Guide to the Galaxy

Do self-help and inspirational books do so well because most people pre­fer to exist in a dream world? Do the writers of these books just cash in on the worldwide search fora simple solution to complex problems?

Given that life for most of us is getting more complex and therefore more difficult to cope with by the day, the cynical answer could be yes. Nothing is set in stone any more. Ideals and values keep changing. What looks like a good situation to­day can become a bad situation to­morrow. Nothing is simple any longer.

"Unfortunately, none of us was born with an instruction manual and to make things even more com­plex, our lives are so dynamic that we need to constantly re-equip our­selves emotionally, intellectually and spiritually to keep pace with the the Crossword chain of bookstores, sales in the self-help category of books have grown by a massive 49 per cent in the last year alone. "These are stressful times and these books give people a sense of purpose and meaning," says Nair.

A good self-help book, says Amber Ahuja, author of Be Inspired: Make An Informed Career Decision, must answer a question that is asked by many of us.

"These books should help you un­derstand different points of view that have been were searched and are unbiased," he says. "They are meant to give you more confidence and be your guide - not 100 per cent, but to an extent that it is required."

Beyond that, self-help books should also make you feel good about yourself, says management guru Dr Promod Batra. "If you feel good about yourself, you'll do good. Problems creep in when you cannot manage yourself mentally," he says.

So most self-help books talk about treating yourself with love and re­spect, about focusing your energy on trust, love, abundance, education and peace, about being grateful for what you have, and about the powersays Batra, so it should be reite from time to time.

"We all produce negative thoughts, but the moment they're flipped around, you can see thedif- ference," he says. "That's what help books help you do."

But it is important to note that these books are only meant to serve as guide for people who seek direc­tion, not as keys to life and success

"Different people interpret boob differently, according to their con­sciousness. T help us stay posi- tive when we Id a source to look out for inspiration," says Varuna Mahajan. "But ultimately they are just books and we need to look at them only as that and not as some kind of a genie in a bottle who fulfill your wishes."

No matter how many guides to I are written and published, and no matter how many of them claim t give you the 'secret' to life, the true is that these books can only help I in the journey called life.

"Everyone has to go through the ups and downs of life, the way it i meant to be. These books are not shortcut to making life happier or more wholesome," says Dr Parik. They are just guess, which can provide inspiration and knowledge nothing move and nothing less?