18 years ago I hit a personal low point in my life. Feeling totally lost and miserable, I realized how clueless I was about how to make my life work. This proved quite helpful, as I decided from that point on that I was open to looking outside of myself for assistance and committed to doing whatever it took to grow my happiness (that’s also where this blog gets it’s name: My Happiness Obsession).
There have been MANY tools (workshops, books, and recordings) that have helped me in this quest. I would like to list a few of them here (Note: this post is mostly not about artistic inspirations, rather it is about “self-help” type resources):
Workshops/Events:
Sterling Men’s Weekend: This program taught me many lessons about being a man, and this has proven invaluable in my relationships, especially with my wife.
Landmark Forum: This program helped give me clarity that guided me to start piano teaching and playing piano shows. It helped me in my communication and ways of being with other people. It also is where I met my wife.
Peak Potentials Millionaire Mind Intensive/Enlightened Warrior Training Camp: This program excited me to think differently about my attitudes about money and success. I also came back from Enlightened Warrior Training Camp and promptly proposed to my then-girlfriend (now wife of 6 1/2 years… are you sensing a theme here?).
Tim Sweeney’s Music Strategies: Although this relationship ended quite abruptly and badly, for reasons I won’t go into here, Tim’s Music Strategies was revelatory: a weekend workshop about how to succeed as an artist, including the importance of valuing your own art and who you are as an artist. R.I.P Tim, as he passed away several years ago.
Books and Recordings:
Anything by Jerry and Esther Hicks. I love the “Abraham” series. Their insight into the Law of Attraction is just awesome. I have mostly listened to recordings, these days on Youtube, and have also read several of their books.
The Conversation with God series, by Neale Donald Walsch. My brother-in-law (then my sister’s new boyfriend) introduced me to this series back around the time when I started to turn things around in my life. This book awakened in me a spirituality and sense of the divine that had been dormant or non-existent before this. The magical nature of the narrative, and the uplifting vision of a Higher Power who loves us unconditionally was just what I didn’t know I had been searching for.
Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. A revelatory book full of divine inspiration. I’m still learning to master its teachings.
As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen. A simple volume all about the power of our thoughts. Go read it (or download it as a free audio download from Librivox, as I did).
The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne (both book and movie). This magical contribution to life on this planet arrived into my life when it was just becoming a world-wide sensation. I have heard numerous people criticize it as being overly simplistic about manifestation, yet to me it was an awesome introduction to the Law of Attraction.
The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron. One of the books that truly shaped my artistic life. The morning pages exercise has been a nearly constant companion for me for 16 years, since I first went through the workbook. I credit it with instilling me the total confidence I have in my creative powers, and the ready access I feel at any moment to create. The fact that I never feel a single moment of “writer’s block” (nor do I really believe it exists) I can attribute to how I took on the teachings of this book.
Money: Master the Game, by Tony Robbins. The King of self-help wrote an amazingly insightful book on money a few years ago. I devoured it, and promptly became a disciple of its teachings about savings and investing money (something I had not done with any consistency). The book also introduced me to the world of personal financial literature (and to Vanguard, of which I am a huge fan), and I have since read dozens of books on the subject. Thank you Mr. Robbins!
Very helpful blog for anyone looking for exceptional, yet accessible resources!