The Happiness Makeover: Teach Yourself to Enjoy Every Day (from the Author of Attitudes of Gratitude)

I can't say enough to recommend this book to anyone dissatisfied or uninspired by other self-help books, particularly on depression. Other books focus on the problem and how to survive and maybe, if you're really good, get back to normal. This surprises you with the not-so-obvious to some of us Obvious - there's actually a wide range of happy space beyond normal. It avoids making you wallow in the problem all over again just to solve it, something that's turned me off in the past, despite my desperation to get out of depression. For reference, I've been suffering with severe depression for the past 2 years, and in the past two months alone have lost my major relationship, daughter, 2 friends, and changed jobs. I picked this book up on a whim and it's been the ONLY book that worked for me. It's written in bite-sized chunks, so you can pick and choose what ideas feel right for you. It's written in an engaging not clinical way. Give it a try!

I love books that change my outlook on life. (For the better). This book does this for me. I read it through first. Now I keep it in my backpack and take it out every day and read one chapter. I have several chapters marked that I review even more often. I am a nurse. I bought extra copies of this book and I have given it to some of my patients and coworkers. This is a great book. If any one else has recommendations of books helps keep a positive outlook on life..... feel free to email me.

I picked this book up at my local library in the "New Books" section. Boy, am I glad I did. I am only halfway through this book, but I have learned SO much about happiness. I have read zillions of self-motivation books, etc over the years, and NONE of them explain the road to happiness like this one. I will purchase this book, because I know that I will want to dog-ear and revisit this book over and over again. Highly recommended!!!

Despite the affluence of the Western lifestyle, many people aren't happy, and the numbers of unhappy and depressed people is ever increasing. Seemingly we don't know how to live our lives in a satisfied way - how to draw contentment, happiness, maybe even a little joy, from our lives on a daily basis. This little book has so much wisdom to offer on this topic. It is a true gem drawing from Eastern and Western wisdom traditions, including positive psychology and is a blend of philosophical, spiritual, emotional and practical perspectives. It contains very readable short chapters, 17 looking at what stands in the way of living happier lives, and then 36 on real, practical ways to improve one's happiness. These can range from learning to think more optimistically, working out and embracing what your "flow" activities are, practicing gratefulness, finding your "tribe", revelling in life's simple pleasures, and the ultimate wisdom: "what are you waiting for?" The author quotes Lao Tzu - "this is it", our life is now, and happiness is for today, not tomorrow, or when we have some particular set of circumstances in our life that we think we need. There is page after page of practical wisdom in this little book - and once finished, it can be kept close at hand, to be picked up again and again, to take in something new, or to refresh oneself if need be. There is enough practical wisdom in there to keep a person working joyously on enhancing their life's contentment, happiness and joy for the rest of their life! There is finally a section containing 22 "instant happiness boosters", and also an excellent bibliography for further reading if desired. You can also join a mailing list for a "daily happiness booster" - a daily email with an excerpt from one of the chapters - it's a great way to keep refreshed on what you have read and may well be trying to put in place in your daily life.

This title intrigued me after reading about it in Life Magazine. Ryan is a life coach who says you can teach yourself to look on the brighter side of life. Sure your life may be complicated and sad things happen, but apparently you can train your brain to be more upbeat. One exercise was to make a list of three good things from each day. Maybe it's just something small, like "I'm glad that I didn't lose my temper when my boss reprimanded me." Maybe it's focusing on the beauty that is around us, like "Seeing the egret fly by was a treat." Eventually this attitude adjustment will become a routine part of our thinking. Sure can't hurt to try. I signed up for the daily e-mails (happiness boosters) from this author. They're great and remind you to put into practice what you learned from reading the book.