agree with your nuanced take - there's nothing inherently wrong with self-help, but the way we consume it can lead to unrealistic expectations of spiritual transformation. in my own writing, i try to make it clear i'm making personal observations and epiphanies rather than giving prescriptive advice, but some people still approach it with that mindset 🤷🏻♀️ (to this end, i love ava's re-framing as "help self")
Thanks for writing this – it's something I think about a lot.
I write about psychology and buddhism here on Substack and want to steer clear of any quick-fix guff. But I'm also a professional copywriter and content person for brands so I'm well versed in "best practice" and the need to make everything simple and consumable and "actionable". Balancing those competing pulls is tricky.
For now, I've landed on "writing is a hobby, it's nice, it doesn't need to be optimised". I'll likely have another crisis of professionalisation and optimisation at some point. Maybe I'll revisit this post again then.
This was so good, Kasra. Bottles the nagging thoughts I’ve had around the struggles of self help and information overload into beautiful prose.
Loved: “I think of them as sweet caramels: delightfully tasty and uplifting when consumed from an expansive, relaxed state, but has the potential to induce an insatiable craving when treated carelessly.”
My thinking has shifted around info overload from a healthy addiction (like eating too many carrots) to a real addiction (like smoking cigarettes)
So much can be simplified by felt sense. If something feels good, do more. If something feels bad, do less. (Despite our rational brains resistance)
there's lots of places to start! I personally like meditation, but other practices like journalling, yoga, therapy, and others help too. I wrote a bit about meditation here https://bitsofwonder.substack.com/p/tenets-of-mindfulness
Never felt more called out by a blog post in my entire life. Bravo.
agree with your nuanced take - there's nothing inherently wrong with self-help, but the way we consume it can lead to unrealistic expectations of spiritual transformation. in my own writing, i try to make it clear i'm making personal observations and epiphanies rather than giving prescriptive advice, but some people still approach it with that mindset 🤷🏻♀️ (to this end, i love ava's re-framing as "help self")
Thanks for writing this – it's something I think about a lot.
I write about psychology and buddhism here on Substack and want to steer clear of any quick-fix guff. But I'm also a professional copywriter and content person for brands so I'm well versed in "best practice" and the need to make everything simple and consumable and "actionable". Balancing those competing pulls is tricky.
For now, I've landed on "writing is a hobby, it's nice, it doesn't need to be optimised". I'll likely have another crisis of professionalisation and optimisation at some point. Maybe I'll revisit this post again then.
sweet caramels 🍃
This was so good, Kasra. Bottles the nagging thoughts I’ve had around the struggles of self help and information overload into beautiful prose.
Loved: “I think of them as sweet caramels: delightfully tasty and uplifting when consumed from an expansive, relaxed state, but has the potential to induce an insatiable craving when treated carelessly.”
My thinking has shifted around info overload from a healthy addiction (like eating too many carrots) to a real addiction (like smoking cigarettes)
So much can be simplified by felt sense. If something feels good, do more. If something feels bad, do less. (Despite our rational brains resistance)
Thank you for sharing :)
thank you Tommy! totally agree about treating it like a real addiction, and leaning into intuitive feelings about it
Beautifully expressed thoughts that I had for so long. Beautiful man beautiful
Can you pls elaborate more about how to deal with "whatever is going in here"
there's lots of places to start! I personally like meditation, but other practices like journalling, yoga, therapy, and others help too. I wrote a bit about meditation here https://bitsofwonder.substack.com/p/tenets-of-mindfulness