I absolutely love what I suppose would be categorized as "Self Help books". But I didn't always feel that way. I used to be really skeptical of them, and thought that they were pretty much a scam. And I would say that still, some probably are kind of a scam. Basically the quintessential type of self-help books that speak in a lot of generalities and vague statements that are almost like zodiac fortunes, in that people just take whatever isn't there and fill in the blanks until it is something that they feel is directed at them. Those are pretty much the core of what self help books have always been, and stand to be what gives the genre a bad name. But there are so many books that could fall under this label, it would be so wrong to disregard them all. I have read books on so many different types of self improvement, and they have really changed my life. I'm Okay, You're Okay and Staying Okay, which are both books about a technique called transactional analysis therapy, were the first self help books that I read and really opened my mind. Those books helped me so much, and I still use the techniques that I learned from them. I had them recommended to me from someone who told me that they really worked for her. She also gave me a book called Creative Visualization. The combination of those three books really opened up a whole new world to me. I picked up Chicken Soup for the Soul, and a book by Joel Osteen soon after. And I can honestly say that my life has improved vastly because of them. Any book that contains wisdom is a book that I would say fits into this category. The Tao Te Ching, my favorite book of all time, says that intelligence is knowing others, while true wisdom is knowing yourself. Really understanding our true nature, a subject which is covered beautifully in The Tao of Pooh, is one of the simplest yet difficult things that there is to do in life. But it is a very worth while venture. And there are plenty of books which can help to set you on a path to self discovery and ultimately self improvement. In the end, it is all about what you put into practice. But there are plenty of books which can help you get there.
I just read self-help books that I'm interested in. Sometimes I really change my lifestyle after reading these books with helpful ideas.
Self help books can definitely help. I've bought many on different subjects and some have been very insightful and really made a difference. I try to buy books that are more scientific and scholarly and not the generic motivational type. You don't want to buy something that's just like a bunch of advice you can get for free because some books I bought were useless. It's hard to judge how helpful the book will actually be if you're limited to some free preview, which I think is the biggest problem for me.
It really depends on the type of person you are. If you are committed to better yourself with the book and do the steps outlined in most of those books then you just might change your life. I generally don't experience much of a change when I read self-help books because I don't follow the steps at all. There is an exception though, a book called Hardwiring Happiness. I must admit I used to be a generally negative person, but this book helped me out a lot in changing my outlook on life in general.
Self help book do help some people and not others. I have read a number of them I can truly say that they have help me in a lot of way. I am able to manage my time better, understand interpersonal relationships much much better, have a road map as to how to earn what I want to earn, and also be healthier. I think the problem with most people who read a self help book is that they want the book to tell them exactly what to do so they can do it, and none is likely to do that.
