Memoirs About Intentional Life Changes
October 7, 2024 3:25 PM
I am (re-)reading Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project, and I love the structure of a memoir that reflects a methodical and intentional approach to life change. I want more. What other books are like this?
I also immensely enjoyed My Year of Running Dangerously.. Again, the book talks about developing a plan for change, executing against that plan, and the successes and failures that come along with that process (and he talks through a lot of failures!).
Both of these books chronicle a "year in the life," but I am not married to that length of time or that way of framing the change. They also are written by people who are approaching their period of change with good humor and a "roll with the punches" attitude; I prefer that vibe but am happy to get in the more emotional trenches with an author if their writing is particularly good. But again -- I'm looking for a reasonably planned out "I'm going to change this aspect of my life and here's how my plan to do so succeeded and failed and how I felt along the way" kind of memoir. I feel like this sort of book was very popular a decade ago, so I know there are more out there!
I also immensely enjoyed My Year of Running Dangerously.. Again, the book talks about developing a plan for change, executing against that plan, and the successes and failures that come along with that process (and he talks through a lot of failures!).
Both of these books chronicle a "year in the life," but I am not married to that length of time or that way of framing the change. They also are written by people who are approaching their period of change with good humor and a "roll with the punches" attitude; I prefer that vibe but am happy to get in the more emotional trenches with an author if their writing is particularly good. But again -- I'm looking for a reasonably planned out "I'm going to change this aspect of my life and here's how my plan to do so succeeded and failed and how I felt along the way" kind of memoir. I feel like this sort of book was very popular a decade ago, so I know there are more out there!
A little off the beaten path from exactly what you’re describing, in part because it’s fiction, but you may enjoy “Rules for Visiting.”
Again, a bit different than the exact genre you described, but you may enjoy “The Salt Path.”
posted by raccoon409 at 3:58 PM on October 7
Again, a bit different than the exact genre you described, but you may enjoy “The Salt Path.”
posted by raccoon409 at 3:58 PM on October 7
The Journal of Best Practices was a great read and focuses on change within the context of a neurodiverse relationship
posted by TwoWordReview at 4:35 PM on October 7
posted by TwoWordReview at 4:35 PM on October 7
Possibly Lyz Lenz's This American Ex-Wife, though it often may not demonstrate the level of intentionality you're looking for.
posted by humbug at 4:42 PM on October 7
posted by humbug at 4:42 PM on October 7
Not exactly a memoir, but maybe you'd like How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell.
posted by coffeecat at 5:13 PM on October 7
posted by coffeecat at 5:13 PM on October 7
Passing for Thin by Frances Kuffel is a memoir about how Kuffel lost over half her total body weight. Don't know if you'd care to read about weight loss and body issues, but it's a very good book and it's certainly about intentional, methodical change.
posted by orange swan at 5:28 PM on October 7
posted by orange swan at 5:28 PM on October 7
Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included) by Pooja Lakshmin was a great read. This is a bit more of a self help book, but the author also directly shares her personal journey, as well as those of her patients
posted by ellerhodes at 5:47 PM on October 7
posted by ellerhodes at 5:47 PM on October 7
i also love this kind of memoir! another Gretchen Rubin book in this category for me was Happier at Home (honestly, a lot of her books meet this criteria, though can sometimes get understandably repetitive in their themes). another one i really liked was Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: One Introvert's Year of Saying Yes by Jessica Pan, which is about her very structured approach to trying to "act like an extrovert" for a year.
on my list in this category, but i haven't read it yet so i can't give a full recommendation:
- This Is Where You Belong - Melody Warnick (the author researches what it means to feel at home in a place and does a series of experiments to make herself feel more at home in her town)
- Nerve: Adventures in the Science of Fear - Eva Holland (the author asks questions about what fear is, why we fear, etc. while "grappling and even embracing her innermost dreads")
slightly different, but it scratches the itch for me, are books about people moving from city to country life. these are less structured, but do often involve intense planning and then recounting of successes and failures (usually in a humorous way). two examples are Hit by a Farm by Catherine Friend and At Least in the City Someone Would Hear Me Scream by Wade Rouse.
posted by motherofdog at 6:52 PM on October 7
on my list in this category, but i haven't read it yet so i can't give a full recommendation:
- This Is Where You Belong - Melody Warnick (the author researches what it means to feel at home in a place and does a series of experiments to make herself feel more at home in her town)
- Nerve: Adventures in the Science of Fear - Eva Holland (the author asks questions about what fear is, why we fear, etc. while "grappling and even embracing her innermost dreads")
slightly different, but it scratches the itch for me, are books about people moving from city to country life. these are less structured, but do often involve intense planning and then recounting of successes and failures (usually in a humorous way). two examples are Hit by a Farm by Catherine Friend and At Least in the City Someone Would Hear Me Scream by Wade Rouse.
posted by motherofdog at 6:52 PM on October 7
Oooo +1 to “This is Where You Belong.”
posted by raccoon409 at 8:31 PM on October 7
posted by raccoon409 at 8:31 PM on October 7
I haven't read it, but I imagine Wild by Cheryl Strayed would fit this bill.
posted by Molasses808 at 9:03 PM on October 7
posted by Molasses808 at 9:03 PM on October 7
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posted by knile at 3:43 PM on October 7