How We Choose to Be Happy: The 9 Choices of Extremely Happy People--Their Secrets, Their Stories

This book focuses on true stories of particularly happy people whom the authors found and interviewed. While there are some exercises for the reader, it's the stories that have the real impact. This makes the book accessible even to people who are turned off by the usual self-help book, and makes me feel comfortable recommending the book (or giving a copy) to a variety of friends and family. Some of the people in the book have experienced tragedy, so learning about how they went on to become happy (or to return to being happy) helps the reader realize that happiness is within their own reach, despite whatever has happened in their lives. I do wish there were fewer than 9 principles covered, because that's too many to remember easily, but that's a minor quibble.

I've been applying the concepts in "How We Choose to be Happy" since before I even read the book. I've been a lot happier over all throughout the past year. I put the nine choices of happiness on my daily check list, and I check them off every day if I have applied them throughout the day. I've discovered things that uniquely make me happy and work to keep them front and center in my life. I've rediscovered giving. I've learned to be grateful every day. The stories in the book are inspiring. I think happiness is a worthwhile research project.

This book is very interesting and basically tells a person what the 9 qualities that happy people have as part of their makeup like holding themselves accountable etc. It all makes sense and is from expansive real research the authors did by finding the happiest people they could find all over the world. I am taking a class on happiness and the one thing that strikes me is that it is a choice and that the more we incline our minds to the positive the better it gets. I love this book but am not finished reading it yet.

In the past two years I have actually become a much happier person and I wondered why this would happen to me all of a sudden. Did I just choose to be happy or is something else at work in my life?With these questions I started to read this book with a heightened sense of interest. This book is really a portrait of happiness and describes nine choices people make that allows them to feel happy no matter what is going on in their lives. These people still grieve or can at times cry over various issues but they don't stay stuck in a depressed state. In fact, they seem to bounce back to their place of original happiness.What I noticed most while reading this book was the recurrent theme of "doing what you love no matter the cost." Through a series of stories along with the authors' analysis you come to the conclusion that happiness is within anyone's reach. Well some people also have to take medication to balance their moods and this was not discussed.You may not want to read this book all in one sitting. I found it difficult to do because there are so many stories and so many details to consider. It was in fact a little overwhelming at times. I'd suggest reading one chapter a day and in that way you can fully absorb each lesson which includes chapters on intention, accountability, identification, centrality, recasting, options, appreciation, giving, truthfulness and synergy.By reading this book I was able to understand why I now feel happy or at least feel a sense of love radiating from the inside. This happiness feels genuine and I hope it will last. So whether you are happy or unhappy this book will gives you some insights and I can recommend it to you.~The Rebecca Review

I read this book when I lose my way in being happy! Some books say it all in the title. This book's title says a lot but there is so much more to know and learn. After interviewing many people, the authors summarized the patterns of people who are happy. Anyone who has been raised in an unhappy environment, learning unhappy habits, should use this book on how to change your habits, which willl change your life.

Self-help books are much in style right now. Being and becoming happy seems to be the latest trend. This particular one has been on the shelves for a while. On the recommendation of a friend I just finished reading this 1999 edition. I found three worthwhile takeaways:First, I agree with the author's explanation of happiness, defining the concept in humanistic terms rather than materialistic, sensational, or the result of a quick jolt of adrenaline. They describe it as a rich sense of well-being, sourced in self-awareness, engagement, and self-esteem.Second, was the chapter on recasting, the ability to deal productively and creatively with all that life offers - good and bad - to turn any experience into a source of hope for the future.Third, presenting happiness as a choice involving nine specific considerations, all of them interrelated.In terms of weakness, like many self-help books, this one drags after the first 100 pages, too many predictable anecdotes and dramas as told by all the ordinary happy people interviewed for the book.

I bought this book on 11/1/15 and i didn't receive it until 11/6/15. I bought this book with Fosters of Hope, to use as a reference to help other people out. My goal is to help others no matter what. This book will be a great addition to my collection to use to help others along the way. I am all for giving back and helping others.

Few methodical and scientific approaches are usually able to capture the profundity of happiness like more spiritual works do. This book does that, through anecdote and exploration. Really good read, and extremely helpful in a world that doesn't necessarily offer a moral compass towards happiness too readily.

This book is well written, interesting, and I found it very helpful.

Great book, saved my life and got me out of depression. important to remember to be grateful in life, great tips!

Down-to-earth information and advice on how to adopt and maintain an optimistic outlook on life. A reminder that happiness is a choice we consciously make.

Very helpful complement to mindfulness work.

The book was ok, some text similar to other books in the genre. Glad to have read but will not re-read.