How to Be Happy

A quick review of The Happiness Files by Arthur C. Brooks

I don’t know that anyone else, at least in the modern era, has ever defined themselves as, specifically, a happiness expert. It’s almost too basic. Too fundamental. Like being a blinking expert, a drinking water expert, or a screaming expert. But Arthur Brooks has taken on that role and for that reason I recommend everyone follow him.

He’s not saying anything too controversial. This type of writing is more of the kind where once you take in one of its ideas, you realize you’ve known it all along. Writing like this doesn’t shake you or reorient what you thought was real, but it does remind you that, hey, you already know what you have to do. So go do it.

Give to the community, view your work as a service to others, don’t be too sarcastic in your humor, if you want happiness and success don’t chase success - chase happiness first, pleasure is temporary, goals are great when you’re working towards them but once you achieve them you’ll probably be unhappy again (just look at Olympic athletes) so keep creating new goals, love and deep relationships literally equal happiness so cultivate them, don’t pursue knowledge and intelligence if you want to more happiness.

And many more ideas. I think I’ll come back to this book again.