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Finding Hope: Searching for Happiness: Book 1
Are you suffering from stress and anxiety? Stop feeling overwhelmed by life. Finally, there's a better way to cope with life in the 21st Century. Do you ever ask yourself, "How do you release stress and tension?" The right answers often spell the difference between success and failure. It's your time to finally put an end to struggling.
With expert advice and step-by-step techniques, discover your best way to relieve stress. It is filled with valuable tips that won't weigh you down. Dr. Oliver Kent guides you through every step of the way.
This book is your passport to peace of mind for years to come!
With expert advice and step-by-step techniques, discover your best way to relieve stress. It is filled with valuable tips that won't weigh you down. Dr. Oliver Kent guides you through every step of the way.
This book is your passport to peace of mind for years to come!
164 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 6, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 1, 2020
3.5 stars.
Finding Hope: Searching for Happiness Book 1 is a self-help novel by Oliver Kent PHD.
Self-help books have never been my kind of thing and I have no others to compare Finding Hope too, but I did appreciate the positivity and optimism that radiates from its pages.
I also liked how there was many different methods given here for the reader, from using creativity, massage, mediation and even dancing to help better yourself.
There didn’t seem to be any methods or ways of thinking that hasn’t been detailed before however, and the book does end rather suddenly.
Still, I imagine if you’re seeking an uplifting experience or searching for that spark of hope, this book should help you find it.
Finding Hope: Searching for Happiness Book 1 is a self-help novel by Oliver Kent PHD.
Self-help books have never been my kind of thing and I have no others to compare Finding Hope too, but I did appreciate the positivity and optimism that radiates from its pages.
I also liked how there was many different methods given here for the reader, from using creativity, massage, mediation and even dancing to help better yourself.
There didn’t seem to be any methods or ways of thinking that hasn’t been detailed before however, and the book does end rather suddenly.
Still, I imagine if you’re seeking an uplifting experience or searching for that spark of hope, this book should help you find it.
March 12, 2018
‘Reassurance helps create hope and from this comes happiness. But you need a spark of hope first.’
Oliver Kent Ph.D is an author and teacher who passionately believes that there's no good reason to make another's life harder and that it's usually less painful to learn from someone else's mistakes. As such he's currently in the process of sharing his (often hard-won) experience through writing books that help make life a little easier. He also dances. A lot. He has published many books on the Tango as well as books on Buddhist quotations, Healing your Relationship with God, and now FINDING HOPE: SEARCHING FOR HAPPINESS: Book 1.
According to Oliver, ‘This book shows you step by step how to find and collect sparks of hope to create happiness and how to open your emotional state when it starts to close. It goes on to show how to use this to dissolve stressful memories that have got stuck in you and transform memories and experiences into happiness.’
In his Introduction Oliver outlines his message – ‘Are you happy? Everyone talks about how it important it is, but can you remember being happy? Really happy. Or is this just as good as it gets? What even is happiness? We tend to think of happiness as something that's caused by things outside us. Someone does something thoughtful for us, or we get something we really want, or perhaps we finally achieve something. Then there's the image of the Buddhist monk peacefully meditating, seemingly at the other end of the spectrum, not reliant on anything for happiness but themselves. But for many, stress has become a part of everyday life. How can we say to someone “Is this all there is?” when on the surface, we have a pretty good life? What can they say to you? At best, they'll admit to feeling the same. So what do we do? Should we try to fill our lives with getting “stuff”? Or with loved ones who care about us? Or turn inwards? The answer surprisingly, is something else. Yes, those things can help, but happiness isn't the first step. Trying to be happy is like trying to start a car. You have to make sure there's gas in the tank first. That first step is hope. For many, when you ask them what gives them hope, they'll either answer “I don't know”, or give you a platitude like “My kids.” For me, it's a seven year old girl. I was visiting a friend and his family and we'd gone to the local city. All his children were old enough to have pocket money, but only one of them hadn't spent it all! Knowing this she went into a sweetshop and totally surprised me, by buying enough sweets not just for her, but her brothers, sister, parents and me. I've told that story to many people over the years, especially when someone complains about “the youth of today”. Years later, I'd learn that her middle name is “Hope”. You don't need to travel to Tibet and meditate for hours in the snow, searching for happiness. It starts by creating enough hope to fan the sparks of happiness to life.
The book is relative brief but rich in fine ideas and help, all aspects addressed as In search of Happiness, Building Reserves, Emotions, Open and Closed, and State (‘We all have a resting state and it effects both how easily we can see sparks of hope and how effectively we can fan them into flames of happiness. It can change throughout the day, but we tend not to stay in states of extreme emotion. Emotions by their nature tend to change into other emotions.’
A sensitive poetic writer, this Oliver Kent, and one who has opened the gates to an ongoing series of books on finding happiness- a state of being for which we all long.
Oliver Kent Ph.D is an author and teacher who passionately believes that there's no good reason to make another's life harder and that it's usually less painful to learn from someone else's mistakes. As such he's currently in the process of sharing his (often hard-won) experience through writing books that help make life a little easier. He also dances. A lot. He has published many books on the Tango as well as books on Buddhist quotations, Healing your Relationship with God, and now FINDING HOPE: SEARCHING FOR HAPPINESS: Book 1.
According to Oliver, ‘This book shows you step by step how to find and collect sparks of hope to create happiness and how to open your emotional state when it starts to close. It goes on to show how to use this to dissolve stressful memories that have got stuck in you and transform memories and experiences into happiness.’
In his Introduction Oliver outlines his message – ‘Are you happy? Everyone talks about how it important it is, but can you remember being happy? Really happy. Or is this just as good as it gets? What even is happiness? We tend to think of happiness as something that's caused by things outside us. Someone does something thoughtful for us, or we get something we really want, or perhaps we finally achieve something. Then there's the image of the Buddhist monk peacefully meditating, seemingly at the other end of the spectrum, not reliant on anything for happiness but themselves. But for many, stress has become a part of everyday life. How can we say to someone “Is this all there is?” when on the surface, we have a pretty good life? What can they say to you? At best, they'll admit to feeling the same. So what do we do? Should we try to fill our lives with getting “stuff”? Or with loved ones who care about us? Or turn inwards? The answer surprisingly, is something else. Yes, those things can help, but happiness isn't the first step. Trying to be happy is like trying to start a car. You have to make sure there's gas in the tank first. That first step is hope. For many, when you ask them what gives them hope, they'll either answer “I don't know”, or give you a platitude like “My kids.” For me, it's a seven year old girl. I was visiting a friend and his family and we'd gone to the local city. All his children were old enough to have pocket money, but only one of them hadn't spent it all! Knowing this she went into a sweetshop and totally surprised me, by buying enough sweets not just for her, but her brothers, sister, parents and me. I've told that story to many people over the years, especially when someone complains about “the youth of today”. Years later, I'd learn that her middle name is “Hope”. You don't need to travel to Tibet and meditate for hours in the snow, searching for happiness. It starts by creating enough hope to fan the sparks of happiness to life.
The book is relative brief but rich in fine ideas and help, all aspects addressed as In search of Happiness, Building Reserves, Emotions, Open and Closed, and State (‘We all have a resting state and it effects both how easily we can see sparks of hope and how effectively we can fan them into flames of happiness. It can change throughout the day, but we tend not to stay in states of extreme emotion. Emotions by their nature tend to change into other emotions.’
A sensitive poetic writer, this Oliver Kent, and one who has opened the gates to an ongoing series of books on finding happiness- a state of being for which we all long.
March 11, 2018
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
To be quite honest, this book actually reminded me a lot of the DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) workbook that I have. I guess that shouldn't be too surprising since mindfulness and emotional regulation and management seem to be the hallmarks of DBT therapy and are also main themes in this book. As someone who has studied a lot of psychology and mental health therapies, I found that the advice in this book goes right along with conventional medical advice, so I have no doubt that if you apply the practices it suggests that it will indeed greatly improve your mood and outlook on life. In this world, it often can be challenging to find hope and true meaning, but helpful books like this can definitely send you off in the right direction.
To be quite honest, this book actually reminded me a lot of the DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) workbook that I have. I guess that shouldn't be too surprising since mindfulness and emotional regulation and management seem to be the hallmarks of DBT therapy and are also main themes in this book. As someone who has studied a lot of psychology and mental health therapies, I found that the advice in this book goes right along with conventional medical advice, so I have no doubt that if you apply the practices it suggests that it will indeed greatly improve your mood and outlook on life. In this world, it often can be challenging to find hope and true meaning, but helpful books like this can definitely send you off in the right direction.
July 26, 2020
Finding Hope: Searching for Happiness by Oliver Kent is a self-help guide that aims to offer advice and encouragement for a society in which mental health issues are becoming even more prevalent. Whilst this is a subject that needs development to be better understood and countered, I feel that this book missed the mark in some respects.
Now, it is in my nature to be a skeptic of self-help books, so please take my review with a pinch of salt. I have read a few self-help books before and I have attended sessions that aimed to help with mental health issues, but I have never found one that succeeded in changing my mindset. As such, Finding Hope covered issues that I have already read before and it offered nothing new to me. The advice felt a little generic, with things such as cut out caffeine, get more sleep, dance (or choose another hobby), and search for cat videos online as ways to get your ‘sparks of hope’. Because it felt a little generic, I spent a lot of this book waiting for an epiphany that did not come. I was disappointed that it didn’t arrive in the end, but then again that is my experience with these types of books.
The writing style was a bit like a textbook and it reads more like a list in parts. Furthermore, when you get to the end, the book just ends. There is no conclusion, no summary, no parting thoughts, just the feeling of being left high and dry. As such, I closed it feeling a little underwhelmed.
As stated above, I am not the sort of person that reads these sorts of books and I may have got this completely wrong: I truly hope someone reads this and collects those sparks of hope and it changes their lives for the better. But for me, I feel that this is a generic book that is in a flooded market and that there is nothing standout or revolutionary that will make it unique.
Now, it is in my nature to be a skeptic of self-help books, so please take my review with a pinch of salt. I have read a few self-help books before and I have attended sessions that aimed to help with mental health issues, but I have never found one that succeeded in changing my mindset. As such, Finding Hope covered issues that I have already read before and it offered nothing new to me. The advice felt a little generic, with things such as cut out caffeine, get more sleep, dance (or choose another hobby), and search for cat videos online as ways to get your ‘sparks of hope’. Because it felt a little generic, I spent a lot of this book waiting for an epiphany that did not come. I was disappointed that it didn’t arrive in the end, but then again that is my experience with these types of books.
The writing style was a bit like a textbook and it reads more like a list in parts. Furthermore, when you get to the end, the book just ends. There is no conclusion, no summary, no parting thoughts, just the feeling of being left high and dry. As such, I closed it feeling a little underwhelmed.
As stated above, I am not the sort of person that reads these sorts of books and I may have got this completely wrong: I truly hope someone reads this and collects those sparks of hope and it changes their lives for the better. But for me, I feel that this is a generic book that is in a flooded market and that there is nothing standout or revolutionary that will make it unique.
April 1, 2021
"There are many ways to live" — choose one that feels good
What does it mean to live with an emotion that doesn't fit us well? Would we say "I'm a happy person" if someone asked us? And if not, how do we get from "meh, just okay" or even "I'm not happy, no" to "yeah, my life is good"?
This book has help for us. And the great thing is that there's isn't just one cookie-cutter answer that's supposed to fit everybody. The reality? We're all different. What makes us happy—what gives us joy and peace and what energizes is—these things are different for each of us.
Finding Hope could maybe be titled "Finding YOUR Hope" because that's what this book is about. Giving you practical steps, tips, and exercises you can try to find the hope that's in front of us, uniquely special to each of us. What gives you hope might not be the same thing that touches me. Think of the tips in this book as ways into a new way of looking at finding happiness. Something that straddles meditation and spirituality and somatic therapy. It offers the reader some powerful tools. Like any tool, it'll take a bit of practice to get good at using it and then seeing the difference it can make in your life.
"There are many ways to live," Dr. Kent writes. "...Find out which one is right for you." This book will help you to do just that. Finding the Goldilocks energetic state that fits you best (right this moment), will feel like you've found an elixir of happiness.
What does it mean to live with an emotion that doesn't fit us well? Would we say "I'm a happy person" if someone asked us? And if not, how do we get from "meh, just okay" or even "I'm not happy, no" to "yeah, my life is good"?
This book has help for us. And the great thing is that there's isn't just one cookie-cutter answer that's supposed to fit everybody. The reality? We're all different. What makes us happy—what gives us joy and peace and what energizes is—these things are different for each of us.
Finding Hope could maybe be titled "Finding YOUR Hope" because that's what this book is about. Giving you practical steps, tips, and exercises you can try to find the hope that's in front of us, uniquely special to each of us. What gives you hope might not be the same thing that touches me. Think of the tips in this book as ways into a new way of looking at finding happiness. Something that straddles meditation and spirituality and somatic therapy. It offers the reader some powerful tools. Like any tool, it'll take a bit of practice to get good at using it and then seeing the difference it can make in your life.
"There are many ways to live," Dr. Kent writes. "...Find out which one is right for you." This book will help you to do just that. Finding the Goldilocks energetic state that fits you best (right this moment), will feel like you've found an elixir of happiness.
August 12, 2020
The idea of finding hope has become increasingly difficult in today's world. As we deal with the mundane and heightened stress, people are losing their joy. Or maybe they're simply having trouble locating it.
Dr. Kent offers a step-by-step guide to putting your mind at ease - from discovering sparks of hope to becoming intune with your emotional state.
The concept of sparks is especially intriguing. They allow you to work through difficult situations by focusing on something positive. Dr. Kent suggests building a reserve, especially for emotionally draining situations. I love this idea!
My favorite concept came from the police speed trap on the bridge. You never know what someone else is going through until you walk in their shoes. You could take out your frustration on them, or you could choose to put something positive back into the world. Hopefully the next person will benefit from your kindness.
If you struggle to find motivation in your daily life, fixate on the negative, suffer from stress, or are looking to add some happiness to your life, read this book. You will learn how to strengthen positive memories, be open with your emotions, and adjust your state of mind.
And you'll even discover your own sparks of hope.
Dr. Kent offers a step-by-step guide to putting your mind at ease - from discovering sparks of hope to becoming intune with your emotional state.
The concept of sparks is especially intriguing. They allow you to work through difficult situations by focusing on something positive. Dr. Kent suggests building a reserve, especially for emotionally draining situations. I love this idea!
My favorite concept came from the police speed trap on the bridge. You never know what someone else is going through until you walk in their shoes. You could take out your frustration on them, or you could choose to put something positive back into the world. Hopefully the next person will benefit from your kindness.
If you struggle to find motivation in your daily life, fixate on the negative, suffer from stress, or are looking to add some happiness to your life, read this book. You will learn how to strengthen positive memories, be open with your emotions, and adjust your state of mind.
And you'll even discover your own sparks of hope.
July 17, 2020
I read a Kindle Unlimited copy of this book, and I wondered at times whether the author had uploaded the wrong version of his file to Amazon. There are a lot of grammatical errors, and the book is poorly formatted for Kindle. It made it very difficult to read the book.
The content of this text is the general self-help blurb that a reader could find anywhere on the internet. I didn't feel that the content was different in any way to that which has been presented countless times before and probably has been presented better. The writer does not have a USP that would make this book preferable to any other. It felt like sugar-coated fluffiness, and I didn't enjoy it.
The content of this text is the general self-help blurb that a reader could find anywhere on the internet. I didn't feel that the content was different in any way to that which has been presented countless times before and probably has been presented better. The writer does not have a USP that would make this book preferable to any other. It felt like sugar-coated fluffiness, and I didn't enjoy it.
August 21, 2020
A short read giving different strategies to overcome stress and anxiety and lead a more content, enriched life.
Much of the information provided could be found through online searches but it is helpful to have a coherent collection of the many pieces of advice available for seeking a happier life in one place relayed by a consistent voice. The book is well-written with clear examples of difficult situations and the strategies to deal with them. I liked that alternative approaches were often given and the book didn't have a preachy tone. The overall feeling was of an easy to follow, common sense guide to help keep emotions on a more even keel.
Much of the information provided could be found through online searches but it is helpful to have a coherent collection of the many pieces of advice available for seeking a happier life in one place relayed by a consistent voice. The book is well-written with clear examples of difficult situations and the strategies to deal with them. I liked that alternative approaches were often given and the book didn't have a preachy tone. The overall feeling was of an easy to follow, common sense guide to help keep emotions on a more even keel.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews