topic Re: Self-help books in Among Friends

Self-help books

qualitygal — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 12:36:36 GMT

Just thinking this morning about years ago when I went through a phase of reading some of these kinds of books.

I have one that was really good, but it's down the basement on the bookcases there. I'd have to go look it up. I read Dyer, B? Bas.........(he's gone now) lot of love in his books. Many others, there's bunches.

Have you ever read one or more you really enjoyed and seemed very smart?

Re: Self-help books

dex — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 12:43:21 GMT

@qualitygal@I read child rearing books all of the time.I wanted to be the best mom that I could be.My favourite was one about talking to your kids.I think it was “how to talk so your kids will listen and how to listen so your kids will talk.”Cant remember who wrote it though.I think all that reading helped as I raised the best son ever!

Re: Self-help books

qualitygal — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 12:44:45 GMT

@dex, That's great!!! I bet you were the best mom ever!

Re: Self-help books

dex — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 12:52:42 GMT

@qualitygal@Thanks...I sure wanted to be the best mom.My mother was a difficult person and I knew that I didn’t want to raise my son based on the way I was brought up.I wasn’t sure I knew what would be the best way to raise a well adjusted happy child who grew up with confidence to become a kind,considerate and emotionally strong adult.

Re: Self-help books

Vivian — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 13:54:42 GMT

The only self-help book I ever read was Dr. Spock, when my children were born. For the most part, I don’t like self-help books. Who are these so-called experts who tell us what to do? They usually anoint themselves as the keepers of truth but often know less than we do.

Re: Self-help books

Regal Bee — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 14:05:10 GMT

As a younger woman I read tons of them....still have them in my bookcases. I haven't read one in many years, now.

Re: Self-help books

Carmie — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 14:34:58 GMT

I am not a fan of self-help books.

i raised my children using common sense. Many of these books advised women to do things that were just so wrong on so many levels.

I trust my instincts.

I am a do it yourself person who has confidence in my abilities and my choices. I’ll listen to advice from friends and family, but the choice is mine.

Many of the authors of these books are just plain kooky IMO.

i have read financial advise books though. Some were helpful.

Re: Self-help books

Trinity11 — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 14:45:58 GMT

I read many self-help books throughout the years. I think I garnered a lot of helpful information that probably brought a lot of clarity and peace to my life.

Re: Self-help books

software — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 14:48:33 GMT

Boundaries by Cloud/Townsend

I was raised by a very self centered, overbearing, drama queen mother.

I needed to break that cycle of how she treated me and how I reacted to her.

I had to learn how to take responsibility of my own actions only and how to diffuse her demands on me without feeding her drama or being disrespectful.

The tools I learned helped me in all my relationships. I have a wonderful relationship with my grown children. I have a good relationship with all my family members and my co-workers.

The book changed my life.

If you are someone who are blessed to be raised in a "normal" family by parents who mentored you and loved you, you don't need a self help book, you should write one.

But if you ever feel like a doormat or you have too much drama in your life and you want to change, this book may help you.

Re: Self-help books

cherry — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 15:10:42 GMT

You can, if you think you can ,is one of the best books I ever read

Re: Self-help books

chrystaltree — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 15:16:19 GMT

I went through that phase too. It was back in my sahm days after the girls were in school and I was bored out of mind with not much to do after I drove them to school and cleaned the house. I was very unhappy but I didn't know why. So, I started reading self-help books. Barnes & Noble became my second home. They had a huge self-help section. I was trying to figure my life out or fix myself so I didn't actually enjoy those books. At the time, I did think the authors knew what they were talking about. I was naive. I think those books confused me and made things worse. I just need the intellectual stimulation and income from a job....and I was fine.

Re: Self-help books

cotton4me — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 22:13:42 GMT

One of my favorites was: There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem by Wayne Dyer. It helped me understand energy (negative and positive), how to raise it, etc. I still remember one of the affirmations - - “I can choose peace rather than this.”

Re: Self-help books

Regal Bee — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 20:31:14 GMT

Toxic People by Lillian Glass really changed my life and opened my eyes. I will always appreciate this author.

Re: Self-help books

Susan in California — Sat, 24 Mar 2018 05:54:44 GMT

I have a dear friend who reads and listens to self help books.

She gets a lot of solace, and she has had some tough times

over the years.

Many years ago, I had a family tragedy, and I found literature

really helped.

I also read the autobiography of Mark Twain, and it was filled with

tragedy, and it made me feel somewhat one with the world.

After all these years, I still remember how much it moved me.

Re: Self-help books

chiclets — Sat, 24 Mar 2018 16:37:03 GMT

Neville Goddard and Wayne Dyer.

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

Re: Self-help books

Snowpuppy — Sun, 25 Mar 2018 00:12:19 GMT

I read quite a bit years ago.

I grew up with a drama queen mother who chased every man she could who would solve her problems for her. Of course he will, right?

I liked Dr. Dyer in his later years as he seemed to mellow. In high school some of his earlier books like Pulling Your Own Strings were required reading.

Re: Self-help books

AnikaBrodie — Sun, 25 Mar 2018 02:30:27 GMT

@qualitygalwrote:
..... I have one that was really good, but it's down the basement on the bookcases there. I'd have to go look it up. I read Dyer, B? Bas.........(he's gone now) lot of love in his books. Many others, there's bunches....

@qualitygal
Are you referring to Dr. Leo Buscaglia? He wrote a lot of books on the topic of love and I have read many of them. He was an author, motivational speaker and professor. He was often referred to as Dr. Love, a well deserved title.

Re: Self-help books

AnikaBrodie — Sun, 25 Mar 2018 02:36:38 GMT

@qualitygal

Here is a list of some of Dr. Buscaglia's books. I'm going to check my public library for several of them. They are all worth re-reading.

Bibliography

Love (1972)
The Way of the Bull (1973)
The Fall of Freddie the Leaf (1982)
Living, Loving and Learning (1982)
Loving Each Other (1984)
Amar a los demás (1985)
Personhood (1986)
Bus 9 to Paradise (1987)
Papa My Father (1989)
Because I Am Human (1972)
The Disabled and Their Parents: A Counseling Challenge (1983)
Seven Stories of Christmas Love (1987)
A Memory for Tino (1988)
Born for Love (1992)

Re: Self-help books

Gayle2 — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 21:05:45 GMT

I love this topic. I have read a number of these type of books on many different subject matters.. Parenting, step parenting, positive attitude etc. I have finally come to the conclusion that the most important self help book that everyone should buy is/are books on communication. Most people go about this all wrong and don't even know it. This can help at home, in the workplace etc.

Re: Self-help books

VaBelle35 — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 23:57:52 GMT

I like to read them on a variety of topics. I'm a psychology major and enjoy reading various psychologist books. I think The Road Less Traveled was the first one I read and his second book, People of the Lie, was really interesting.

I can't think of any book where I agreed with every point made, but I always took away some nugget that I could use or was able to look at something in a different way.