If there was any one theme throughout Ben Franklin's life, it was self-improvement. He was born into a family of seventeen children as the son of a poor candle and soap maker. He had less than two years of formal education and began his young adulthood entirely on his own in Philadelphia. Yet he became a wealthy man by eighteenth century standards and one of the most respected intellects of the Western world.

He was a model for the rags-to-riches story of the self-made man. Franklin's entire life reflected his belief in self-improvement, and from adolescence until his death at eighty-four, he worked constantly to improve his mind, his body, and his behavior.

Mind: Self-education While apprenticed at his brother James' printing shop, Franklin decided to improve his writing abilities. He created a number of methods designed to make him a better writer. He studied the writings of authors whose style he liked and practiced writing essays in the same style. He would also rewrite essays by famous writers, seeking to improve them. Another method he devised was writing the paragraphs and sentences of an essay on slips of paper, shuffling the slips, and finally attempting to reassemble them in the correct order.

Also during his apprenticeship, Franklin was exposed to a variety of books and read everything that he could get his hands on. Not only was Franklin an avid reader, he loved to discuss what he read. One of the reasons Franklin formed the Junto in 1727 was to have a ready forum in which to explore and discuss intellectual topics. The members of the Junto sought to improve their minds and their world. They helped one another in business and found ways to help others in their community.

Franklin's seemingly endless curiosity helped him maintain a spirit of lifelong learning. He continued his scientific inquiries, he corresponded with some of the greatest minds of the eighteenth century, he met with scholars and scientists in every country he visited, and he even learned French rather late in life.

Body: Physical Activity When most people think of Ben Franklin, they don't usually think of an athlete. However, Franklin was an early proponent of physical fitness. In an age when few people knew how to swim, Franklin taught himself how to swim. He was an avid swimmer all his life and even contemplated becoming a full-time swim instructor. Benjamin Franklin is the only founding father in the Swimming Hall of Fame.

During his first trip to England, Franklin found work in a print shop where most of the apprentices and journeymen spent much of their time getting drunk. Franklin knew that the mind and body was much more productive when it was not impaired by alcohol. Instead of drinking beer, Franklin decided to drink water and encouraged his co-workers to follow his lead. Although he wasn't successful at convincing all his colleagues to change their ways, Franklin's clear-headed work and productive physical strength (most printers would carry a single tray of heavy lead type; Franklin was known for usually carrying two trays) were recognized, and he was promoted.

Franklin wanted to improve his mind and his health and found a practical way to do both at the same time. Books were very expensive in Franklin's day, and as a youth, he didn't have much extra money. Franklin decided to become a vegetarian. He believed that eating a vegetarian diet was healthier than a diet filled with meat. In addition, meat was much more expensive, so by becoming a vegetarian, Franklin could save money to spend on books.

Behavior: Moral Perfection As a youth, Franklin didn't always behave responsibly. At the age of 20, he decided to change the direction of his life by embarking on a course of what he called "moral perfection." He created a list of four resolutions to follow. He resolved to become more frugal so that he could save enough money to repay what he owed to others. He decided that he would be very honest and sincere "in every word and action." He promised himself to be industrious "to whatever business I take in hand." Lastly he vowed "to speak ill of no man whatever, not even in a manner of truth" and to "speak all the good I know of every body."

Out of these four resolutions, Franklin came up with a set of thirteen virtues, which he practiced methodically. He wrote each of the virtues down in a book and practiced one of the virtues for a week, trying to perfect it. At the end of the week, he would evaluate his performance. At the end of thirteen weeks, he would start back on the first virtue again.

Centuries before it became fashionable, Ben Franklin somehow understood the importance of a holistic approach to the self. His self-styled methods of personal improvement made an important connection between mind, body, and spirit.

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Chocolate - Lucky for us we LURRRRVE chocolate to bits! Forget the white or milk chocolate, and instead, head for the decadent, dark rich yummy bar with at least 70 percent cocoa solids. Cocoa contains phenylalanine, an amino acid that is known to boost arousal and enhances your mood.

Figs - A popular aphrodisiac with the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. These crunchy sweet yet soft luscious fruit are known to build up sexual stamina because of the high amino acid content.

Garlic Probably best not to eat this just before your Valentines date. However, garlic contains allicin, which is an active ingredient that increases blood flow to both your sexual organs, resulting in a stronger erection in guys and better orgasms for guys and girls.

Coffee for her - I normally am so against coffee but once in a while might be good for your sex life! Scientists discovered that coffee boosts the female libido. This works best for girls that dont drink coffee regularly. Yay me!

Damiana Tea for him Damiana tea contains a South American herb that will stimulate his nether regions. with an active ingredient called gonzalitosin. This induces a feeling of mild euphoria and a tingling sensation in the penis. So what if your man doesnt drink tea, tell him about this and hell be saying, put the kettle on. right. now.

Cinnamon for him - Cakes and buns with cinnamon will actually repel my sweetie because he HATES cinnamon but usually (for normal guys) the smell of cinnamon is one of the most arousing smells for men. Ive heard that the smell arouses the guy and sends that much needed blood flow to the penis.

St. Johns Wort This herb really needs to be renamed because dont most people NOT want to consume the wort of St. John? I dont! Back to this herb. Its commonly known to lift a sad mood, but did you know it can also do wonders for a lowly libido?

Ginkgo Biloba for him - Taking Ginkgo Biloba will boost the blood flow enough to help maintain an erection, if youve been having issues with that.

Gingseng - Ancient Asian secrets do not tell a lie. Gingseng enhances the libido now and has for more than 7,000 years. It gets blood flow to the genitals, as well as perking up your mental and physical energy.

Other aphrodisiacs: The following foods will get your body GOING: asparagus, cucumbers, onion, garlic, leeks, oysters, ginger, chives, scallion, black pepper, honey, cinnamon, avocado, cayenne pepper, carrots, cardamom, fennel, bananas, anise, horseradish and tumeric. Lastly, foods containing high concentrations of essential omega 3 fatty acids can boost your bodys sex drive.

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Are you a masseuse in France looking for clients? Perhaps youre someone who is in search of a good massage.

Heres a community forum, a virtual meeting place specifically for you and like-minded people. Its an online gathering place for people living and/or working in France.

Everything you ever needed to know about massage is at this forum; you can discuss with others and you can put up classified ads, as well.

Do you have a specific ailment like migraines, bad knees, achy shoulders, etc? Then, find out if a certain kind of massage will remedy the problem.

Many different but relevant topics are discussed so check them out so you can feel better!

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Smile: [smahyl] verb to express amusement, pleasure, moderate joyor love and kindness, by the featuresofthe face; to laugh silently.

Why is it so hard for people to smile? Even if its a fake smile, researchers have proven that a smile, fake or not, will automatically boost your mood. Why? Humans associate emotions with phyiscal activity or contact. If you are walking around sluggish and angry, you emit a negative energy around you. So what do you think would happen if, lets just say, you smile? Duh! Positive energy all around.

So, I have a social experiment for everyone this month: smile at a stranger. Scenario: youre taking your dog for his morning walk. You are about to cross paths with a someone you dont know who is also walking their dog. For some people this is awkward so they look away, or may even whip out their cell phone to pretend to look busy (I may be guilty of this one). Try and fight these urges and just offer a quick and harmless smile. Chances are you will receive a smile back. Now was that so hard? Smiling is contagious, it takes little effort and its free! Whats better than a free gesture? A smile can turn someones bad day into a slightly happier one.

Dont just think of this as helping others. Think of this as helping yourself. By smiling you are sending yourself the message that you are a positive individual. And remember, smile and the whole world smiles with you. You can thank me later.

Posted in faith and spirituality, general, healing, hope, inspiration, kindness, laugh, lifestyle, mind, online self help, personal growth, self improvement | No Comments

Ahhh, the beginning of Spring. This time of season is so wonderfully refreshing! Everything and everyone starts to come out of hibernation; leaves start to grow on trees, flowers bloom and people start gardening. March usually marks the beginning of the gardening season. The weather is starting to warm up and the days are getting longer, which means more sunlight; perfect for planting. Gardening is a great way to know exactly where your fruits and vegetables are coming from, because lets face it, who knows what kinds of chemicals and bacteria are on things these days. Plus, its a great hobby and stress reliever. Theres always a great fulfillment knowing that what youre eating is what you just harvested from your own garden.

As fun as gardening in March is, not every vegetable or fruit should be planted now. Some should be planted as the weather gets warmer, depending on your location. March friendly vegetables and fruits consist mainly of; asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce (many types), onions, peppers, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries and tomatoes just to name a few.

Now, I dont know about you, but my thumb isnt exactly green. In fact its at the total opposite spectrum. The only thing I can actually suggest is to go completely organic and start your own compost pile. Now thats what I call knowing EXACTLY where your produce comes from!

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Diet Mind Spirit - Body Mind, Spirit, Personal development ...

The Goal Of This Website Is To Help You Feel Better,And Feel Better About Yourself.

Hi, I'm Shan, the creator of this website.

Self Improvement Advice.orgfeatures several key areas that people seek out to improve on, or wish to resolve; and strives toprovide highly relevant and quality information, in a concise, easy-to-read manner.

TOP 7 Self Hypnosis Downloads for 2015

These are the personal development areas that most people need help on, and hypnosis is popular tool of choice. Try them and see for yourself.

5 Tips to Overcome Low Self Esteem

Feeling low? Start feeling better about yourself with the help of these 5 tips for a better self esteem.

5 Positive Thinking Tips

Negative thoughts? Get positive by using these words and phrases in your daily conversations with yourself.

Self-Improvement-Advice.org has got a little bit of something for just about everybody. On the navigation frame to your left, and also in the header area, are the links to each of these self development resources. You can also use the search function on the top right corner, to quickly get to a topic of your choice.

A lot of the information compiled on this site contains insights based on personal experiences, research and observations. Check out myAbout section for more.

So relax, get a cup of joe if you like, and enjoy the free personal growth advice, ideas and tips provided here for you.

Top 100 Hypnosis Downloads

Find the self-hypnosis solution that's right for you!

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Free Self Improvement Advice, Ideas and Tips

Invest in Yourself and Make It Happen

What boggles my mind is we hear all this information from experts on where to invest.

They shout:

"Put it in your 401k account." "No, a diversified portfolio." "Invest in technology." "Open a high yield money market account." "Buy gold."

Don't get me wrong, that advice can be helpful to a certain point.

However, many people seem to overlook the fact that the greatest asset they can invest in is themselves.

You are one of the greatest assets you can possibly invest in and given that, you should start right away to invest aggressively for maximum ROI.

What do I mean by investing in yourself?

Learning how to maximize the enormous potential that lies in your mind and body.

This includes learning how to set goals, how to manage your time, how to remove fear and doubt, how to adjust your thinking, create new habits, squash bad habits, how to take care of your health, how to focus, etc.

By taking the time to do these things, your return on investment will be exponential!

A very simple example of investing in yourself is learning how to read. You may take that for granted, but keep in mind that a large portion of the population cannot read.

By learning how to read, you are able to gain information from books, magazines, and the Internet; resources that you could not have tapped into had you not invested in yourself.

You see, when you invest in yourself, a thousand other doors open.

Imagine if you invest in yourself daily! You will basically be compounding all the interest you earn daily and your return will be priceless. A million other doors will begin to open.

You see, our brains and bodies are so well designed and have unbounded potential. All we need is a manual to unleash it.

Here you will find quality, DEFINITIVE articles dedicated to helping you unleash the potential of your brain and body. These articles cover an array of topics on self improvement, such as goal setting, time management, thinking strategies, health and fitness, social life, financial abundance, inspirational stories to keep you motivated, and many other topics.

By investing in yourself, you can make it happen, make anything happen. Whatever your dreams, goals, or aspirations may be, you WILL make it happen.

All of the free articles on this site were written with the following goals in mind:

1. To provide high quality, DEFINITIVE self improvement information. 2. To make the information easy to understand. 3. To make the information easy to apply. 4. To move you to take action NOW toward the direction of your dreams.

If you are one who wishes to read on paper, you will find that all articles are printer friendly. Simply press print and you will only print out the contents of the article, nothing more.

You can start by reading the most Popular Articles and the frequently updated Blog.

You can also read the official Mission Statement of this site.

There are so many people all over the world people today that are living their dreams. Join them! If you have the ability to access this site and understand the words you are reading on this screen, you are more than capable of achieving your success.

Bookmark this site and get started today!

Dont wait for your ducks to line up in a row to start going for your dreams. The ducks never line up. Only when the mama duck goes out do the baby ducks follow in tow.

Be the mama duck and dare to go down the path that few people dare to go down. The path of your dreams.

If youre wondering who I am, you can read About Me.

You can also sign up for the Free VIP Self Improvement Newsletter in order to get the VERY BEST VALUE out of this site, so start to invest in yourself today and make it happen!

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Brian Kim.net - Invest in Yourself and Make It Happen ...

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Self-improvement can be many different things to different people. Often when we think of self improvement we think of improving "confidence" or tools for dealing with a phobia, or help to stop smoking for example. But one of the most common measures of one's mental capacity is something people refer to as "creativity." In fact, the word creativity seems to contain within its very marrow a certain element of cool, of usefulness, of cleverness that is much more enticing than say mere intelligence.

As a result, socially speaking, it has become more flattering to be called "creative." And it should come as no surprise that one of the most common laments among those of average intelligence has become in recent decades, "I wish I were more creative" and seldom the more pedantic, "I wish I were smarter."

But is it just the "hip factor" of creativity that woos us? Is it really just the coolness that creativity affords people like Martha Stewart or Nate Berkus or Bono that makes us suddenly dissatisfied with our own capacities to create? Perhaps, but the value of true creativity is so much more.

In a very real sense, creativity is vital to one's ability to function. Where intelligence might afford us grasp of facts or a greater sense of logic, it is creativity that enables us to apply that logic in novel ways to build new points of view, new solutions, and new facts that will become part of one's lexicon.

On a more personal level, creativity is what gives us opportunity when opportunity seems scarce. And I'm not necessarily talking about the way you can get your drapes to better accent the height of your ceiling or how to render your flower arrangement to elicit more wows from your in-laws. I'm talking about making life easier, more interesting, more fun, and less stressful. Why less stressful? Because creativity makes life more manageable.

Imagine having the innate ability to run into blockages in relationships, finances, and business dealings, and walking away knowing that within your grasp is a truly marvelous solution. This is power. Real power. And it affords you a certain well coolness.

Through the years, I've heard many people claim that creativity is more valuable than knowledge because facts can be learned and creativity cannot. But, stay tuned and I will show you ways in which you can increase your creativity, just as you may do yoga to increase your flexibility or do ellipticals to increase your stamina... - READ MORE -

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Self-Improvement .com - your online life coach

Self improvement is not just about achieving as much as possible in the quickest time possible or developing the abilities to become the best, smartest or most effective superman or woman.

Rather, real self improvement is about true lasting success. And this can only be achieved when there is total alignment between all parts within us. Not just between the mind, soul, body and emotions, but also having harmony and agreement even within those elements.

The narrow perspective of self improvement that most people have is that we have to fix something out there (our action or approach/external people) or in here (our internal state) in order to achieve success.

That is an incomplete picture, which is why not many people achieve great success despite going through a lot of personal development work.

Self-Improvement-Mentor is not just about sharing tips for increasing productivity or becoming smarter. Rather the information here approaches self improvement through total alignment and integration of the whole being to support the outcome. True lasting success can only exist when all parts of the soul, mind, body and emotions are aligned.

All information here approaches the development of personal growth through that perspective.

The articles that you find here are unique and include easily doable quick fixes, more comprehensive longer term solutions, as well as anything in between.

You can find resources on goal setting, positive thinking, using and controlling emotions, motivation, leadership, practicing affirmations, finding happiness, using NLP (neuro-linguistic programming), gaining self confidence, changing habits, leadership skills and others. The information in the here is always expanding to cover more topics and go deeper in detail.

If you wish to learn about:

And ultimately How to take control of your life

Then this is the place for you.

You can start by going into any of the personal development topics in the Navigation Menu at the upper part of each page. Within each area, there are further links to specific articles on that topic.

Alternatively, you may go to the Blog page from the navigation menu for see a list and extract of my latest articles and blog posts.

Finally, you may also use the Search box at the top right corner of each page to search for content relating to a specific topic that you are interested in.

Have you ever felt discouraged at the lack of progress you are making in self improvement? Feel that the results youre getting dont reflect the amount of effort youre putting in?

I know exactly how you feel. It can be really frustrating. However, putting aside all fancy stuff, essentially 2 things are needed for successful personal development : focus & approach. Those who seem to not succeed lack either one of the two (some have neither!)

FOCUSmeans to follow through on your self improvement actions consistently without getting distracted along the way. I was guilty of lack of focus. I used to constantly search and load new information into my brain before I even had the chance to properly apply what I have learned. I never practiced something long enough to see the results. Sounds easy but it took me years to develop the discipline to focus on something long enough.

APPROACHmeans the strategies and teachings for personal development. Nowadays, everywhere you turn there seems to be a new self improvement book or program. Which to follow? Some are gold, some are junk, and many are basically preaching the same principles. I have experienced all 3 types, and you probably have too. Rest assured, there are nojunk here.

So, to achieve success, take care of these 2 areas first!! With the right approach and a 100% commitment, anything can be achieved.

If you keep moving towards your goal everyday, you will eventually reach it.

I hope you find the information here useful. Though our destinations may be the same, our paths to get there will definitely differ.

Happy reading (& applying) and I wish you all the best on your self improvement journey.

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Useful Self Improvement Tips, Advice, Personal Development ...

Are you someone who likes to grow? Do you constantly seek to improve yourself and become better?

If you do, then we have something in common. Im very passionate about personal growth. It was just 4 years ago when I discovered my passion for growing and helping others grow. At that time, I was 22 and in my final year of university. As I thought about the meaning of life, I realized there was nothing more meaningful than to pursue a life of development and betterment. It is through improving ourselves that we get the most out of life.

SEE ALSO: How to Better Yourself One Day at a Time

After 1.5 years of actively pursuing growth and helping others to grow through my personal development blog, I realize there is never an end to the journey of self improvement. The more I grow, the more I realize there is so much out there I dont know, so much that I have to learn.For sure, there is always something about ourselves we can improve on. The human potential is limitless, so its impossible to reach a point of no growth. Whenever we think we are good, we can be even better.

As a passionate advocate of growth, Im continuously looking for ways to self-improve. Ive compiled 42 of my best tips which might be helpful in your personal growth journey. Some of them are simple steps which you can engage in immediately. Some are bigger steps which takes conscious effort to act on.Here they are:

Id love to hear your thoughts on this article or anything about personal growth. Feel free to share your thoughts in a comment below and Ill get back to you! If you have any other suggestions to add to the list, please share with us too!

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42 Practical Ways To Improve Yourself - Lifehack

We all live lives of infinite potential but few of us make the most of what weve got.

The banality of everyday life takes over and we become stuck in a rut. We start to exist rather than thrive and we leave this world with a pathetic whimper instead of a colossal bang!

I dont know about you, but I dont want that!

I want to squeeze every last drop out of my time on this glorious planet and know that I havent wasted a single minute being unhappy or dissatisfied.

I mean, why wouldnt you want to want to explore your potential and be the best that you can be?

Its not necessarily about being dissatisfied with your lot in life. You can be grateful for what you have and still aspire to be more.

Life is for living and doing it on your own terms. We all deserve to be happy and happiness comes from being fulfilled and doing the things that have meaning to us.

Self improvement is about fostering the good relationships in our lives and sharing our unique gifts with others.

Seriously, what do you imagine you could achieve if only you had the opportunity? How different could your life be if you could change something thats been bugging you for ages?

Now is your chance to change those things. And to live your life.

Nobody should hold you back from reaching your potential, and that includes you!

So what is it thats holding you back? Maybe you need to understand yourself a little better? Perhaps its a friend or a relation, a husband or wife? Or maybe, just maybe, its you? Isnt it time you found out and did something about it?

Our fabulous writers have put together some of the best advice to help you live a fulfilled, enriched, and happy life so that you an put a you-sized dent in the universe.

Self Discipline 22 Reasons to Never Give Up 14 Timeless Ways to Live a Happy Life 7 Rules for a Life Worth Living Build Healthy Relationships 5 Simple Ways to Make the Most of Your Intelligence Learn a Foreign Language 6 Myths That Stand in Your Way 101 Self Improvement Resources Learn to Understand Your Own Intelligence Enjoy Life Each Day

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Self Improvement - Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self ...

Self-help or self-improvement is a self-guided improvement[1]economically, intellectually, or emotionallyoften with a substantial psychological basis. Many different self-help group programs exist, each with its own focus, techniques, associated beliefs, proponents and in some cases, leaders. Concepts and terms originating in self-help culture and Twelve-Step culture, such as recovery, dysfunctional families, and codependency have become firmly integrated in mainstream language.[2]

Self-help often utilizes publicly available information or support groups, on the Internet as well as in person, where people in similar situations join together.[1] From early examples in self-driven legal practice[3] and home-spun advice, the connotations of the word have spread and often apply particularly to education, business, psychology and psychotherapy, commonly distributed through the popular genre of self-help books. According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, potential benefits of self-help groups that professionals may not be able to provide include friendship, emotional support, experiential knowledge, identity, meaningful roles, and a sense of belonging.[1]

Groups associated with health conditions may consist of patients and caregivers. As well as featuring long-time members sharing experiences, these health groups can become support groups and clearing-houses for educational material. Those who help themselves by learning and identifying about health problems can be said to exemplify self-help, while self-help groups can be seen more as peer-to-peer support.

Within classical antiquity, Hesiod's Works and Days "opens with moral remonstrances, hammered home in every way that Hesiod can think of."[4] The Stoics offered ethical advice "on the notion of eudaimoniaof well-being, welfare, flourishing."[5] The genre of mirror-of-princes writings, which has a long history in Greco-Roman and Western Renaissance literature, represents a secular cognate of Biblical wisdom-literature. Proverbs from many periods, collected and uncollected, embody traditional moral and practical advice of diverse cultures.

The hyphenated compound word "self-help" often appeared in the 1800s in a legal context, referring to the doctrine that a party in a dispute has the right to use lawful means on their own initiative to remedy a wrong.[6]

For some, George Combe's "Constitution[1828], in the way that it advocated personal responsibility and the possibility of naturally sanctioned self-improvement through education or proper self-control, largely inaugurated the self-help movement;"[7] In 1841, an essay by Ralph Waldo Emerson, entitled Compensation, was published suggesting "every man in his lifetime needs to thank his faults" and "acquire habits of self-help" as "our strength grows out of our weakness."[8]Samuel Smiles (18121904) published the first self-consciously personal-development "self-help" bookentitled Self-Helpin 1859. Its opening sentence: "Heaven helps those who help themselves", provides a variation of "God helps them that help themselves", the oft-quoted maxim that had also appeared previously in Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac (17331758). In the 20th century, "Carnegie's remarkable success as a self-help author"[9] further developed the genre with How to Win Friends and Influence People in 1936. Having failed in several careers, Carnegie became fascinated with success and its link to self-confidence, and his books have since sold over 50 million copies.[10] Earlier in 1902 James Allen published As a Man Thinketh, which proceeds from the conviction that "a man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts." Noble thoughts, the book maintains, make for a noble person, whilst lowly thoughts make for a miserable person; and Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich (1937) described the use of repeated positive thoughts to attract happiness and wealth by tapping into an "Infinite Intelligence".[11]

In the final third of the 20th century "the tremendous growth in self-help publishing...in self-improvement culture"[12] really took offsomething which must be linked to postmodernism itselfto the way "postmodern subjectivity constructs self-reflexive subjects-in-process."[13] Arguably at least, "in the literatures of self-improvement...that crisis of subjecthood is not articulated but enacteddemonstrated in ever-expanding self-help book sales."[14]

The conservative turn of the neoliberal decades also meant a decline in traditional political activism, and increasing "social isolation; Twelve-Step recovery groups were one context in which individuals sought a sense of community...yet another symptom of the psychologizing of the personal"[15] to more radical critics. Indeed, "some social theorist [sic] have argued that the late-20th century preoccupation with the self serves as a tool of social control: soothing political unrest...[for] one's own pursuit of self-invention."'[16]

Within the context of the market, group and corporate attempts to aid the "seeker" have moved into the "self-help" marketplace, with LGATs[17] and psychotherapy systems represented. These offer more-or-less prepackaged solutions to instruct people seeking their own individual betterment[citation needed], just as "the literature of self-improvement directs the reader to familiar frameworks...what the French fin de sicle social theorist Gabriel Tarde called 'the grooves of borrowed thought'."[18]

A subgenre of self-help book series also exists: such as the for Dummies guides and The Complete Idiot's Guide to...compare how-to books.

At the start of the 21st century, "the self-improvement industry, inclusive of books, seminars, audio and video products, and personal coaching, [was] said to constitute a 2.48-billion dollars-a-year industry"[19] in the United States alone. By 2006, research firm Marketdata estimated the "self-improvement" market in the U.S. as worth more than $9 billionincluding infomercials, mail-order catalogs, holistic institutes, books, audio cassettes, motivation-speaker seminars, the personal coaching market, weight-loss and stress-management programs. Marketdata projected that the total market size would grow to over $11 billion by 2008.[20] In 2012 Laura Vanderkam wrote of a turnover of 12 billion dollars.[21] In 2013 Kathryn Schulz examined "an $11 billion industry".[22]

Self-help and mutual-help are very different fromthough they may complementservice delivery by professionals: note for example the interface between local self-help and International Aid's service delivery model.

Conflicts can and do arise on that interface, however, with some professionals considering that "the twelve-step approach encourages a kind of contemporary version of 19th-century amateurism or enthusiasm in which self-examination and very general social observations are enough to draw rather large conclusions."[23]

The rise of self-help culture has inevitably led to boundary disputes with other approaches and disciplines. Some would object to their classification as "self-help" literature, as with "Deborah Tannen's denial of the self-help role of her books" so as to maintain her academic credibility, aware of the danger that "writing a book that becomes a popular success...all but ensures that one's work will lose its long-term legitimacy."[24]

Placebo effects can never be wholly discounted. Thus careful studies of "the power of subliminal self-help tapes...showed that their content had no real effect...But that's not what the participants thought."[25] "If they thought they'd listened to a self-esteem tape (even though half the labels were wrong), they felt that their self-esteem had gone up. No wonder people keep buying subliminal tape: even though the tapes don't work, people think they do."[26] One might then see much of the self-help industry as part of the "skin trades. People need haircuts, massage, dentistry, wigs and glasses, sociology and surgery, as well as love and advice."[27]a skin trade, "not a profession and a science"[28] Its practitioners would thus be functioning as "part of the personal service industry rather than as mental health professionals."[29] While "there is no proof that twelve-step programs 'are superior to any other intervention in reducing alcohol dependence or alcohol-related problems',"[30] at the same time it is clear that "there is something about 'groupishness' itself which is curative."[31] Thus for example "smoking increases mortality risk by a factor of just 1.6, while social isolation does so by a factor of 2.0...suggest[ing] an added value to self-help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous as surrogate communities."[32]

Some psychologists advocate a positive psychology, and explicitly embrace an empirical self-help philosophy; "the role of positive psychology is to become a bridge between the ivory tower and the main streetbetween the rigor of academe and the fun of the self-help movement."[33] They aim to refine the self-improvement field by way of an intentional increase in scientifically sound research and well-engineered models. The division of focus and methodologies has produced several subfields, in particular: general positive psychology, focusing primarily on the study of psychological phenomenon and effects; and personal effectiveness, focusing primarily on analysis, design and implementation of qualitative personal growth. This includes the intentional training of new patterns of thought and feeling. As business strategy communicator Don Tapscott puts it, "The design industry is something done to us. I'm proposing we each become designers. But I suppose 'I love the way she thinks' could take on new meaning."[34]

Both self-talk, the propensity to engage in verbal or mental self-directed conversation and thought, and social support can be used as instruments of self-improvement, often by empowering, action-promoting messages. Psychologists have designed series of experiments that are intended to shed light into how self-talk can result in self-improvement. In general, research has shown that people prefer to use second person pronouns over first person pronouns when engaging in self-talk to achieve goals, regulate ones own behavior, thoughts, or emotions, and facilitate performance.[35] If self-talk has the expected effect, then writing about personal problems using language from their friends perspective should result in greater amount of motivational and emotional benefits comparing to using language from their own perspective. When you need to finish a difficult task and you are not willing to do something to finish this task, trying to write a few sentence or goals imaging what your friends have told you gives you more motivational resources comparing to you write to yourself. Research done by Ireland and others have revealed that, as expected, when people are writing using many physical and mental words or even typing a standard prompt with these kinds of words, adopting a friends perspective while freely writing about a personal challenge can help increase peoples intention to improve self-control by promoting the positivity of emotions such as pride and satisfaction, which can motivate people to reach their goal.[36]

The use of self-talk goes beyond the scope of self-improvement for performing certain activities, self-talk as a linguistic form of self-help also plays a very important role in regulating peoples emotions under social stress. First of all, people using non-first-person language tend to exhibit higher level of visual self-distancing during the process of introspection, indicating that using non-first-person pronouns and ones own name may result in enhanced self-distancing.[37][38] More importantly, this specific form of self-help also has been found can enhance peoples ability to regulate their thoughts, feelings, and behavior under social stress, which would lead them to appraise social-anxiety-provoking events in more challenging and less threatening terms. Additionally, these self-help behaviors also demonstrate noticeable self-regulatory effects through the process of social interactions, regardless of their dispositional vulnerability to social anxiety.[38]

Scholars have targeted self-help claims as misleading and incorrect. In 2005 Steve Salerno portrayed the American self-help movementhe uses the acronym SHAM: the Self-Help and Actualization Movementnot only as ineffective in achieving its goals, but also as socially harmful.[3] "Salerno says that 80 percent of self-help and motivational customers are repeat customers and they keep coming back 'whether the program worked for them or not'."[39] Others similarly point out that with self-help books "supply increases the demand... The more people read them, the more they think they need them... more like an addiction than an alliance."[40]

Self-help writers have been described as working "in the area of the ideological, the imagined, the narrativized.... although a veneer of scientism permeates the[ir] work, there is also an underlying armature of moralizing."[41]

Christopher Buckley in his book God is My Broker asserts: "The only way to get rich from a self-help book is to write one".[42]

Kathryn Schulz suggests that "the underlying theory of the self-help industry is contradicted by the self-help industrys existence".[43]

The self-help world has become the target of parodies. Walker Percy's odd genre-busting Lost in the Cosmos[44] has been described as "a parody of self-help books, a philosophy textbook, and a collection of short stories, quizzes, diagrams, thought experiments, mathematical formulas, made-up dialogue".[45] In their 2006 book Secrets of The Superoptimist, authors W.R. Morton and Nathanel Whitten revealed the concept of "superoptimism" as a humorous antidote to the overblown self-help book category. In his comedy special Complaints and Grievances (2001), George Carlin observes that there is "no such thing" as self-help: anyone looking for help from someone else does not technically get "self" help; and one who accomplishes something without help, did not need help to begin with.[46] In Margaret Atwood's semi-satiric dystopia Oryx and Crake, university literary studies have declined to the point that the protagonist, Snowman, is instructed to write his thesis on self-help books as literature; more revealing of the authors and of the society that produced them than genuinely helpful.

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Self-help - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You are very welcome to our self improvement web site, many thanks for visiting.

If you want to explore the i-choose-self-improvement.com site randomly right now, please go right ahead, have fun.

You may find the site contents map helpful as it lists, and gives direct access to, every page on the site.

On this web site we have over 100 pages of free information that we want to share with you, which includes, for example:

NEW Amazon has just published the second edition of my new Kindle ebook which answers the following key questions and will help you to overcome interview nerves and land your ideal job: * what should I expect at an interview? * what and how do I need to prepare? * how do I set myself up for success and stand out from other candidates? * what questions will I be asked and what are the best answers? * how do I deal with difficult or awkward questions? * what questions should I ask? * what's the best way to rehearse? * what's the best way to follow-up an interview?

This second edition has an extra chapter - what is the best way of getting an interview?

Click here to go to Amazon's Kindle ebook store and see details of the book.

NEW - now also available as a paperback book. Click here and see details of the book, 'Interview Questions and Answers'. Thank You.

Why did we create this web site?

The overall purpose is to help people help themselves to create the future of their choice, by choice, deliberately, using their inner resourcefulness.

Two famous Americans sum it up for me: Henry David Thoreau said, "most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them", and William James said, "compared to what we ought to be, we are only half awake".

Having spent over 30 years of my life as a self employed consultant, working with hundreds of companies and many thousands of people, I have experienced too many individuals heading for the grave, half awake, with their song still in them.

And, most often, NOT by choice, but because they did not know HOW TO be fully awake. How to release and realise more of their potential. How to be all they could choose to be. How to create the future of their choice.

And, most of the time, that was because no one ever told them or helped them to learn self help development (e.g. setting and achieving goals).

The best investment you will ever make.

Investing in improving yourself cannot be beaten as a strategy for success and amazing benefits on many levels, ranging from material success and money to personal growth and building self esteem to happiness to enriching the people around you to changing you and your family and friends and society to creating the future of your choice.

In addition, the significance of self improvement is that ALL improvement ultimately is SELF improvement because things don't do themselves, someone has to do it - guess who?

However, it is often in the doing it that things get tricky.

To illustrate the point, let's say that you decide to run a marathon as part of your self help personal improvement initiative.

Unless you are already an accomplished athlete and just running for the fun of it, you will probably NOT just turn up on the day and start running (i.e. not if you want to succeed anyway).

You know you will have to do some training, get into a fit condition, and get the right gear, do some planning etc. etc.

Daft as this example may seem, just turning up and starting is more or less what many people do when embarking on self improvement. For many people buying the latest fad personal development idea or gadget is like impulse buying - there's a felt need that needs instant gratification. Come back a few months later, though, and "business as usual" is the norm as old habits have re-established themselves.

However, if you manage your self improvement the right way - the i-choose-self-improvement way - you will achieve life changing benefits.

If you do self improvement the wrong way, you may finish up feeling disappointed, frustrated, disillusioned; having wasted time, energy and money; and with your self esteem a bit battered.

I've spent 30 years and more learning what works, and helping others to do so, and I want to share this experience with you on this site. (click here to find out more about who I am).

Finally, this web site is for YOU, so do relax, read on and enjoy browsing the 100 plus pages.

Do use the navigation buttons to explore. They will connect you with the 15 or so major aspects of successful self improvement.

And be sure to use the links provided on most pages to access extra material.

In particular, when you see a link in bold, this indicates that that material is available through the page link but not directly via a navigation button.

Use this link to access the site contents map if you wish. It lists, and gives direct access to, every page on the i-choose-self-improvement web site.

You might want to come back here though (or click the process button) to see the i-c-s-i structure and method suggested for outstanding self improvement results and success.

Please click on the links at the bottom of this page, or the navigation buttons on the left, to get started.

It's your choice, of course, but you may want to start with the self diagnosis link to identify your self improvement strengths and weaknesses.

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Self Improvement: How To Self Help And Achieve The Future ...