A Super Swell Sunday Afternoon Visit
11 years ago
Showing posts with label self-help. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-help. Show all posts
Posted by
Nikola
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Have you ever read a self-help book? I sure have! And no, I've never read "Secret", which is one of the best-selling self-help books ever, but I've read some similar ones. Of course, the reason I'm telling you this is because I am shielded by the distance the Internet can provide. There is a general opinion that self-help books are pathetic, not to mention the people who read them. I beg to differ.
Why would taking a proactive action of sorting out certain things in one's life be labeled pathetic? These people take the time to evaluate their place in the world, their strengths and weaknesses. They try and be better people, and there is nothing wrong with that.
The author of this blog is not a big self-help fanatic. I have read "If Life Is a Game, These Are the Rules" by Cherie Carter-Scott and "Sex and the Single Girl" by Helen Gurley Brown. The first one really struck a chord with me - it managed to break down many elements of life into simple notions, which made for an interesting read. Obviously, I couldn't relate to many things from "Sex and the Single Girl", but it was a true page-turner for me. Originally published back in 1962, the book offers incredibly progressive advice for single women.
On the other hand, there is the Internet, where you can now find any piece of advice you want. If you are into this sort of stuff, then you will love ZenHabits, a blog with posts that are ridiculously ambitious and ridiculously good, such as Simple Living Manifesto: 72 Ideas to Simplify Your Life. Needless to say, it's in my bookmarks.
Posted by
Nikola
comments (9)
The heather-stepper, the horned stag,
The antlered hart hard driven by hounds,
Invading that forest in flight from afar
Will turn at bay and die on the brink
Ere ever he'll plunge in that haunted pool.
-Beowulf
It is universally known that the greatest fear known is the fear of the unknown. As portrayed in the extract from Beowulf I typed above, a deer would rather die by hands of hunters than plunge in the lake where, rumor has it, lives a monster. Even though the monster is portrayed by Angelina Jolie in the movie, but that's another story.
It is ridiculous when you think of the things people do just because they are afraid. They pass up on great opportunities in life, good life lessons, a better income, a marriage, etc. And usually, there is nothing to be afraid of. The things we do, or rather not do are all dependent on our own insecurities and our stupidity. This is why opening one's mind is essential to opening one's life in terms of happiness and fulfillment. If you feel like you are stuck in a daily routine, unable to get out of it, do something immediately!
The best thing to do is travel, of course. It is also the most expensive things on my list of suggestions. However, nothing opens one's eyes as a trip to another culture. Still, if this is out of your reach, there are billion things you could do. Read a book that you would normally not read and find yourself surprisingly identifying with the characters. Even better, join a book club! Watch a film that you would normally never pick out at a rental store. Try a new sport. Meet new people. Do whatever you can to step out of your comfort zone and just... Breathe.
The antlered hart hard driven by hounds,
Invading that forest in flight from afar
Will turn at bay and die on the brink
Ere ever he'll plunge in that haunted pool.
-Beowulf
It is universally known that the greatest fear known is the fear of the unknown. As portrayed in the extract from Beowulf I typed above, a deer would rather die by hands of hunters than plunge in the lake where, rumor has it, lives a monster. Even though the monster is portrayed by Angelina Jolie in the movie, but that's another story.
It is ridiculous when you think of the things people do just because they are afraid. They pass up on great opportunities in life, good life lessons, a better income, a marriage, etc. And usually, there is nothing to be afraid of. The things we do, or rather not do are all dependent on our own insecurities and our stupidity. This is why opening one's mind is essential to opening one's life in terms of happiness and fulfillment. If you feel like you are stuck in a daily routine, unable to get out of it, do something immediately!
The best thing to do is travel, of course. It is also the most expensive things on my list of suggestions. However, nothing opens one's eyes as a trip to another culture. Still, if this is out of your reach, there are billion things you could do. Read a book that you would normally not read and find yourself surprisingly identifying with the characters. Even better, join a book club! Watch a film that you would normally never pick out at a rental store. Try a new sport. Meet new people. Do whatever you can to step out of your comfort zone and just... Breathe.
