For some, change might mean a new career or starting a new business; for others, it might be a healthier body or a more peaceful mind. And still others might look beyond themselves to work for a better world. We want to try to make sense of the vast landscape known as "self-help" or "self-improvement" so that people can find the answers that best fit their needs.

There are countless websites that espouse a particular point of view and sell products based on that doctrine. Each claims to have "the answer" to a healthier body, financial success, a loving relationship – in short, to a happier, more fulfilling life. Some offer valuable insight, and some, frankly, are a waste of time and money. How does someone navigate this ocean of information to find just the right "answer"? You 2.0 is a clearinghouse for ideas, bringing together articles, opinions, stories, and resources from a variety of fields and giving its members the tools to define and chart their path to personal reinvention. Read our Mission Statement.

Main Sections
To organize things, we’ve divided this landscape into four main interest areas, each further broken into three subcategories:

Your Job: This section covers Careers, Money, and Entrepreneurs.

• The Careers section examines the professional world. Are you satisfied with your job, and if not, what can you do to change that? How do you find a profession that will fulfill you? There is practical career advice for those looking to change jobs and those trying to get ahead in their current position.
• The Money section looks at our relationship to money – the limits it places on us and the opportunities it affords. There is advice on money management, retirement planning, and how to finance your dreams.
• The Entrepreneur section is aimed at people who want to be their own boss. There is information on the financial, organizational, and legal issues inherent in starting a new business. Members can also discuss their business ideas and get advice and feedback.

Your Body: This section covers Health, Fitness, and Beauty.

• The Health section discusses issues such as nutrition, weight-loss programs, supplements, ending bad habits, and other approaches to better health. The key focus is lifestyle changes, not just a quick fix.
• The Fitness section looks at exercise programs, yoga, strength training, and other active ways to build a better, stronger body. Our members rate fitness chains and the newest products – what works and what doesn’t.
• The Beauty section looks at ways to improve and reinvent your appearance through makeovers, fashion, and the newest styles. We also examine surgical options and who may or may not benefit from them.

Your Mind: This section covers Learning, Spirit, and Empowerment.

• The Learning section provides information on life-long learning. We look at options for professional and personal enrichment through education, and explain how to achieve the new skills necessary for the new you. This section also covers the growing field of life-coaching.
• The Spirit section shines a light on the inner you through the discussion of religion, spirituality, and the pursuit for something beyond the self to find inner peace and fulfillment.
• The Empowerment section deals with overcoming obstacles and taking control of your life. Some of the areas covered in this section are dealing with fear and anxiety, procrastination, being more assertive, and giving yourself permission to relax and enjoy life.

Your World: This section covers Family, Relationships, and A Better World.

• The Family section examines how to redefine connections with spouses, children, and the extended family. It also discusses ways to bring family into the reinvention process.
• The Relationships section covers dating, friends, and your social network. We have advice on finding your soulmate, dealing with divorce, and ways to make new friends and social connections.
• The Better World section is a resource for people who’d like to make a difference in the world. It covers volunteering and social activism, and gives members advice on offering their time, talent, and money to organizations seeking change. There are also discussions on the environment and living in greater balance with the natural world.

Expert Advice and Articles

The site has an ever-expanding archive of expert articles in each of the main interest sections. There will be original pieces, reprints of recognized and classic articles, interviews with noted personalities, and excerpts from current and upcoming books. We think that information is the key to change, and our content will always be challenging, entertaining, and driven by ideas. Members have the opportunity to rate and comment on any article, and there are profiles of the authors, offering an additional showcase for their work.

Real Stories of You 2.0 Members

One of the most important elements of the site, we believe, are the member stories. Members can submit stories about their own personal reinvention – stories of success and stories of ongoing struggle. It's important that for our readers to know that they are not alone – that there are others who have made this journey and whose stories can provide valuable insight into the process. We constantly rotate a new group of these stories on our homepage, and we make all of the stories available through a searchable archive.

Group-Help and Forums

We believe that there’s only so much a person can do by themselves. We want You 2.0 to go beyond "self-help" into what we're calling "group-help". A moderated, members-only forum area is the basis for much of this – a place where members can share ideas, ask for information, and provide help and encouragement to one another. The forum area will be split along the lines of the major sections, and will be accessible in a variety of ways from throughout the site. In the future, we hope to expand this central concept to include mentoring, development workshops, and other group-oriented features.

My Page: Personal Journals and Tools

Each member has their own personal homepage, where they can save references to articles, stories, events, and resources that interest them. From this personal page, they can also maintain their member profile, the list of groups to which they belong, and their list of friends. Each member can also keep an on-line journal, where they can track their progress. Members have complete control over whether and how much of their profile, journal entries, and other personal information is available to their friends or to the public.

Events

We have a constantly updated list of local and national events of interest to our members. An event may be a seminar, class, talk, lecture, meeting, club, convention, retreat, or anything else that our members might want to know about. We’re working with partners to provide constantly updated event listings from throughout the country (and in the future, beyond the US). Members will be able to search for events in their local area or in their area of interest, and they’ll also be able to add to this database.

Resources: Books, Video, Audio, and Seminars

The site has a resource section that features books, DVDs, videos, cds, audio titles, and magazines that we have selected and that our members have recommended. Members can rate and comment on these titles, and through our arrangements with Amazon, Audible, and other partners, they can also purchase them and view additional reviews and comments. There is also a resource section for seminars offered by some of the leading names in the field, such as Brian Tracy, Marianne Williamson, and Anthony Robbins, to name just a few.

Service Directory: Local Businesses and Resources

Our Service Directory is a database of local businesses and professionals providing a broad range of transformative products and services. We have listings for coaches, financial consultants, bookstores, health & fitness professionals, organizations of all types, and many other categories of interest to our members. It's easy to search, and it's full of fascinating and informative listings near you.

Newsletters

In the coming months, we will be rolling out a set of free email newsletters to those members and visitors who have signed up for them. The first to roll out will be the main You 2.0 E-Letter, called “Reinvention”. It will reference feature articles, stories, and news from the four main sections of the site, along with a featured book review and tips from our members. We’ll also have section-specific newsletters focused on Career/Money, Health/Fitness, Mind/Spirit, and Relationships/World.