WELCOME
If, like me, you have struggled or continue to struggle with anxiety and depression - perhaps you'd like to join me on this self-help journey. I hope that it will benefit both of us.
My Self-Help Journey
About Me
I used to think that without anything authentic or valid to say, it is perhaps best to keep quiet. However, I admire the art of writing and am inspired by those for whom writing comes effortlessly. These writers generally have something important to say, and I find myself hanging onto their every word—learning from the messages inherent in their work and how they impart these messages.
I went (and continue to go) through a period of largely dead-end contemplation that has spanned several long years but has only recently culminated in a quantifiable step: this blog. After a protracted (and ongoing) period of depression, anxiety, and just an overall inability (or unwillingness) to self-motivate, I took a metaphorical step back. I began to examine the curves in the road that have led me to this point. Over many years, and as a supplement to both therapy and anti-depressants, I bought and was gifted dozens of self-help books to help me through. 99% of these books were not read or even opened. I still have them, though, and herein lies that culmination. I wondered if I did have something authentic and valid to say and whether there was someone (anyone) out there who wanted or needed to listen. With that thought in mind, I decided to start reading my self-help books and then share my humble opinion on them. By working my way through this treasure trove of knowledge from the minds of some of the world's greatest writers, I hope to extract the intended value from the works. I aim not to offer critique per se but to examine aspects of the individual books that resonate with me. I want to look at the practicality of some of the texts by juxtaposing them with my own life experience. I want to stress, however, that the import and power of any book rests with reading it in its entirety. The parts that resonate with me, and the ones I choose to highlight, are specifically for this blog and are a means for me to track and detail my journey. As Aristotle said, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts". Supposing that any part of this blog helps you, know that you will learn much more from reading the entire text. If, in addition to a personal catharsis, this journey helps someone traverse their own path, then perhaps this blog has validity, and my self-help collection may finally fulfil its intended purpose.
