A book review of Happy Here and Now: Lasting Happiness You Can Count On by Matt Tracy
Stars: ****
Chiloe Press (2021)
Happiness
266 pages
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This post contains affiliate links.
Summary: Happiness is a skill that can be learned, not something you’re born with. Happy Here and Now teaches you that skill, in straightforward language with real-life examples.
Then it shows you how to make happiness a habit in your life. What brings real happiness is the knowledge that it’s lasting and not a fleeting experience that shows up when something wonderful happens.
Happy Here and Now offers the tools that will make happiness dependable in your life. Using what you learn in Happy Here and Now You’ll: Enjoy the good things in your life more, Stop worrying so much and reduce anxiety, and Tame the mean voices in your head. You’ll learn how to enjoy life, not fight with It.
Happy Here and Now
I’ve read a lot of books about happiness but this is one of the better ones. It’s not just the obvious stuff like some books. The author goes over the basics of happiness such as how to choose your life, gratitude, being thankful for EVERYTHING, forgiveness, thoughts, emotions, relationships and so much more.
Something I really thought was important was:
“There are two types of self-talk. First there’s the way you consciously explain both good and bad conversations in your life and the effect that has on your moods. Second are the subconscious or semiconscious voices telling you things that undermine your self-esteem or willpower. Unless you know to be aware of them, you might think these voices are real.”
Happy, Here and Now
This is so true. Those subconscious thoughts can tell you you’re bad or stupid or fat. Don’t listen to those thoughts!
Another part I really enjoyed started with a quote from another book. The section is all about focusing on the process, not the result. If you enjoy the process, you can be happy no matter the end result. For example if you learn to enjoy your daily chores like laundry or dishes, then it doesn’t matter if it’s never-ending or they aren’t as clean as they should be. Enjoy the process of looking for a job, the process of shopping, the process of sorting, the process of your job. You’ll be happier if you don’t rely on the end result.
Pep Talk
Finally I enjoyed this quote:
“My wife has a saying, ‘If you want to walk later, you have to walk now.” By that, she means that if we want to be able to take walks when we’re eighty, we have to take walks now. It’s not going to get easier. So when my knee hurts at the beginning of a walk, and I want to turn around, I say, ‘If I want to walk, I have to walk.’ It’s my shortened version of a pep talk.”
Happy, Here and Now
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