“A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water.” When women are challenged, it is the perfect call to become stronger. Going through any road in life becomes easier when you’ve got yourself somebody or something to empower you. Hence, check out these empowering books that will help you get through life, and become the powerful woman you’ve always dreamed of.

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

Talk about equality. Through the years, it has been no secret how women have been, and are still being subject to discrimination, sexism and inequality, especially on their capabilities in the workplace. But women are bravely and swiftly changing the game. At this modern times, women are ambitious, ferocious and unstoppable to work and lead without the need for validation. Through her bestselling phenomenon “Lean in”, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg aims to empower women to lead, challenge and own their successes at the same time uplifting other women to lean in. Not only exclusive for the elite and working women, this book is for every woman who wants to succeed in any profession they have, more so in the business world. “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders.”

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

In this society, women are most of the time expected to act nice, proper and pleasant in any situation they are face with. Stress at home, stress outside— there’s just no escape. And sometimes, women need a day off from literally everything. Mark Manson encourages everyone to embrace the art of not giving a crap to anything that wastes away your energy. Learn to say “screw it” at any time you want and live with it. As rewarding as it can be, approaching life more openly and truthfully doesn’t just make your worries evaporate, but it actually makes you a better and contented person. Don’t sweat over the things that don’t matter, instead care over those that do. Reading this book is a fine splash of water right on your face— you go, girl, you deserve this.

The Woman Code

You may not have realized by now, but the key towards your purpose lies in your hands. Every woman holds a code inside her that guides her to choose the fate that she wants. It’s a truth known to all that no woman should be waiting for any man or authority to validate her actions and thoughts. Sophia A. Nelson breaks it down in this powerful book entitled “The Woman Code” to unleash your inner strengths and capabilities that will help you lead the life you perfectly intend for yourself. Written are twenty powerful keys that will unlock your purpose and push you to become the best woman you can ever be.

The Universe Has Your Back: Transform Fear to Faith

“In the midst of the darkness, grab a flashlight.”— This book, by the all-around motivational guru, Gabrielle Bernstein, is definitely a flashlight to guide you. When you’re stuck in your tunnel, it’s easy to be blinded by the darkness surrounding you. Oftentimes, the choice to cling in faith is overpowered by the choice to succumb in fear. Even the strongest of species can get paralyzed by fear — be it fear in love, profession, rejection, time or the so called fear, itself. “The Universe Has Your Back: Transform Fear to Faith” is a must-read for every woman. Any woman can be in charge of herself and has the power to turn all her fears to faith.

Women Who Think Too Much: How to Break Free of Overthinking and Reclaim Your Life

What keeps a woman up all night? Or her eyebrows crossed all day? Definitely the reasons would overflow from the bucket. From personal issues to professional matters, a woman’s mind never rests from roaming around. Probably, what women mostly share in common is the habit to overthink, though such can also be applied to men. Women are prone to overthink almost every little thing that comes across their mind that sometimes results in a chaotic and unhealthy thinking. Overthinking branches out negativity, if not properly coped with. Author Susan Nolen-Hoeksema offers several strategies that will help women solve and deal with the hazards of overthinking. There’s nothing more rewarding than being able to reclaim your peaceful mindfulness, and avoid being immobilized by stress and anxiety.

Feel the Fear . . . and Do It Anyway

When fear starts to strike, you’re faced with two options— either you can feel the fear and let it paralyze your system or feel the fear and let it push you to greatness. As one quote goes, “The only way to overcome fear is to face it”. In any level you are in life, fear will always be present, but once you learn to conquer it, you can transform it into another powerful and free being. Learning how to control fear and not the other way around is an important path to progress. Written by Susan Jeffers, “Feel the fear and do it anyway” teaches you how to channel your pain into power; your negativity to positivity; your doubts to certainty; and your fear into something productive and powerful.

The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women

For the longest of times, women have struggled to claw outside society’s boxes and have fought to break the glass of perfection that cripples many women from being who they really are. Women are put in a box wherein how they look is the basis of how they are defined and how they are treated. Naomi Wolf’s bestselling “The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty are used against Women” aims to free women from the bars of society’s unrealistic and destructive beauty standards. Brave and insightful, no woman should miss reading this.