The best Journal Writing Self-Help books: Reddit reviews

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Massimo Pigliucci has written a couple of books.

• How to be a Stoic

• A Handbook for New Stoics: How to thrive in a world out of control 52 week-by-week lessons.

I purchased the last book. Each week encourages doing an exercise to be a Stoic.

Good luck.

They actually make a whole line of them for adults now! Go to a Barnes and Noble and check out the journal section and the self-help section and sometimes the spirituality section. They are everywhere! They became a thing again when self awareness and mindfulness started becoming a “thing”.

Some examples for anyone that’s into that sorta thing (I personally love them ��)

Amazon

Do a Thing A Day

Thanks so much for sharing your story. I'm confident this will resonate with many - including me. While perhaps not to the same extreme, my drinking also started, escalated and set a pattern in college that I'm still working on breaking today. The good news is that it can be done and based on what you've said, there's a good possibility that "tea totaling" will be the best option for you but we all have to make that decision ourselves. I'm doing the 30 Day Experiment right now to find out whether 100% sobriety is the right answer for me. You may want to check it out.

This did catch my eye in your post:

>the main areas of my life are going quite smoothly. I have a great career, an absolute gift of a daughter, and my finances are mostly in order

It caught my attention because I told myself this lie for at least a decade. I was excelling in my career, outperforming most of my coworkers, had a diehard work ethic, was moving up the corporate ladder (currently Senior VP), making great money, no debt, etc, etc. But as you pointed out, these aren't the indicators that we're not alcoholics. It's deeper than that; it's when we struggle with alcohol - each in our own way. Reading your post, there's seems to be a struggle which could denote some level of subconscious dependence -- to me anyway as someone going through recovery in a similar way.

Have you considered therapy to help work through some of these issues from your past?

I bought this book and started my first list today. The first list is about what makes me happy right now, and then it's encouraging me to take action and try to make one item on the list a daily practice.

I haven't decided what to make a daily practice yet, but I did realize going out to dinner with certain friends is making me happy right now, so I have set up dinners with both of them!

Get this book. Do the exercises. Books and journals are mass-produced items that are meant to be used. Did you buy them to use them or did you buy them to look pristine on your shelf? Being human is messy, so get human and be messy. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0399161945/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_3JZJ52FQDV4NAGJMA5SB

This one my Massimo Piggliucci did make things turn around for me, by not changing things that gave me a hard-time, but, by liberating myself out of all that shackled me. I wish you the best to be out of your ordeal, soon!

I got “Growing You: Keepsake Pregnancy Journal and Memory Book for Mom and Baby” from amazon. It’s beautiful. There is a few places to add pictures and there is really good writing prompts but not too many. It also has an envelope in the back to add any pictures you don’t glue in. Growing You: Keepsake Pregnancy Journal and Memory Book for Mom and Baby

Years ago I bought my then boyfriend a five year, one line a day journal and went through and filled out as much as I could remember from our lives together throughout the year - all the way back to our first date. He loved it and still fills things in to this day! He’s on his second book now. Edit to add: I thought this would work alongside the items in a scrapbook

I think a lot of modern stoics are atheists. Massimo Pigliucci certainly is. Check out his book How to Be a Stoic: https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Stoic-Ancient-Philosophy/dp/1541644530/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=massimo+pigliucci&qid=1613362927&sprefix=massimo+pig&sr=8-5

This is the exact one that I have, but I’m a strong proponent of just grabbing any notebook or even loose leaf paper and just starting. Doesn’t have to be pretty

How did most of those jobs end (i.e., you quit, were fired, the company closed)?

You may get something out of reading Your Own Worst Enemy. I mention it because of your multiple failed careers - the book discusses some underachievers as displaying a similar pattern of employment. I don't think it is a self-help book for everyone, but I've been finding it useful and encouraging for addressing the kind of failure to step up and engage in life that can often emerge from a mix of privilege and talent. That is, things were easy, and then they weren't -- and some people respond to that by just shrinking their efforts and underachieving.

Not giving up is one of the first steps to improvement, in any case. Good luck, and I hope you find whatever help you might need along the way.

I'm reading IQ84 by Haruki Murakami at the moment. I'm not sure what genre it fits in. It has elements of fantasy, mystery, crime, and drama. I went into it blind on the suggestion of a friend, but have been thoroughly enjoying it.

Also sorry, I assumed you were American. I know not all Americans have cars, but it's almost a requirement depending on where people live here.

If you're not struggling for money, it can't hurt to go out to eat once every 3 months. I'm not sure where you live or the culture there, but even in the US, eating alone is still sort of seen as strange. But getting over the awkwardness and enjoying going to a restaurant alone is a challenge and adventure in it's own way. If you're not an outgoing person, an additional challenge is going out alone and starting conversations with strangers.

Wreck this Journal by Keri Smith is a book that helped me see the world differently and live more adventurously in day to day life.

Hi, no fuck offs here! All are welcome. I wish I’d known about “alcohol challenges” far before things got seriously dark.

You may want to check out Annie Grace The Alcohol Experiment or Allan Carr’s The Easy Way to Stop Drinking. You’re not required to stop, but maybe read a little. Inform yourself about what alcohol actually does to the human body (it literally poisons us.)

It doesn’t matter what your drinking looks like, it’s how you feel about your relationship with alcohol. Often when folks post, they’ve got some level of discomfort. Doesn’t mean you’re an “alcoholic” or doomed, and, I think trying a 30 day (or 7 or 60 day) experiment may give you some clarity.

Most of us who were trainwrecks at the end did NOT start that way. My journey wasn’t linear, I didn’t think I’d end up HERE! (But SD is a great place.) Good luck!

I feel you. I also did not really struggle much before but definitely am now. I found this on Amazon for $9 and it’s been really helpful for me with self-esteem, self-esteem, and self-worth.

Self-Love Workbook for Women: Release Self-Doubt, Build Self-Compassion, and Embrace Who You Are (Self-Help Workbooks for Women) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1647397294/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_3N55RAXG73RDCHTXNTKK?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I've never been able to keep a steady journal untill I got this one.

One Line A Day: A Five-Year Journal https://www.amazon.com/dp/0811870197?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I use it right before bed and each day has a small space to write about your day and each page shows 5 years or that one day so as time goes by you can see what past you did on the same day for previous years! I've never been so hyped about a journal.

You’re so young! Whether you’re still in high school or coming out. I know it doesn’t sound like the solution but I think it is: Self love. I was experiencing extreme burnout out and lacked ambition, passion and energy. My mom bought me this book and I was like mom…no. And she was like just try it. And so I said fuck it, I’ll answer all the questions in the book however I want even if I answer them like an asshole. It turned into an amazing self love journey. I learned a lot about myself, what I’m passionate about, what actually motivates me not what my parents said. The book is only $10 so I highly suggest (if you’re not a woman…idk I still think you might like! or find another?? sorry!)

It’s also just about getting to a comfortable point in your life too, there have been points in my life I’m dealing with extended stress (like family illness) or rough living situations or a shitty job. I was like “What’s wrong with me?” But really I was just surviving in my environment. It takes time.

There’s no hobby that is meant to be. If you abandoned them it’s not a reflection of you or what’s wrong with you. Maybe it’s a reflection of the hobby itself isn’t right or you’re not at the right place in your life to enjoy.

Also health/eating plays into mental health which will definitely affect all three of these especially energy! Do you eat 3 nutritious meals a day? Again sometimes it’s about being at the right point in your life to be able to. However something like cooking may a good “hobby” to get into that also benefits your health. I love any hobby that I enjoy doing and improves my health/life.

So nice!

I have two similar practices. In January of each year, I do a “year in review.” The big songs in our world that year, all the new movies we saw (we go to the cinema a lot and are big movie buffs), board game of the year within our group, things like that. The big feature of that project is listing out my “best days” of that year. Just a bulleted list in this format: “January 29 - my birthday party” or “July 17 - lake beach day,” etc. I star my favorite days. There’s no minimum or maximum - just a quick sum-up. I’m very date-oriented in terms of how my memory works so it all jives together.

I also keep a line-a-day journal. It’s 5 years per book and I’m on my third! I started in 2010. Best thing ever! It acts as an index/table of contents for my daily longform journal, and it comes in handy for doing my aforementioned year in review. It’s also fun to get 3, 4, 5 years into the book and see what happened on that day in the years previous.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0811870197/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_WH3T868S0G8XJFH2ABSM?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Hey girl, it's never too late to learn how to love yourself. I'm 39F, only been in therapy for two years now, and it's never been easy. I actually had a nightmare last night, even progress can be painful. So I got this book, and it's so tacky and juvenile, I struggled to take it seriously but I'm working my way thru it. I believe you can do it too, we have to overcome our pain and trauma. We deserve love and safety and trust. We are not what our abusers created, because we want to be better. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1647397294/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_K4K9X4QGCW7T93PXSM29

This was recommended by my therapist for a 2, I know. Maybe it’s something you can work on to help: Self-Love Workbook for Women: Release Self-Doubt, Build Self-Compassion, and Embrace Who You Are (Self-Help Workbooks for Women) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1647397294/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_R59CE8M9WVNMSHASC36E?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It really is all about loving yourself where you are at. That’s why you keep flipping back to a persona. You haven’t accepted you are your core. Best of luck. Hope this helps.

Oops that's because I can't figure out how to link! Here it is: Growing You: Keepsake Pregnancy Journal and Memory Book for Mom and Baby https://www.amazon.com/dp/1944515976/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_CB912WTCYKM4H6HWSW7V

Not a huge diary/journal person either but I had the same desire to record this time - especially in a physical notebook. I definitely want to remember the ups and downs of this crazy time and I get teary every time I think about my future kid wanting to page through it 🥲

I looked at a few different journal options and ended up with this one. I felt like a lot of journals were too flowery/girly for me personally and this one is pretty straightforward with simple but thoughtful writing prompts, plus places to stick ultrasound photos! I also like that the binding allows for easy flip thru/writing and it's easy to take out pages Im not going to use (i.e. at the beginning there was a page to tally who in your life thinks you're have a boy or a girl). I'm happy with it so far!

When I was pregnant I got a pregnancy journal. Now I just have a regular journal I keep for her, so she can know about things like which teeth came in first, etc., but also how deeply loved she is and was

Merry Christmas!

Not trying to shill for any company, but my wife uses this to write down experiences like the one you witnessed with your daughter:

https://www.amazon.com/One-Line-Day-Five-Year-Memory/dp/0811870197

It comes in handy years later when you want to recall what life was like "way back when." It goes by fast.

Not sure exactly how bad your insurance situation is but you may want to try looking for a psychologist instead of a therapist. There can be a stigma against drugs, and it can be an arduous journey finding the right prescription of shit, but it can make life so much easier.

I’ve been in your situation. I’ve had friends in your situation. It’s tough, but you can figure it out. If you can manage to find a job you give half a shit about that can help pass the time productively and could maybe help in the friends and satisfaction departments, as well. It doesn’t need to be anything exotic or prestigious to be rewarding, either. There’s plenty of places hiring right now.

I could talk to you till I’m blue in the face and it wouldn’t change anything, though. You’ll overcome that angst and anxiety and depression when you figure it out, my words aren’t going to magically make it better.

I am going to double down on my Buddhism or stoicism comment, though. Stoicism is much, much more than just not showing emotion. It’s a way to live your life with mastery over yourself, calmness in the face of adversity, and compassion for others. I’d recommend picking up a copy of “How to be a Stoic”. I’ll buy you copy or send you an Amazon gift card or something if you can’t get it yourself. Seriously PM me if you want.

If you identify as a woman, you might like the workbook I’m working through right now. It’s been really helpful for me…it gave me a place to begin when I really had no idea how.

Self-Love Workbook for Women: Release Self-Doubt, Build Self-Compassion, and Embrace Who You Are by Megan Logan, MSW, LCSW

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1647397294/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_SXHCYP2JZ850CA29Q0P5

This 5-year journal is my go-to gift, especially for folks going through a rough time.

I’ve been obsessed with them since I found my grandma’s from the 40s. I keep my own, and it’s amazing to see how different things were 1/2/3/4 years ago & how much you’ve grown. And to be reminded of positive little things you forgot about or negative things you overcame.

This is the one that my therapist sent me and I’ve been using but there are other workbooks out there too! Self-Love Workbook for Women: Release Self-Doubt, Build Self-Compassion, and Embrace Who You Are https://www.amazon.com/dp/1647397294/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_a_8EDM1JT51GF493ETK3BR

If you're a reader, check out this book some time:

• https://www.amazon.com/Your-Own-Worst-Enemy-Underachievement/dp/006098872X

It's horribly accurate for people like us who grow up "bright" & then have no tools or coping skills for when things get hard in college & in our careers lol.

Massimo Pigliucci has written a couple of books.

• How to be a Stoic

• A Handbook for New Stoics: How to thrive in a world out of control 52 week-by-week lessons.

I purchased the last book. Each week encourages doing an exercise to be a Stoic.

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