The Myths of Happiness: What Should Make You Happy, but Doesn't, What Shouldn't Make You Happy, but Does

by Sonja Lyubomirsky

Overview

The bestselling author of The How of Happiness reveals how to find opportunity in life’s thorniest moments
 
Focusing on life’s biggest, messiest moments, Sonja Lyubomirsky provides readers with the clear-eyed vision they need to build the healthiest, most satisfying life. Lyubomirsky argues that we have been given false promises—myths that assure us that lifelong happiness will be attained once we hit the culturally confirmed markers of adult success. This black-and-white vision of happiness works to discourage us from recognizing the upside of any negative and limits our potential for personal growth. A corrective course on happiness and a call to regard life’s twists and turns with a more open mind, The Myths of Happiness shares practical lessons that prove we are more adaptable than we think we are. It empowers readers to look beyond their first response, sharing scientific evidence that often it is our mindset—not our circumstances—that matters most.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101605509
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/03/2013
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	362,339
File size:	743 KB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

SONJA LYUBOMIRSKY is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside. Her research—on the possibility of permanently increasing happiness— has been honored with a Science of Generosity grant, a John Templeton Foundation grant, a Templeton Positive Psychology Prize, and a million-dollar grant from the National Institute of Mental Health. Lyubomirsky’s 2008 book, The How of Happiness, has been translated into nineteen languages. She lives in Santa Monica, California, with her family.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Myths of Happiness 1

Part I Connections

Chapter 1 I'll Be Happy When … I'm Married to the Right Person 17

Chapter 2 I Can't Be Happy When … My Relationship Has Fallen Apart 50

Chapter 3 I'll Be Happy When … I Have Kids 83

Chapter 4 I Can't Be Happy When … I Don't Have a Partner 101

Part II Work and Money

Chapter 5 I'll Be Happy When … I Find the Right Job 115

Chapter 6 I Can't Be Happy When … I'm Broke 144

Chapter 7 I'll Be Happy When … I'm Rich 163

Part III Looking Back

Chapter 8 I Can't Be Happy When … the Test Results Were Positive 185

Chapter 9 I Can't Be Happy When … I Know I'll Never Play Shortstop for the Yankees 211

Chapter 10 I Can't Be Happy When … the Best Years of My Life Are Over 233

Conclusion: Where Happiness Is Really Found 248

Acknowledgments 253

Notes 257

Index 291

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"In this thought-provoking volume, Lyubomirsky... examines happiness and conventional notions about how it's nurtured in relationships, at work, and in one's own psyche...Lyubomirsky demonstrates that positively reframing life events can mine the best out of even the darkest situations. Provocative and fresh."
—Publishers Weekly

"Informative and engaging….The author examines how the 'shoulds' of happiness not only undermine well-being, but also make it hard for individuals to cope with the sometimes difficult realities of adulthood."
—Kirkus Reviews

"No matter what your personal world is like, The Myths of Happiness will change the way you approach your daily life. Lyubomirsky's thorough research and practical solutions will not only add joy and contentment to your life, but will also allow you to take on issues that you may have been sweeping under the rug for too long."
—Woodbury Magazine

"In her new book, The Myths of Happiness, Dr. Lyubomirsky describes a slew of research-tested actions and words that can do wonders to keep love alive."
—Jane Brody, New York Times

Editorial Reviews

"In this thought-provoking volume, Lyubomirsky... examines happiness and conventional notions about how it's nurtured in relationships, at work, and in one's own psyche...Lyubomirsky demonstrates that positively reframing life events can mine the best out of even the darkest situations. Provocative and fresh."
—Publishers Weekly

"Informative and engaging….The author examines how the 'shoulds' of happiness not only undermine well-being, but also make it hard for individuals to cope with the sometimes difficult realities of adulthood."
—Kirkus Reviews

"No matter what your personal world is like, The Myths of Happiness will change the way you approach your daily life. Lyubomirsky's thorough research and practical solutions will not only add joy and contentment to your life, but will also allow you to take on issues that you may have been sweeping under the rug for too long."
—Woodbury Magazine

"In her new book, The Myths of Happiness, Dr. Lyubomirsky describes a slew of research-tested actions and words that can do wonders to keep love alive."
—Jane Brody, New York Times

From the Publisher