My Dad used to say with a wink, “there is nothing like a good shtupping to make you feel better.”
Well (cringe) he said many inappropriate things with his dirty sense of humor and we just rolled our eyes and groaned.
But a little intimacy and pleasure seem like a much better choice than many of the self-help remedies being marketed to people these days, not to mention all the pills and supplements that promise cures and then mention- in small type- dozens of potential side effects.
It all starts with the premise: Something is not right in your life. Or at least you are made to think this. But actually: There is probably nothing wrong with you. Marketers are just making you feel there is something wrong in order to sell you something you may not need- drugs supplements, creams, serums, gadgets, books, services, etc. Many companies are preying on people’s insecurities and profiting from it.
The self-improvement industry is now a $10 billion industry that aims to help people fix what they believe is wrong with them. Many people spend a fortune on self-help to find their way to inner happiness, outer glow, more satisfying relationships and stability.
The Self-Help Sell- Believe It Or Not
According to this article (October 2018): “consumers are realizing that there are there are many so-called “experts” now peddling a variety of online “masterminds”, “academies”, “universities” and coaching services. Too many, in fact. As a result, gurus are trying to figure out how to cut through the clutter while consumers are trying to identify legitimate, competent experts.
But you may not even need fixing. Most likely, you are fine the way you are. You just need a re-frame. Focus on what is right in your life versus what is wrong and appreciate your talents and strengths rather than worrying about perfecting yourself. Perfection is a myth.
Start thinking “I’m Perfect” not “Imperfect”
ZEN BENDER- One writer’s journey down the rabbit hole of self-improvement
A laugh out loud book recommendation:
After losing her high-profile job in television news after the recession and with no comparable job prospects, Stephanie Krikorian had to reinvent herself. She started ghost-writing self-help books for celebrity experts (reveal: they don’t write their own books).
Stephanie says she “drank the green juice” and embarked on an exhaustive quest for the ultimate self-help high. And it can become addictive and expensive!
She documents her experiences, in her laugh-out-loud new book, “ZenBender: A Decade-Long Enthusiastic Quest to Fix Everything (That Was Never Broken)”
Krikorian writes that she found herself “falling down the rabbit hole of neo-spiritualism and into a Wonderland of tarot card readers and aura healers, visionary gurus and vision boards, crystals and cleanses.” Was it all worth it?
Well, she wrote a funny book about the experience. And laughter make you feel good.
