HerGrowthBooks · A free guide
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A free guide for women in the second half of life: 7 books by women authors, each with two reflection prompts and a small step to help you take the first step toward the dream you set aside.
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If you've ever…
- Raised the kids, built the career, checked the boxes — and still feel something tugging at you
- Said "someday" about a dream for so long it started to feel like "never"
- Finished an inspiring book, felt lit up for a week… and then life went back to normal
- Wondered if your best chapter might actually be the one you haven't written yet
…then this guide is for you.
Here's exactly what you're getting:
A beautifully designed PDF with:
- 017 hand-picked books by women, chosen for women navigating transition, reinvention, and long-held dreams
- 02A short summary of each — and why it matters now, in the second half of life
- 03"Read this if…" guidance for every book, so you know exactly which one to start with
- 04Two reflection prompts per book — the kind that turn a good read into a real first step
- 05One small step per book, plus a "One Dream. One First Step." worksheet and a 7-day start plan
- 06A relationship bonus for the partnership chapter, and where to buy, borrow or listen
All for free. No credit card. No upsell in your face. Just the guide.
The Books
Seven thoughtful reads, plus a relationship bonus. Every author a woman.
- 01
The Let Them Theory
by Mel Robbins
The antidote to people-pleasing. Stop managing everyone else's emotions.
Read this if…
You keep putting your dream on hold while you wait for everyone else to approve.
Two prompts to sit with
- Whose reaction am I trying to manage? What decision would I make if their approval were not required?
- What is one ‘Let Me’ choice I can make this week while respecting both my needs and my responsibilities?
- 02
The Mountain Is You
by Brianna Wiest
Why you keep getting in your own way — and how to see the pattern.
Read this if…
You know what you want, but find yourself delaying, overthinking or pulling back.
Two prompts to sit with
- When I move toward my dream, what do I do that pulls me back? What might that response be trying to protect?
- What smaller version of my next step feels challenging but manageable — and what support would help me take it?
- 03
Untamed
by Glennon Doyle
Permission to stop performing and start being who you actually are.
Read this if…
You have spent so long being who others need that your own wants feel hard to hear.
Two prompts to sit with
- Where in my life am I performing a version of myself that no longer feels true? What would feel more honest?
- What desire have I dismissed as impractical, selfish or too late? What is it asking me to notice — not necessarily do immediately?
- 04
It's Never Too Late to Begin Again
by Julia Cameron
The beloved Artist's Way author on rediscovering creativity and purpose in life's second half.
Read this if…
You are ready to reconnect with interests, creative energy or a dream that got crowded out.
Two prompts to sit with
- What did I enjoy before life got so full? Which part of that interest still feels alive to me?
- If I could give one curiosity an hour this week, what would I explore — and where could I begin?
- 05
Worthy
by Jamie Kern Lima
The lie that you're not enough — and the truth that dismantles it.
Read this if…
You feel you need another credential, success or sign of approval before you can try.
Two prompts to sit with
- What condition have I attached to feeling worthy — earning more, pleasing someone, looking different or getting it right?
- If my worth were not at stake, what would I be willing to try as a beginner?
- 06
Women Rowing North
by Mary Pipher
A wise, warm guide to growing older with resilience, joy, and a life that still feels like yours.
Read this if…
You want an honest, hopeful companion for change, loss, connection and the years ahead.
Two prompts to sit with
- What has this season asked me to release, and what would I like to welcome into the space it leaves?
- Which people, places or practices help me feel most like myself? How can I make room for one of them this week?
- 07
Year of Yes
by Shonda Rhimes
Permission to want a life that fits you — and to make a plan for it.
Read this if…
Your life works on paper, but fear or habit keeps you from experiences you genuinely want.
Two prompts to sit with
- What invitation or opportunity do I actually want, but keep declining because I feel exposed or inexperienced?
- What would a brave, realistic yes look like this month? What no would protect the time or energy it needs?
- +
Bonus
Secure Love
by Julie Menanno
A practical, hopeful guide to building greater security, understanding, and connection with your partner.
Read this if…
You want to understand recurring relationship patterns and create more emotional safety with your partner.
Two prompts to sit with
- When my partner and I get stuck in a familiar cycle, what am I protecting — and what might I actually be longing to feel?
- What dream, change or possibility would I like us to talk about with more curiosity and less pressure?
Every author is a woman. Why that matters.
When I went looking for the books that addressed what I was actually going through — boundaries, self-sabotage, identity loss, the slow suffocation of people-pleasing — the authors who had lived it and written about it with real expertise were almost all women. I built this guide to honor that.
Every author in this guide is a woman. I also built @HerGrowthBooks as a place to eventually collaborate with and spotlight female authors. This is the start of that.
About
Hi, I'm Allison
I'm Allison Higgins, founder of @HerGrowthBooks. I built this guide for the woman in the second half of life who knows there's more ahead — a dream she's carried for years, or a transition she's ready to walk through. Not a 50-book "best of" list — 7 books that actually change something, and two prompts for each so you act on what you read.
Happy Reading & Growing!
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