Four vital truths that self-help books fail to mention. Or why striving sucks.

“If ever I am sad or hurt or ill, I have forgotten what God thinks and put my little meaningless ideas where His Thoughts belong.” – A Course in Miracles

I know. I know. Many of my books are listed in the self-help section. But here’s why I’d like to invent a new category:

1. Striving is unnecessary. By the time we’re adults, we master a mental architecture that insists our number one job is to figure out what’s missing from our lives and to create a plan to find it.

But here’s a news flash!!! There is nothing missing. When we strive to change, we set up an energetic frequency (I always think of the cloud that followed Pig-Pen in the Peanuts cartoon) that keeps our good away.

2. In Truth, there is absolutely nothing wrong. No matter how it may appear to the naked eye, you, me, all of us are perfect just as we are. Right here, in this moment, we are perfect children of the most high F.P. When we seek to “fix” something, we only add weight to the illusion that something could be wrong. And in seeking, we train ourselves how to be broken. Wanting to change something sets off warning bells, sends up a red flare. Danger-danger, Will Robinson.

3.There’s no need to follow the seven (or eight) steps. Most of us believe there’s a linear progression. We go from A to B to C, etc. When you live in miracle mind, which is your natural state, answers arise spontaneously, people you’re meant to meet show up in the same aisle at the drug store, everything works without effort. Going from A to Z to A again is how we can fly.

4. There’s 24/7 custom-designed guidance. One size (or diet plan or strategy for meeting your soulmate) does not fit all. Everything you need to know is already inside you. The fact you look for it somewhere else is why the answers continue to elude. Any worthy pilgrimage will always bring you straight back to yourself.

So, I’d like to propose a name change. Instead of self-help, how about Self-Connecting to the Bigger Thing. Look for it at your local bookstore.

Pam Grout is the author of 17 books including E-Squared: 9 Do-it-Yourself Energy Experiments that Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality and the just-released sequel, E-Cubed, 9 More Experiments that Prove Mirth, Magic and Merriment is your Full-time Gig.