Table of Contents
About the author xi
Introduction xiii
How to make this book work for you xvii
Choose happiness now 1
Part 1 The essentials of emotional health and happiness 17
Pillar 1 Get out of your head 18
Practise mindfulness 22
Defuse your 'negative' thoughts 25
Investigate your thinking 28
Transform any self-limiting beliefs 30
Pillar 2 Become a master of your emotions 34
Assess your emotional-management style 38
Identify your emotional-control strategies 41
Increase your emotional-body awareness 47
Improve your emotional literacy 49
Become skilful in emotional processing 51
Pillar 3 Live a fulfilling and meaningful life 61
Meet your emotional needs 65
Embrace gratitude 72
Identify your life purpose and gifts 74
Discover your values 77
Live in alignment with your highest values 84
Part 2 Overcoming common barriers to emotional health 89
Pillar 4 Meet your physical needs 90
Optimise your nutrition 93
Get active 110
Sleep soundly 113
Rest and relax 117
Live and work in a healthy environment 121
Pillar 5 Identify and address physical imbalances 125
Physical-imbalance questionnaires 126
Neurotransmitter imbalances 140
Nutritional imbalances 147
Allergies and intolerances 154
Hormone imbalances 157
Dysbiosis 168
Pillar 6 Identify and address any mental-health challenges 173
Mental-health questionnaires 176
Psychological stress 182
Anger 188
Depression 191
Anxiety and panic disorders 195
Addictions 199
Trauma/post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 202
Grief 206
Part 3 Maximise your happiness 211
Pillar 7 Accept and love yourself 212
Make peace with your body 216
Let go of your resentments 218
Experience self-love 221
Discover and embrace your selves 224
Awaken to the true self 229
Pillar 8 Create positive, healthy relationships 233
Practise empathy and loving-kindness 229
Practise the four As of healthy, mature relationships 241
Identify the presence of co-dependency or counter-dependency 245
Develop and maintain healthy boundaries 251
Learn how to resolve conflicts 257
Contribute to the happiness and well-being of others 261
A final word on true happiness 265
Appendix: The 14-day happiness test 267
References 269
Resources 275
Recommended reading 289
Index 292