Could you please suggest some books related to self-development, a young man asked. An appropriate answer did not strike me instantly since I had not read any specific book for my self-development as a child or an adult.

Self-development, to me, is not an end in itself but a continuous process resulting from fierce scrutiny of oneself in different times, spaces and contexts while dealing with people, places and institutions. When one is young, the family, the peer group, schools, teachers and elders become reference points. Their habits and responses to different situations intensely affect a tender mind. For instance, I have been amazed by my fathers routine of waking up at 4 a.m. and spending at least two hours on his lifelong passion for medicine, literature and poetry. I learnt from him to make sacrifices for ones passion. Similarly, I was deeply influenced by my mothers empathy and kindness to one and all, both critics and admirers.

Stories, fables, folk tales and classics made an indelible impact. Unfortunately, my grandparents were not alive to tell me stories, and my parents told me some. Chandamama, a childrens magazine, fulfilled that need to some extent. I read the Ramayana and the Mahabharata as a young boy, which elevated my imagination and curiosity. I listened to the Puranas and Bhagavatha. As I grew up, I read other epics, classics and literature of other cultures. I watched dance, drama and theatre. I learned to appreciate music.

Three books which stuck with me immensely when I was young were Parajaa and Maati Mataala of Odia novelist Gopinath Mohanty and Ernest Hemingways The Old Man and the Sea. Mohantys exquisite literary craftsmanship was dipped in the acute sense of humanism. Hemingway, of course, opened a new way of thinking how to express what to express with precision and intensity. Reading a good book is like interacting with a brilliant mind, and there is no substitute for it for self-development.

As I entered adulthood, I struggled to balance body and beauty, emotion and logic, diffidence and decisiveness, dreams and reality, and failure and success. Every failure offered me an opportunity to introspect and made me stronger and bolder; every relationship made me mature and wiser. Every personal loss taught me to value the near and dear ones more. As I started working, I met many personalities with different skills and expertise academics, bureaucrats, businesspeople, diplomats, sportspersons, artists and filmmakers. Some contributed to the sharpening of my understanding of things, beings, and situations and, in the process, self-development.

Institutions, organisations, and places contributed immensely. I spent the best two years of my high school at the school that produced Netaji Subash Chandra Bose. The school environment was electric then, which taught me to strive for excellence and value hard work. In college and university, I met fellow travellers better organised and equipped than me to face the world. I admired many of their qualities and tried to imbibe some that suited my habits and lifestyle. As a diplomat, I served in and travelled to many countries and got acquainted with the unique cultural traits of people and societies. I learned to be flexible, tolerant, and non-judgemental.

I am hesitant to suggest self-development as a project for which one can read specific books in a time-bound manner. For me, it is a never-ending practice of introspection till one lives. Each individual is different, endowed with different abilities, passions, and dispensations. So are their circumstances. As one passes through the various stages of life, one must recognise ones strengths and weaknesses and consolidate the strengths while overcoming the shortcomings. Its an inward-looking activity, and people, institutions, situations, and books can only help one provide choices for personal growth and self-development.

arun.sahu68@gmail.com

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Reading alone wont maketh a perfect human - The Hindu

In many countries around the world, community health workers play a unique role in establishing a link between the healthcare system and society. Today, development and transformation of social health needs have resulted in the development of health programs and management of unpredictable cases. Therefore, selection and employment of suitable people who can fulfill the assigned tasks and roles and also meet the needs of the society are among the main priorities of the healthcare system.

The present study explored the perceptions and experiences of health system stakeholders at different levels, based on the criteria used for selecting and employing CHWs to help identify qualified people and provide effective community-based services. The present findings are promising due to the localization of employment criteria in order to select highly qualified people. Moreover, instructional barriers to selecting competent people were highlighted according to the perspectives and experiences of DBTC managers and supervisors (Table2). The exploratory themes extracted in this study and their relationships are presented as concepts and sub-themes.

Some of the general requirements based on the MOH instructions are the lack of addiction to cigarettes, narcotics, and psychotropic substances, lack of a history of criminal offenses or convictions, having physical and psychological health, and not being banned from employment in governmental institutions according to legal organizations. The findings of the present study showed that all the participants had a positive attitude toward the general requirements in the MOH instructions. However, the some sub-themes identified in this study did not fulfill some of these general requirements; these sub-themes could not be evaluated when completing the registration form.

The participants believed that providing community health services was one of the difficult tasks of the CHWs, who were required to have physical and psychological agility. Some individuals may choose this occupation just to have a source of income and may be less motivated, which contributes to their poor performance. All the participants believed that the CHWs should be interested in their job, besides being compassionate, inspired, reliable, responsive, and sociable. An ample amount of evidence suggests that these features should be considered when employing people as social service providers [1819]. Studies have also shown that confidentiality and poor trust are among key barriers to hiring CHWs who can provide maternal and pediatric health services [20].

In a previous review, the most important criteria for the employment of CHWs were their personal characteristics, such as interest in the field, willingness to learn, and compassion. It has been also reported that non-financial incentives, such as trust, respect, familiarity with the community, and self-esteem, are among the potential triggers of favorable performance. In this regard, Mishra et al., in a study in India, explained that CHWs should be more interested in their job than money [21,22,23].

The primary education level is one of the specific requirements for being accepted as a CHW; therefore, all candidates need to have at least 12 years of academic study [15]. According to the sub-themes identified in this study, the participants believed that the quantity and quality of education were associated with competency-based selection. Common people stated that the CHWs should have a high level of education to be trusted. Interestingly, common people also cared about the university where the CHWs had studied.

According to the supervisors and managers of the CHW training schools, a persons basic education, including the field of study and academic records, was an important criterion. They believed that people graduating with a diploma in experimental sciences were better prepared to receive the necessary health education and were usually more successful than their graduated counterparts. Another important background factor was the persons records in their last educational course. People with poor academic records usually face more problems in the CHW training courses. The importance of the basic educational level of CHWs, as highlighted in this study, has been also reported in previous research. Evidence shows that the CHWs inadequate education or certifications can negatively influence the communitys belief about their effective response and reaction to their needs. Besides, CHWs with higher educational levels may become convinced to quit their job after being employed [22, 2425].

In Uganda, the community had lower acceptance for people with low education levels [26]. In Brazil, having a formal educational degree boosted the acceptance of CHWs in the society, as well as peoples trust in them. Moreover, the professional activity of CHWs in cooperation with other health workers increased their social credibility [27]. A study in Bangladesh showed that less literate people did not receive the required training for their occupation, contributing to their poor functionality [2528]. However, conflicts and instability in the work environment of CHWs generally impede recruiting people with a specific level of education. This challenge is heightened in critical situations, such as the outbreak of diseases, or when there is a shortage of human resources [24, 2930].

According to studies in some countries, people do not believe that the CHWs should have a basic level of literacy, as they can receive the necessary training after employment. Evaluation of healthcare delivery by illiterate and less literate people in countries, such as Nepal, shows that these individuals receive effective and need-oriented training by their supervisors after employment [13, 31]. A study concluded that completion of primary school education should be considered as the minimum educational requirement for the CHWs to meet the care needs of underprivileged and remote communities [3233].

In Iran, the CHWs are employed by the government and are paid monthly, which is a relatively strong motive for entering this occupation and performing well [15]. The findings of this study showed that the type of employment (contractual or permanent) was an influential factor in the CHWs motivation for self-improvement and self-learning to remain in the system. The participants of this study believed that people who were hired officially and permanently had less motivation for self-improvement and delivery of quality services. However, the CHWs on contract tried to exhibit better performance to maintain their status and acquire the approval of the system. Ample evidence suggests that financial incentives are among factors improving the performance of CHWs. Today, health systems are moving in this direction to increase the CHWs motivation and durability in the system by offering them financial advantages [34].

According to national instructions, one female CHW and if required, one male CHW should be employed for every 1000 villagers. Based on the findings of this study, the participants assumed that women and married CHWs would provide more efficient services. In various countries, such as India, Brazil, Pakistan, and Nepal, which have a reputation for community-based plans, two factors, that is, female gender and being married, were the main criteria for hiring the CHWs. In these countries, community-based services focused on the family, children, and women and were tailored to the cultural framework; also, stranger men were not allowed to enter peoples homes [13].

Generally, recruitment of female CHWs is challenging in countries, such as Afghanistan, where women are not allowed to travel unattended; therefore, one woman and one man are always selected as CHWs to provide healthcare services. Similarly, in Kenya, both males and females were recruited for this purpose [13, 15, 35]. Since some services are more easily delivered by females in some countries, women are mobilized and encouraged to choose this occupation. In some underprivileged communities, the CHWs are selected among women for empowerment [30, 36].

The MOH instructions have determined a specific age range for employing the CHWs; the maximum age should not exceed 30 years. According to the codes extracted in the present study, age was recognized as an influential criterion in the effectiveness of services provided, learning ability, and capability to fulfill responsibilities and duties defined for the CHWs. Findings show that age is an important factor in hiring the CHWs in many countries, where a certain age range has been specified [13, 15].

In many countries, selection of CHWs from the community where they are expected to serve is one of the basic principles for providing community-based services; this principle has been strongly recommended by the WHO [13, 15]. In the rural regions of Iran, selection of CHWs is strictly based on the WHO recommendations (i.e., selection of CHWs from the community where the service is to be delivered); this is one of the specific criteria that candidates need to fulfill before registration. According to the instructions, if there are enough candidates (usually three people with High school diplomas) from the main village, they will be selected and hired after passing the exam and interview. And if there is not enough candidate from the main village, candidates from the neighbouring villages can register to take the exam and get hired [15].

One of the challenges of DBTC managers and supervisors was that candidates coming from the main village did not obtain the required credit score in the written entrance exam (i.e., selection of incompetent people). Moreover, the present findings showed that inflexible adherence to the core instructions of MOH, besides the restricted selection of candidates from the main village, hindered the employment of qualified people from nearby villages or other areas. Overall, it is important to explore the perceptions of stakeholders, including the managers and supervisors of DBTCs (as service providers) and the society (as a service demander). The managers stated that employing incompetent people caused many workers to be either fired from their job due to poor performance or resign themselves; this turnover imposed high costs on the system and led to the waste of resources. Supervisors also complained about the difficulty of teaching people with low capabilities.

Evaluation of common peoples perception showed that they did not care if the selected CHW was a native of the village or not. Instead, they preferred highly literate and skilled people for employment to support them and respond to their needs; substantial evidence from different countries supports this finding. According to previous research, the CHWs, by participating in the community they serve, can mobilize the community to improve a wide range of health practices. However, this goal is only achievable when the community has a positive attitude toward the CHWs and accepts them. Studies show that many parameters can affect the social acceptance of CHWs. The priority of these factors may vary in different societies, depending on the cultural, economic, and climatic conditions. The critical importance of this parameter lies in the acceptance of CHWs by the community where they serve, besides increasing the motivation, responsiveness, and accountability of the CHWs [24, 37]. A report from Ghana and Rwanda indicated that being chosen by the community boosted the CHWs sense of responsibility, motivation, and pride when fulfilling their roles [3839].

However, outcomes vary from one country to another, as selection does not always proceed according to the instructions. The results of an ethnographic study by Rafiq et al. in Tanzania, investigating the relationship between professional outcomes and the CHWs personal and social identity, showed that distinguishing personal identity from professional identity was difficult in CHWs working in rural regions. This study also demonstrated that the CHWs personal identity sometimes prevented them from talking about issues related to family planning and sexual health [40]. Moreover, the findings of a study from Kenya revealed that CHWs, selected by the community, as well as those whose selection was not related to the community, showed similar adherence to the instructions [41]. Besides, reports from India and Ethiopia indicated that the CHWs were selected without seeking the communitys opinion; however, in Uganda, some community members preferred non-natives as CHWs [4243].

The results of the present study revealed that people sometimes avoided sharing their physical and psychological problems with native CHWs due to concerns over confidentiality issues, fear of information disclosure, and social stigma. Several studies from different countries reported problems when hiring natives in places where there was stigma over a certain disease, for example, AIDS in African countries. Therefore, it is preferable to employ non-native CHWs for these people and sometimes for male immigrants [33, 4445].

Discrimination in offering services and paying special attention to relatives by native CHWs were among factors that challenged the communitys trust in them; nevertheless, findings are controversial. Some studies carried out in different countries have reported the positive effects of kinship ties on the professional roles of CHWs working in rural communities. Other studies in Nigeria and South Africa have also confirmed the central role of kinship and self-identity in the positive and trusting relationship nurtured between the CHWs and the community where they work [33, 46]. The results of an ethnographic study in Tanzania also revealed that the use of kinship terms, such as father and mother for male and female CHWs, could facilitate the interaction between personal and shared roles and professional duties to build trust and a sense of ownership in health-related programs [40].

On the other hand, the communitys participation in the selection of CHWs can also cause several problems. When the selection process is not transparent, there may be misinterpretations in supporting certain groups, which can hurt the community emotionally and make them lose the spirit of cooperation. When the selection of CHWs is managed by traditional kinship structures, despite the increased social participation and effectiveness of interventions in the kinship group, it can lead to the exclusion of other community groups and discrimination against them. Conflicting findings have been reported in Uganda and India [47, 48].

Based on previous findings, local hiring and increased access to health services may not always yield desirable outcomes. Many factors related to both suppliers and demanders should be addressed to achieve equity. According to previous studies, deprived and underprivileged groups are usually less capable of adhering to the CHWs recommendations due to economic and non-economic reasons [37, 45, 49].

Some findings suggest that selection of CHWs from communities living in suburb and remote areas can improve access to health services. Also, according to previous reviews, selection and employment of low-educated CHWs from communities with low literacy levels or poor people in poor communities can improve access to health services and lead to the fair distribution of these services. Moreover, home visits can be helpful for people who are prevented from visiting health centers due to cultural obstacles. The engagement of traditional healers can help provide services to groups with certain cultural traditions [45, 49].

Based on the findings of the current study at the macro level and exploration of concepts and codes extracted at the micro level, it is obvious that the societys expectations of service providers are increasing, the importance of attention to the health of villagers, being supportive, providing high-quality services, and CHWs ability to provide new and diverse services. The participants also believed that CHWs with higher levels of literacy and capability could perform better in establishing vertical equity and mobilizing at formal levels [37]. The present findings about CHWs indicate the expansion of professionalization, increased service quality in scale and variety, transforming roles, and coping with unpredictable situations [24]. In recent years, professionalization has expanded due to increased interactions between communities and health systems and increasing demands for diverse, high-quality, and up-to-date services, provided by more professional individuals [50, 52,53,54,55].

For health programs to be effective, selection and employment of CHWs should be tailored to the societys needs and underlying conditions. Even in a single country, the criteria for selecting CHWs may vary from one place to another. Therefore, CHW recruitment programs are recommended in various regions for comparison to optimize relevant policies; otherwise, challenges are unavoidable. Therefore, it is important for managers to show flexibility to upgrade and expand the CHW recruitment strategies [13, 33].

Iran is a country with great diversity in terms of climatic, geographic, cultural, social, and economic conditions in different areas. In some regions of the country, villages are far from cities and other villages, while in some regions, cities and villages are interconnected; therefore, people living in different regions may have variable access to facilities. The present study was conducted in Golestan Province in north of Iran; therefore, generalization of the findings to other parts of the country with different backgrounds may be challenging. It is necessary to modify the CHW selection and recruitment criteria in a way that guarantees the employment of most suitable individuals who can fulfill the assigned roles, address the communitys needs and demands at the place of service, and minimize depreciation in the system.

One of the limitations of this study was the small number of samples. Although, based on the current guidelines sample size for qualitative studies is varied. Data saturation is a significant measure to determine a sufficient sample size in qualitative studies. Given that each study has a unique characteristic and the saturation point can vary, it is also possible that no data is truly saturated. In any case, the study should be carried out with more samples to discover the dimensions of the subject [56].

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Recruitment and selection of community health workers in Iran; a ... - BMC Public Health

As part of its commitment to reduce drowning rates and keep kids safe in and around the water, the Muskegon YMCA is increasing access to swim instruction and water safety for children from underserved communities in the Muskegon area.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fatal drowning is the second-leading cause of death for children ages one to 14 years old. In ethnically diverse communities, the youth drowning rate is two to three times higher than the national average, according to a USA Swimming study. Additionally, 64 percent of African-American children, 45 percent of latino children, and 40 percent of Caucasian children have no or low swimming ability.

Educating children on how to be safe around water is just as important as teaching them to look both ways before they cross the street, says Andi Switzer, Youth Program Director at the Muskegon Y. The Y teaches children of all ages and backgrounds that water should be fun, not feared, and this practice not only saves lives, it builds confidence.

The Y believes this is especially true following 2020s COVID-19 shutdowns. In a typical year, the Muskegon Y teaches 1,100 third-graders in their Safety Around Water programthis decreased to 200 students in 2020. We know there are children in our community who are now more at risk due to the need to maintain social distancing in 2020 and we want to make every effort we can to reach those kids this year, says Switzer. In order to fill this gap, the Muskegon Y is providing their Safety Around Water program to fourth-graders who were unable to participate in the program as a result of COVID.

The Muskegon Y has been a leader in providing swim lessons and water safety in the community for more than 20 years. The Y continues to help youth and adults experience the joy and benefits of swimming, so they can be healthy, confident and secure in the water. There are a variety of programs offered, including Safety Around Water, SPLASH water safety lessons for families, and the Muskegon Y Swim Team.

In addition to learning lifesaving water safety skills, children can increase their physical activity by swimming. Swimming motivates children to strive for self-improvement, teaches goal orientation and cultivates a positive mental attitude and high self-esteem. It also teaches life lessons of sport and sportsmanship, so that children can learn how to work well with teammates and coaches and how to deal with winning and losingskills that last a lifetime.

To learn more about the Muskegon Ys swim programs, please contact Andi Switzer at 231.722.9622 x204 or aswitzer@muskegonymca.org.

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Muskegon YMCA increasing access to its learn-to-swim programs - shorelinemedia.net

Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, have transformed the world of digital art, music, and other creative sectors. However, as technology advances, it is being explored in new and innovative ways which include the areas of meditation and personal transformation. People have become more interested in meditation and mindfulness practices in recent years as they seek ways to reduce stress and improve their mental and emotional well-being. Many meditation and mindfulness applications and platforms have emerged to meet the demand as technology has advanced.

However, one application for NFT technology could be the development of a more secure and transparent system for exchanging digital content related to meditation and personal growth. NFTs might ensure compliance by utilising blockchain technology.

So how might this work in practice?

One way could be to create NFTs representing guided meditations, affirmations, or other transformative experiences. These NFTs could be sold on a marketplace, allowing creators to monetize their work and buyers to own a unique digital asset. For example, an NFT could represent a guided meditation that is designed to help people reduce stress and anxiety. The NFT could be purchased and then redeemed for access to the meditation, which could be delivered via an app or website. The buyer would have full ownership of the NFT, which would be a unique and non-replicable digital asset.

Another potential use of NFT technology for meditation and mindfulness is to create a marketplace for digital content related to personal development. This could include everything from guided meditations to courses on self-improvement, all of which would be represented by unique NFTs.

By using NFTs, creators could protect their content from being copied or shared without permission, while also ensuring that buyers have a clear understanding of their ownership rights. This could create a more secure and transparent marketplace for digital content, making it easier for creators to monetize their work and for buyers to access high-quality content.

NFTs could help to establish a more equitable system for creators of meditation and personal growth content. Currently, many creators rely on subscription models or advertising revenue to monetize their work, which can be difficult to sustain for a longer period of time.

With NFTs, creators could sell their content directly to buyers, without the need for a middleman. Also, the use of NFTs could allow creators to create limited edition or exclusive content, which could be sold at a premium. This could create a new revenue stream for creators and allow buyers to own unique and valuable digital assets.

There are also potential challenges and limitations to using NFTs in the context of meditation and personal growth. For example, there is a risk that the technology could be used to promote low-quality or even harmful content, which could undermine the credibility of the emerging industry as a whole. With careful regulation and responsible use of the technology, NFTs could have a positive impact on the world of meditation and personal growth.

Creating a more secure and transparent marketplace for digital content could help empower creators and buyers alike, creating a more equitable and sustainable industry over the long term.

The use of NFT technology for meditation and transformation is an exciting area that is still in its infancy. As technology evolves and more creators and buyers enter the space, it will be interesting to see how NFTs are used to shape the future of the industry.

(The author is the Founder and Research Scientist at Sensorium)

Disclaimer: The opinions, beliefs, and views expressed by the various authors and forum participants on this website are personal and do not reflect the opinions, beliefs, and views of ABP Network Pvt. Ltd. Crypto products and NFTs are unregulated and can be highly risky. There may be no regulatory recourse for any loss from such transactions. Cryptocurrency is not a legal tender and is subject to market risks. Readers are advised to seek expert advice and read offer document(s) along with related important literature on the subject carefully before making any kind of investment whatsoever. Cryptocurrency market predictions are speculative and any investment made shall be at the sole cost and risk of the readers.

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NFT For Meditation? How Non-Fungible Tokens Can Transform Wellness Experiences - ABP Live

A concoction of f-words, Gen-Z lingo, and the usual hows and whysthe titles of self-help books are eye-catching, much like their vibrant hardbound covers. These hardbacks sell like hot cakes at bookstores. Consider this: according to market data, the estimated worth of the self-improvement market is $16.6 billion in the US alone. Titles like Get Your Sh!t Together by Sarah Knight who is also the author of The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k, or Mark Mansons The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck have many takers, with the latter going insanely viral on social media in 2016. Back home in India, with the start-up boom and the rise of venture capitalism, entrepreneurs who shot to fame are now coming up with self-help books to teach young entrepreneurs the ins and outs of scaling a business in the Indian economy.

The controversies that Ashneer Grover addressed in the book grabbed headlines and piqued India Incs interest as opposed to the business advice he offered.

Case in point: BharatPe co-founder and former Shark Tank India judge Ashneer Grovers debut book Doglapan, in which the businessman shares his personal experiences as a serial entrepreneur, or Emcure top honcho Namita Thapars The Dolphin and the Shark, where the pharma czarina chronicles Emcures early days, while narrating anecdotes from Shark Tank Indias sets.

Admittedly, Grovers Doglapan delivers what it promisedthat is, his take on entrepreneurship and life. But it was mostly the controversies he addressed in the book that grabbed headlines and piqued India Incs interest as opposed to the business advice he had to offer.

Or consider Do Epic Shit by Ankur Warikoo, yet another Amazon bestseller where a start-up guru shares gyan on business, life, success, failure and the usual humdrum. At what point do self-help books stop being improvement guides and become a brand-building exercise for star entrepreneurs?

More importantly, can self-help books be considered improvement guides in the first place?

One of the many Amazon bestsellers where a start-up guru shares gyaan on business, life, success, failure and the usual humdrum.

To put things in context, BharatPe has sued Grover and his wife, Madhuri Jain, for Rs.88 crore on the charge of swindling the company. How fair is it for super-rich entrepreneurs to advise the working class on scaling business and, perhaps unknowingly, sell them a false hope of upward social mobility? What impact is it likely to have on the mental health of budding entrepreneurs? Mehezabin Dordi, a Delhi-based clinical psychologist, says: Self-help books are not created equal. Neither do they have the same impact on all readers, all of whom have different personal experiences and ideas.

Dordi believes that self-help books which help readers tackle mental health issuesfor example, Jay Shettys Think Like a Monk which claims to help folks become less anxious selvesoften urge readers to avoid or dismiss their problems. Ideally, they should be addressing the deep-rooted psychological concerns that the reader may have. Imagine you have a cracked wall which you know needs to be broken down and built again. Self-help books quickly apply a nice coat of paint on it and pretend everything is okay. The reader, too, is convinced, thanks to the placebo effect. Except that after a short while, the issue resurfaces.

Dordi says, Suppression of emotions is never healthy. It is important to scientifically validate the advice offered by self-help authors.

Dordi, whose practice is in Mumbais Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, believes the failure of readers to better themselves or meet their own expectations is a double whammy and is likely to worsen their mental health, leading to a vicious cycle.

Self-help books often have eye-catching titles.

In fact, a 2015 study on self-help books by the University of Montreal in Canada showed that people who read self-help books may be more sensitive to stress and show higher depressive symptoms. So why do people who read self-help books feel they are moving on the right path, even if that feeling is short-lived? The reason is the placebo effect.

Dordi explains: A lot of behavioural and emotional challenges that readers face come from severe mental health issues that perhaps go undiagnosed. Some readers do not realise that these challenges require long-term care and they instead go for a quick fix, which seems to work for a short while, thanks to the placebo effect. The reader has the illusion of having things under control, giving them a feeling of short-term accomplishment.

Another important concern with self-help literature that warrants a discussion is the responsibility of the self-help author towards the reader and society. After all, advice, if not taken in the right spirit, can be disastrous. Dordi, for one, thinks that readers have a greater responsibility here than the authors.

The responsibility lies with the reader to check the credentials of the author and verify the sources. It is their responsibility to confirm the accuracy of the advice, use Google search, and read up on the literature available online. Readers of self-help books must also have a certain level of self-acceptance and self-awareness while setting goals based on self-help books, she says.

Dordi also raised a rather pertinent point on the contradictions within the self-help genre. One self-help book gives you a recipe of looking at life in a certain way and another one gives you the exact opposite. The reader often ends up even more confused than they were in the first place.

Beyond the obvious contradictions, self-help books also sell a dream of upward social mobility to the working class, urging them to hustle hard, and even promote toxic positivity. How does this impact the well-being of the reader? Dordi says: Readers of self-help books need to accept that it is okay to make mistakes and that they will not always have answers to all questions. To put it simply, while reading the self-help book of a millionaire, readers must realise that everyone cannot become a millionaire by reading a book.

Of course, one cannot deny the push that self-help books receive from capitalism, which can be best described as a self-fulfilling prophecy. The moment readers start seeking emotional fulfilment instead of success, capitalism steps in and renews their desire to transcend their social class and climb up the ladder. Dordi agrees with the notion that the desire to acquire wealth and materialistic things can push one towards self-help literature.

However, she also thinks that self-help books by billionaires should not all be painted with the same brush. There are, obviously, self-help books which get it right, books which inform and educate readers. Some of them are written by rich entrepreneurs. On a parting note, Dordi adds that self-help books are self-enhancement tools, not self-replacement books. We need to take self-help books with a pinch of salt.

A couple of continents away, London-based self-help author and psychotherapist Charlotte Fox Weber talks about her book What We Want: A Journey Through Twelve of Our Deepest Desires, which takes readers on a journey of self-discovery and seeking the purpose of life. Asked about her thoughts on self-help literature, Weber said: Self-help is a category that should also be called self-destructionit helps us get better if we understand the darkness within us [and destroy it]. Confronting the dark side of human beings is essential for understanding how we can live richer lives.

Being a psychotherapist, Weber acknowledges the need to address negative feelings and make space to discover them first and eventually accept them. Being honest about gratitude, for instance, requires facing the ways you dont feel grateful. Cultivating playfulness and creativity and love means looking at the oppositesthe writers block, the loss, and the sorrow. Making space for darkness is more comforting and is therefore needed to move towards betterment, Weber says.

Asked about which self-help books one should avoid, Weber says, Books that promote instant fixes end up wasting time. Avoid them. On billionaires lecturing the working class on hard work and hustle, Weber says: Its a form of deception when someone immensely privileged overlooks the factors for opportunity. Its punishing to suggest that its each persons responsibility to determine lifes fate. Whats equally harmful is oversimplifying possibilities and suggesting that hard work determines everything to come in life.

On the self-help books one could read, Weber says: Books that are honest and illuminating about suffering as well as joy can uplift far more than self-help books that push for reductive approaches. She, too, recommends books which are honest and provide long-term solutions.

Beyond billionaires, motivational gurus and start-up honchos whose self-help books are popular in the Indian subcontinent, many self-help books overseas are playing a key role in helping people manage their lives better, sans the toxic positivity.

Sallyann Beresford is a UK-based publisher and a self-help author who writes books which support pregnant women and enable them to have a positive birthing experience. An antenatal teacher by profession, Sallyann Beresfords self-help books Labour of Love and The Art of Giving Birth aim to educate couples to help them feel more confident about their ability to conceive naturally while also urging women to take ownership of decisions surrounding their pregnancy.

Beresford is aware of her limitations as a writer. My birth planning journals help by looking at mindset and physical abilities to maximise the chance of achieving a natural birth. This might not suit all pregnant women, she says.

Elaborating on the nuances of the self-help genre, Beresford says: Some self-help books may be internalised by the reader and they could feel overwhelmed by the recommendations given. Inevitably the purpose of self-help books is to recognise what you might need to change in order to reach your full potentialbut that potential will mean something different to each reader.

Back home in India, Chintan Girish Modi, a journalist and book reviewer, thinks self-help books might be beneficial, after all. Some readers want to learn how to manage stress, others want to get over their social awkwardness. Some want to learn a new skill but dont have the money to sign up for it. So they go for self-help books. I prefer to see self-help in this light, he says, rather than assuming that all of them promote toxic positivity, hustling or productivity. People who pick them seem to have a genuine desire to transform their life circumstances or at least their approach to what life throws at them. They are willing to try new strategies and ideas instead of giving up on life. His empathetic take on the self-help conundrum is based on the belief that everyone needs support, and that support can look different for each person. Whether its going to a therapist or a life coach, having regular meetings with a mentor, nurturing a spiritual practice, or applying what one learns from a book that seems beneficial.

Deepansh Duggal is a writer based in New Delhi. He writes on cinema, culture, and mental health issues.

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ESSAY | Self-help books: Of little help? - Frontline

Tim Henson is one of the players we look to when were looking to up our game. He is one of electric guitars futurists, and his partnership with Scott LePage in Polyphia has yielded some of instrumental prog guitars most daring arrangements.

But who do you turn to when you are Henson and you need to expand your repertoire? As it turns out, you give Tosin Abasi of Animals As Leaders a call.

Speaking to Reverb (opens in new tab), for a video segment shot in which he and LePage discuss gear, technique, songwriting and more, Henson said he found himself at an impasse in 2020.He needed to bring something fresh to his game, and it just so happened that Tosin Abasis name was in his contacts.

Every album I just try to level up my playing, and I was like, Okay, well its probably time I learned thumping because I wanted to learn it eight years prior, says Henson. And I had tried. It was too hard. I said, Fuck that! I had started hanging out with Tosin and I was like, Well, I personally know Tosin now, so let me just ask him if he will teach me something. I offered him a thousand dollars for four guitar lessons and he said sure.

But even for Henson, getting the hands around the Abasis percussive thump guitar style was no gimme. He had to work on his fingerstyle technique. He needed more digital independence in his picking hand, and Abasi had an idea.

He showed it to me [in] the first lesson and it was so foreign and then he was like, Okay, yeah, also, if you are not that well-versed in using your fingers try these classical pieces, said Henson. And one was La Catedral. That was one of the pieces that I had to learn to kind of just get used to using these other fingers because, prior to that, we were just hybrid picking.

Written by the Paraguayan virtuoso Agustn Barrios, La Catedral is a doozy. Henson demonstrates a neat version of its first measures in the video, also demonstrating just how useful that nylon-string mode is on his Ibanez TOD10 signature guitar for getting close to the tone without reaching for a classical guitar.

Ultimately, Henson got his thumping technique down, expanding the sounds available on Remember That You Will Die. But he and LePage admit they approach it totally differently.

Were playing a bunch of the thumping shit on tour and I am watching us during practice and rehearsal, and I am doing it the way I learned from Tosin then Scott is just doing it a way he taught himself, and it is two completely different-assed things but they are sounding the same! said Henson. If you just listen, close your eyes, Yeah, that sounds right. But then you look; our right hands are doing something completely different.

All that matters is that is sounds okay. But even then, theres always the sense that Polyphia write some things that are so out there that not they, not anyone, can replicate it live.

Speaking to MusicRadar in November 2022, Scott LePage said they just go for it in the studio to make the song sound as good as it can be and worry about if they can play it later. So what if they have to change something?

There was one moment during Chimera when, mid-song, LePage was playing an eight-string guitar and decided he was going to tune the low string down a half-step just because he wanted that note.

What we do when we write is we think in serving the song, right? Most of the time anyway, said LePage. There is a small aspect of, Okay, this needs to be performable. But sometimes we just do cool shit for the sake of doing cool shit and we worry about it later. If we have to change some stuff, we do that.

You can check out the rest of Henson and LePages conversation with Reverb above. And if you want a lesson from Tosin Abasi but can't find his number in your Rolodex, you can always check out MusicRadar's Tosin Abasi lesson in which he breaks down his picking and tapping techniques.

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Polyphia's Tim Henson offered Tosin Abasi $1000 to teach him ... - MusicRadar

It might be difficult to figure out what to do when a man distances himself from you. But there are certain signs he will come back after pulling away. These indicators can range from ongoing communication to making an attempt to visit you, indicating a shift in behavior, displaying jealousy or possessiveness, and physical or verbal cues.

Although these indications may seem encouraging, its crucial to keep in mind that a change of heart doesnt guarantee a healthy relationship. Open communication and honesty are still essential for rebuilding a bond. If youre grappling with questions like Should I go back to ex? or What to do when he pulls away?, you must plan your next steps carefully and pragmatically.

That said, the shift from seeing the signs of a man pulling away from you to him gravitating back toward you is definitely encouraging if youre intent on making things work with him. If thats what his actions seem to convey to you, pay attention to the signs he wants to get back together and then decide your future course of action.

It can be a living nightmare when a man pulls away, whether physically or emotionally. Your mind is clouded with questions like Will he come back?, Have I lost him for good?, Is he already involved with other women? and whatnot. The uncertainty and fear of not understanding what may be going on in his mind can be overwhelming.

In this situation, its natural to want to do whatever you can to bring him back to you and it can make you look for signs he will come back after pulling away. If he has been pulling away from you lately, keep in mind that it does not always spell the end of your relationship. Here are 11 promising signs that he will come back after pulling away:

Effective communication is important in every healthy relationship. If he has been upfront and honest with you about his feelings and the reasons for their pulling away, its a good sign that he is willing to work through any problems in the relationship. Even if you dont agree with him, its crucial to actively listen and try to comprehend his point of view, especially after a guy pulls away from their relationship.

You can make your partner feel heard and understood by providing a secure and open environment, which may go a long way toward resolving any problems or issues that may have led to him pulling away.

Related Reading: 11 Expert Tips To Communicate Better With Your Partner

If he expresses remorse or guilt for his behavior or the way his decision to distance himself affected you, its one of the signs he will come back after pulling away. Some ways he might express remorse or guilt for his actions are:

These gestures should be recognized and appreciated because they show that your partner takes accountability in the relationship and is committed to making things better.

A crucial component of any serious relationship is spending quality time together. If he has recently been making an effort to spend time with you after pulling away, its a sign that he still values the relationship and wants to rebuild what has been lost. For instance, you may find him grabbing your hand and saying stay just a few more minutes when its time to part ways.

Spending time can also include things like making plans for the future, going on dates, or simply spending hours talking and enjoying each others company. This indicates that he is definitely not losing interest in you and he wants to come back. You and he may deepen your new relationship and restore any lost intimacy by prioritizing your time together and making an effort to reconnect.

Improvement, behavioral or otherwise, can be a lifesaving factor for every long-term relationship and does not happen out of thin air. Improvement can act as a rope to help your relationship climb out of the breakup pit. Just the fact that he is taking steps to better himself is one of the tell-tale signs he will come back after pulling away.

He is prioritizing working on the relationship as well as his own life and rebuilding the love and the lost connection with self-improvement. This could include things like:

Even if these steps are more focused on personal growth, they can still amount to your relationship improving, as he does.

Related Reading: 5 Cute Ways To Improve And Strengthen Your Relationship

If he still has your belongings, it can indicate that he hasnt completely closed the door on the relationship and may still have feelings for you. If he hasnt come to retrieve his things, it could mean that hes not ready to completely sever the tie between the two of you. Maybe keeping your things is his way of keeping you present in his life while he figures out his feelings and future plans. Or maybe he is planning on using your belongings as a segue to re-enter the relationship.

A research paper published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships says, Memories reside in our minds and are enhanced through the physical objects we keep. Note that alternatively, this could also mean that he just might not have found the right time or the right way to ask for his things back or return yours. While this alone may not be the strongest sign he will come back, if you notice it in conjunction with other signs, it definitely counts.

This could be one of the signs he will come back after pulling away and he is waiting for you. When most guys pull themselves away, they generally end all mutual connections. If he is in touch with your friends and family even after the breakup, there is a good chance he is still thinking about you and considering the possibility of getting back together.

You could use this as a golden opportunity to find out the reasons for his pulling away through them. That will help answer the will he come back question to some extent. Here are a few additional pointers to keep in mind as you try to gain insight through other people:

An ex who initiates contact and is reaching out to you, whether its through phone calls or text messages, sends strong signs youll get back together as it can mean hes still thinking about the relationship. Its important to pay attention to the content of these messages, as they may be trying to gauge your interest in getting back together. For example, an ex who sends a message saying, I miss you and I wish we could talk, may be showing interest in getting back together.

A research study about staying friends with ex-romantic partners mentions, Finally, an unresolved romantic desire seems to be an intuitive reason why one or both members of the dyad may desire to stay friends. It is possible that one member did not, in fact, want to terminate the relationship and that the opportunity for maintaining some relationship with his or her former partner is preferable to the alternative, especially if there is perceived hope for romantic renewal.

Related Reading: Everything On How To Be Friends With Your Ex

If your ex still sends a message or a gift on special days such as your birthday, just like he did during the early stages of your relationship, then its one of the signs he will come back after pulling away. If he not only remembers these special dates but goes out of his way to let you know that he remembers, it can be for one or more of the following reasons:

In this virtual age of people blocking people on social media first and properly thinking about it later, if youre still friends with your ex on social media, it can be a subtle indication that he will come back to you. Generally, after pulling away, a person is no longer interested in the other. If your ex is still following you on your social media accounts or liking your posts, it could be a sign that theyre keeping tabs on your life.

It is important to note that their presence on your social media does not necessarily mean that they want to get back together, but it could mean that theyre still interested in how and what youre doing. It could also be a sign of lingering feelings or unresolved emotions. If this is the case, you may want to take a step back and evaluate if he is showing other signs that he will come back before you ask yourself the question, Should I go back to my ex?

This is where your mans hero instinct kicks in. If your ex is still willing to be there for you during a difficult time, its one of the signs your ex is waiting for you because he still cares about you and wants to be there for you. This shows that your ex values you and that you still have a strong connection. However, its important to consider if this level of contact is healthy for you and what kind of fundamental support you are looking for from them.

If hes reaching out and being there for you in your times of need makes you feel good, here are a few ways you can reciprocate:

Related Reading: 17 Signs He Still Loves You After The Breakup

He wants to relive a special moment with you whenever you are together, whether it be in the same room, on the phone, in person, or over social media. Hes been reflecting on the good times you two have shared. And he might already be picturing the happy times you two could share if you reconciled.

His reflection on the past could mean any of the following:

If you notice any of these characteristics in his words or actions, it might be one of the clear signs your ex is waiting for you.

When your significant other starts pulling away, it can be a confusing and stressful time. You may feel hurt, abandoned by this push-pull relationship pattern, and unsure of what to do next. Everybody deals with certain situations in their own ways. Many women get caught up on questions like what to do when he pulls away, or maybe you might ponder if the relationship is worth fighting for and if its time to go on.

But if your partner eventually comes back after pulling away, it can be a whole other emotional rollercoaster, and then you will be riddled with questions like Should I go back to my ex? On one hand, you may feel relieved and happy that he has returned. On the other hand, you may feel hesitant and uncertain about whether or not you can trust them.

So, what to do when a guy pulls away and then comes back? Here are a few steps to consider:

Before you even think about reconciling with your partner, its important to take some time for yourself. This a tailor-made advice. This is a chance to reflect on your feelings and priorities and to decide what you want in a relationship. During this time, try to focus on self-care and self-love. Do things that bring you joy. This might include:

On a similar note, give him some time as well. When he pulls away, do nothing.

Once youve had some time to process your feelings, its important to communicate with your partner about what happened. Through this, hell realize his shortcomings and work on them. Although having this starter conversations can be challenging, doing so is essential in moving forward.

During this conversation, try to be honest and open about your feelings. Talk about why your partner pulled away and how it made you feel. Also, let him know what you need to feel loved and supported in the relationship.

Related Reading: 11 Ways To Improve Communication In Relationships

If you decide to give him another chance, its important to set clear boundaries in the relationship. This might include setting limits on how much time you spend together or establishing rules about communication and trust. These boundaries can help to create a sense of stability and security in the relationship, and also help you feel more in control.

Managing a relationship can be difficult, especially if youre dealing with trust issues or other challenges. It can be helpful to seek support from friends, family, a highly trained relationship coach, or a therapist. A therapist can provide a safe and neutral space to talk about your feelings and work through any issues that may be impacting your relationship. This can be genuinely helpful in developing coping strategies and communication skills that can be useful in the future.

After your man decides to come back, its important to take things slowly and not rush into things. This is especially true if youre feeling hesitant or unsure about the relationship. Dont make a big deal out of it. This is where you shouldnt make him feel guilty all the time. Try to focus on building trust and creating a sense of stability in the relationship. This might involve spending more time together and getting to know each other even better than before, or finding ways to show him that you care and support them.

Remember, its important to take the time to carefully consider all of these factors before deciding on getting back together with your ex. Its also a good idea to seek the advice of friends, family, or a therapist to help you weigh the pros and cons and make the best decision for yourself. To make the process a tad easier, we bring you this should I get back with my ex quiz using which you can address certain underlying questions you need to ask yourself to come to a conclusion:

If youve answered yes to more than 6 of these questions, you could consider getting back together with your ex. While yeses or nos in a quiz cannot be the only parameter influencing your decision, this should I get back with my ex quiz should help you understand your feelings about your ex and the relationship in a better light, which can lead to you making a healthier decision for yourself.

In conclusion, several signs could suggest a man who has backed off will turn around. These consist of maintaining contact, making an attempt to visit you, body language, displaying possessiveness or jealousy, expressing regret or remorse, and indicating a behavior change.

For all we know, pulling away could just be his defense mechanism to avoid conflicts. But its crucial to keep in mind that these indications are not promises and shouldnt be used to infer something about someones thoughts or intentions. Dealing with a partner who comes back after pulling away can be a challenging experience. It is best to look out for all the signs youll get back together and have an honest chat with the person in question if you are unclear about where you stand with them.

If He Loves You He Will Come Back No Matter What!

5 Odd Signs That He Loves You

21 Sure-Shot Signs Your Ex Is Becoming Interested Again

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11 Promising Signs He Will Come Back After Pulling Away And ... - Bonobology.com

Its a tale as old as timegirl meets boy, girl falls for boy, and girl talks to best friend on the phone for months ad nauseam about the anxious doldrums of a situationship. Said girl, well call her Carrie, talked to her best friend Miranda on the phone for months about this tepid romance with a Massachusetts boy who was very boring, but also not very nice. Miranda was patient with the spiraling conversations about Mr. Boringfriends can be tedious, but being annoying isnt a sin, right? One day, the tables turned and Mirandas own boyfriend broke up with her. She texted Carrie, Hey me and Steve just broke up and its been really painful. Can we talk on the phone? Carrie replied: You know Ive been going through a lot with my own romantic life and I dont have the bandwidth to take on any more right now. We can talk on the phone but Id prefer if we didnt talk about that.

A friend relayed this story to me and once I was done cackling, I felt bad for Miranda. The comical unfairness is blatant, but what stuck with me was the negotiation. The idea that Carrie was willing to have a conversation if Miranda was willing to ignore the central crisis in her life. She offered to go through the overtures of friendship with none of the substance. In that moment, empathy was a currency that Carrie wasnt willing to spend. It confused me so deeply that Im still trying to untangle the tactlessness of that exchange months later. Was it the disingenuous formality? Denying permission to have emotions? Defining your capacity to give a shit? I tried to dress it up with a lot of analysis, but at the end of the day, I was just left with an eerie feeling. Put simply, it gave me the creeps.

For the record, Im no Miss Congeniality. I love a hard boundary. I love Airplane Mode. I have enough unread texts, e-mails, and Instagram notifications to give a Virgo a heart attack. Weve all negotiated dicey boundaries, heartbreaking friend breakups, and the long-con ghosting of that annoying person who only talks about themselvesbut the above conversation is pointing to a much more sinister trend. I feel the need to emphasize that yes, self-care is good. Yes, boundaries are healthy. Yes, we all have an elastic emotional bandwidth that we need to protectput your mask on before helping another passenger, blah blah blahbut the fact that I have to defensively explain these definitions is part of the issue. There has been a flattening of language that leaves conversations devoid of nuance. Self-care = good. Boundaries = good. Positive thinking = good. If for any reason you exceed the appropriate limit: Toxic. Toxic self-care. Toxic positivity. Toxic individualism.

The language itself is overplayed and hyperbolic, but there is a common thread in all these trends: Western individualism run amok. In America, self-care was divorced from its roots of avoiding burnout and mutated into rampant narcissism. My favorite spoof of this phenomenon is the Instagram account @power.of.self.care, mostly because when their posts pop up in my feedlike, Always prioritize comfort over growth. Read that again.the aesthetic and language are almost indistinguishable from all the other sincere self-care messaging I see online. We all cringed at that I am actually at my emotional capacity meme template that made the rounds in 2019, satirizing the cut-and-paste ease with which you can dismiss a friend in an emotional crisis. America went ahead and did what it does best: took (largely Eastern) concepts of wellness and mindfulness and tried to shove it into the machine of capitalism. It used to be: Take care of yourself so you can best care for your community. Fill your own cup before trying to fill others. Americas rugged, pistol-swingin individualism made a drastic edit: Take care of yourself so you can best care for yourself. Fill your own cup, so your cup is always at its fullest. In short: everyone elses needs are a constant threat to your own self-improvement.

This isnt a bi-partisan issue. Yes, radical individualism is well-illustrated in the anti-masker protests. The idea that a slight inconvenience is not worth the health and safety of our society as a wholeany degree of discomfort is a violation of our freedom. But Carrie and Miranda are staunchly democratic, vaxxed-up, mask-wearing liberals. We liberals are all about compassion, and yet, the same callous individualism still pops up. When I was at my liberal arts college in Boston, a girl in my co-op made a spreadsheet for her social engagements. To be clear, this existed so her friends could make appointments to hang out with her. After marveling at the pompousness of said spreadsheet, it clued me in on a core idea: the commodification of our personal time.

At the center of all this toxic individualism, toxic self-care, and toxic positivity is the same idea: Friendship is a reciprocal exchange of goods, you must optimize the time to fulfill your greatest potential, and anything that isnt directly related to your personal journey is a waste of time. It has evolved into a brutal formalization of conversations. I grant you permission to talk, with the understanding that every moment that goes by is a vampiric draining of my bandwidth. When I am at capacity, I will ask permission to waste someone elses precious energy. When did it become implicit that friendships are about merely tolerating another person while they talk about themselves? Call me old-fashioned, but I love my friends. Their thoughts and feelings are exciting to me. When they are in pain, I dont hesitate to help. Yes, sometimes its at an inconvenient time, but we figure it out. Talking to them doesnt feel like passing a conversational batonwhen you have the talking stick, you get to monologue about yourself.

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Has Toxic Self-Care Sparked An Empathy Crisis? - Coveteur

Getty / JLco - Julia Amaral The Third Mercury Retrograde of 2023 Is Lighting Up Your Healing Era

The time between the tail end of August and the beginning of September tends to host both last summer hurrahs and our initial flirtations with fall. In other words, it's the perfect transitional season. By the end of that transition, you can't help but hope to feel like you're stepping into a whole new chapter. But unfortunately, that new chapter might be a tiny bit delayed in 2023, thanks to the third Mercury retrograde of the year.

When the planet of communication, transportation, and technology appears to move backward from our vantage point on Earth, we're nudged to review, reflect, and revise, as opposed to pushing forward on new endeavors. Occurring in Virgo, the service-oriented mutable earth sign symbolized by the Maiden, Mercury's backspin officially kicks off on Aug. 23 and wraps up on Sept. 15. Thankfully, understanding the themes of this particular Mercury retrograde can help you make the most of it.

To get a sense of what Mercury retrograde entails, it can help to understand how the planet functions when it's direct (or moving forward). Typically, Mercury, the messenger planet, speeds up our ability to connect, supports our mental energy, and keeps technology and transportation running smoothly. But three to four times a year, for three weeks at a time, it appears to slow down and move backward through the zodiac. And when this happens, miscommunications abound, transportation gets hairy, and our devices glitch out.

But again, it's not all doom and gloom. The planet of communication's frequent slowdowns encourage us to rest, recharge, take a step back, and contend with the past in order to make room for the future.

Mercury is retrograde in Virgo (ruled by communicator Mercury itself) from Aug. 23 to Sept. 15. As such, the overall tone of this particular retrograde is cerebral and self-reflective. It might also bring more blasts from your past social life as a result of Venus, the planet of relationships, being retrograde as well from July 22 to Sept. 3. You will most likely run into people who are total blasts from the past, have to figure out how to text - or avoid texting - an ex, and take special care to avoid misunderstandings in one-on-one bonds.

Thanks to Virgo's influence, it's actually an ideal retrograde for research, revision, and editing anything that has been throwing off your inner balance, especially on a day-to-day basis. The detail-oriented earth sign is, after all, associated with the sixth house of wellness and daily routine.

That said, Mercury's retrograde in Virgo can compel you to tackle everyday to-dos that you've put on the back burner and also rethink how you're caring for your health and being of service to others and to yourself. While fellow earth sign Taurus tends to get all the credit for being the sign that innately values self-care, one of the Maiden's key lessons is self-love and self-acceptance. So don't be surprised if you find you're being tested on these themes - and find yourself stumbling into sweet, everyday opportunities to hone how you're caring for yourself not only physically but also emotionally and mentally.

Given the cerebral and self-improvement vibes of this retrograde, these three weeks can be a wonderful time to go even further with ongoing self-work. Keep in mind that, around this time, you may also find yourself revisiting themes that came up around Aug. 3-23, when Mercury was cruising ahead through this same spot in the sky.

To better understand how you'll experience these often confusing but ultimately enlightening three weeks, read on for your Mercury retrograde horoscope, and be sure to read not only your sun sign but also your rising sign.

The messenger planet's backspin in your sixth house of wellness and daily routine will turn your focus to health matters. If it's been a minute since you've gotten a particular checkup or you're itching to rework your fitness routine, now's your chance.

The trickster planet heads back through your fifth house of romance, potentially stirring up communication with old flames but also encouraging you to revisit a favorite date-night spot or go back to the drawing board on an artistic undertaking.

Mercury retrogrades just about always clobber you over the head because the messenger planet is your ruler, Gemini. This time, Mercury moves backward through your fourth house of home life, nudging you to tend to any loose ends related to family issues or, quite literally, your home.

The messenger planet cruises back through your third house of communication, so don't be surprised if those classic retrograde tech glitches and misunderstandings rear their ugly heads. It's a reason to slow down and be more intentional about how - and with whom - you're exerting your social energy.

The messenger planet's backspin in your second house of income is an opportunity to revisit your budget, values, moneymaking game plans, and relationship to material possessions. You'll also do well to reflect on whether you're being adequately valued for what you bring to the table in business endeavors.

The planet of communication lands back in your sign and first house of self, which can help you revise the way you're putting yourself out in the world. You might want to edit your rsum, rework your website, or refresh your wardrobe ahead of pursuing a major personal goal.

As Mercury moves backward through your 12th house of spirituality this time around, you might feel a bit stalled and sleepy. But you can also pour your energy into imaginative pursuits and mind-body routines you've previously adored.

Mercury's backspin through your 11th house of networking can help you revisit collaborative undertakings, team efforts, and platonic bonds that'll have you feeling more connected. Sure, wires could get crossed with colleagues and friends, but you can reframe these moments as opportunities to hone communication skills in this context as well as your sense of teamwork.

Mercury moves back through your 10th house of career, which allows you a chance to reflect on your approach to long-term professional goals. Now's your chance to review and revise your game plan for making your mark and earning recognition for putting your nose to the grindstone.

As Mercury moves back through your ninth house of adventure and higher learning, you might be inspired to hit the books, brushing up on a particular skill set or planning a trip to a beloved long-distance spot where you previously spent time. Yep, even though you always hear that travel is a no-no during Mercury retrograde, revisiting a place from the past could lead to personal growth.

Mercury's backspin in your eighth house of intimacy requires you to review joint resources and what makes you feel comfiest when connecting with someone special physically and emotionally. Initiating tough conversations about past emotional wounds might not feel like the easiest thing to do, but it can be incredibly healing now.

Mercury will move backward through your seventh house of partnership, which urges you to reflect on your one-on-one relationships, reciprocity within these bonds, and goals you're working toward with a friend, colleague, partner, or loved one. It's time to address unfinished business as part of a pair.

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The Third Mercury Retrograde of 2023 Is Lighting Up Your Healing Era - msnNOW

Aries: The alignment of the planets suggests that your career may take an unexpected turn today. It could be in the form of a new project, a promotion, or even a job offer from a different company. Embrace these opportunities, but remember to evaluate them carefully before making any hasty decisions. Trust your instincts, but also rely on your rational thinking to make a well-informed choice.

Taurus: Stay focused and prioritise your tasks accordingly to ensure you meet your deadlines today. Collaboration and teamwork will play a crucial role in getting the work done on time. Engage with your colleagues and leverage their expertise to enhance your own performance. Share your ideas and listen to the input of others. This will not only lead to better outcomes but also help foster a positive and supportive work environment.

Gemini: Although it's natural to be excited about your prospects and eager to prove yourself, it's important to temper that enthusiasm with humility and self-awareness today. Keeping your ego in check allows you to cultivate healthy relationships and navigate the professional landscape more effectively. Unnecessary conflicts or power struggles can hinder your progress and create a negative work environment.

Cancer: Today is an exceptional day for you to unleash your creativity and push the boundaries of conventional thinking. It is an opportunity to step into uncharted territory. By embracing your imaginative ideas and a unique perspective, you have the power to distinguish yourself from your peers and captivate those in positions of authority. This will enable you to uncover hidden opportunities and undiscovered potential.

Leo: This is an excellent time to invest in self-development. Consider attending workshops, enrolling in online courses, or seeking mentorship from seasoned professionals. The more knowledge and skills you acquire, the more valuable you become in your industry. Continual learning will not only expand your horizons but will also equip you with the tools needed to thrive in an increasingly competitive job market.

Virgo: Challenges may arise today in the form of unexpected obstacles or conflicts with colleagues. Stay calm and composed in these situations, as your diplomatic skills will be essential in resolving conflicts and finding mutually beneficial solutions. Avoid getting caught up in office politics and stay focused on your goals. Your ability to adapt and find common ground will be appreciated by your superiors.

Libra: While the day promises many positive opportunities, it is essential to maintain a balanced approach. Don't get overwhelmed by the demands of your career. Remember to take breaks, relax, and recharge your energy. Self-care and maintaining a healthy work-life balance will contribute to your long-term success and well-being. Engage in some activities that help rejuvenate your mind and body.

Scorpio: Today is a propitious day to start exploring your career change or pursuing a new path. Embrace your aspirations, trust your instincts, and seek guidance to navigate this transformative journey successfully. Remember that a career change is not an overnight process; it requires careful planning, research, and dedication. Take the time to explore different industries and network with professionals.

Sagittarius: Effective communication is crucial for conveying ideas clearly and minimizing misunderstandings. When expressing your thoughts, it is important to be mindful of your communication style to ensure that your message is understood accurately. Additionally, be mindful of the tone and style of your communication. Use a respectful and considerate approach and avoid ambiguous statements.

Capricorn: Your eloquence and persuasive skills will help you navigate complex situations with ease. You'll excel in presentations, negotiations, and meetings, leaving a lasting impression on those around you. Your ideas and opinions will be highly sought after, and people will be more than willing to listen to what you have to say. People will seek your counsel, eager to benefit from your insights and perspectives.

Aquarius: You may feel a desire for intellectual stimulation and learning today. You have a curious mind, and today you may find yourself drawn to acquiring new knowledge or exploring innovative ideas. Engage in professional development activities or seek out mentors who can help you expand your skillset and broaden your horizons. By actively pursuing intellectual stimulation, you open doors to new opportunities and foster personal growth.

Pisces: This is the time to focus on your emotional well-being in the workplace. Take note of any emotional triggers or stressors and seek ways to address them. Creating a harmonious and supportive work environment will not only benefit you but also enhance your productivity and effectiveness. Strike a balance between your own needs and the demands of your work. Practicing stress-management techniques will help you maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Neeraj Dhankher

(Vedic Astrologer, Founder - Astro Zindagi)

Email: info@astrozindagi.in, neeraj@astrozindagi.in

Url: http://www.astrozindagi.in

Contact: Noida: +919910094779

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