Link Your Way To Self-Improvement

Link Your Way To Self-Improvement

The popularity of self-improvement books, tapes, and seminars is a reflection of the universal interest in overcoming limitations. We all want to "be the best that we can be" and achieve our full potential.

Popular applications of self-improvement programs include motivation and confidence, personal relationships, sales and job performance, enhancement of sports performance, public speaking, weight control, and controlling bad habits such as smoking.

Here are some basic principles to help you determine whether such products or programs are worthy of your time and money.

You may have a difficult time finding a book or program that will provide an exact fit for your needs and interests. Books and group programs are mostly general in nature. Some of the ideas and concepts may apply to you, but others may be irrelevant or just plain inapplicable to your own personality and life situation. Use good judgment and discrimination in following advice offered in any self-improvement program.

Be wary of any program that is highly authoritarian and attacks other people who question what is being done. Some self-improvement programs enjoyed a temporary burst of popularity over the years that have been extremely damaging to some participants.

Of course, the most effective program or tape would be one that is designed specifically for the individual, which addresses his or her unique goals, motivation, and personality.

Obviously, this can be achieved by having a personal consultation with a professional person. However, this involves greater cost for the individual attention required in designing a program tailored exactly to your needs.

Do not worry. The internet provides an answer. Help is on its way. Here are some links that may help you achieve your goal:

• Psych Web by Russ Dewey:
http://www.psywww.com/

The content of this awesome and well-organized site might be described as half-way in between the sites "Self Improvement Online" and "Mental Health Net." It describes itself as a web site that contains lots of psychology-related information for students and teachers of psychology.

The links on its self-help directory page alone are worth the time of the trip to this site: http://www.psychwww.com/resource/selfhelp.htm.

• Internet Mental Health:
http://www.mentalhealth.com

Stated in their side is this information:"Internet Mental Health is a free encyclopedia of mental health information. It was designed by a Canadian psychiatrist, Dr. Phillip Long, and programmed by his colleague, Brian Chow...” Internet Mental Health is for anyone who has an interest in mental health:
- Mental health professionals
- Patients who want to learn more about their illness
- Friends and families of patients
- Mental health support groups
- Students
- Members of the general public who want to learn more about mental health

This is an impressive site with many helpful articles and resources. If you are interested in mental health from any point of view, you'll be happy you visited this site.

• Life Mentoring:
http://www.lifementoring.com/

“Because of the demand from our clients we started this site Life Mentoring for individual visitors, in 1998. Its mission is to provide you with the best collection of thoughts, ideas, philosophies, and practical concepts for leading a truly meaningful and successful life. It is not linked to any school of thought, but rather wants to give you an overview of all different approaches - and so you to choose and pick whatever suits your needs best."

The site has a number of very good articles, excellent collection of links, a free newsletter, a bbs/forum.

A group program or a general tape is, of course, less costly. Nevertheless, it may prove to be a useful self-improvement tool.