Intro: Setting the Foundation for the Self-Help Guru Study - non Christian and Unbiased

I have read a lot of self-help books.  I know that each guru has a special message although not always unique.  There is a common philosophy and goal which is inner peace, happier relationships and love.  I respect each teacher because they all have a unique way of getting to this peaceful place.  They each have a unique perspective and tools to obtain this zen.  In order to fully absorb each idea it must be put into practice and diligently.  This is the hard part, to not let life distract me.  It's amazing how one week or one month can go by like a blink of an eye.  I will be diligent though because I have a blog to keep up on and the ultimate goal of my own personal growth, better relationships and more inner peace.  Needless to say I am ready and I hope you are ready too.  I hope we can both learn from this together.  I will look forward to your comments, insights and stories.

I will pick one guru for 28 days.  For the first week, I will read their foundational book (the book that made them famous and has their core beliefs outlined).  Then, the second week their most up to date released book.  I want to add their most recent book because I think it's important to study how they have evolved and have practiced their own philosophy over the years.  Of course these guru's have written many books so I will choose the most recent hoping that it will be the best of all they have learned up until this point.  I will put together a list of the concepts and put them into practice.  Hopefully, my sister, mom, boyfriend, friends, and coworkers won't think I'm crazy when I take a break to meditate during the day (ie. Wayne Dyer swears by this) or when I answer every question with, "Is that really true?" This is Byron Katie's first question to self-realization and inner peace. Apparently, I will have to be extreme about this but who wants to go through life being un-extreme?

Here is my list of 13 authors, some are mainstream (no talk of a higher power) while others are more spiritual  (talk of a higher power but whatever that is to the reader).  I have added one Christian self-help guru, Joyce Meyer because I have learned a lot from her teachings.  I am starting off with Gretchen Rubin's, The Happiness Project, because it is unlike all the other selections in that it guides the reader into setting the foundation in all aspects of life with easy to do things such as clean up your closet and stop nagging.  Once this basis is set and the surfaces cleaned then we can dig deeper into the details.  You should recognize most of these authors as I tried to pick the most well-known.  Hopefully, they can blanket us with their wisdom over the next year.

Usually each person has different exercises to practice their philosophy including meditation, self-examination, affirmations, structured conversation etc.  I will utilize them all and even seek out group's specific to each practice by using meet-ups or something similar.  We should both be enlightened by this experience or so I have faith that we will.  Tomorrow I will give a little background of myself.  The Self-Help Guru Study will begin on Valentine's Day because that seems appropriate with the search for inner peace, love, and happier relationships.

TTL,
Charissa