By: Riverman

Riverman — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 09:14:49 +0000

Very Insightful I found this book to be very inspiring, thoughtful and easy to read. The author really knows how to connect in a way that makes her ideas very accessible. I would recommend this to just about anyone. You don't need to be in crisis to be able to benefit from the insights in this book. She's really given this a lot of thought and time. Bravo!!!

By: CarolAnneFox

CarolAnneFox — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 08:44:52 +0000

So Happy with my purchase! I started following the “Happiness” blog thanks to a recommendation on Facebook, and have been eagerly awaiting this book ever since. It surpassed my expectations – the real-world anecdotes I had expected, thanks to the clever blog posts I had already seen. But the actual step-by-step organization and “homework” that was suggested made so much sense that I am surprised nobody else has thought of this before. I like to think of myself as a happy person, but I can see where there are things I could be doing to be more consistently happy – I think there is something here to be learned for everyone. I would recommend buying a hard copy, because you will want to share what you’ve learned, and refer back to it often, which is easier in a traditional printed book. I read this on my Kindle, but I have another copy on the way, for that reason.

By: Michael Bird "Michael S. Beverly"

Michael Bird "Michael S. Beverly" — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 08:21:22 +0000

There is something very deep here, check it out First off, I’ve had some tough times in the last couple years, for anyone that’s read some of my reviews over this period, it’s easy to see that I’ve had some real struggles and life altering experiences.The author emailed me and asked if I’d give this book a read, she’d noticed from some of my reviews that I’d gone through some major stuff. I don’t have time for reviewing many books that I receive requests for, but I read the description and felt this book would be worth it. She also has a cute and funny video online that compelled me to check it out, so I did.Okay, so first off, I recommend this book, and that’s not a “I got this free so I’m going to say something nice” review, I don’t do those b.s. reviews, if I get something I don’t care for, I don’t spend my time reviewing it, unless I need to write a neg review to warn people, but that’s rare.This really is a good book and I wish more people would read it and follow the advice in it, we’d all be better off in society. Here’s why: happy people are nice to others and don’t spend so much time trying to rip off, deceive, bomb, kill, rob, etc., other people. Happy people make other people feel good about being alive, happy people are helpful and kind and considerate.Happy people treat wait staff at even the cheapest diner (with horrible food) with respect and dignity, happy people are not rude jerks.I like being around happy people and I like myself much more when I’m happy, so this idea that “happy” can be learned and worked on and progressed in is something to take seriously.When I went through some very hard times (Valerie’s hard times look like a fun picnic in the park to me, but of course billions have it worse than I ever did, it’s all relative) I thought that my life wasn’t worth living. It’s easy to allow circumstances to completely overwhelm perspective. I did.What I did, in some ways, was retold to me in this book, I’d followed the advice before I got it so to speak, but reading about it helped reinforce what I’d already accomplished and gave me tools to speak about what I’d done for myself and how I could encourage others.I’m truly a happy person today. My external circumstances (home, job, finances, etc.) are still near rock bottom, but I’m actually happy about it. I’m glad for the challenge. I no longer fear.Not long after I’d decided to become a happy person and become social again and to not look at the negatives of the past as anchors that were destined by fate to drown me, but rather as crucibles that had refined me to what I am today, I attracted the attention of a beautiful, intelligent woman, whom I’m currently seeing, and who has reminded me that life is filled with unexpected joy and hope, things I couldn’t see being “unhappy”. Being unhappy is a slow death, being happy is worth more than all the riches the world could ever offer.It’s ironic to me that I had a conversation with my 12 year old the other day in which she asked me: “Dad, would you go back if you could?” That’s a hard question, I told her I’d paid a huge price, she acknowledge that and said she was happy with who she was (now that some of the hardest things had past)and that she wouldn’t go back.She, at 12, saw the intense pain and struggle (and being depressed, unhappy and fearful) as a foundation to what we’d both become, better people, happy people, free people. And that leads to love and friendship and adventure beyond imagination.So, yes, get this book, it’s worth chewing on, reviewing, thinking about. I know I still have a bit of work to do (letting go of issues with people I can’t forgive, but can, as the author explains, release). But I’m happy about how the universe and life opens things up to you when you are open for them, serendipity is what my dad calls it, and he was right.He told me to get on with life (to seek happiness and contentment and adventure, although those weren’t his words) and he told me if I allowed serendipity to work, I’d find love again, in a partner and also in the day to day work and in friendship and so forth. He was right.Get this book, buy a copy for a friend. I promise if you follow its theme, act, become a person that actively works towards being happy, you’ll not regret either the time or the money spent. I can say I’m sure of that.And if you disagree when you’re done, you’re probably just a bitter #$%skd#$%….naw, just joking, you might have brain damage.Cheers.

Comments on: Happiness…as a Second Language: A Guidebook to Achieving Lasting, Permanent Happiness

By: Riverman

By: CarolAnneFox

By: Michael Bird "Michael S. Beverly"