Christine Whelan wrote an excellent article for the Huffington Post called Self-Help Isn’t For Dummies. I have run across a few people who actually believe if you are trying to improve yourself you must have something wrong with you. Christine writes:
“… conventional wisdom: That people who seek out self-help books have problems. That self-help readers are the kinds of people who watch infomercials at 3 a.m. while eating a supersized bag of Doritos. That self-help readers are unemployed, in their underwear, drooling on themselves.”
While I know this is wrong, and since your reading this you must at least expect it to be incorrect. She goes on to point out that during her work on her dissertation about self help that:
“… self-help books are practical advice guides for self-control. Personal change is hard–and it takes a lot of work. Sometimes it’s about controlling personal behavior, while other times it’s about controlling your social life, workplace or romantic situation, but “succeeding” at self-help means attaining fulfillment through self-control. The people who seek self-control are the ones who value it.”
Take heart if your struggling with some of this, it is hard work. But it’s work it. I have never really thought of it as hard work because I approach it from a ‘this is what life’s about’ view. The journey and the betterment of oneself is what matters. The benefit is along the way you will touch a lot of people and help to make their life a lot better. Together, that’s what makes it worthwhile.