Be Happy!: Release the Power of Happiness in YOU

by Robert Holden

“Happiness is a spiritual path. The more you learn about true happiness, the more you discover the truth of who you are, what is important, and what your life is for.”


 


Be Happy! is the follow-up to Robert Holden’s best-selling Happiness NOW! In this book, Robert gives you a front-row seat on his 8-week happiness program—famously tested by independent scientists for the BBC-TV documentary called How to Be Happy. Step-by-step he introduces you to a set of proven techniques, principles, meditations, and insights that will help you be happy now!  Key lessons include:


Follow Your Joy — stop chasing happiness and start enjoying your life as it happens.


The Happiness Contract — undo mental and emotional blocks to happiness and success.


The Receiving Meditation — increase your natural capacity for happiness and abundance.


The Forgiveness Practice — give up all hopes for a better past and be happy now.


The Gift of Happiness — use the power of happiness to bless your life and benefit others. 


 


“This happiness training not only changes the way you feel; it actually changes the way your brain functions.”


— Professor Davidson, Wisconsin-Madison University


BBC’s How to Be Happy TV documentary

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Personal Development, Psychology, Spirituality, Ebooks

312 pages, Hardcover

Published April 15, 2009

About the author

Robert Holden, Ph.D., is the Director of The Happiness Project and Success Intelligence. His innovative work has been featured on Oprah, Good Morning America, and media worldwide. Robert coaches leaders in business, education, politics and healthcare. His clients include Dove and the “Real Beauty Campaign,” and also Virgin and The Body Shop. Robert is a student of A Course in Miracles. He is author of the best selling books: Happiness NOW!, Shift Happens!, Authentic Success (formerly titled Success Intelligence) and Be Happy. Robert also hosts a weekly show on Hay House Radio called Shift Happens! Website: RobertHolden.org.

Reviews

[Emily Hochheimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. I loved the writing exercises that helped me put some of the books concepts into practice. The main message of the book is that happiness is accessible to you right now. You don't need to wait until you have more or change yourself. A huge part of this message is gratitude. Being grateful for what you have now in your life.

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a review. This is a monologue and Goodreads is a data filler where I collect my thoughts; it's an impressive habit which changed me inevitably in the course of the last nine years, and it resurrected me numerous times because I have very linear storage of my memories. Books are part of my dark and light days, books are part of my every day breath; I let them consume me with their blessed litanies. They used to be escapism but I have taught myself that my realities reflect my words and that everything I tell myself is created by the story I tell myself.

My self-made obliteration used to be covered with lulling frost bitten fear but I still did every single thing that I wanted. I don't keep myself in the shadows anymore and I allow myself to be whoever I feel I am, any given moment. I don’t hold back, I don’t like it, no matter the personal suffering I inflict.

But my inflictions became kind and generous. The abundance of my inner life humbles me in knowing that thoughts are whirls of habits, belief systems rooted in subconsciousness and that you can with patience, self compassion and acknowledgment extract their lavender essence. But it is never just about affirmative waves, it is about trusting yourself to follow the white webs of your intuition and following your positive actions footsteps.

I don’t fully love and accept myself but I am working on this diligently. I don’t know if I will ever succeed because I don’t see myself om-ing under the fig tree, but just the idea that the fig tree is somewhere in my life, is one of the most reassuring beliefs of my stiff shoulders. It is a journey of self discovery and my awareness is just beginning to grasp my paths and sideways.

What is the most unpresuming to me is how fortunate I have been to experience all my traumas and to teach my skeleton to start using oxygen. The mere presence of awareness keeps me on my tiptoes, allowing me to choose another custom made type of freedom which is pulling the grass out with my toes.

To walk with my two feet grounded is my aim. I am still just grasping muladhara because I have never been grounded. My materia has always been a breeze, a wind, a sound, a shiver, awe as well, but mostly a soothing crack formed within the call of mountains. I have never been a meadow person looking up. I have always been up, scared of heights, loving the dizziness.

So the terrain beneath my feet is uncharted, but, it is more challenging and amusing to me how inevitably I am accepting myself because of pure adoration for the sake of adoration. My grounding represents complete immersion into spring’s grass frequencies, and to me that means letting the winds connect me with the power of my knees which are learning not to bounce - it used to be my pure instinct. In the fullest, it means letting go of the biggest damages which I am holding myself onto. I am learning not to apologise to the wind that my grounds are calling me; not explaining myself when I outgrow someone else’s visions of me.

I have always been a heartbreaking people’s pleaser. Within my prescience I understand my empathies and the child within the person I am talking to. But learning not to bounce and keeping my toes lost in the grass is hard work because it represents a growth from the lower spheres which are my own power stigmas.

I am teaching myself how to let go while I am getting more courageous and worthy of my beautiful life. I have been blessed with the blueprint full of vivid contrasts that I decipher with hypersensitive senses. My contemplative, intense and extroverted personality was filled with war rage, dark moods and sways that come with constant moving, and then later with the brutal deaths of my loved ones. Life rendered me speechless when my obsessive thoughts started bloating and exploding with self hate, disgust and mourning. I was knelled and crazy with pain. I used to cry for help for months, not knowing that I was the help that I needed the most.

Yet, the more I was becoming courage, compassion and clear, the more letting go felt natural – not easier though, just more in the flow. Not easier though, but I am guiding myself and I am being guided as I had to teach myself that ''happiness is not the absence of sadness; happiness is the capacity to face sadness - and to face it with love, not fear.''

Just recently I have found out that I don’t miss my brooding dark side anymore; it used to define me so much because of all the pain that I endured, but the change is - although it still exists, I don’t praise my complexity with negative connotations. I don't waste my power on it anymore - I give it attention and listening time but mostly I hug and nurse my darker moods. Because they are just me. Nothing scary, nothing cruel or condescending, nothing scorching or belittling, just another side of me.

But I changed the neuro-linguistic of its perception - I call them dark pralines because they can’t hurt me anymore. They are still beautiful and difficult and complex. But they are mostly alluring in their heaviness. I forgive myself everything as I choose and permit myself to have them over me, with me and through me. The thing that moves me the most is how capable I am to be still when I enter. Most of my memories of my darkness are struggles of fight and shame, who wins better when all of us feel threatened. I never won. I just surrendered and lowered my head in defeat because I truly didn’t know that emotions don’t like when you resist them or lock them out.

I don’t know how to do that anymore. I taught myself to surrender to this black beauty that comes as a gift. We shelter each other and talk and cry together and in the end say, I love you too.

The biggest miracle of all is that, happiness is indeed a choice. And only I remain.

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The message is definitely an important one, and there's some seemingly useful stuff for anyone willing to do the work. I didn't love how it was written, though. A lot of it felt like an extended introduction, and I had to read a few chapters before I realized that that was how the rest of the book was written. Maybe one of these days I'll do the activities, see how I feel, and then adjust my rating accordingly.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holden's entire premise for his happiness program is that all of us have within us the capacity to be 100% happy with our lives, but we squander that by 'chasing' after happiness. We look for external validation and we mistake pleasure for true happiness, when in fact real happiness is a spiritual joy that's always within us.

I enjoyed his take on what makes us happy, as well as his suggestions for being present in your life so that you make the most of what you have, right here, right now. We can all benefit from living in the moment and enjoying the lives we have as opposed to constantly wishing for things to change, so that we can be happy 'someday'.

Although the book gets a bit repetitive at times, it's filled with solid concepts and helpful exercises.

[Rubina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Robert Holden...i read his other book, Happiness Now!, earlier this year which provided a good starting point to Dr Holden's works. Be Happy! is more comprehensive and is written in line with the Happiness course which Dr Holden conducts. As usual, his books are easy to read and understand due at large to his warm, easy writing style and humor. The book does get a bit long and wordy but it definitely a wonderful book...lessons of how we can be happy, not letting the daily toils of life get to you, and recognition that a lot of times, our ego, our thoughts and our feelings are the hurdles which prevent us from really being happy in the present momemt.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than a mere self-help book, because it explains why you don't need any help at all. Happiness isn't something to be sought, but to be found inside & enjoyed in the present. How often do we just go through the motions each day, instead of enjoying the time and being happy while doing so. One participant in Dr. Holden's happiness class said that he saved her 20 years by causing her to realize that she was expecting to be happy sometime in the far-off future instead of right now while her daughter is growing up. Very valuable lessons. I listened to this book on CD, then bought the hard copy so that I can read it daily to remind myself to just be happy now.

[Bev Siddons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Holden's book, "Be Happy: Release the Power of Happiness in You" is a companion piece to his eight-week course on happiness. As a Happiness Coach, I find this book a valuable tool to share with my clients. He covers topics from defining happiness, to the importance of forgiveness, to sharing your own gift of happiness with others.

"Be Happy" is based on positive psychology and happiness research but does not come off as academic. The exercises Holden includes are realistic and eye-opening. A good read as well as some sound theory.

[Maya Preisler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most useful book you will ever read

What is happiness? How happy are you? Robert Holden has created a masterful inquiry into the nature of happiness and asks the reader to explore their own experience and come to a deeper understanding of what happiness is. This has been by far the most beneficial self-help book I have ever read. I’ve offered to buy copies of it for friends and loved ones because that is how much of an impact it has made on my life.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always "happy" to find a book on being so that is not overblown and flakey, but instead offers practical advice on how to maintain equilibrium and deal with life head on. This is one of those books. Happiness is not a search, it's a choice, a path, and this author offers scientifically proven principles and exercises to get you on it.

[Ignas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Haven't finished the book... Beginning is very very very boring and kills all the motivation to read it all. But still made some effort, but maybe I'm happy enough or maybe I was not able to find the content very useful and put the book away. I rarely put not finished book away, but this is one of those. Not my taste most probably :)

[Taylor Proctor]

After reading several other books based in the happiness genre, I found this one to be truly insightful and helpful. I enjoyed Holden's perspective on happiness, his meditations and exercises as well as the way he highlighted possible problem areas in the happiness mindset (searching instead of allowing yourself to just be).

[Brett Wallach · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never read a "self-help" book before, and this is why. The author's premise is that there is really no correlation between one's circumstances and happiness. The impoverished, terminally ill recluse has no excuses! Self-help and the entire psychology industry have to say this or else they'd all be out of business. But it makes no sense...right?

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this on a friend's recommendation, and found it to be better than Rubin's "Happiness Project." Holden encourages readers to let go of the trappings of a focus on past regrets, pain, and disappointment and to make the choice to find happiness now instead of waiting for it to arrive after a list of goals or life events occur.

[Alia Moustafa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, i liked it in the beginning, then it started to feel like its an advertisement for his course and more of bragging than anything else. I also feel like he chooses his atudents eith a higher percentage of being "happy" than others so his success levels don't plumet down. I did agree with a few points though. I wouldnt reccommend it.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. A must and also have to do the exercises in the book to make it so powerful. But Self Help Books are only one tool to self growth.

[Carlo Puche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing much to say, but this book saved my life.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very insightful book. One that needs to be contemplated and pondered, not just read. I believe the principles presented could really make a difference.

[Dorothy Sinclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Robert Holden and his books are inspirational and funny.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty deep so far. Taking a bit to fully appreciate all of it. Journaling along with reading is helping.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you only ever read one self-help book in your whole life, this should be it.

[Loren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Best book I ever read on happiness and good practical advice.

[Lim Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tons of exercise in the book form readers to reflect and explore within themselves their definition of happiness and to question and relook at our beliefs about happiness

What I love most is
1. The question what would it take for me to be 10/10 happy ? What’s stopping me from being truly happy

2. Another approach to remember you don’t chase or search for happiness because happiness is inside all of us and just forgotten because of our egos and our mental thoughts

3. Our true self and happiness can be found in the quiet moments when we are still .

4. The difference between becoming versus being happy

[Angela-Gaye Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

So inspirational! Highly recommend

[Phenius Mugo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great insights. Read it a while ago, I just remember it was good, just forgot to add it here to keep track :)

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happiness os what matters. So very important. Loved this book. It would be a wonderful world if everyone could be happy and read this book.
Also the love one.

[Jimbob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Holden's "BE HAPPY: RELEASE THE POWER OF HAPPINESS IN YOU" is a profound exploration into the essence of true happiness. Rooted in the philosophy that joy is the organic state of your soul, Holden dismantles the common misconceptions that happiness is a distant reward or a consequence of external achievements. Through vivid anecdotes and transformative insights, the book guides the reader to recognize that happiness is not contingent upon life's accolades but is an intrinsic quality of our being, waiting to be acknowledged and embraced.

Holden eloquently argues that the pursuit of happiness often leads us astray from the happiness that is already within us. By shifting focus from striving to accepting, from achieving to being, we are invited to experience happiness as a spiritual path that illuminates our true self and purpose. The book is a call to action, challenging readers to extend happiness rather than seek it, to like oneself to amplify one's chances of joy, and to cultivate an awareness of happiness that is not swayed by life's ebb and flow.

What sets this book apart is its ability to merge theoretical concepts with practical wisdom. The 'Joy Mantras' serve as beacons throughout the text, guiding the reader back to their inner state of bliss amidst life's inevitable pains and stresses. Holden's writing radiates a rare authenticity that compels you to introspect deeply about your own 'Happiness Contract' and the clauses within it that may be hindering your joy.

In a world preoccupied with the superficial benchmarks of success, "BE HAPPY" is a refreshing narrative that redefines the metrics of a fulfilling life. It's not just a book; it's a mirror held up to the soul, a gentle reminder that happiness is not a destination, but the very essence of our journey.

[Reiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Auch wenn es sich manchmal wie eines der furchtbaren Lebenshilfe-Bücher anfühlt, ist "Sei doch einfach glücklich" für mich eines der besten Bücher, die ich bisher gelesen habe. Wer nur einigermaßen offen ist für die Existenz einer uns innewohnenden grund-friedlichen Instanz, der wird in diesem Buch viele Anregungen und noch mehr Motivation finden, die uns angelernten Abwehrmechanismen loszulassen, die wir gemeinhin als "lebensnotwendig" bezeichnen.
Bemerkenswert ist die Erkenntnis, dass jede negative Haltung und Reaktion unsererseits, die wir auf andere reflektieren, nicht nur eine Menge über uns selber aussagt, sondern in der Konsequenz immer auf uns zurückfallen wird.
Holden wiederholt seine Motivationen immer und immer wieder und erreicht damit, dass sie dem Leser nicht nur irgendwie bekannt vorkommen, sondern in das Bewusstsein übergehen.
Am Ende dieses Buches stand für mich die große Befriedigung nicht nur für mich selber, sondern auch für meine zukünftige Arbeit eine Unmenge gelernt zu haben.

[Paula Mc Cune · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some really useful reflective exercises to get you thinking about happiness and really the book in a nutshell is just about being happy, how we are all already basically happy if we would stop overthinking things. I didn’t give 5 stars as this is written by someone who clearly has faith in God and this may not resonate with everyone. Also this book is the outline of the group work training and I think the experiential aspect of this would have greater benefit than reading the book. Saying that I’m happy to report that I enjoyed the book 😃