Choose Happiness

Happiness doesn't just happen: it's a choice we make every day. Happiness is more than an emotion or an involuntary reaction to life events. It's a state of mind, a choice to focus on the things that bring us joy instead of those that bring pain, to reach out to others rather than turning inward. Regardless of what's going on around us or how hard things may seem, our inner life doesn't have to depend upon our outer circumstances: we can find happiness if we choose to. Rachel Cole's collection of essays cover life's big and little moments, from dusty pipes and children's games to being hurt by a dear friend or even grieving for the loss of loved ones. In each moment, she offers insights for how we can store up joy in the happy times and find light in the dark times. Above all, she demonstrates that, no matter how difficult it may seem, we can always find a way to choose happiness.

Now featuring new research and the most current information on the science of happiness, this book presents an outline of the nine choices happy people consistently make. Also included are tools for self-assessment to allow readers to measure happiness-and to find out what might be holding them back from having more of it. Insightful, intimate, and inspiring, How We Choose to Be Happy lets readers learn by example, and take substantial steps toward joining the ranks of the extremely happy.

Choose Happiness! is a treatise on Practical Perspectivism, a way of seeing the world, and a practice of living in it, elaborated by Jeffrey Zahn, MD., a recognized happy person, practicing anesthesiologist, family guy, and all around connoisseur of the simpler things in life. Easy to understand and put into effect, Choose Happiness! describes the Ten Precepts of Practical Perspectivism and explains how to put them to use in your everyday life as a means to eke more happiness out of each day.

UMW Reading Group: Spiritual Growth.

Passionate Bible teacher Kay Warren shows women--even those who battle depression and anxiety--that a joy-filled life is within their reach.

What kind of life do you want for yourself? What choices will create this kind of life? In his New York Times bestseller Happier, positive psychology expert Tal Ben-Shahar taught us how to become happier through simple exercises. Now, in Choose the Life You Want, he has a new, life-changing lesson to share: Drawing on the latest psychological research, Ben-Shahar shows how making the right choices—not the big, once-in-a-lifetime choices, but the countless small choices we make every day almost without noticing—has a direct, long-lasting impact on our happiness. Every single moment is an opportunity to make a conscious choice for a happy and fulfilled life. Choose the Life You Want covers 101 such choices, complete with real-life stories, to help you identify and act on opportunities large and small.

Detailing the author's traumatic life events, this work is meant to inspire the reader to overcome no matter what has been experienced in life. It is intended to be short and concise, but detailed enough to paint the picture and uplift others. Actually meant to be 10 short chapters, the author stopped at 9 but had every intent to write the 10th chapter. However, one evening while thinking about the content for the 10th chapter, the Universe revealed the significance of the number 9. The number 9 is the number of Universal Love, spiritual enlightenment, spiritual awakening, leading by positive examples, self-sacrifice, life purpose, inner strength, and higher perspective. This work undeniably represents the completion of the author's spiritual awakening and the Universe wanted the title to be just that. So, coming full circle, hopefully after reading this the reader either begins, continues, or reaches his or her own spiritual awakening.

Based on her more than thirty years as a noted thinker and speaker on personal contentment, Alexandra Stoddard shares what she has learned about the small but significant changes you can make to be happier day by day. A fun first step: quickly write down ten words that define who you are—perhaps beaches, family, food, home—and what else? This and dozens of other inventive ideas will help you pursue happiness wisely and well. In challenging times, it is easy to question whether happiness is a choice. Alexandra Stoddard affirms that not only is it possible to choose happiness but that happiness is the best choice we can make. It is the "first principle" of life that unites humankind because it is what we all desire. Happiness lies in the passions we pursue and in the pressures we decline. It is in knowing how to work and when to play. It is in the treasured objects we keep nearby and in the ordinary moments we elevate into small celebrations. It is in the note we write to a friend and the kindness we show a stranger. Happiness is what you make it, where you make it. Happiness is our best choice.