The How of Happiness; A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want
New York, N.Y. Penguin Books, 2008. First Penguin Printing [stated]. Trade paperback. [16], 366, [2] pages. Cover has minor wear, soiling and sticker residue, Includes Foreword, Illustration, Appendix, Acknowledgments, Notes, and Index. . Topics covered include How to Attain Real and Lasting Happiness; Happiness Activities; and Secrets to Abiding Happiness. Also includes Appendix on Additional Happiness Activities That May Fit. "A guide to sustaining your newfound contentment." Psychology Today. . Sonja Lyubomirsky (born December 14, 1966) is an American professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside and author of the bestseller The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want, a book of strategies backed by scientific research that can be used to increase happiness. She is often quoted in news articles about positive psychology and happiness. In the book The Only Self-Help Book You'll Ever Need, a criticism of self-help books, Lyubomirsky's The How of Happiness is praised as a self-help book that has claims backed by empirical data. The book has been translated into 22 languages. Lyubomirsky is also an associate editor of the Journal of Positive Psychology. The premise of The How of Happiness is (1) that happiness is worth striving for, and (2) that 50 percent of a given human's long-term happiness level is genetically determined (based on twin studies), 10 percent is affected by life circumstances, and a remaining 40 percent of happiness is subject to self control that can make a difference. The strategies offered in the book are designed to target the 40 percent of happiness that is subject to manipulation. You see here a different kind of happiness book. The How of Happiness is a comprehensive guide to understanding the elements of happiness based on years of groundbreaking scientific research. It is also a practical, empowering, and easy-to-follow workbook, incorporating happiness strategies, exercises in new ways of thinking, and quizzes for understanding our individuality, all in an effort to help us realize our innate potential for joy and ways to sustain it in our lives. Drawing upon years of pioneering research with thousands of men and women, The How of Happiness is both a powerful contribution to the field of positive psychology and a gift to people who have sought to take their happiness into their own hands. Lyubomirsky's "happiness strategies" introduce readers to the concept of intentional activities, mindful actions that they can use to achieve a happier life. These include exercises in practicing optimism when imagining the future, instruction in how best to savor life's pleasures in the here and now, and a thoroughgoing explanation of the importance of staying active to being happy. Helping readers find the right fit between the goals they set and the activities she suggests, Lyubomirsky also helps readers understand the many obstacles to happiness as well as how to harness individual strengths to overcome them. Always emphasizing how much of our happiness is within our control, Lyubomirsky addresses the "scientific how" of her happiness research, demystifying the many myths that unnecessarily complicate its pursuit. Unlike those of many self-help books, all her recommendations are supported by scientific research. Condition: Very good.
Keywords: Happiness, Positive Psychology, Positive Thinking, Gratitude, Social Relationships, Motivation, Commitment
ISBN: 9780143114956
[Book #80887]
Price: $25.00