The self-help industry would have you believe that the answer to your problems is a book, class, or pill away.
How many books, classes, therapies, or pills have been a part of your life? How are they working?
Back in 2008, the self-help industry was just $11 billion a year. Move forward to 2016, and the US spent $446 billion on medication. 40 million people suffer from anxiety. 14.8 million suffer from depression. 7.7 million suffer from PTSD.
Is the self-help industry really working?
Like everything in our lives, it’s easy to look for a quick fix. That’s why pills do so well. But no magic pill can change you quickly. If you feel disconnected, you have to change your practices to find a connection. If you’re fearful, you have to overcome your fears.
Self-help can help you change. But it’s something you have to work on a little every day. You have to change your practices until you find a place where you’re acting on inner peace.
That’s the center of self-help.
How do you do that?
Listen To Your Inner Voice
You’ve heard the phrase “We’re our own worst enemy.” That’s the little voice inside that’s always telling you you’re not good enough, smart enough, thin enough, successful enough … You get it. You can overcome it by recognizing that inner voice and finding the root cause. The solution may be as simple as permitting yourself to try something new.
Embrace Your Meltdowns
We are programmed to think that negativity is our enemy. We try and push aside when problems arise. You can’t push them aside forever; something will eventually give. A better choice is to meet your meltdowns head on and permit yourself to take a time out. Embrace it. Give yourself a chance to step away and recover. Ask yourself how to avoid it in the future. Then step through to the other side.
Follow Your Signs
The universe speaks to us in many ways. Trouble is most of us choose to ignore. Ever noticed that when you want something new - a silver car - suddenly silver cars are everywhere? They’ve always been there; you’ve just never noticed. Open up your mind and start noticing. What’s happening around you? Don’t ignore what it’s saying to you; investigate things that you take notice of. They can lead you in many new directions.
Ground Yourself
Home is a special place because that’s where you can let your hair down and just be you. Trouble is we lead busy lives and, quite often, we don’t get a chance to “just be” all that much. It’s just as easy to feel exhausted after a busy day and fall to the couch and order a pizza when you arrive home. But that can be just as draining. Instead, find something to ground yourself - to bring yourself back to inner peace. Some people meditate. Some people practice yoga. But it can be as simple as a five minute break with a cup of hot tea. Or a bath with your favorite essential oils.
What do you do to help with self-care?