With the internet, the self-help genre’s popularity has increased to the point of becoming self-help porn.
Self-help material on the internet is like porn because while it’s entertaining and popular, ultimately it isn’t a substitute for actually doing something.
Take meditation, there’s lots of info out there about it. Basically you’re trying to calm your mind, because you’re better off having your mind work for you rather than you working for your mind as it jumps around from thought to thought.
It’s pretty easy. To meditate, close your eyes and sit upright while focusing on your breathing – following the breaths coming in and going out. When your mind wanders just take note of it and return your attention to your breath.
There’re finer points too.
Maybe just start with two minutes a day, something ridiculously easy. Try it for a couple of weeks until it becomes a habit, then start increasing the time per session slowly.
Also be kind to yourself when your mind wanders, don’t berate yourself. Instead gently steer yourself back to the breath. It’s like house training a small puppy, you’d gently scootch the puppy back onto the paper, you don’t need to berate it. Gradually the puppy gets it.
That’s pretty much it, the distilled instructions from the meditation category of self-help porn on the internet.
The part that seems to be left out most of the time is that you do have to do it. Reading about it won’t work.