Rest, relax and be happy over break!

It feels really good to be getting ready for Spring Break, especially after the absence of the occasional long weekends and no time off since the start of second semester. In that spirit, I thought I would review several new books which encourage actions to promote happiness.

RESILIENT by Rick Hanson, a psychologist, senior fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and New York Times bestselling author, will be published next Tuesday through Random House’s Crown Publishing (as an aside, they also recently produced Gretchen Rubin’s The Four Tendencies which we are finding to be very popular). The subtitle of RESILIENT is “How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness” and Hanson does a wonderful job of outlining steps to make a difference in your life and outlook. He begins by defining resiliency as the ability to “cope with adversity and push through challenges in the pursuit of opportunities,” explaining further that “determination, self-worth and kindness are what makes us resilient.” The first chapter is primarily about being compassionate and kind to yourself, offering readings, exercises and a summary of key points.  Subsequent chapters have a similar format and each focuses on one of four ways that we can develop to meet three basic needs, for a total of twelve primary inner strengths. For example, these topics include Mindfulness, Gratitude, Confidence and Courage. As Hanson says, “you could explore a new chapter each month for a year of personal growth.”  I agree and definitely recommend this book, as do numerous psychologists and researchers who study the brain and human emotions.  Hanson has written extensively on the subject and his web site suggests many simple practices to help reduce stress and improve well-being.

I saw many parallels to Hanson’s writing in another new book titled BE HAPPY! by clinical psychologist Rebecca Ray, published in early March by Quatro.  Using a self-help type format, Ray describes “35 Powerful Methods for Personal Growth & Well-Being.”  She advocates devoting a relatively small amount of time (perhaps 15 minutes per day) to nurture new habits, saying “these small actions will build up over time, and before you know it, a positive habit will have taken root.”

Ray emphasizes developing positive emotions, using activities to become engaged, and promoting healthy relationships as well as a sense of meaning/purpose and accomplishment. She loosely groups her suggestions under the categories: Choosing, Cultivating, Practicing and Making Space (for …).   The introduction to each section is cheerful and colorful and they could easily provide inspirational posters (a few images on amazon).  The “Choosing” section, for example, notes joy, gratitude, kindness, patience, laughter, the bright side, courage, self-love and flow. There is a brief quote from a well- known person about each method, a page or so of explanation and, again, suggested activities. This book’s relatively short format would coincide with the school year (basically one method per week) and our homeroom advisors or resource teachers might find value in discussing and reinforcing a new habit (cultivating rest and sleep, making space for imperfection, etc.) on a weekly basis.    

Finally, I also previewed WHEN LIKES AREN'T ENOUGH written by Tim Bono and published by Grand Central in mid-March. He, too, emphasizes that “whether it’s listening to your favorite song, taking the long way to class, or giving your attention to positive things happening around you, a small behavior can make the difference between a mediocre and a happier day.”  As a psychologist and professor at Washington University in St. Louis, Bono seems to focus primarily on young adults and uses many examples to which they would relate. In ten chapters he reviews over one hundred studies. He writes in several sections about the mind body connection, noting the benefits, for example, of smiling or striking a power pose. Bono also reinforces the importance of sleep, offers suggestions for attention training, and the need for social connection. He ultimately suggests that his readers find the strategies that work best for them and be proactive in implementing them, creating habits by going to run or going to sleep at the same time each day.  WHEN LIKES AREN'T ENOUGH is subtitled “A Crash Course in the Science of Happiness” and Bono hopes that it provides “a toolkit of strategies and interventions that can bolster your psychological health and happiness.” 

Bono teaches courses on the Psychology of Young Adulthood and the Science of Happiness. Noting that record numbers of college students are seeking treatment for depression and anxiety, the media (New York Times, Slate, and others) has recently profiled similar courses. If interested, you can enroll for free in Professor Laurie Santos’ popular Yale course through Coursera.