My rating:
add to my books
Loading...
The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want
A groundbreaking, practical guide to attaining happiness based on innovative scientific research, The How of Happiness is 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. Drawing upon years of her own pioneering research with thousands of men and women, psychologist Sonja Lyubomir...more
Paperback, 366 pages
Published
December 30th 2008
by Penguin (Non-Classics)
(first published January 1st 2007)
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,199)
Megan
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Mom & Becky
Recommended to Megan by:
Oprah
Excellent book on tangible ways to increase happiness in your life. Basic theory: We have a genetic happiness set point that accounts for 50% of our happiness, 10% of our happiness comes from our life's circumstances, like where we live, what car we drive, how much money we make, etc. And the remaining 40% rests in how we choose to be happy everyday (i.e. our daily activities). The book focuses on refining that 40%. All based on empirical evidence. A must read.
As someone who has been on a bit of a quest for several years now, I can say that this book illuminated a whole new corner of the tent under which all things happiness-related are kept. Sonja is a scientist in the field of positive psychology (studying what makes people happy to begin with as opposed to unraveling problems after they have manifested themselves) with a scoff-proof academic pedigree (hello, Harvard and Stanford). For anyone who has a hard time buying into things like "The S...more
Excellent advice about things you can do everyday to be happier.
I got this free from a publisher who wanted me to use it in my class. I applaud the attempt to use actual science in the oversaturated self-help happiness market. Its nice to see somebody with qualifications who actually does research on the topic writing this sort of thing. And as that genre of books go, its probably well above its peers. But I do empirical psychology for a living, and so I couldn't read it without getting into "reviewer mode". And let me tell you, there are a lo...more
view 1 comment
What are the thing's that make a person happier? The author gather's much of the research data done on happiness and lays it out for you.
There really aren't any big surprises involved here. It's stuff like exercise, having friends, being a considerate and optimistic person. Stuff like that. She comes up with a list of 12 things that any person could do to become happier in general. This after the caveat that a great deal of one's happiness seems to actually be already set b...more
Notes from Kindle:
patients who have a good understanding of the thinking behind treatments are more likely to comply with them
They devote a great amount of time to their family and friends, nurturing and enjoying those relationships. They are comfortable expressing gratitude for all they have. They are often the first to offer helping hands to coworkers and passersby. They practice optimism when imagining their futures. They savor life’s pleasures and try to live in the prese...more
patients who have a good understanding of the thinking behind treatments are more likely to comply with them
They devote a great amount of time to their family and friends, nurturing and enjoying those relationships. They are comfortable expressing gratitude for all they have. They are often the first to offer helping hands to coworkers and passersby. They practice optimism when imagining their futures. They savor life’s pleasures and try to live in the prese...more
The scientific approach to happiness is getting a lot of grant funding and media exposure lately, and this is the latest offering. As with most self-help books (because that's what this is, scientific or not), it could have been a fraction of the length and still gotten the point across. I began resenting the author's insistence on the "science" behind her strategies because let's face it, we've been instructed to exercise and eat right for quite some time. However, for some people, ma...more
I listened to this as an audio book while driving. Read by the author, it was a pleasant distraction, but unfortunately the specific happiness boosting techniques haven't stuck in my brain they way they probably would have if I'd read the text. Lyubomirsky encourages readers to focus on several strategies that will work for them (i.e. "expressing gratitude" and "savoring life"). The good news is that readers can boost happiness by using techniques that will work with their in...more
I followed the Nancy Pearl rule, though not intentionally. It was near page 50 that I decided this book was, well, ridiculous. Self-reporting of happiness? No discussion of how that might in itself be relative? That and the author's declaration, as thought it would be true of all people, that cuddling one's own child is the epitome of happiness. Uhm, I'm pretty sure those parents out there that didn't want to be parents wouldn't ALL agree with that.
I do believe that one can do t...more
I do believe that one can do t...more
The author research psychologist and University of California professor of psychology Sonja Lyubomirsky has pioneered a detailed yet easy-to-follow plan to increase happiness in our day-to-day lives-in the short term and over the long term. Beginning with a short diagnostic quiz that helps readers to first quantify and then to understand what she describes as their "happiness set point," Lyubomirsky reveals that this set point determines just 50 percent of happiness while a mere 10 per...more
Some people in their pursuit of happiness leave a trail of emotional and financial wreckage behind them, leaving those around them to wonder about human happiness, how it can best be found and whether extreme action leads to long lasting results. This book is an interesting look at many of those adages passed down to us through the generations - count your blessings, savour the moment, live in the present, variety is the spice of life - and the work done in psychology demonstrating which activit...more
This researched-based self-help book gets straight to the bottom line: happiness.
Sure, you can lose weight, get rich, and influence people, but will these things make you happier? No, according to research.
On the other hand by becoming happier, "...we not only boost experiences of joy, contentment, love, pride, and awe but also improve other aspects of our lives: our energy levels, our immune systems, our engagement with work and with other people, and our physical ...more
Sure, you can lose weight, get rich, and influence people, but will these things make you happier? No, according to research.
On the other hand by becoming happier, "...we not only boost experiences of joy, contentment, love, pride, and awe but also improve other aspects of our lives: our energy levels, our immune systems, our engagement with work and with other people, and our physical ...more
Another great book on raising your own level of happiness and in turn, raising the level of happiness in your world. I love the way that she orders the information layed out in this book. I don't agree with her viewpoints on attendance of religious institutions and I think she's not quite up to date on the research on pledges of abstinence with teens but everything else seemed to be money in the bank.
PS In her book, she cites research that states that 50% of your happiness level...more
PS In her book, she cites research that states that 50% of your happiness level...more
Fantastic book on positive psychology. In the vein of my favorite self-help type books, a good mix of science and hands-on. The thing I found most clever and useful was the quiz to determine which types of happiness-building activities would be the best fit. I wasn't super-surprised by the outcomes for me (savoring life, increasing flow experiences, building optimism, practicing gratitude), but it did help me narrow down what to look like and what to try. I think it could be easy to be overwhelm...more
I am about half-way through this book and it is beginning to annoy me a little. If you have read anything in the positive psychology vein, Seligman, Peterson or Csiksentmihalyi, this will not be new.
I know there is research behind what she is saying so I don't need to be reminded every second sentence.
I also find her very repetitive. I know it is writen for the non-expert but I really do not think there is any need to keep repeating everthing ad nauseum.
The "hows" a...more
I know there is research behind what she is saying so I don't need to be reminded every second sentence.
I also find her very repetitive. I know it is writen for the non-expert but I really do not think there is any need to keep repeating everthing ad nauseum.
The "hows" a...more
This book was appealing to me because many times I do feel like I'm not as happy as I could be. I found the topic really interesting, and the book was pretty well written overall. The basic idea is that we have a happiness "set point", and the reason why some people are happier than others is just because they are naturally, genetically born that way. However, you can raise your set point by being conscious of certain activities. Apparently 40% of your happiness can be controlled a...more
Third book in a row that I bought online and got something I didn't expect (I'm usually better at researching titles before I buy them, I swear...), though this one was not a disappointment like the previous two. I thought it would be a detailed account of the current state of research into positive psychology - the 'science of happiness'.
Rather, it briefly states the outcome of the research and goes into practical detail about how to apply the findings to your everyday life to becom...more
Rather, it briefly states the outcome of the research and goes into practical detail about how to apply the findings to your everyday life to becom...more
i skimmed it. this "sequel" of sorts to daniel gilbert's STUMBLING ON HAPPINESS is good self-help material--if you believe in that sort of thing, which, the research in this book argues you should (at least up to 40% of the time).
like gilbert's book, it's a summary of recent psychological research on "happiness," but this time with a focus on application of that research. (gilbert is a professor of psychology at harvard and lyubomirsky is one at UC Riverside.) gi...more
like gilbert's book, it's a summary of recent psychological research on "happiness," but this time with a focus on application of that research. (gilbert is a professor of psychology at harvard and lyubomirsky is one at UC Riverside.) gi...more
Jon
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people who think the picture on the cover means pie will make them happy (it won't)
Recommended to Jon by:
Costco
Shelves:
pretty-good-books
Everyone wants to be "happy", which has resulted in no less than, like, 50 million books on "how to be happy". Everyone has their own ideas on what makes people happy; who's to say who is "right" and who is "wrong"?
Well, Sonja Lyubomirsky, that's who. Because while other people are writing their books based on intuition, personal experience, limited observation, or just plain guessing, Lyubomirsky has approached the subject from a different a...more
Well, Sonja Lyubomirsky, that's who. Because while other people are writing their books based on intuition, personal experience, limited observation, or just plain guessing, Lyubomirsky has approached the subject from a different a...more
Finally some scientific research on happiness: I was recently given this book from a friend as I have suffered from moderate depression off and on for 30 years. I found it very compelling regards to the thoughts on happiness in regards to genetics, life circumstances and ones ability to influence happiness through working on it in a cognitive way. I did not really get hung up here as a previous poster on if 50% is genetics, 10% circumstances and the remaining 40% is knowledge and work ethic. It ...more
I like that this book has research to back up its' points. That is why I purchased it. I wanted to stay away from feel-good palaver and read a no-nonsense, research-supported approach to happiness techniques. That is exactly what I got. And I loved that I didn't have to read the book all the way through. I was able to jump to sections that had more importance to me at the time. And things were cross-listed. I learned a few valuable things from this book...some that I have begun to practic...more
This book is a game changer not because the information in it is so radically "new" -- your mother has been telling you to look on the bright side all your life -- but because of the scientific evidence behind what actually works. The HOW in the title is the real bonus. Lyubomirsky points out that happiness takes work - just like learning any skill - and gives a clear how-to to optimize your chances of being happy.
I highly recommend this book to anyone fascinated by the...more
I highly recommend this book to anyone fascinated by the...more
Here they are, the twelve hows:
1. Expressing gratitude
2. Cultivating optimism
3. Avoiding overthinking and social comparison
4. Practicing acts of kindness
5. Nurturing social relationships
6. Developing strategies for coping
7. Forgive
8. Increasing flow experiences
9. Savoring life’s joys
10. Committing to your goals
11. Practicing religion and spirituality
12. Taking care of your body
Happiness is my focus this ye...more
1. Expressing gratitude
2. Cultivating optimism
3. Avoiding overthinking and social comparison
4. Practicing acts of kindness
5. Nurturing social relationships
6. Developing strategies for coping
7. Forgive
8. Increasing flow experiences
9. Savoring life’s joys
10. Committing to your goals
11. Practicing religion and spirituality
12. Taking care of your body
Happiness is my focus this ye...more
I read this book for my positive psychology class and I loved it. The first part is a little slow and I don't agree with everything but the application section is amazing. I loved the ideas they had to help people increase their happiness. I also like that she backed up her suggestions with studies. I would definitely recommend this book!
This was a text for my positive psych class. Scientific research behind all of the things we know to bring happiness: service, faith, reflection, people, etc. Some very interesting research here written in regular-people terms and quite readable. More like a manual to happiness.
Lots of footnotes to back the arguments up, which is what I like to see. If you've read anything in this category (by the likes of Seligman, Frederickson et al), the stuff she says won't be much of a surprise. Nevertheless, it's helpful and well written.
Easy read. Factual, and to the point.
However, the dryness comes from stating the TRUE FACTS about happiness. It really is an outline for why so many of the things we think will make us happy, don't.
The material in this book is second to none.
However, the dryness comes from stating the TRUE FACTS about happiness. It really is an outline for why so many of the things we think will make us happy, don't.
The material in this book is second to none.
This book came up in a presentation I saw for work and I grabbed it at the library. I couldn't really get into it and everything seemed pretty obvious, but then, I'm pretty happy. Maybe you'd find it more useful if you were miserable.
An excellent distillation of positive psychology research into a how-to manual for nonscientists. The writing can be drab at times, but if you'd rather avoid reading 7-10 books on the topic, this one is the data dump you need.
I found this book extremely interesting and even took some notes. I had no idea that extensive research had been conducted on what proven activities make people happy. I look forward to practicing some of the principles myself.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Happiness | 1 | 6 | Jan 05, 2010 04:51pm |
