A Book and Plan, Suggested

Has anyone read the book "The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want" by Sonya Lyubormirsky?  A friend recommended it to me after she gave me permission to feel depressed until Thanksgiving.  I'm thinking about hunting it down, just to see what it says.

The other information this insightful friend gave me was a series of "Happiness Strategies".  Dr. Dean Barley from BYU had spoke at their RS activity the night before I saw her and all this information was in the front of her thoughts.  The strategies her suggeted nclude:

1) Gratitude strategies: think of someone to whom you have never expressed full thanks, write it all out, read that to them face to face with eye contact, let them react unhurriedly, write down three things for which you are grateful daily and their causes, discuss blessing with a  partner

2) Cultivating optimism: speak to my self like to would to a friend, be factually correct, look for evidence, seek other possible explanations and contributing factors

3) Avoid over thinking and social comparison (Rumination):self-distraction with positive activities

4) Practicing acts of kindness: combats compassion fatigue

5) Nurturing relationships show interest and encouragement, self-disclosure, express affection and admiration, affirm their successes, loyalty, reciprocate favors

6) Coping strategies: social support, finding meaning by talking and writing, absorb self in activities that change the brain state

7) Forgiveness: (REACH) Recall, Empathy, Altruistic gift of forgiveness, Commit, Hold onto forgiveness

8) Flow: task that is challenging and require skills, concentration, clear goals, immediate feedback, deep effortless involvement, sense of control, sense of self vanished, time stops

9) Savoring: pleasures need to be spread out over time and varied, shared with someone, look forward to it, reminisce

10) Goals: make adequate preparation by setting clear specific goals, go public with them, reduce triggers and increase reminders, track progress, use rewards, build a support system to help

11) Practicing religion and spirituality: do something that improves your relationship with God


12) Take care of your body: appropriate fitness, nutrition, sleep, laughter, and meditation

This sounds like a great plan.  And I think I'll get right on it starting Monday.