Seven recommended self-help books for those who hate the self-improvement genre

If you usually steer clear of the self-help genre but you've been curious lately about what all the fuss is about, the following titles will offer a great starting point. From enjoying mindfulness and adopting positive habits to embracing happiness and killing doubt, grab yourself a copy and prepare to become more "awesome" (groan).

1. 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works by Dan Harris

Author Dan Harris initially wanted to call this book The Voice in My Head Is an Asshole. But that was deemed inappropriate, so he went with 10% Happier instead. In his author notes, he says: "Meditation suffers from a towering PR problem, largely because its most prominent proponents talk as if they have a perpetual pan flute accompaniment." If you hate self-help like many of us, then be prepared to delve into the mind of someone who offers advice on how to tame the voice in your own head, kick stress to the curb and use self-improvement tactics that actually work.

2. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero

This New York Times bestseller is a refreshingly entertaining how-to guide by best-selling author and success coach, Jen Sincero, that serves up 27 bite-sized chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, sage advice, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word. Refreshing and brilliant.

3. A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled by Ruby Wax

When did stress start to become part of our lives? Five hundred years ago it was unheard of and certainly, no one died from it. We invented this concept and now we let it rule us. In her book, the wonderful Ruby Wax shows us how to de-frazzle for good by making simple changes that give us time to breathe, reflect and live in the moment.

4. The Miracle Morning: The 6 Habits That Will Transform Your Life Before 8AM by Hal Elrod

Author Hal Elrod asks the question, what if you could wake up tomorrow and any – or every – area of your life was beginning to transform? What would you change? The Miracle Morning will show you how to wake up each day with more energy, motivation and focus to take your life to the next level.

5. Happy: Finding Joy in Every Day and Letting Go of Perfect by Fearne Cotton

If you feel as though life is moving too fast with pressure bearing down from all sides, Fearne Cotton's Happy will help you to de-frazzle. Drawing on her own experiences and expert advice, it offers practical ways of finding joy each and every day. As Fearne says, happiness isn't a mountain to climb, it's just one foot in front of the other, and here you'll find little steps that will help make the differences that count.

6. The Little Book of Lykke: The Danish Search for the World's Happiest People by Meik Wiking

Denmark is often called the world's happiest country for various reasons – equal parental leave for men and women, free higher education and trains that run on time. So nobody knows more about happiness – what the Danes call Lykke – than Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen.

In this captivating book, he takes us on a treasure hunt to unlock the doors to inner fulfilment. From how we spend our precious time, to how we relate to our neighbours and cook dinner, he gathers evidence, stories and tips from the very happiest corners of the planet. This is the ultimate guide to how we can all find a little more lykke in our lives.

7. Mindfulness for the Mindless: A no nonsense guide to breaking free from a mindless life by John Burley

If you're hoping to break free from stress and enjoy more happiness, Mindfulness for the Mindless is a no-nonsense guide to being mindful that will show you how to stop mindlessly existing and how to start enjoying your life. It explains the mindless traps that we all fall into and how, by being more mindful, we can escape them to make our lives more fulfilling and enjoyable. Sounds good to me.