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Taking everything in your life into consideration today, how happy are you? Were you born a happy person or do you have to find your happiness? Is there a "happiness gene" or an "unhappiness gene"? Much has been studied and written on the subject of depression, but only in more recent years have psychologists, philosophers and religious leaders done in-depth research on what make humans happy. Contrary to popular assumptions, studies show that wealth doesn't do it, nor beauty, nor youth, nor education, nor sunny days. The good news is that we can change our happiness levels (up or down) and the experts are pretty much in agreement of "how" to become happier. Here are some titles to help you explore the latest research and the nature of "happiness."
19 listings found. |
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Byrne, Rhonda The Secret Essentially, the "Great Secret" has been found in most of the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies for centuries. Modern-day interpretations have been used to achieve money, health, relationships, and happiness. Practitioners reveal that you will begin to understand the power within you to bring joy to every aspect of you life. Also on DVD. 2006 Appears on the following book lists:
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Gilbert, Daniel Todd Stumbling On Happiness This one is not a guide on how to be happy, but presents scientific reasearch about how little we seem to know about what makes us happy. In a fascinating, entertaining and enlightening discussion the author maintains that we are the only animals that can plan and predict our futures. We think we shape our own lives but Daniel Gilbert believes we often steer ourselves wrong because our imaginations about our futures are not really very imaginative. Can this change? Also in CD format. 2006 Appears on the following book lists:  Science and Nature
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Gitomer, Jeffrey H. Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude It's no secret that attitude affects successful outcomes. Yet, there is more to forming a "Yes Attitude" than just positive thinking. Gitmore offers a game plan to help you understand, apply his ideas, practice, reinforce and become proficient to finally master and maintain a lifelong "Yes! Attitude." 2007 | ||||
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Haidt, Jonathan The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom "What should I do, how should I live, and whom should I become?" This is a book about ten Great Ideas. Chapters offer investigations into and insights about how the human mind works; the "Golden Rule" and why it is so hard to follow; where happiness comes from; therapy for the depressive mind, and a "happiness" formula: H = S + C + V. Read to find out what it means. 2006 | ||||
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Hecht, Jennifer Michael The Happiness Myth: Why What We Think is Right is Wrong Well, here is another perspective-- contrary, provocative, irreverent, challenging and perverse. (For example, this little piece of advice: "Even if you are feeling dark and hopeless, stay alive, because you will experience some inexplicable waves of happiness.") Our assumptions about what constitutes happiness and the cultural history of shifting ideas about happiness are explored in chapters on "Wisdom," "Drugs," "Money," Bodies," and "Celebration." What, if not these things, really makes us happy? Turns out, it's really quite simple. 2007 | ||||
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Hobbs, Carolyn Joy No Matter What: Make 3 Simple Choices to Access Your Inner Joy Life can deal you a lousy hand. No Kidding! Life can be hard, but the author maintains that you are the one who limits the joy that "lives deep in your core." In a three-step approach, always available to you, you can tap this inner resevoir of joy. The secret is in choosing how we respond to our outer circumstances and learning how to respond differently. This book is filled with examples of how others have found inner joy to create new reactions, behaviors and beliefs. Read and see what happens. 2005 | ||||
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Holden, Robert Be Happy : Release the Power of Happiness in You Holden is the Director of "The Happiness Project" and was featured on Oprah and in two BBC-TV programs, viewed by more than 30 million people. His eight week happiness course introduces you to step-by-step principles and exercises to help you live a happier life-right now. 2009 | ||||
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Jamison, Kay R. Exuberance: The Passion for Life I think this is my favorite one on this list for it is a quirky wander through all sorts of upbeat stuff about people, animals, creativity, celebrations, play, discovery, science, competition, challenge, enthusiasm --anything that has positive energy and transforming passion. Is exuberance contagious? Are we born that way or can we learn? Yes! Yes! Read to find out why and how. 2004 | ||||
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Kelly, Matthew Perfectly Yourself: 9 Lessons for Enduring Happiness Life's big questions: Who am I? What am I here for? Kelly uses examples from world religions and philosophies to suggest reasonable goals, manageable steps, self-discipline, ways to identify progress, finding strengths for building character and happiness. The idea is to become yourself, but the "very best version" of yourself. 2006 | ||||
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Klein, Stefan The Science of Happiness: How Our Brains Make Us Happy This study discusses some of the latest research in brain science to help us understand our quest for happiness and lust for life that is inborn in us. Two major insights were found: 1) brains have a special circuitry for joy and pleasure and 2) the adult brain continues to change, constantly making new connections in our network of nerve cells. Does this mean you can improve your happiness quotient? Can you reprogram your brain? Here's a little hint. Smile. 2006 | ||||
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Lyubomirsky, Sonja The How of Happiness : a Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want The How of Happiness is a different kind of happiness book, one that offers a comprehensive guide to understanding what happiness is, and isn't, and what can be done to bring us all closer to the happy life we envision for ourselves. Using more than a dozen uniquely formulated happiness-increasing strategies, The How of Happiness offers a new and potentially life-changing way to understand our innate potential for joy and happiness as well as our ability to sustain it in our lives. Book description. 2008 | ||||
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Pert, Candace B. Everything You Need to Know to Feel Go(o)d If you have seen or read, "What the Bleep Do We Know?" (hot book and DVD this year), you may recognize the author, Candace Pert. In this book, which is culled from various lectures and presentations, Pert introduces some practical, but unconventional concepts you may never have considered about body/mind/spirit. She believes that we are all "hardwired" for joy and that feeling good and feeling God are one and the same. 2006 Appears on the following book lists: Healing Touch | ||||
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Pollan, Stephen M. It's All in Your Head: Thinking Your Way to Happiness This is an inspiring guide to help you realize that everyone has the potential to be happy. You have all you need within you, it is not external nor outside of self. The search for it must come from attitudes and thoughts within. The authors offer a simple way to be happier and more fulfilled by benefiting from using the "eight essential secrets to personal peace and self-esteem." Includes Appendix with "How to be Happy" exercises. Also in large print. 2005 Appears on the following book lists: At Home Reader May 2006 | ||||
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Reeve, Susyn Choose Peace & Happiness: a 52-Week Guide Based on the idea that "Thoughts held in mind manifest over time" or "What you think is what you get." This book offers 365 days of readings, exercises, practices and activities to create new patterns of thought and guidance on your path to making choices that will ultimately result in happiness, love and joy. 2003 | ||||
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Ricard, Matthieu Happiness: a Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill The author, translator for the Dalai Lama, asks, "What really matters most for us in life? Most would say happiness is our goal of goals. No one wants to suffer." To be happy, we need the possibilty of joy or we despair. He teaches that the potential for well-being must be cultivated. Merely to "Have" what we want is fragile. We cannot control or depend on outer conditions. It is only our inner peace and state of mind that can be developed to override adverse conditions. Ricard offers insight and exercises for this possibility. Also on CD. 2006 | ||||
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Shimoff, Marci Happy for No Reason: Seven Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out Everyone wants to be happy and the good news is that it is possible. Scientists have learned that we all have a "happiness set-point", but millions of people suffer from fear and anxiety and are on antidepressants. The author searched for "100 deeply happy" people to interview. She discovered they shared 21 habits, included in 7 steps that lead to "happy for no reason" and it is entirely doable. 2008 Appears on the following book lists: At Home Reader November 2008 | ||||
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Weiner, Eric The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World This book uses a mixture of travel, psychology, science and humor to investigate not what happiness is, but where it is. Are people in Switzerland happier because it is the most democratic country in the world? Do citizens of Singapore benefit psychologically by having their options limited by the government? Is the King of Bhutan a visionary for his initiative to calculate Gross National Happiness? Why is Asheville, North Carolina, so darn happy? NPR correspondent Weiner answers those questions and many others, offering travelers of all moods some interesting new ideas for sunnier destinations and dispositions.--From publisher description. 2008 Appears on the following book lists: At Home Reader July 2008 Travel Writing
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Weldon, Fay What Makes Women Happy Well, no cloyingly sweet little self-help recipe-for-happiness book here! Weldon, known for her feminist rants and hysterically funny satires, uses her storytelling skills, to tackle the "Big Four" reasons why women are so unhappy: despair, depression, isolation and self-doubt. Sassy moral tales, sympathetic encouragement, frank advice--"The perfect 10 minutes are well worth living for." 2007 | ||||
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Williams, Montel Living Well Emotionally: Break Through to a Life of Happiness TV show host, Williams, speaks from his own experience of feeling overwhelmed, helpless, and suffering to what he has learned about happiness. His purpose is to help guide you in your quest for serenity, satisfaction and emotional wellness. The book includes a self-test on depression; exercises for happiness; "7 breakthroughs on the road to happiness;" care of the body, care of the soul, and a well-being program of "17 powerful tips for a happier life." 2009 |
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| Updated: Sep. 2009 © Hennepin County Library We welcome your comments and suggestions. |
