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Happiness Self
Help Book Reviews
All the books we recommend here at Happy
Life U are readable, inspiring, consistent with the latest scientific
research, and provide sound advice that really works to help you
be happier now!
Look for Happy Life Self Help
Books in these categories:
Or, try our Movie
Reviews
Books on How to Be Happy
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Our Top Five
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- Happy for No Reason, by Marci
Shimoff
- The
Art of Happiness by the Dalai
Lama
- A Short Guide to a Happy Life by
Anna Quindlen
- Authentic Happiness by
Dr. Martin Seligman
- The
Hardline Self Help Manual by Paula Renaye
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Happy for No Reason:
7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out by Marci
Shimoff
Many
people are happy for good reason, but only the happiest among us are
happy most of the time whether we have a good reason or not.
Based on interviews with 100 of these very happy people, this
manual lays out what you need to know to join their ranks.
If you only read one book on happiness, Happy For No Reason
by Marci Shimoff would be a good choice.
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The
Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living
by the Dalai Lama
Nearly every time you see him, he's laughing, or at least he's smiling.
And he makes everyone else around him feel like smiling. He's the Dalai
Lama, the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, Nobel Prize
winner, and someone who belives that happiness is the purpose of life.
This thoughtful, gentle book covers
everything you need to know to increase your level of happiness
lastingly and through every aspect of your life. |
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A Short Guide to a Happy Life by
Anna Quindlen
Just as the title suggests, this book is a short, practical guide on
how to have a happy life. It is charming and inspirational.
Whether you are just starting your journey into a happier life, or
looking for a quick pick up when you are down, this book is well worth
a small investment of you time.
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Authentic Happiness by
Dr. Martin Seligman
Dr. Martin Seligman is often called the father of
positive
psychology and the new science of happiness. The
book would be worth your time and attention as a text book on the new
science of happiness, but it is so much more. Interspersed
through the concepts and
research is practical information, a history of the field of positive
psychology, and Martin Seligman’s own spiritual journey.
The book’s
message of hope and optimism for our planet and for the human race
makes this one of the most inspiring self help books I’ve read in a
long time.
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The
Hardline Self Help Manual by Paula Renaye
If you have ever felt
like a self help failure, this book
has good news for you. Billed
as a crash
course in self tough love, I picked up the book because I
struggled making some
changes in my life. I
did not expect to
like it. I believe in positive thinking and taking a hardline
did not
sound so positive to me. Boy,
was I
wrong.
The brilliance
of this
book is that it helps us take a fearless look at our own the flaws,
accept
them, then choose what we want to do about them or not. It is a
hardline on positive love and change.
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Books
on How
to Have Great Relationships with Family and Friends
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The
Five Love Languages, by Dr.
Gary Chapman
Almost all romantic comedies are based on crossed up messages, but in
real
life, crossed messages do not always have a happy ending. Dr. Gary
Chapman, has identified five different ways we express and feel loved.
All of us
have one dominant love style and it is the primary way we feel love
from others. When we do not speak the same love language as our mate,
(or child or friend), they may not feel our love as we express it and
we may miss their loving messages. This is a landmark book that
could change your relationships for the better!
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How
to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie
If you want people to like you and respect you, How to Win Friends and
Influence People by Dale Carnegie is a must read. The book lays out
31
timeless human relations principals and illustrates how they work with
examples from real people, some famous and some not.
Although the book is written for business leaders, it applies to every
relationship including friends and family. The style is
conversational and includes lots of stories of people using the
principals effectively.
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Crucial Conversations, by by Patterson, Grenny,
Maxfield, McMillan, Switzler
A crucial
conversation
is one in which the stakes are high,
emotions are strong, and there is a difference of opinion.
We have these conversations with our family
members, our children’s teachers, our coworkers, and more.
Most of us are uncomfortable with these conversations, so we either
avoid them or do them badly. This book shows you how to maximize
your chances of using these conversations to lead to win-win
solutions.
This was a life changing book for me- leading to more peace and
happiness in my life than any other single set of techniques.
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Books
on Happiness
Science
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Authentic Happiness by
Dr. Martin Seligman
Dr. Martin Seligman is often called the father of
positive
psychology and the new science of happiness. The
book would be worth your time and attention as a text book on the new
science of happiness, but it is so much more. Interspersed
through the concepts and
research is practical information, a history of the field of positive
psychology, and Martin Seligman’s own spiritual journey.
The book’s
message of hope and optimism for our planet and for the human race
makes this one of the most inspiring self help books I’ve read in a
long time.
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Stumbling on Happiness, by Dr.
Daniel Gilbert
Daniel Gilbert, the author, is a psychologist
who starts out with the premise that what sets humans apart from
animals is our ability to anticipate the future and make decisions
accordingly. What follows is a fascinating and often practical
exploration of the current research on human's perceptions of what
makes them happy and what really does make them happy.
This book is a good choice for anyone who has made a bad choice before
and wonders why.
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First, Break All the Rules, by Marcus Buckingham
and Curt Coffman
The
folks at Gallop Polls have been studying what makes successful
companies for over 20 years across all industries and countries and
what they found is remarkable. The most profitable companies with
the best customer service have the happiest employees. What makes
a happy employee? This book lays out the 12 questions that
correlate to happiness, productivity and profitablity all rolled into
one.
A must read for anyone managing the happiness of others.
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Books
on How
to Develop Happy Habits
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Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,
by Steven Covey
Although the Seven Habits was originally
written as a time management and personal leadership book, it could
easily have been titled the Seven Habits of Highly Happy People. The
author, Stephen Covey, goes beyond the maxims of success and habit
to observe that real success is about character, not just quick fixes
or little tricks. Positive psychology
research has shown that good character in the form of using the
universal strengths and virtues, and good relationships are the basis
for a happy life as well.
This is a classic book in developing the habits of a happy and
effective life.
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Influencer,
by Patterson, Grenny, Maxfield, McMillan, Switzler
This book provides groundbreaking
scientific research and practical advice that can be applied to
personal changes, families, companies and cultures. The
most important capacity you possess
is your ability to influence behavior. Think about it—in almost any
area of life—from business performance to personal health to
relationship success—the most important problems we face will never be
solved until we become better at influencing our own behavior or that
of other people. And yet most of us stink at influence. Learn to
do it well and develop happy habits with this book. |
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StrenghtsFinder
2.0 by Tom Rath
This book includes a one time on online test
to help you discover your unique strengths. A strength is something you
enjoy doing, do well at naturally, and practice constantly.
Studies show that people that use their strengths everyday are happier
and more productive. A strengths finder is an important tool
because culturally, we have
focused on fixing weaknesses to the point that we are loosing our
language for describing our strengths. Find yours now for a
happier life! |
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Books
for Inspiration
When it comes to inspiration, these books from Simple Truths are a sure
win every time. These beautiful gift books always have inspiring
quotes, stories, and poems along with gorgeous photography and humorous
art. Most books also come with a DVD including a short video with
excerpts from the book set to music and art. I often use these
videos to give me a boost of positivity through my day. Here are
some of our favorites. Enjoy!
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