You Can Be Happy No Matter What: Five Principles for Keeping Life in Perspective

by Richard Carlson

Overview

With this simple and practical guide, Dr. Carlson shows us how to be happy now, before we solve our problems. By understanding five principles - Thought, Moods, Separate Realities, Feelings, and the Present Moment - we can discover a new mode of living that doesn't repress natural emotions, yet where feelings and thoughts don't overwhelm us either. You Can Be Happy No Matter What is a navigational tool that gently guides readers through life's challenges and restores the joy of living along the way.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	2000003482054
Publisher:	New World Library
Publication date:	01/24/2005
Edition description:	Abridged

About the Author

Richard Carlson, whose Ph.D. is in psychology, is considered one of the foremost experts in happiness and stress-reduction around the world. He is the author of fifteen popular books including the runaway bestseller, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...and It's All Small Stuff, which was named the No. 1 bestselling book in America for two consecutive years, a feat never before achieved in publishing.

Dr. Carlson has become a worldwide phenomenon as well. His books appear in over 100 countries, resulting in over 40 million people worldwide reading one of the books in the Don't Sweat series. In 1997, he was chosen by People magazine as one of the most intriguing people to watch in the world and has been a popular guest on shows such as The View, Oprah, Today, and CNN.

Author biography courtesy of Hyperion Books.

Hometown:

Northern California

Place of Birth:

Northern California

Education:

San Jose State University, Pepperdine University; Ph.D., Sierra University

Table of Contents

	Foreword
	Introduction
Pt. I	The Principles
1	The Principle of Thought	3
2	The Principle of Moods	27
3	The Principle of Separate Realities	39
4	The Principle of Feelings	49
5	The Principle of the Present Moment	59
Pt. II	Applying the Principles
6	Relationships	75
7	Stress	93
8	Solving Problems	107
9	Happiness	121
10	Habits and Addictions	131
11	A Checklist for Your Life	137

Editorial Reviews

Carlson offers insight into how to maintain a healthy psychological state, defining this "natural state" as happiness, contentment, and gratitude, where one can come from a place of wisdom when facing life's challenges. The author describes five aspects that affect psychological health: thinking, moods, feelings, separate realities, and living in the present. He clearly explains how he believes these aspects foster or adversely affect one's happiness. His practical suggestions include recognizing that thoughts are not reality, refusing to act while in a low mood, and using feelings to monitor moods and thoughts, which are particularly useful in keeping relationships of all kinds in balance. The one flaw with the program is that Carlson is too dismissive of therapy as a tool, characterizing it as keeping people "stuck" in bad psychological habits. Since he offers more balanced evaluations of other tools available to help people, this refusal to balance the view of therapy is glaring. This shortcoming in an otherwise helpful program does not negate the usefulness of Carlson's own suggestions. Recommended for public and academic libraries.-Kathleen A. Sullivan, Phoenix P.L. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

A needed counterbalance to the therapy junkie's tendency to wallow in "processing" while life's beauty passes by. -- Yoga Journal

Yoga Journal