I've got to be nuts to start a segment on Self-Confidence during the holidays. Nothing makes you feel less attractive than finishing off a quarter of a pan of mac and cheese and then eating four pieces of pie. It seemed cliche to save self-esteem for January, when we're all hitting the gym with vigor and promising ourselves that this year will be different, only to abandon our dreams to the snooze button and some elastic waist track pants. Therefore, I presented myself with a challenge. Trying to stay healthy and positive during the holidays. How's it going you ask? Not great, reader. Not great.
I started off by perusing the self-help section of my local used book store. It occurred to me that this might not be the best idea, as these books have clearly been used and discarded as not super helpful (or perhaps used as a found-weapon against a loved one), but hey, they're four dollars a pop and I don't argue with math.
Self-help sections are hilarious. I passed by volumes called "Love is for the loving!" "Why men need women who need men who need dogs" and "You don't know that he knows the you know he's just not that into you." I flipped through a book called "City Chick!", which gave me various bits of insight on how to successfully get my groove back. I glanced at various "rules of success" from different B-list celebrities like Tori Spelling and Tia and/or Tamara Lowry (and no this is not an ad for their upcoming ABC family original movie on their 25 Days of Christmas programming). The conclusion I came to is this: %90 of self-help books are geared towards women.
What is wrong with us ladies that we need to help ourselves so much? Or is it that women are more likely to look for solutions to negative emotions than men are? Are men more embarrassed and therefore less likely to read these books? Or are we as women so self-conscious that we are constantly trying to fix something about ourselves?
I left without a book on improving self-esteem. Instead, I'm sticking to my rules of staying healthy, giving myself positive affirmations, and looking at the big picture.
Simplicity :/
Energy :/
Mindfulness:/
Passion :/
Healthy :(
Affirmation :(
Big Picture :/
Things I'm thankful for:
20. My boyfriend's sister in law for making such a kickass Thanksgiving dinner.
21. Hikes in National Parks with my bf
22. Red Wine
23. Christmas Shopping
24. The internet
25. Live theatre
"I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, 'Where's the self-help section?' She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.”~George Carlin
Remember that women just read much more than men do. Also, there is a massive section of the bookstore 90% devoted to male-oriented self-help books, it is called the business section.
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