What if happiness
is something you could practice? You co do certain things and those actions
would lead to and support happiness. I’m simplifying, but that is the basic
premise of psychologist
Timothy
J. Sharp in 100 Ways to Happiness.
Practice and doing are the aim of the book, so Sharp does not dwell on
theory. Of course, many people want to bring more happiness into the lives they
have. Only a few of them want to delve into psychology, and there are plenty of
other books they can read.
The book is divided into five main sections. It seems to me that this
is intended to help people get to the area where they want to increase
happiness most and pick up the others later. You can read this book out of
sequence. Each section stands on its own and so do many of the short chapters.
I do not mean to imply that the book is shallow. It is not easy to
condense a topic into a few pages; most of the chapters are two pages long. I
was impressed that Sharp could provide clear, action-oriented summaries of
subjects that other books would take many pages to explain. The point is to do
something. Instead of thinking about how to be happy, pick a tip that resonates
with you and do it. Work on it until it becomes a habit and then work on
another.
Some of Sharps tips that resonated with me are:
-Make time to regularly do something you enjoy.
-Make small changes. When you make a small change stick, you can start
another. They add up to big changes.
-Practice gratitude.
I’m convinced that a grateful attitude is immensely important for a joyful
life.
-Move
more and take care of your body. Feeling good, rested and healthy
contributes to feeling happy.
-Build good relationships.
That means making the best of the intimate relationships you have and making
friends with positive people who can encourage you to live a happier life.
-Know your values
and take action consistent with them.
-Challenge your thoughts and feelings. Are they true? Are they helpful?
-Use your imagination.
Sharp suggest several simple ways you can visualize the life you want.
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