Marianne decides to explore 12 popular self-help books over 12 months at the beginning of one year and discovers that they're not always helpful.

If you're like me you've read a lot of self-help books and occasionally taken a few pieces of advice from them before inertia and time spent doing other things moves you away from the book.  I keep meaning to do a Kondo-esque tidy but it would require more of my energy than I'm willing to devote to it.  I do question if it sparks joy of things I'm putting away and I've removed a few things from my house as I'm asking that question.  (I also remind myself that I deserve better than the things that don't work on my skin or in my life etc.).  I also listen to the excellent By the Book Podcast and often agree with a lot of their points about the ones I've read.

The Books she chooses are: Feel the Fear and do it anyway; Money a love story; The Secret; F**k it: the ultimate spiritual way; Angels with Doreen Virtue; 7 Habits of Highly effective people; Power of Now; Get the Guy; Daring Greatly and You can heal your life.  She strugles with depression and becoming a bit of a self-centred ass for a while and all the time her very Irish mammy trys to steer her on a good path.

Like me she finds things that resonate in books and sometimes she obsesses a bit and I couldn't abandon my life for a year like she did to look inward but by the end she's less broken, mostly by connecting with the people who are real in her life.

Publisher: Hay House Inc
Publication Date: 01 September 1999
Genre: Philosophy, Spirituality
Source: Gift from a friend

Goodreads Synopsis:

Louise's key message in this powerful work is: "If we are willing to do the mental work, almost anything can be healed." Louise explains how limiting beliefs and ideas are often the cause of illness, and how you can change your thinking...and improve the quality of your life! Packed with powerful information and beautiful four-color illustrations-you'll love this gem of a book

This is an amazing book. I read it for the first time in 2005 and it changed my life back then. I have now re-read this book and it has given me a fresh perspective on things in life once again. I will probably read this book again in a few years' time and it will no doubt have the same effect. 

I didn't read this book because I was broken in any way - I read it because I love reading inspirational stories - they help me grow and be a better person. The positivity in this book is motivational and inspirational. 

I have seen a few reviews for this book and it appears that either you get the message or you don't. You love it or you hate it. I do find some of the advice quite exceptional, but like with most books, I take from it what I need and leave the rest behind.  

If you are willing to do the mental work and make an effort to change your life, this is the perfect tool.