“So you’re into that self-help stuff.” It’s the number one response when I tell people about HowToLiveWow.com and my rather ambitious plan to release a book with the same title. For some reason, the term ‘self-help’ is always followed by the (what I call) self-help-is-for-losers-look on one’s face.

The term self-help s*cks in my opinion, and for a variety of reasons I rather speak about personal development:

• Self-help suggests you are doing something that used to be done by others, or even should be done by others*, while personal development is something you have to and can do yourself;
• Self-help suggests you need help, while personal development suggests your desire to grow;
• The word personal sounds much more friendly and appealing than self;
• Self-help suggests that you only help yourself, while it actually focuses a lot on your environment and is as much about helping others as about helping yourself forward. It truly is about taking each other to a higher level. Personal development rocks once again!
• Self-help, as a phrase rather than as discipline, is often being associated with a sad type of helpless characters who believe they can build their entire emotional strength on a book or two. Personal development is something we all do, consciously or unconsciously. It is crucial to achieve and maintain happiness and success.

* In case you feel you cannot deal with things yourself anymore, there is absolutely nothing wrong with consulting your doctor or psychologist!

Photo by lusi