Gentle Resources: Simple Living & Minimalism Recommendations

A gentle collection of books, blogs and resources that have supported my simplicity journey — including minimalism, slow living, intentional living, self‑compassion, anti-hustle culture and Nordic inspiration. I hope they offer you the same sense of calm, clarity and encouragement.

📚 Books  

 

 

Minimalism & Simplicity: 

 

Courtney Carver

• Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More
  
  
• Project 333: The Minimalist Fashion Challenge That Proves Less Really Is So Much More
  
  
• Gentle: Rest More, Stress Less, and Live the Life You Actually Want 

Joshua Becker

• The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own 
                 
• The Minimalist Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life
  
  
• Things That Matter: Overcoming Distraction to Pursue a More Meaningful Life 

The Minimalists — Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus

• Minimalism: A Book About the Important Things (also known as Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life)
  
  
• Essential: Essays
  
  
• Everything That Remains
  
  
• Love People, Use Things: Because the Opposite Never Works 

Francine Jay

• The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organise and Simplify Your Life 

Rachel Jonat

• The Joy of Doing Nothing: A Real-Life Guide to Stepping Back, Slowing Down and Creating a Simpler, Joy-Filled Life 

Marie Kondo

• The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying 

Slow Living & Everyday Rituals:  

Brooke McAlary

• Destination Simple: Everyday Rituals for a Slower Life
  
  
• SLOW: Live Life Simply (also known as SLOW: Simple Living for a Frantic World)
  
  
• Care: The Radical Art of Taking Time  

Intentional Living & Personal Growth: 

Lara Casey

• Make It Happen: Surrender Your Fear. Take the Leap. Live On Purpose
  
  
• Cultivate: A Grace-Filled Guide to Growing an Intentional Life 

Emily Ley

• A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools For Intentional Living
• When Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple and Good 

Cait Flanders

• The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings and Discovered Life is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store
  
  
• Adventures in Opting Out: A Field Guide to Leading an Intentional Life 

Shauna Niequist

• Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living 

Max Lucado

• How Happiness Happens: Finding Lasting Joy in a World of Comparison, Disappointment and Unmet Expectations  

Digital Minimalism & Modern Life:  

Cal Newport

• Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focussed Life in a Noisy World 
  
  

Susan Pinker

• The Village Effect: How Face-to-Face Contact Can Make Us Healthier, Happier and Smarter  

Self‑Compassion & Emotional Wellbeing: 

Christopher K. Germer

• The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions 
  
  

Kristin Neff

• Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself  

Anti-Hustle Culture: 

John Mark Comer

• The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World 
  
  

Jefferson Bethke

• To Hell with the Hustle: Reclaiming Your Life In An Overworked, Overspent and Overconnected World    

Nordic & Scandinavian Simplicity:  

Niki Brantmark

• Lagom: The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life 
  
  

Tim Rayborn

• The Scandinavian Guide to Happiness: The Nordic Art of Happy and Balanced Living with Fika, Lagom, Hygge and More 
  
  

Annette Lavrijsen

• Niksen: The Dutch Art of Doing Nothing (Not Scandinavian, but often grouped with Nordic slow‑living traditions due to its similar ethos.)  

✍️ Blogs

• Be More With Less by Courtney Carver helps readers put an end to the futile chase for more and find happiness in owning less.
  
  
• Lara Casey is an accomplished entrepreneur, author and speaker, creator of the best-selling PowerSheets Goal Planner and mom to three. Lara wrote three best-selling books to help you live out what matters, right where you are.
  
  
• Becoming Minimalist by Joshua Becker encourages others to embark on the intentional journey of owning less stuff.
  
  
• Zen Habits by Leo Babauta writes about mindfulness, minimalism and finding meaning and happiness in simple things.
  
  
• No Sidebar by Brian Gardner aims to help you get rid of the excess and focus on the essentials.

 

📚 Other Resources 

• Breathe Magazine is the original mindfulness magazine aimed at helping readers achieve a calmer and more relaxed state. It includes sections on wellbeing, living, mindfulness, creativity and escape, with each issue featuring beautiful illustrations, craft projects and inspiring features on topics such as stress relief, resilience and happiness.

 

This list will grow slowly over time as I discover new voices and revisit old favourites.

Return to Gentle Self to explore more...

Living simply, writing gently,

companioning with care. 🌸