Can self-help books really change your life?

WHEN I was 16 I read a self-help book that changed my teenage life. It was all about achieving your goals, setting targets and doing your homework.

At the time I wasn’t doing my homework so things weren’t going well. Not doing your homework is a stressful thing because you never go into school relaxed.

The book explained that that was a pattern for life that you don’t want to fall into. I hadn’t read another self-help book until Paul McKenna convinced me to this week.

The thing is it is hard not to buy a book entitled, I Can Change Your Life In Seven Days unless you are afraid of Paul McKenna. If, when you see his little roundy head you think, ‘he’s the world famous hypnotist who’s worth millions as a direct result of helping people to stop smoking, lose weight and realise their dreams’ then why wouldn’t you buy it?

But if you’re like me — and you’re slightly afraid of his rimless glasses, his hairline and little smile — then it’s a bit more of quandary. After all, anyone could write a book that claims to be able to change a person’s life in seven days.

Here’s a simple idea I have for a book that achieves massive change in the reader’s life over 24 hours without any hypnosis. All you have to do is follow my fool-proof steps and you’ll see dramatic changes in your life or your money back:

1. Quit your job

2. Tell your family you hate them

3. Donate all your money to charity

4. Set fire to all your belongings

5. Commit a public robbery

I bought the book because, on some level, I do trust Paul McKenna. I wasn’t afraid the book would ruin my life in seven days; it was the hypnosis element that scared me and Paul McKenna himself

Gold Bar embraces pageant

.The pageant took place on Friday evening from 5 to 9 p.m. in the Gold Bar Elementary School gym. Pageant Co-Directors Patty and Katelyn Baller were humbled by both the number of participants and the size of the audience. This was their second year directing the pageant which featured 26 contestants.

The gym was bursting at the seams.

“When I walked the judges in I couldn’t believe we were standing room only,” said Patty. “Both Katelyn and I still can’t believe that we doubled our girls this year.”

The girls competed in events like talent, formal wear, introduction, interview and themed-wear in which the girls could either develop a gold-theme outfit or construct something entirely out of recycled materials.

Since taking over the pageant last year, the Ballers have shifted the emphasis to being a community service-based competition rather than just a beauty pageant. Gold Dust girls participate in numerous fundraising events throughout the year and also volunteer their time doing outreach work in the Sky Valley community.

Patty stated that the support they’ve gotten from the community has been invaluable. They are already planning on moving the pageant over to Sultan High School next year to accommodate its growth.

“We have been asked about adding a prince and or king division next year,” said Patty. “We are thinking about it.”