When you’re a kid, you don’t have to think about happiness. you wake up happy you play and you laugh, and you live in the moment. As adults with stressful lives, it’s a challenge to maintain a good spirit, let alone that kind of carefree happiness. but that doesn’t stop us from trying.
Lately there’s been an explosion of books that aim to help us find happiness, from collections of quotes with bright yellow covers to serious tomes written by psychology professors. in the middle there are many direct self-help guides and also some titles with Buddhist overtones.
You are reading: Books on how to be happy
Some of the books we chose for this list focus more on finding success, while others have a spiritual focus. but they have one thing in common: they take happiness seriously.
10% happier by dan harris
Synopsis: Meditation can help you focus on the present moment instead of worrying about the future. improve your health, sharpen your focus, and enjoy a sense of inner calm. Start by sitting quietly for five minutes and focus on your breath. learn more.
the Dalai Lama’s art of happiness
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synopsis: When life gets tough, take a step back and remind yourself of your overall purpose or goal. reflect on what will really bring you happiness and then reset your priorities accordingly; this can give you a new perspective on which direction to take.
authentic happiness by martin e.p. seligman
synopsis: what is the good life? it’s actually a simple path. A good life may be champagne and a sports car, but the good life is using your characteristic strengths every day to produce authentic happiness and abundant gratification. written by the founder of the positive psychology movement.
the four agreements of don miguel ruiz
synopsis: 1. be impeccable with your word and speak with integrity. 2. don’t take anything personally and realize that people say and do things for their own reality. 3. Don’t make assumptions and communicate clearly with others. 4. always do your best. there, now you don’t even have to read the book.
shawn achor’s happiness advantage
synopsis: insights gleaned from the harvard studies on happiness include: habits are like financial capital. building one today is an investment that will automatically pay off for years to come.
gretchen rubin’s happiness project
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synopsis: Are you focused on the things that really matter to you? Set measurable goals in an area of your life you want to improve (marriage, parenting, work, self-actualization) and build on those goals cumulatively with specific action steps. For example, boost your energy by going to bed early, staying organized, and exercising more.
brene brown’s gifts of imperfection
synopsis: giving up perfection. take risks and show your true self to the world. use courage, compassion, and connection to live a fuller life. every day think, “I am enough.”
the magic of thinking big by david j. schwartz
synopsis: believe it can be done and you will succeed. when you really believe, your mind will find a way to do it. Believing in a solution paves the way for making that solution a reality.
jeff olson’s slight edge
Synopsis: It’s great to have dreams and aspirations, says Live Happy founder Jeff Olson. but it’s the little things we do in the moment that have a cumulative and compounding effect. you can achieve anything you want, but the only way to make it happen is not through quantum leaps, but by doing the little things over and over again every day. learn more.
stumbling on happiness by daniel gilbert
Synopsis: We’re not very good at predicting what will make us happy, says Harvard professor Gilbert. challenge what your imagination dreams for the future. strike a balance between feeling good enough to deal with a situation but bad enough to do something about it. use your emotions as a compass to tell you what to do.
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