The Shameless Self-Helper

Turning the ship around, one post at a time.

Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash

The first week of the new year I had a vision: to conquer one task per week that I’ve been avoiding.

The idea was that if I practice on the small things, it will help with the big things. You can read my Medium post here.

For week #3, my task was to start Substack for real. I had started an account, but never set it up.

I am a reader and a fan of Substack. I have friends from Brainstorm Road (a fantastic writing community) who are here, fellow Medium writers, and many fascinating writers to discover.

So here is my first post to launch the Shameless Self-Helper, a newsletter seeking wisdom on how to live better from people who know stuff.

Some see self help as a placebo, or fad in search of a short-cut solution to a complicated problem. For me, it is a way to learn things I never did growing up. Like how to parent, how to manage money, how to be mindful, and how to connect through creative expression.

I read books and listen to podcasts to learn best practices from people who have figured stuff out. I have gained life-changing wisdom from people that I have never met. I’m like a modern-day Abe Lincoln! He taught himself to read and write—I’m teaching myself how to code my own website! (This is what happens from too many self-help books.)

My exuberance comes from the belief (sometimes just hope) that a person can change. A person can shed old patterns like a snake sheds its skin. It is not easy. But I am interested in the possibility of meaningful change. I want to keep learning and growing into a better version of myself.

I want to share in this journey with other like-minded self-helpers who are willing to try out new ways of thinking, which can lead to new ways of seeing themselves and the world, which can lead to new ways of being, which can lead to hope. And of course, change. This all sounds very 2008, but I have seen it work.

To start (once I figure out how to do it) I will share my weekly 2024 series on Medium here on Substack. The Shameless Self-Helper will evolve as I home in on my focus.

Onward…I hope to share some useful wisdom that will bring some hope.

Thanks for reading. If you would like to subscribe to The Shameless Self-Helper, click the link below.

You can also follow me on Medium.