Visit our libraries next week for a series of free workshops for everyone aged over 55.

Workshop topics include  gardening, yoga, estate planning, jewellery care, family history, antiques and more. Interested in writing for teenagers? Come along to a workshop with award-winning author Fleur Beale. Want to get into organic gardening? Come and listen to New Zealand Gardener of the Year, Sister Loyola. There’ll be lots of opportunities to ask questions, and if you’re an antiques enthusiast coming along to our Antiques Show and Tell session with Tinakori Antiques’ John Fyson, you can even bring along your family heirlooms and find out more about them!

Interested? Make sure to check out our Living Well Workshop Programme for a full schedule of speakers and topics.

It can be difficult to find peace and quiet in today’s busy world. Anne D. LeClaire, a novelist, decided to experiment and live one day in complete silence. She found unexpected rewards and now follows this lifestyle two days every month. Her book Listening below the noise: a meditation on the practice of silence tells how periods of silence can be beneficial physically and mentally.

Dr. Kerry Spackman, a New Zealand neuroscientist, works with diverse groups of people from drug addicts, Olympic athletes and businesspeople using a ground breaking tool to improve a person’s strengths. This tool works to “rewire” the brain eliminating the negative, focusing on the positive and helps to achieve goals. Read The winner’s bible: rewire your brain for permanent change and learn these techniques.

Jacky Bowring has written A field guide to melancholy looking at the concept that sadness is a normal part of life and doesn’t need medication or self-help books. Should all sign of sadness be removed from our lives and is this a good thing?

Read these books and others on romance, understanding men and memory in this month’s Personal Development Recent Picks.

If this rings a bell, this is the book for you. Procrastination: why you do it, what to do about it by Jane Burka and Lenora Yuen examines the reasons we put things off and gives practical advice and steps to “recovery”. Pick up this book now!

It sucked and then I cried: how I had a baby, a breakdown and a much needed margarita has to be one of the best titles this year. Author Heather Armstrong gives a candid look at the ups and downs of motherhood. 

When couples get married all have the wish that this will be forever but sadly it is not always the case. Staying in love: the top secrets of great relationships by Robyn Salisbury looks at the importance of a strong physical relationship.

Read about other subjects such as loneliness, making decisions and the secret life of France in this month’s Personal Development Recent Picks.

Historically the decision-making process has been considered either a rational or an emotional one – with our head or with our heart. Following extensive research author Joanh Lehrer disputes this and in his book The decisive moment: how the brain makes up its mind he supports a combination of both. The study of “interesting” decision makers – ranging from politicians, investors, poker players to serial killers helps to answer two main questions – how the human mind makes decisions and how we can make them better.

With the increasing pressure of family, work and finances the concept of work/life balance seems a long way away. Many think or talk about it but put it in the too hard basket. James O’Loghlin’s How to balance your life: practical ways to achieve work/life balance gives a step-by-step guide to actually achieving it – the result – a life of your choice.

Jilted at the altar and having to take his pre-paid honeymoon with his brother inspired author Franz Wisner to write How the world makes love: and what it taught a jilted groom, sharing his thoughts on love. He’s not sure if he has the answers or even the right questions but his experiences trying to find love makes for a light-hearted read from a male perspective.

Enjoy these books and look at others including how to unclutter your life, how to manage mothers and why French women don’t sleep alone via this month’s Recent Personal Development Picks.

With the economic situation a concern for every-one advice that is written for a specific group is invaluable. Sheconomics : add power to your purse with the ultimate money makeover by Karen Pine and Simonne Green is a book written for women by women. The authors apply seven simple and effective principles of “sheconomics” using real-life stories and case-studies taken from their experiences and knowledge in the financial world.

Women and men see things differently. Linda Papadopoulos, author of What men say, what women hear would agree with this. What does he mean when he says you have curves and why do women ask if my bum looks big in this? Using cognitive behavioural therapy this book aims to untangle communication between the sexes.

Your  own worst enemy : breaking the habit of adult underachievement by Kenneth Christian describes what he calls self-limiting behaviours. A practical 15-step guide assists a person to change habits and take control of their future.

Find the advice you need in these books and others covering a range of topics in this month’s Personal Development Recent Picks.

This month’s personal development books focuses on relationships and gives advice on how to find your perfect match.

Why do you fall in love with the right person or the wrong person? This is the question that author Helen Fisher asks in her book Why him? Why her? : Finding real love by understanding your personality type. She has studied 40,000 men and women and has found there are four distinct types influenced by different chemicals in the brain. Identifying your correct type may lead you to Mr or Mrs Right or explain why your relationship is not working.

First comes marriage : modern relationship advice from the ancient wisdom of arranged marriages is a book discussing whether traditional marriages are relevant in modern society. Reva Seth has talked with 300 women in arranged marriages and feels that there is advice that can assist today’s women looking for a long term relationship. She has seven “secrets”. Two are “your man doesn’t have to be your best friend” and “it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t dance”. Read more to find out about the other five.

Internet dating is a modern phenomenon but what are the pitfalls. Eighty-eight dates – the perilous joys of internet dating is written by Rachel Goodchild to help potential daters avoid on-line dating disasters. These stories cover the good, the bad and the even worse!

Read more about these titles, plus other new books on transforming your life, optimism, co-dependency and fearless living via the latest Personal Development Recent Picks.

Our personal development and self help picks for July include Keri Smith’s bright and adorable ‘Living out loud : activities to fuel a creative life’ and Anneli Rufus praise of loners, ‘Party of one’. With our new books you can also find inner peace, learn horse sense and learn about the unconscious.

’21st century Thoreau’ Dan Price’s new book ‘Radical simplicity’ is featured on our Personal Development Recent Picks for June. There’s a fascinating history of happiness, advice on helping young people with stress, and an exploration of the Tibetan art of serenity.

Check out Going sane : maps of happiness by Adam Phillips, or the other great titles on our Personal development recent picks page. Topics covered include controlling anger, living as a modern pagan and a zen response to terrorism.