Buying Books Makes Me Happy. Happy Books Make Me Even Happier.
You may not be tapping into your inner joy at this exact moment. Maybe it’s anxiety – maybe it’s depression – and maybe… you’re just not happy.
I’ve been there.
That’s why I started this website. I went through a very difficult challenge, and I wanted to find a way to tap into that JOY, even when external events weren’t going my way.
It was rare for me to experience such a dramatic shift in my physiology.
It was rare for me to be unhappy. đ˘
But it happens to all of us.
How I Shifted My Depression
One thing I did differently when it happened – I embraced it!
Yeah, it was a painful time. I cried a lot. đ I didn’t like having such a heavy heart. Like, at all!
But instead of resisting the pain like I did most of my life, I fully surrendered to the experience! Shout out to Michael Singer for that reminder.
I also did many other things differently to move through the experience (I’ll save it for another blog).
But once I fully surrendered, I immediately knew that there would be many additional benefits from the pain. And there were a LOT.
One of them was this website! It inspired me to write, create, and connect with a loving community through my YouTube channel.
And another was that it re-ignited my passion for the topic of communication. How to do it better. For me. For my loved ones. For my readers.
Communication hacks (and how to have difficult conversations) will also be a future blog (with book recommendations). Be sure to sign up for the Shari Likes Fruit Newsletter to be notified when that’s released.
OK – onto happiness – the BOOKS! đ
I have a mini library in my house, and I started re-reading the books that would fill my head with the healing words I needed to hear.
Although I didn’t read all of these recently, they were all in my library, and I recommend them all.
We never know what will “hit the spot” and provide the words of wisdom and the “nuggets” we need to hear in our time of need.
I am sending you a LOT of love right now. And I pray one of these books can help you on your journey back to JOY.
Please let me know in the comments!
Happy Book Reviews to Help You Find Joy Again
Another thing that happens is… we’re doing great overall – our mood is consistently normal, and we’re not depressed. But… someone triggers us one day!
The following titles will support us with our day-to-day mood shifts – and help us quickly re-center back to our happy place.
Whether it’s a lengthy depression episode or simply a bad day, these books will help. Find the one that resonates for you.
Mind Hacking Happiness Volume I: The Quickest Way to Happiness and Controlling Your Mind by Sean Webb
It is based on the premise that our minds are hackable.
In Mind Hacking Happiness, Sean Webb presents the latest neuroscience and emotions science, coupled with some ancient wisdom teachings and common sense, to introduce the newest and most effective way to gain control of your mind so you can increase your happiness at will.
With numerous study references, one of a kind stories, and engaging humor, Mind Hacking Happiness is a must listen for anyone looking to increase their happiness levels so that they can supercharge their brain, lower stress, improve their health and wellbeing, and improve their overall life experience.
Amazon Description
The book offers a practical guide to achieving lasting happiness by leveraging the power of our minds – and exploring techniques to rewire our brains for greater joy and contentment.
Simply applying a few of the mental strategies in the book, readers have a stronger foundation to take control of their emotional well-being.
Happy by Derren Brown
This is one I’ve owned forever but haven’t finished.
It’s a big book!
Derren is a renowned British author and illusionist known for his captivating performances that blend psychology, suggestion, and misdirection to create mind-bending experiences.
You can catch many of his acts for free on YouTube – and he has a series currently out on Netflix.
He clearly has a deep understanding of human behavior and has become a master of both the art of illusion and the exploration of the human mind.
He’s the perfect person to write a book on mastering our thoughts, reining in our triggers, and creating a happier existence.
Everyone says they want to be happy. But that’s much more easily said than done. What does being happy actually mean? And how do you even know when you feel it?
In Happy Derren Brown explores changing concepts of happiness – from the surprisingly modern wisdom of the Stoics and Epicureans in classical times right up until today, when the self-help industry has attempted to claim happiness as its own.
He shows how many of self-helpâs suggested routes to happiness and success â such as positive thinking, self-belief and setting goals â can be disastrous to follow and, indeed, actually cause anxiety.
Happy aims to reclaim happiness and to enable us to appreciate the good things in life, in all their transient glory. By taking control of the stories we tell ourselves, by remembering that âeverythingâs fineâ even when it might not feel that way, we can allow ourselves to flourish and to live more happily.
Amazon Description
The Sedona Method by Hale Dwoskin
The Sedona Method is a simple, powerful, and easy-to-learn technique to let go of unwanted and limiting thoughts and emotions at the moment, empowering you to make clearer, stronger choices and perform at your best.
What makes it such a powerful tool that actually works is that it is a process you can use anytime, anywhere, to improve any area of your life and uncover the joy that is right within you.
It is a quick way to expand your sense of inner security and well-being.
The Sedona Method is a simple, powerful, and easy-to-learn technique to let go of unwanted and limiting thoughts and emotions in the moment, empowering you to make clearer, stronger choices and perform at your best.
What makes it such a powerful tool thatactually works is that it is a process you can use anytime, anyplace to improve any area of your life and uncover the joy that is right within you.
It is a quick way to expand your sense of inner security and well-being, even in todayâs challenging and demanding world.
- Free yourself from long-standing emotional challenges such as fear and anxiety, anger, depression, shame, and trauma
- Enjoy deep feelings of inner peace and feel more happiness in everyday life
- Put an end, once and for all, to the struggle to quit smoking, drinking, overeating, and other impulsive, addictive, self-defeating behaviors
- Experience dramatic shifts in self-esteem and self-confidence so you can enjoy a satisfying career, build greater wealth, create fulfilling personal relationships, and much more
- Effortlessly find the courage to take meaningful action towards being, doing, and having the most exciting things life has to offer
- Finally uncover and live as the pure, self-radiant Beingness that you are.
Letting go is a crucial survival skill. In this book, youâll learn how to recognize and then let go of the emotions that prevent you from making sound decisions and achieving your goals and aspirations. You’ll learn that feelings are only feelings. Feelings are not facts, they are not who you are, and you can easily let them go.
The Sedona Method will show you step by step how to tap your natural ability to release, allowing you to produce results that often seem miraculous. These claims may sound extravagant; but if you are open, you can attain an inner mastery and happiness you never dreamed possible. This can all be yours because the Sedona Method is not another “should” or external “fix.” It is a practical way to transform yourself from the inside out, easily and permanently.
Amazon Description
Happiness by Matthieu Ricard
This book was written by a molecular biologist who later became a Buddhist monk!
He’s been described by scientists as “the happiest man alive,” demonstrating how to develop the inner conditions for true happiness.
Happiness is not self-interested, but rather compassionate, seeking the well-being of others. If we are truly happy, writes Ricard, we can change the world because of our compassion for others and our desire to end hatred and bring happiness even to those we don’t like.
For Ricard, happiness is a deep state of well-being and wisdom that flourishes in every moment of life, despite the inevitability of suffering. Individuals can, however, learn to minimize suffering in life by practicing moderation in all things, as well as meditation. Meditative exercises that individuals can practice to achieve happiness appear in each chapter.
Publishers Weekly
Happiness is a Serious Problem: A Human Nature Repair Manual by Dennis Prager
This one is helpful. It focuses on the accountability aspect of being happy. It calls it a moral obligation.
When you ask people about their most cherished values, âhappinessâ is always at the top of the list. In this enduring happiness manifesto, Prager examines how happiness not only makes us better people, but has an effect on the lives of everyone around usâproviding them with a positive environment in which to thrive and be happy themselves.
Achieving that happiness won’t be easy, though: to Prager, it requires a continuing process of counting your blessings and giving up any expectations that life is supposed to be wonderful. “Can we decide to be satisfied with what we have?” he asks.
“A poor man who can make himself satisfied with his portion will be happier than a wealthy man who does not allow himself to be satisfied.” Prager echoes other political commentators in complaining that too many people today see themselves as victims; he submits that the only way to achieve your desires is to take responsibility for your life rather than blaming others.
If you’re willing to put some thought into achieving a happier outlook, you will find plenty to mull over in Happiness Is a Serious Problem.
Amazon Description
The book reminds us that life’s pursuit of happiness requires a sense of responsibility and a dose of humor â because finding joy is a mission worth taking seriously while occasionally laughing at ourselves along the way.
Honorary Mentions
The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer
A bonus book that’s not in the video (but always worth mentioning) is “Untethered Soul” by Michael Singer. I’m hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t read this one.
95% of the world loves this book (although I know a select few who don’t) because it helps us separate the voice in our head from who we actually are as beautiful souls navigating this world in human form.
There is a reason this book was a #1 New York Times bestseller.
I personally can’t recommend this book enough.
It’s changed so many lives for the better. And it really helps us overcome our ego, depression, negative self-talk, anxiety, and sadness.
You have to be ready for change. And ready to take responsibility for your life.
The victim mentality isn’t compatible with this book, either.
What would it be like to free yourself from limitations and soar beyond your boundaries? What can you do each day to discover inner peace and serenity? The Untethered Soul offers simple yet profound answers to these questions.
Whether this is your first exploration of inner space, or youâve devoted your life to the inward journey, this book will transform your relationship with yourself and the world around you. Youâll discover what you can do to put an end to the habitual thoughts and emotions that limit your consciousness.
By tapping into traditions of meditation and mindfulness, author and spiritual teacher Michael A. Singer shows how the development of consciousness can enable us all to dwell in the present moment and let go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization.
Amazon Description
Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier by Arthur C. Brooks
Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey invite you to begin a journey toward greater happiness no matter how challenging your circumstances. Drawing on cutting-edge science and their years of helping people translate ideas into action, they show you how to improve your life right now instead of waiting for the outside world to change.
With insight, compassion, and hope, Brooks and Winfrey reveal how the tools of emotional self-management can change your lifeâimmediately. They recommend practical, research-based practices to build the four pillars of happiness: family, friendship, work, and faith. And along the way, they share hard-earned wisdom from their own lives and careers as well as the witness of regular people whose lives are joyful despite setbacks and hardship.
Equipped with the tools of emotional self-management and ready to build your four pillars, you can take control of your present and future rather than hoping and waiting for your circumstances to improve.
Amazon Description
Future Happy Book Recommendations
I’m actually going to be adding a LOT of books to this blog periodically. As I review my book collection and think about what’s helped me the most over the years, the titles don’t always contain the word “happy.”
I have so many amazing books and tools that have helped me with mental resiliency and maintaining a calm mind in the midst of challenges.
If you have your own suggestions, please post them in the comments below – or send me a message. I want to help as MANY people as possible.
The more souls on earth feeling contentment and equanimity, the more contagious kindness and compassion will become. I know we can all do a small part, which becomes a BIGGER part.
As mentioned above – if you love animals, I’ve designed my YouTube channel to combine animals and music in 10-20 second “shorts” to quickly shift your anxiety or sadness. Making you smile – if even for a moment.
And my plant-based YouTube channel is here. There’s a bit of humor in some of those posts, too – so whatever makes you shift your mood, that’s the channel for you! đ
Sometimes, these small moments give us enough of a break from our depression (or even our bad moods) to slowly break up the intensity. Bit by bit, we recover.
It’s time to live your happiest life!
A Final Note – If Your Sadness is Due to Losing a Pet
If you’ve lost a pet in the past or you’re dealing with a furry friend about to leave Earth, please reach out.
We’ve started a FREE and PRIVATE pet bereavement group on Facebook (launching officially in January 2024) where you can share photos and memories of your sweet snuggle bug. It doesn’t matter what kind of pet!
After starting my YouTube channel, I’ve heard from so many beautiful humans who have lost their beloved animals. You all deserve a place to heal.
Sometimes, we need others going through similar challenges to help us overcome a difficult time. We’ll be sharing book recommendations there, as well.
Mainly, it’ll be about emotional support, sharing loving memories, and having like-minded friends to get you through your time of need.
Reach out here, and I’ll send you the link to apply.
