Happy Habits
A Happier, Healthier Life One Minute at a Time
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
Cultivate lasting change with simple habits, from New York Times bestselling author Tal Ben-Shahar.
Do you struggle to make real change because you’re starting too big without building a foundation first—get a new job, lose twenty pounds, learn a new language? Maybe the tools at your disposal seem inadequate, the prospect of change overwhelms you, and you feel stuck.
In Happy Habits, happiness expert Tal Ben-Shahar provides accessible and easy-to-implement tools, and an easy-to-follow three step process, that can help you realize your goals, aspirations, and dreams.
He starts with simple intervention techniques to reset your mood in as little time as possible–what he calls Happiness Boosters in the form of MVIs–Minimum Viable Interventions, which include:
Taking three deep breathsWriting down five things for which you are gratefulReading a quote slowly and deliberately Vigorously climbing stairs for 45 seconds
From there, discover how to improve wellbeing–spiritual, physical, intellectual, relational, and emotional–and build a stronger base within yourself for committing to change, increasing your willpower, and finding joy in the journey.
The final step in Ben-Shahar’s guide will help you learn how to create the daily rituals that will help you turn goals into habits, and intentions into reality, using the 3 Rs of change:
RemindersRepetitionsRituals
With concrete examples, practical, direct advice, and an easy-to-follow action plan, Ben-Shahar shows you that while cultivating lasting change takes motivation, it does not have to be a frustrating experience that is doomed to failure: you’re just starting without the foundation you need for real change.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Improving one's well-being starts with steady, consistent progress, contends psychologist Ben-Shahar (Happiness Studies) in this concise, accessible guide. The book is rooted in the author's idea of Minimum Viable Interventions, or "activities that are as brief as possible and as long as necessary to bring about real, significant, and lasting change." MVIs aim to close the gap that can exist "between theory and practice" by creating a low barrier to action, making them easier to accomplish and therefore build momentum and motivation. Among the interventions suggested are low-key meditation practices—essentially, setting a reminder on one's phone to focus on the present—to boost spiritual health, and intentional listening strategies to improve relationship satisfaction. Ben-Shahar's no-nonsense approach and ability to translate essential truths into simple, effective tools will be especially valuable for readers who feel frustrated with more theoretical self-help books. This one-sitting guide effectively reveals how small steps can spur major change.
