I'm so happy you're doing this chat. Good for you! "Fine. I'll do it myself!" "Disappointed, but not surprised!" 😍Hunnay. . . The RESEARCH📚!! I love it! More of this!🤓
Cataloging 500 books!? I bow down to your dedication As a person who's turned out to really like self help I think *how* whatever the topic is said can make a big difference in what you take from it. Like you mentioned a lot of the books are around the same topic, but for me if how the author writes it is seems enjoyable I'll still pick it up even if I've read books on that topic before even if I *don't* take anything new from it I'll still enjoy the process of reading
Thanks Lucie 💜 And hard same- I think how it's presented is huge in how much I will end up liking it, no matter the topic. Like with Make Time, even if I never did a single tactic of theirs, it still would have been enjoyable andI would recommend it because they have a very easy going vibe and it has cute little doodles and such.
As someone who does have a bit of prejudice against self-help books this was quite insightful. I love the way you explain your ideas and critiques. Btw congratulations on your graduation!
Livie!! When you cataloged all those books, I literally started snapping for you in my living room. You are such a gem and stepping up to the challenge! Have you ever seen Matt D'Avella's channel. He did this self help-y type challenge where he would do a new habit every month like... meditation or cold showers or waking up at 5 am, and he documented what the process and results were like. Its super insightful and I think you might like the series.
Congrats on your graduation! Amazing researching! I like watching videos where people try techniques from these books! I tried using planners and to do lists but they do not seem to work for me, lol! Your cat is cute!
Thank you! And glad you enjoyed it, that means so much to me. It took me a while to find a planner that I actually like and could stick with (they used to be such a hit or miss)
oh my goodness olivia this video is so well done!! I haven't read a single self help book but I feel like I learned a lot hearing about your experiences hahah and all that research!!! I can't believe you counted all the self-help books at B&N omg
Wow such a great video. I haven’t read many self help books because I feel like you can find relevant articles, blog posts, etc that touch on the same ideas but in a much more concise manner. The ones I have read haven’t been super enlightening either. That being said I do still have a few in my TBR.
Thank you Gwen!!! And yes, hard same on being able to simply find articles and such that cover the topics- I think that can be done with several of the books here.
Awesome video! You put so much work into this and it shows! I remember liking How to Win Friends and Influence People when I read it as a teen. I added a few of these to my library wishlist, thank you for the recommendations!
Ohhh, that was a really fascinating video, all that work you put into it is admirable! I liked hearing what you said about the books and how you gave criticism on them! That approach was really interesting to listen to :D I tend to avoid self-help because I'm worried that there is always a bit of classist undertones. I mean, I appreciate some of the advice but if you have a different background growing up (e.g. not much money) some things just seem not so helpful? Same with mental illness... Not that they cannot not be helpful then! Just not in the same way. But seeing all these different categories makes me think that I also have prejudice against the genre. I might take a closer look at one or two books you mentioned here :D Also congrats on graduation!
Hi! Thanks so much for watching 💜 And you bring up an excellent point- I wish I could have also researched how many of these authors come from upper class backgrounds (my guess is.... a lot of them- especially the popular ones). Sometimes the advice/problems they talk about seem just to apply for people who have lives like them that many others could't relate to. This was a huge problem I had with Girl Wash Your Face. And so interesting you brought up mental illness! I am not sure if this is the same thing, but I do have a form of an OCD and I wondered if a book like Atomic Habits would help with a bad habit of mine. If you do give one of these books a chance, let me know! And thanks again!
Congratulations on your graduation!! I personally have only read one self help book and it's one that my dad gave me when I became a teenager, it's called " the 7 habits of highly effective teens" by Sean Covey. I personally thought it was pretty good but I didn't really have much to compare it to, you can try reading it if you want. I'm also quite curious in your whole opinion of spirituality itself and other stuff that's like that (mindfulness, meditation, etc) since there ilare a lot of other books that cover those topics
Congratulations on graduating! That's so exciting! This is also such an interesting video and really appreciate all the research and effort you put into it. Will definitely add some of the more research-based books to my TBR
Wow the amount of work you put in this video!! I'm really interested in reading Make Time & Why We Sleep. Kondo's method has stuck with me too especially when it comes to making purchases and unhauling. Self help books are hit or miss for me and I often look to other reviews before I dive into them. The last one I read that stuck with me was The Curated Closet by Anuschka Rees if you're looking for anymore books lol
Thank you 🥺 I am definitely more mindful about what I buy and I am still surprised her folding method stuck with me And I am so with you about having to check out other reviews before giving them the time of day- and thanks for that rec! I'll always take a rec no matter how high the TBR is XD
Love this!! There is a podcast that is sort of similar to this premise called By The Book where they try to "live" by the guidelines of various self-help books! Thanks for all the effort you put into this video!!
Thanks Rachel! And nice to know about that podcast- thanks for the rec :D I think someone made a book like this too- can't recall the author off the top of my head but pretty sure it's called 'Help Me!'
I have been bingeing on self-help for a few months now. Majority of the ones I have read has helped quite a bit by opening my eyes to new techniques and even if I don’t take all of their advice, a lot has stuck in my mind. I am reading Why We Sleep currently because I seen your review on Goodreads. I also have Maybe You Should Talk to Someone on my shelf among a few others you have mentioned but I have yet to read them. Soon though.
Hi Shannon :) Happy reading! Glad to hear you're checking these books out and especially that some have help you- which ones have been favorites of yours?
@@iLiviesimone I think my favorite so far, not listed above, would be The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh. I feel they have been helpful. I'm not with meditation just yet but learning the why's and how's of maintaining peace have been thought provoking
This was awesome, I loved the stats (well not the results the stats showed, but the fact that you took the time to figure it out haha). I sometimes read self help but there are some that really draw me in and others I extremely dislike
I really liked 7 Habits of Highly Effective People :D I had my reservations about it, but I read it for a college class where the entire class was centered on it, so we really got to dive into and practice a lot of the suggestions and things. And then I’ve read a couple on mindfulness and on slowing down and not having to be so busy, those ones really helped me. And then I’m a highly sensitive person, and there are some good books on that subject that have helped me a lot.
When you mentioned Being Mortal I couldn't help but be reminded of "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter". It's sort of a combination of a Marie Kondo book and a condensed existential crisis mixed into one book. Personally I didn't really like it, but I assume fans of the genre would love this morbid outlook on clutter and order. (comes to think of it, what a weird book recommendation this turned out to be...) anyway, back to the video.. :)
Such a great video idea! I enjoy self help books but I do agree that most of the time they are repetitive. But they are good motivational tools to get you into a bettering yourself mindset
Thank you! And agreed- I see why some people read them so often, it's like a constant supply of motivation. Especially if you find the ones that work for you
Hell yeah! I can really admire all the research and effort you put into not into the research, but the video itself, I also really like most of the points you make, its very interesting, to me anyways, I hope you keep up the good work:)
I love this video and all the work you put into research!!! I'm more likely to stay away from self help books. Personally I think I like reading individual stories about how the author overcame a specific thing that I am also struggling with or something I've never struggled with. Although I do really appreciate the self help books with tons of research and sources - it makes the academic side of me really happy.
Thank you Emily! And thanks for your comment- I also like stories of people overcoming problems- they are just, if not more, inspiring. And same, the academic side of me is so pleased to see references and specific studies XD
New subscriber here! I'm amazed by this video concept, the amount of effort you put into it really shows and I had so much fun watching it. Also shoutout class of 2020, woot woot!! Somehow we still made it through lol 🎓
I definitely felt that Being Mortal was far more genuine than other “self help” book I’ve read in the past. Some books come across as gimmicky. It has stuck with me over the years and I appreciated how he wove his personal experiences into the book.
You make a great point- I got a more genuine vibe from Being Mortal as well, and I like how he reflected on his personal experiences. Glad it also has stuck with you 💜
Great video! I especially liked the research you did at the begining. We need more diverse voices in this genre. I wonder what you think about the self-help industry with its "gurus" and various workshops. Do you think some of it is more exploitative than helpful? Do you have some favorite gurus? Lastly, what about a self-help book about self-help books?
Thank you! I don't think those workshops and seminars would do much for me because I like to get this kind of information in book form, where I can just highlight and note things. In the book Quiet Susan Cain talks about a massive event she attended like that and the costs of her ticket, let alone all the 'extras' and things 'members' could get was WILD. In that way, I think they can be a huge money grab. And sounds like you're talking about..... self-help book-ception😂 I did come across a book called 'Help Me' which has a premise very similar to this video. And some of the books I read like Quiet and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F have moments where they talk about self help books themselves.
I like to pick up self help books to learn about things, maybe get new ideas on how to do stuff, and get motivated. I#ve read a lot of books about habits and I don't think I can learn much new about the topic, as it is mostly repetitive. But what I like is getting motivation from a new book when I'm slacking on things I know better not to do. I also don't judge a book in its total, I think if you can get one thing out of a self help book that works for you that is a success. I don't expect any book or method to fit 100% to me. That helps a lot in reading these books, to not expect life changing results, but slow steps away from what bothers me. Also trial and error work magic here, discard what doesn't work for you.
Hi! And you make great points- especially about the motivation they give. I think one of the books I read mentioned how we mostly already *know* what to improve in our lives and how to do so, but it's the lack of motivation or energy that stops us. And another big yes- take and pick what you can get and apply from these books
You and I have the same set of experiences around dreaming omg 🤣😂🤣😂🤣 I have super vivid dreams Shark Boy and Lava Girl is still front and center in my mind whenever I talk about dreaming 😂
LOL- the movie will forever be attached to dreaming in the best way, I love watching that (sidenote: did you see the news from the other day that they are making another movie and sharkboy and lava girl will return????)
I read about half of The Subtle Art of not Giving a F*ck and stopped because I felt like it kept repeating the same thing. Like how most work meetings could have been an email, this could have been something smaller. Like a tweet. haha.
See, that is super interesting! And I'm curious- do you think you were more inclined to read it because it was prescribed, or because it genuinely interested you? I imagine books prescribed by professionals could be very useful since they have a good idea of who you are
"mR eLeCtRiC sEnD hIm To ThE PrInCiPaL's OfFiCe AnD hAvE HiM ExpELLED." LMAOO that's amazing. i'll have to read the sleeping book maybe it'll help me as well! great video!!
Please write your own "self-help book"! just this experience will be enough! you can call it "I Livie For Whatever" or "Try it all and see what sticks" or "A BookTuber's guide to manage your mess"...
I'm so impressed with the amount of research, effort and just WORK put into this video. I really like self-help books, even if I don't take their advice. Considering what I'm dealing with in my own life, I'm definitely going to have to check out "Being Mortal." It's going to make me cry; I can tell already. Congratulations on the graduation and great work on the video.
Thank you Danielle 💜 Do you have any favorite self help books you've read? And you are right, I am certain Being Mortal will be a tear jerker, but I really hope it is a good read for you (feel free to let me know what you think if you get to it!) And thanks again for your comment
The dedication and MONTHS of work!!🙌🏾🙌🏾 This was amazing Liv! A couple people that I trust felt that Girl Wash Ur Face was 🗑. Thank you for all of your hard work!
Have you not considered that the percentage of white people writing self-help books might be greater than the percentage of white people in the population of America? Why do you assume that publishers are biased?
