Happy In Adversity

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • An engaging, deeply researched guide to flourishing in a world of increasing stress and negativity—the inspiration for one of the most popular TED Talks of all time “Powerful [and] charming . . . A book for just about anyone . . . The philosophies in this book are easily the best wire frames to build a happy and successful life.”—Medium Happiness is not the belief that we don’t need to change; it is the realization that we can. Our most commonly held formula for success is broken. Conventional wisdom holds that once we succeed, we’ll be happy; that once we get that great job, win that next promotion, lose those five pounds, happiness will follow. But the science reveals this formula to be backward: Happiness fuels success, not the other way around. Research shows that happy employees are more productive, more creative, and better problem solvers than their unhappy peers. And positive people are significantly healthier and less stressed and enjoy deeper social interaction than the less positive people around them. Drawing on original research—including one of the largest studies of happiness ever conducted—and work in boardrooms and classrooms across forty-two countries, Shawn Achor shows us how to rewire our brains for positivity and optimism to reap the happiness advantage in our lives, our careers, and even our health. His strategies include: • The Tetris Effect: how to retrain our brains to spot patterns of possibility so we can see and seize opportunities all around us • Social Investment: how to earn the dividends of a strong social support network • The Ripple Effect: how to spread positive change within our teams, companies, and families By turns fascinating, hopeful, and timely, The Happiness Advantage reveals how small shifts in our mind-set and habits can produce big gains at work, at home, and elsewhere.

Join Cheryl Strayed, Temple Grandin, Meredith Vieira and others as they share their honest accounts of heartbreak, and the secrets they discovered that led them to triumph 'despite it all'. In this collection of interviews, Harriet Cabelly has dug deep to reveal the critical wisdom found in the midst of huge challenge or loss. She highlights themes such as purpose and gratitude that all of us can incorporate into our lives as we go through our own difficult times. In particular, she reflects on the importance of developing resilience and a positive attitude, even in the face of insufferable odds. The people in this book don't flinch from telling it how it really is. Their stories are raw, at times, as they openly describe their struggles and how they have learned to cope with loss, disability and addiction. Their stories will strengthen and inspire you. They will show that you, too, can come out the other side of heartbreak intact and go on to rebuild a life filled with renewed meaning and joy. That, despite it all, you can thrive. "A must-read for anyone who's feeling discouraged or hopeless. If you're going through a hard time, or know someone who could use a little inspiration to carry on, Living Well Despite Adversity will brighten the light at the end of the tunnel." - Lori Deschene, Founder of tinybuddha.com and author of Tiny Buddha's Gratitude Journal "Moving, inspiring and heart-felt. The stories in this book show it's possible to deal with hardship and rise above adversity." - Tal Ben-Shahar, author of Happier; lecturer and author in the field of positive psychology "What I appreciate most about this work is the author's clear understanding of what it takes to build a resilient life. Through her own story, and the evocative and wise words of others, we are given a rich understanding of the perspectives and practices that lift us even when life is relentlessly hard. The integration of science and story not only informs us but brings us to that place where we come to experience hope. Her warm, direct approach invites each of us to consider what we might add to our repertoire in terms of building a hardier life and one that moves toward thriving. I'm so glad to know of these ordinary heroes and so grateful for Harriet Cabelly in authoring such a work." - Maria Sirois, Psy.D., author of A Short Course in Happiness After Loss (and Other Dark, Difficult Times)

One of the world's most popular Tibetan lamas shares accessible advice for working with adversity and living a spiritual life. Enjoy a variety of meditations on topics from flattery and jealousy to karma and compassion. In each brief chapter Khenpo Sodargye weaves in stories from ancient classics and modern headlines. Drawing on adages from the Buddha, Confucius, and even Mark Twain, he delivers simple and timeless insights about facing adversity and developing a good heart. With this English-language edition, you can now join the tens of millions who have already benefitted from this ageless advice on money, relationships, mortality, and more.

No one searches for adversity. Bad things happen. Yet how many of us will know what to do to prevent our lives from spiraling out of control when we encounter traumatic events that threaten our safety, careers, emotions, health, or relationships? In this pragmatic and inspirational book, experienced US-based life coach and psychotherapist Eileen Lenson shows us tools to turn suffering into hope and develop resilience by combining scientific research with an understanding of our emotional and spiritual lives. She cuts through existing myths and provides readers with a look into what it takes to not just overcome adversity and survive, but to thrive. Written to help anyone who finds themselves in a painful place, regardless of social background, culture, religion or education, each chapter describes from a scientific, psychological and spiritual perspective, why we do the things we do. Armed with this knowledge we can learn to manage our feelings and respond to devastating events with the skills to seek healthy coping options and change our lives for the better. In this book you’ll learn how to: • Use five core factors of your life — forgiveness, courage, perspective, perseverance, and hope — to reduce emotional suffering. • Identify and replace unproductive coping skills with healthy thoughts, feelings and behaviors. • Master new skills through practice exercises. • Benefit from the stories of others, just like you, who have faced and overcome adversity.

While resilience is innate in the brain, our capacity for it can be impaired by our conditioning. Unhelpful patterns of response are learned over time and can become fixed in our neural circuitry. What neuroscience now shows is that what previously seemed hardwired can be rewired.

Misfortune . . . Failure . . . Illness . . . It seems adversity dooms us to lives of frustration. Not so, according to dynamic industrialist and major philanthropist Al Weatherhead. He says adversity is not a curse but a gift--and that when we embrace our problems we temper and empower ourselves to achieve unimagined success. With insight and compassion, Weatherhead helps us understand that the question we must ask ourselves when bowled over by life's troubles is not "Why me?” but instead, "Why not me?” In the process, this pragmatic and profound book reveals the secret to achieving a greater understanding and mastery of life by harnessing the Power of Adversity.

Misfortune such as death, failure, loneliness, disappointment, abandonment, limitations, illness, and several more affect without distinction (and sometimes without mercy) all human beings regardless of origin, nationality, social status, colour, sexual orientation, gender, beliefs, and family composition. Some are affected with more or less intensity and frequency, but inevitably all mortals have to face tragedy sooner or later. In all cases, we have the option of being well or miserable, and the decision is ours to make. Fate is never against us; it just happens, and adapting to it is easier than we have been told. You will find here simple but invaluable concepts that will help you regain control of your thoughts and actions to lead a happy and meaningful life regardless of what happens around you.

#1 New York Times Best Seller Named a Best Book of 2017 by Barnes & Noble and Amazon From Facebook’s COO and Wharton’s top-rated professor, the #1 New York Times best-selling authors of Lean In and Originals: a powerful, inspiring, and practical book about building resilience and moving forward after life’s inevitable setbacks. After the sudden death of her husband, Sheryl Sandberg felt certain that she and her children would never feel pure joy again. “I was in ‘the void,’” she writes, “a vast emptiness that fills your heart and lungs and restricts your ability to think or even breathe.” Her friend Adam Grant, a psychologist at Wharton, told her there are concrete steps people can take to recover and rebound from life-shattering experiences. We are not born with a fixed amount of resilience. It is a muscle that everyone can build. Option B combines Sheryl’s personal insights with Adam’s eye-opening research on finding strength in the face of adversity. Beginning with the gut-wrenching moment when she finds her husband, Dave Goldberg, collapsed on a gym floor, Sheryl opens up her heart—and her journal—to describe the acute grief and isolation she felt in the wake of his death. But Option B goes beyond Sheryl’s loss to explore how a broad range of people have overcome hardships including illness, job loss, sexual assault, natural disasters, and the violence of war. Their stories reveal the capacity of the human spirit to persevere . . . and to rediscover joy. Resilience comes from deep within us and from support outside us. Even after the most devastating events, it is possible to grow by finding deeper meaning and gaining greater appreciation in our lives. Option B illuminates how to help others in crisis, develop compassion for ourselves, raise strong children, and create resilient families, communities, and workplaces. Many of these lessons can be applied to everyday struggles, allowing us to brave whatever lies ahead. Two weeks after losing her husband, Sheryl was preparing for a father-child activity. “I want Dave,” she cried. Her friend replied, “Option A is not available,” and then promised to help her make the most of Option B. We all live some form of Option B. This book will help us all make the most of it.