Welcome to Day 3 of Shattering Stigmas 4.0! Today I have the pleasure of hosting a post by Mathieu of mathcrln.com so he can share his experiences with self-help books. Enjoy his post and be sure to check out his blog and twitter.
We see the world, not as it is, but as we are — or, as we are conditioned to see it. — Stephen R. Covey
Have you ever read self-help books? I know it’s an often overlooked genre, even in our community of book lovers. Most people either find it boring or don’t see the point of reading books when you could just “help yourself” on your own (a friend actually told me that, just last week). Though, as my curiosity made me dive more and more in this kind of books in the last few years, I noticed how much of an impact they were starting to make in my life, and especially on my mental health.
One book that changed my life
Among the few self-help books I got to read up to this point, there is one that made an impact onto my life. “The 7 habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey didn’t teach me anything new, but it taught me everything. I know it’s confusing, but let me rephrase that. Despite everything marketing and productivity gurus want to promote upon us, self-help books won’t just magically make change into your life the moment you finish reading them. We’re not too dumb to help ourselves; and most of the lessons brought by these books aren’t some groundbreaking ideas nobody has ever thought about. Seen this way, The Seven Habits didn’t actually make me learn anything that I couldn’t think about myself or that I wasn’t already implementing in my life, but it enlightened me. It made me become aware of the way I was behaving and thinking. It made me become mindful.
"The voice of conscience is so delicate that it is easy to stifle it: but it is also so clear that it is impossible to mistake it." — Madame de Staël
Being aware of what is making me feel happy and fulfilled has had more impact than anything on my mental health. Today, I feel less stressed and guilty, because I have became aware of what is important to me and what is isn’t.
Why you should read the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was written by Stephen Covey in 1989 and even today stays among the most-read and influential Self-Help books. As the author stays in his foreword, he didn’t invent anything but merely gathered a set of Seven Habits (or universal laws) that have been observed in the most successful and effective people of all time (from Oprah to Pythagore). To give you a brief summary, the book is divided, as you guess… in 7 chapters:
If one thing, the books invites us all to start being mindful about what we do and what we want to do. And, I’ve grown and learn so much about myself ever since I read it that I can’t help but suggesting you to give it a try!
- Habit 1: Be Proactive
- Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind
- Habit 3: Put first things first
- Habit 4: Think Win-Win
- Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood
- Habit 6: Synergise
- Habit 7: Sharpen the saw
If one thing, the books invites us all to start being mindful about what we do and what we want to do. And, I’ve grown and learn so much about myself ever since I read it that I can’t help but suggesting you to give it a try!
Let’s talk
What about you? Whether self-help, fiction or any other genre, what book has made an impact on your mental health and in your life in general? I would love to chat about this book or any other books in the comments with you!
Check out shattering stigmas' international giveaway here to win an amazing mental health read!
Check out my twitter giveaway for two signed mental health reads!
Want to see a complete list of the Shattering Stigmas event posts? Check out Ben's blog!
Check out my twitter giveaway for two signed mental health reads!
Want to see a complete list of the Shattering Stigmas event posts? Check out Ben's blog!
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