Self-help books are among the most underappreciated genres of reading materials. Many “intellectuals” ridicule them, as they’re not even considered for literary awards. They’re rarely included on reading lists at any school, nor are they often chosen by book clubs.
The aversion towards self-help books may come from the idea that having to read one means there’s something wrong with you or you don’t know how to live your life. Surprisingly, this has not always been the view of people on the idea of self-improvement. In fact, in ancient Greece and Rome, it was the greatest ambition of authors to provide their readers with a guide towards what was called Eudaimonia or one’s action towards well-being. Some of the greatest literary works, On Anger and Meditations, written by Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, respectively, are self-help books.
So, when did humans stop regarding emotional education as something important – and more importantly, why? That may be hard to answer in a simple manner. Instead, let’s dive right into several reasons self-help books matter in this day and time and why you should read them:
They Inspire You to Be Positive and Make Better Choices
Most self-help books include exercises that get you wondering about the choices you make and the reason behind them. In short, you get to evaluate your life when you read these books, and they even inspire you to make positive changes in your life.
They Encourage You to Push Through Your Limitations
Often, the only person limiting you is yourself, and a self-help book makes you realize that. Also, when you get a daily dose of words that inspire you, boost your morale, and tell you what you are truly capable of, you can break the barriers that prevent you from going beyond your comfort zone!
They Increase Your Clarity and Focus
Sometimes, it feels like life throws too much at you, and you get overwhelmed by it all that you don’t know how you can get out of that negative space. The thing with self-help books is that they help you gain some sense of clarity and focus. It’s a good idea to find a book that covers a problem you’re having. For instance, there are books about how you can get better control of your finances, or how to deal with family life, or anxiety, and more.
They Get Your Mind Open to New Approaches
After some time, you may feel like you have tried all the solutions you can think of to solve the issue you’ve been having. A self-help book might be what you need as it can provide you with a new perspective and even a possible solution to your problem.
They Present Information in a Logical and Easy to Comprehend Manner
When self-help book authors write, they consider the structure of the information they’ll provide their readers and ensure that they’re comprehensible. This means that the content they offer is presented in a logical and thoughtful way, so you’ll learn the things you should know about first and progress as the author believes you should.
Conclusion
There is absolutely no reason self-help books should be disregarded or ridiculed because they are, in fact, one of the most helpful sources of information you can find. Whether you’re hurting from low self-esteem or need help to boost your confidence, remember that some of these books have even been life-changing for many people!
These amazing self-help books can give you the motivation and positivity everyone needs, especially during these challenging times. Hopefully, you’ll get to read them and benefit from them as many other readers do!
