Overturning (and affirming) cliches

How self-help isn’t all that helpful

Stop telling me how to live my life! I just want to be.

I’ve bought into the self-help industry for so long now. I’ve read that genre voraciously, mining books for little nuggets of wisdom to “upgrade my life” or “become a better me” with healthier habits and establishing boundaries.

The truth is, none of this advice works if you don’t act on it.

I keep consuming this information as if my life depends on it. But then I don’t actually make the changes that need to happen for effects to be long-lasting.

Sometimes when you’re reading self-help books, it feels like you’re putting bandages on a wound cut far too deep. There are root issues that need to be addressed rather than managing the symptoms. And sometimes these issues involve different solutions, depending on the situation and who you are as a person.

Some of the blanket statements for advice I’ve heard are:

Don’t give up.

Uh, no. Sometimes you really need to give up. That might not sound inspirational, but to people who persistently try without fail to do the same tired thing over and over again while expecting different results… that’s insanity. I’d rather not waste my time on a hopeless…