Happy Mind, Happy Life

Literally a heavy book, with lot of pictures, slightly bigger font then most books, colourful, but content is not difficult to grasp for those who have been reading lot of self help books, but it has it's own unique features, thoughts and charm. 

Nevertheless some comments on the book read:

What you take will change 100% of your life for ever. You do not and will not take the whole of it. 

The advice whilst absolutely sound is nothing remotely revelatory and has been said many times over.  The book has been helpful in so much that I now know for certain, that happiness isn’t found in a book.

Isn't this true about most of the books these days?

Core Happiness Vs Junk Happiness is something new and interesting I learned in this book and the stool. Could very much relate to it. 

According to the author, by strengthening your internal Core Happiness like a muscle in your body, you will reduce negative emotions, become more resilient to everyday stress and experience more joy. They key pillars that support our Core Happiness are:

CONTENTMENT - Being at peace with your life and your decisions. 

CONTROL - Feeling that nothing, within reasons, has the power to overwhelm you. 

ALLIGNMENT - Knowing that the person you want to be and who you are, are one and the same. 

The quick, easy and science-led techniques in this book will help you nurture these essential pillars and feel more in control of your mental wellbeing than even before. 

Happiness is Good for your health, learn how to nurture yours. Happiness = Health.

The book covers 10 simple ways to feel great everyday. The first 9 are me-focused. Each one of us, as adults is ultimately responsible for our own alignment, contentment and sense of being in control. No one can strengthen our core happiness for us. But we are wired to give. "The individualist focus on the self can cause us to suffer." Kindness and compassionate meditation will help. Well all that is in the 10th. All of them in the chronological order are:

1. Write your Happy Ending
2. Eliminate Choice
3. Treat Yourself with Respect
4. Make Time Stand Still
5. Seek Out Friction
6. Talk to Strangers
7. Treat Your Phone like a Person
8. Have Mask less Conversations
9. Go on Holiday Every Day
10. Give Yourself Away

Each of these have beautiful case studies; exercises, quotes and pictures to strengthen your Happiness Muscle. We need to practise it. 

When we reach out to the nearest and quickest solutions - something that make us feel a bit less unhappy, even it it's a short-term fix, it is Junk-happiness. Too much of anything is bad. 

The difference between core and Junk happiness is in the intention. One of the ways you can tell core from Junk Happiness is how you fee when you remember it. If the memory makes you shrink inside, it was almost certainly Junk; if it makes you feel bigger when you remember it, it was probably nourishing you and building core happiness. 

Get Good at Happy!