Did you know that there are over 20,000 self-help titles listed on Amazon? The authors all profess to have the answers as to how we can eliminate our problems and/or attain our full potential. With so much advice out there and so many people buying the books you would think we are the happiest fulfilled people on the planet. Yet, sadly, that is not the case. Just the fact that self help books and programs have become such a lucrative business shows that there are still a lot of people out there who are unhappy and unfulfilled and searching for answers.
My concern with the self-help literature is that the focus tends to be primarily on the individual. Most of the writers see life’s difficulties as residing inside the person while minimizing the power of what happens betweeen people. I see the interactions between people as being equally important as the advocated person focused approach. In order to make successful changes both have to be taken into consideration. Thus I view true self-growth as being only possible by also understanding the power of ones adult interactions. In addition to the “me”focus there had to be an “us” focus because people live in relationships.
Of course, I also have read a good number of self-help books. Some have helped me look at myself and my life with fresh eyes while others have left me feeling that I just don’t get it. Lately I have been amused at the follow up books that have hit the market as providing the answers to “The Secret”. What it shows is that there is no simple answer and we each have to do our own work to figure out what we need in order to be content with life.
In my next post I will be talking more about self-growth and relationships. I am very interested in your thoughts on this topic and welcome your comments.
