7 Self-Help Resources To Get You On The Right Track

Life may be full of hardships, but there's no need to go through them feeling hopeless or alone. Plenty of people are out there using their knowledge and skills to make life better for others, and accessing their advice can be as easy as picking up a book. Whether you're feeling overburdened by major events or just a little worn down by routine, these resources will give you the positive boost you need to get back on track. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.

Empowering Self-Help Resources

Resource Specialty
Cait Flanders Promoting a minimalist lifestyle that cuts down on debt, clutter, consumption, and reliance on technology
Susan Shapiro Barash Focusing on women's experiences and the gender gap, with an emphasis on how women make sense of their myriad social and familial roles
WellTrack Helping users understand, assess, and maintain their mental health, while providing access to pertinent resources
Sonja Lyubomirsky Teaching about social and positive psychology, including exploring the many dimensions of happiness
Andrew G. Marshall Providing couples therapy, and developing his own methodology that blends psychodynamic and systemic counseling approaches
Evelyn Tribole Offering nutrition counseling, as well as knowledge about celiac disease, eating disorders, and the concept of "intuitive eating"
Jo Travers Giving evidence-based nutritional advice through consultations, workshops, and online courses

Why You Should Read Self-Help Books

8 Great Ways to Stay Healthy

  1. Cook more meals at home
  2. Establish a workout routine
  3. Get a fitness tracker and compete with your friends
  4. Go for a hike now & then
  5. Consider switching to a plant-based diet
  6. Take up yoga and stretch regularly
  7. Establish a regular sleeping pattern
  8. Make a smoothie in the morning

How to Be the Best Version of Yourself

In Depth

Now and then, we all experience tough times in life. Whether dealing with illness, the death of a loved one, or something more humdrum like difficulty focusing at work, people often struggle with day-to-day existence. Fortunately, there is no need to endure these problems alone, thanks to countless resources, from books to blogs to apps, that can help us get back on the right track. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, then here are, in no particular order, seven self-help tools to improve your life.

Coming in at #1 is Cait Flanders. Hailing from British Columbia, Canada, Flanders is an author, podcaster, and traveler who, since 2011, has challenged herself to follow a more minimalist lifestyle. By choosing to pursue an intentional life according to her own values, she realigned her priorities, enabling her to pay off her debt, get sober, and publish a self-help memoir entitled "The Year of Less" in 2018.

A "Wall Street Journal" bestseller, her book chronicles the first twelve months of her self-imposed shopping ban, during which she limited her purchases to essential items and decluttered her living space. Elsewhere, on her personal website, she has blog posts on a wide variety of topics, including dogs and slow living, growing her own blog, and mindful shopping. Fans of Flanders's work can sign up to receive periodic updates from the author via her newsletter.

Fans of Flanders's work can sign up to receive periodic updates from the author via her newsletter.

In the #2 spot is Susan Shapiro Barash. An experienced author of more than a dozen nonfiction titles, this writer focuses much of her work on women's issues, the gender divide, and how women make sense of their various identities in society. Examples of her nonfiction works include "The Nine Phases of Marriage," "Tripping the Prom Queen," and "Little White Lies, Deep Dark Secrets."

To complement her published works, Susan Shapiro Barash makes occasional appearances on television, having participated on shows such as "Inside Edition," "60 Minutes Australia," and "Fox News." She also writes reviews for the website BookTrib. In addition to her nonfiction writing, this author publishes novels under the pen name Susannah Marren, with past titles including "Between the Tides" and "A Palm Beach Wife."

At #3 is WellTrack. This mobile app helps users understand their mental health and access the resources and assistance that they need. Boasting a community of more than two million students and individuals, WellTrack incorporates aspects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy into its offerings. Since its founding, it has partnered with a number of institutions of higher education, such as Boston College, Georgia State University, and the University of California, Santa Cruz.

This mobile app helps users understand their mental health and access the resources and assistance that they need.

WellTrack has developed five steps to assist its users to improve and maintain their mental health, which include a wellness assessment, self-help courses, and interactive tools. The app also enables clinicians to video chat with their clients and gives universities the ability to integrate resources for students on academics, finances, and safety and security. Furthermore, it provides data and insights on how student populations use WellTrack to colleges and universities.

Coming in at #4 is Sonja Lyubomirsky. A professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, Lyubomirsky previously studied at Harvard and Stanford. She teaches courses on social and positive psychology and directs the Positive Activities and Well-Being Laboratory. Much of her research focuses on happiness, which she believes to be a significant dimension of human experience and emotional life.

As of 2020, Lyubomirsky has written two books: "The How of Happiness" and "The Myths of Happiness," both of which have been translated in more than fifteen countries. In addition to numerous research articles, she has penned pieces that have appeared in popular publications such as "Time" and "The New York Times." She also makes occasional media appearances, having discussed her work on CNN and NPR.

She also makes occasional media appearances, having discussed her work on CNN and NPR.

In the #5 spot is Andrew G. Marshall. For the past thirty years, he has worked with individuals and couples in a therapeutic capacity. Leading a team based in London, he combines psychodynamic and systemic counseling in his own blend of therapy which he calls "the Marshall Method." He also offers sessions in Berlin and virtual options like his Infidelity Survival Training and Support Group, a members-only Facebook page that provides a number of resources to its users.

In addition to his therapeutic practice, Marshall has written a wide variety of articles and books. As of 2020, he has published nineteen books, with titles ranging from "I Love You But I'm Not in Love with You" to "The Happy Couple's Handbook." He also has written shorter works that have appeared in publications like "The Independent" and "The Telegraph." On his website, he blogs on therapy-related topics, from personal development to falling out of love.

At #6 is Evelyn Tribole. A registered dietitian, Tribole runs a nutrition counseling practice in Newport Beach, California, and has received accolades for her work from the American Dietetic Association, "Harper's Bazaar," and "Self." She calls herself "the original intuitive eating pro," and specializes in this area, with additional areas of expertise including celiac disease, which her son has been diagnosed with, and eating disorders.

Tribole offers one-on-one and group supervision services, which can be accessed virtually, to help other therapists, dietitians, and coaches improve their counseling abilities. Her website has a host of resources for the food curious, including posts on her blog, links to relevant articles, and information on scientific studies. She also has written a number of books, with titles such as "Eating on the Run," "Healthy Homestyle Cooking," and "Stealth Health."

Last but not least, at #7 is Jo Travers. A registered dietitian, Travers, who goes by the moniker "The London Nutritionist," provides evidence-based nutritional advice. Throughout her work, she has given consultations to more than 600 clients. Before turning to private practice, she studied at London Metropolitan University and worked for the UK's National Health Service.

In 2016, she published a book entitled "The Low-Fad Diet," which offers readers basic guidelines to make sensible choices when it comes to eating. Travers is also frequently quoted in the media, having appeared in publications such as "The Guardian" and "Vice." In addition to in-person consultations and workshops, she creates personalized meal plans, runs online nutrition courses, and posts recipes and other content on her blog.