New York Times bestseller. The celebrated professor, author and podcast host looks at parenting, relationships and other critical aspects of life in Daring Greatly. Brené Brown explores the importance of being true to yourself and your emotions when practicing self-care and self-love. This motivational title is an absolute must-listen for any woman looking to push forward in her development journey. Add the Daring Greatly audiobook, narrated by Brené Brown, to your listening library to learn from one of the most influential figures in the self-development world.
The Four Agreements

Written by: don Miguel Ruiz

Narrated by: Peter Coyote

Length: 2 hrs and 31 mins

Release date: 2005-01-27

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 2,700 ratings

In The Four Agreements, bestselling author and spiritual teacher don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rid us of joy and create suffering. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, The Four Agreements offers a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness and love. Don Miguel Ruiz has dedicated his life to sharing the wisdom of the ancient Toltec. He combines his unique blend of ancient wisdom and modern-day awareness through journeys to sacred sites around the world. Peter Coyote brings this fascinating title to life in audiobook format.
The Happiness Project

Written by: Gretchen Rubin

Narrated by: Gretchen Rubin

Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins

Release date: 2009-12-29

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 146 ratings

In The Happiness Project, bestselling author, speaker and podcast host Gretchen Rubin shares her observations on happiness and human nature. She conducted a year-long experiment to discover how to create true happiness, calling on science, philosophy and real-life examples to present her case. In her research, Rubin uncovers how novelty and challenge can be sources of joy, how money can help buy happiness and how little changes can have significant results when it comes to feeling happy and fulfilled. This fun and fascinating listen is ideal for women looking to feel happier in their everyday lives and make positive changes, both big and small.