Saturday, January 07, 2006

Self-Help Books

Most people don’t read “self-improvement” (self-help, self-discovery, what-is-our-purpose, relationship, love, spiritual growth, whatever-you-call-it) books, mainly because they don’t believe they need to improve themselves, or more possibly, because they don’t want to acknowledge there is room for improvement in their lives. Also, they question whether mere reading can create transformation.

I used to shy away from reading those types of books myself. To me, as long as we exercise our common sense, we are more than equipped to face the trials and tribulations of life. Moreover, people, I believe, are born to be good, so all of us do come into this world already with an innate sense of responsibility and integrity. Granted, sometimes we lose sight of what is right or wrong, in which case, we should just find ourselves a quiet corner and do some honest self-reflection, and it will all come back.

It must have been in 1994 when I read my first copy of “self-help” book, M. Scott Peck‘s The Road Less Traveled. It was on the best-selling list for months, so I was curious to discover what the hype was all about. I’ve forgotten the contents of the book since it’s been more than 10 years. But I remember I was very impressed with what I read. And along with that, my sceptism toward self-improvement books disappeared. This is not to mean I filled my library with tonnes of them since then. No, it merely means once in a while, when I am feeling a bit low and need a boost of confidence or when some friends recommend it, I'll grab myself a copy of such books to read.

To date, I have come across numerous books worth mentioning, books I turn to for inspiration or whenever I need to find answers in my life. Below is a list:-

1. The Road Less Traveled – M. Scott Peck
2. Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus – John Gray
3. Celestine Prophecy – James Redfield
4. Conversations with God I, II, III – Neale Donald Walsch
5. Livingstone’s Seagull - Richard Bach
6. The 5 People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom
7. Who Moved My Cheese – Dr Spencer Johnson
8. The Giving Tree – Shel Silverstein
9. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen R. Covey
10. Being Happy - Andrew Matthews
11. Romancing the Ordinary - Sarah Ban Breathnach

Got to think of it, these books should be more aptly called "Books of Inspiration".

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