The A-Z Blog Challenge, Letter Y

Letter Y of My Favourite Books by title

Two authors, same genre - Self-Help/Personal Development

The first one is You Are The One, by Kute Blackson. Here's the blurb:

A charismatic visionary and transformational teacher offers a bold new look at spiritual awareness providing the tools needed to live a life truly inspired by love for a whole new generation. 

Kute Blackson comes from a long line of spiritual leaders and works with people from all walks of life, offering his own uniquely powerful process to transform lives from the inside out. His inspirational and life-changing YouTube videos, seminars, and conferences are known throughout the world, but it's his trademark transformation experiences that sets him apart. The intensive one-on-one and one-of-a-kind transformational mother of all trips is a 14-day, 24/7 journey into the heart of India where the client--armed with nothing but a backpack, a change of clothes, and a journal--works with Blackson until he discovers what he hasn't yet found. Whether it's about forgiveness, confronting inner demons, letting go of self-hatred or the scars of the past, those hard-earned, sweat-proof lessons Blackson instills in his clients are right here, in this book, You Are The One. No need to pack your bags or renew your passport. 

So what are you waiting for? 

For someone to save you? If so, you're not alone. But it's not going to happen. Your parents won't rescue you. Your friends won't carry you. No one's coming. Know why? Everything you are seeking is within you already. Because you're already here. You. Are. The. ONE. 

You Are The One is a reflection of Blackson's unique and distinctive thoughts, teachings, stories, and poetic inspirations to help you access your true power and live boldly and fully in the world--with no regrets.

I've read a LOT of self-help books and this, this is my No.1! I should say currently, because it could well change with the fact I have many more I plan on reading, but I don't imagine many would top this. As soon as I had read it, I wanted to read it all over again - and I am someone who rarely re-reads anything!

I have followed Kute Blackson for several years now, having discovered him when he was a guest on another blog I followed. I found him inspiration and his words resonated, so I was keen to buy his book, which for me hit the sweet-spot of many topics, in particular leaving me feel as though my life is limitless - that I am limitless, and that I can achieve whatever I want to if I set my mind to it. The opening page alone drew me in and that was that, hooked until the end. 

And this doesn't often happen. I have been keen to read the books of many people I follow in the self-help, personal development arena, and only a handful have left an imprint, so far Tony Robbins, Brene Brown & Gordana Biernat. 

Oh and Wayne Dyer - the second book for today's letter.

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The second is Your Erroneous Zones, by Dr Wayne Dyer. Here's the blurb:

If you're plagued by guilt or worry and find yourself unwittingly falling into the same old self-destructive patterns, then you have "erroneous zones" – whole facets of your approach to life that act as barriers to your success and happiness.

Perhaps you believe that you have no control over your feelings and reactions – Dyer shows how you can take charge of yourself and manage how much you will let difficult times and people affect you. Or maybe you spend more time worrying what others think than working on what you want and need – Dyer points the way to true self-reliance. From self-image problems to over-dependence on others, Dyer gives you the tools you need to break free from negative thinking and enjoy life to the fullest.

The picture on the cover of this book is old! Back from its release in 1976 I think. Sadly we lost Wayne Dyer in 2015 to cancer, by which time he had created a massive following. 

Wayne Dyer was a practicing psychologist before his books made it big and over the next few decades he developed into a speaker and became one of the main people in the personal development arena. And although he became more spiritual and less therapy based over the years, this book is very much a self-help book in that it offers tools for killing negative thinking and dealing with feelings of guilt and other paralysing emotions. 

It was my first self-help book and one that really got me hooked on reading in this area - even though few are as good as this book. It's also one I recommend to a lot of people, because Wayne Dyer's ability to put across the information is simple and succinct and not wrapped up in a lot of the language that a lot of self-help books are shrouded in these days. This is a proper book how to go about helping yourself with difficult areas of your life; you won't find terms or talk about the 'law of attraction', 'higher self' or 'positive affirmations' in it. 

To me there is a distinct difference between those selling the idea of helping yourself through spirituality, meditation or some vague magical way of thinking like the Law of Attraction, and those that give proper, sound psychological help, and although I enjoy elements of both, this book distinctly falls into the latter. This book contains proven counseling techniques, it is not just someone jumping on a band wagon trying to make a quick buck as so many are the moment. 

If Self-Help is not for you, please don't feel you have to tell me.
 I already know lot of people don't like it.

Yes, I experience that a LOT.

 But should you be interested in knowing what else I have read in this area, or be looking for recommendations you can find them here.