Tropic House Indonesia
indonesian manufacturer of wooden houses, and exporter of quality wood-made pavilions & tropical bangkirai wood bungalows

Books on Wooden House:
Helping Me Help Myself: One Skeptic, Ten Self-Help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort Zone

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Grappling with her lifelong phobia of anything slick, cheesy, or remotely claiming to provide self-empowerment, Beth Lisick wakes up on New Year's Day 2006 with an unprecedented feeling. She is finally able to admit to herself that she's grown tired of embracing the same old set of nagging problems year after year. She has no savings account. Her house feels unorganized and chaotic. She and her husband never hang out together. The last time she exercised regularly was as a member of her high school track team almost twenty years ago.

Instead of turning to advice from the abundant pool of local life coaches, therapists, and healers readily available on her home turf of northern California, Beth confronts her fears head-on. She consults the multimillion-dollar-earning pros and national experts, not only reading their bestselling books but also attending their seminars and classes. In Chicago, she gets proactive with The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. In Atlanta, she tries to get a handle on exactly why "women are from Venus," and in a highly comedic bout on the high seas of the Caribbean, she gamely sweats to the oldies on a weeklong Cruise to Lose with Richard Simmons.

Throughout this yearlong experiment, Beth tries extremely hard to maintain her wry sense of humor and easygoing nature, even as she starts to fall prey to some of the experts' ideas, ideas she thought she'd spent her whole life rejecting. Beth doesn't think of herself as the typical self-help victim. But is she?

A Slice of Life -
If you read this book expecting to find out anything about the self-help programs mentioned in the book, you will be disappointed. Lisick never commits to any of the programs. In fact, she never seems to lose her upfront attitude that all of the programs are a joke.

If you are looking for a slice of life novel about someone who's a bit different, and who is just looking for odd things to do, you will probably enjoy the book. If you are looking for any meaningful change, or even an attempt at it, you won't find it here.

Funny but maddening -
The good news is the author is a good writer and probably should do essays for the New Yorker. That bad part is she doesn't try to improve - leaves the basement a mess etc and so she is like those people who revel in their own faults. It gets tiresome to read about how willful and stubborn she is. But she can write a lot better than most. So good writing - infuriating story.

Fun to read! -
This book was so enjoyable to read! I laughed out loud and I learned along with Beth. Her writing style is so refreshing. Her point of view is realistic and entertaining. This book also motivated me to get rid of all of my self help books that I am never going to read.

Neurosis with a Wry Smile -
As an admitted self-help-book junkie, I adored this book! The author has a perceptive, incisive, and sassy writing style that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was like having a good conversation with your smart-alecky best friend. It's a laugh-out-loud read for those of us still searching for that key to unlock the mysteries of this messy, challenging, and confounding life, but hopefully finding lots to laugh about (especially ourselves).

HELP yourself to BETH LISICK's insight! -
I had read an impressive review of this book, which made me consider checking it out. After all, where could you see 10 different approaches to improving your life in one place?

It was especially intriguing since I could have the advantage of the author's experience without the aggravation of going through all of the self-help options myself! And, I might even get something positive out of her revelations.

That is exactly what this book is....Beth's account of trying out the suggestions of nearly every popular guru out there. It feels as if you are speaking to a good (and funny) friend over coffee as she explains the ups & downs, ins & outs, good & bad, silly & fun, stupid & awful things she has found during this year of exploration. It is a very quick and easy read, fun and interesting.

If you are wondering what all those gurus are about and what it would be like to meet them, you will really enjoy this book. If you are looking for a real self-help book...this will not improve you but it will entertain you.