1st Edition
The Serious Business of Being Happy A Cognitive Behavior Workbook to Bring Happiness to Every Day of Life
The Serious Business of Being Happy combines scientific research and clinical experience to lay out a wealth of strategies to bring about happiness with oneself, other people, and daily life in general.
Suitable for a wide range of mental health professionals, the book provides an applicable, comprehensive step-by-step approach to fulfilling a happy life. Chapters draw on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy theory and practice to illustrate key areas where happiness can be maximized, including identifying life purpose and sacred principles, finding happiness with oneself, and finding happiness with others. Also included is a personalized "Happiness Action Plan," along with case examples, exercises, and reflections, to translate the ideas into concrete action.
Leaving aside the psychobabble and feel-good clichés, The Serious Business of Being Happy is a valuable resource for practitioners working with individuals to build a positive psychology in everyday life.
Part I. The Happiness Foundation 1. The Happiness Challenges 2. Visioning Happiness 3. The Happiness Mindsets Part II. The Happiness Practices 4. Live Your Passionate Purpose 5. Happiness With Yourself 6. Happiness With Others 7. Happiness With Life 8. Live Your Ethical Principles Part III. Your Happiness Action Plan 9. Creating Your Happiness Action Plan (HAP) Part IV. Sustaining Happiness for Life 10. Sustaining Happiness Action: The Psychological Way 11. Sustaining Happiness Action: The Philosophic Way
Biography
Russell Grieger, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than thirty-five years of experience treating individuals, couples, and families with Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy.
"In his usual clearly written and well-structured way, Dr. Grieger has written a gem of a book. The title is the clue: if you want to be happy, you need to take the project seriously and put in the work. If you bring these qualities to the book and follow Dr. Grieger's guidelines, then you will be healthier and happier than you would be if you just passively read the book. The choice is yours!" – Windy Dryden, PhD, emeritus professor, Psychotherapeutic Studies, Goldsmiths University of London.
"In The Serious Business of Being Happy, Russell Grieger systematically addresses the most important question any human being could conceivably ask: how to become and stay happy. Not a one-size-fits-all approach, Dr. Grieger helps readers uniquely fashion their ‘passionate purpose’ in life, and then compassionately guides them in building rational-emotive-behavioral strategies for overcoming obstacles to this self-chosen end; identifying ethical principles to direct this purpose; and creating and implementing a ‘happiness action plan’. Chock full of workshops, Grieger shows the reader how to plot a clearheaded path to personal and professional fulfilment. Highly recommended for psychotherapists and laypersons alike." – Elliot D. Cohen, PhD, founder of Logic-Based Therapy; author of Making Peace with Imperfection.
"This book is a beauty. Not a pollyannaistic account of what it takes to be happy, it flags what we can do to get on the road to happiness by 'acting in accordance with your passionate purpose, grounded in rational thought about yourself, other people, and life in general, and guided by your sacred principles.' It is a banquet full of Russell Grieger's amazing insights into the mindset needed for happiness-producing action." – Michael E. Bernard, PhD, professor, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne; emeritus professor, California State University, Long Beach; founder, You Can Do It! Education (youcandoiteducation.com.au).
"In this practical book, Dr. Russell Grieger shows that wisdom and happiness are within the grasp of anyone who responsibly acts to pursue purposeful, meaningful, and attainable goals. In this process he ably shows how to narrow down happiness goals and follow through. He identifies happiness-sabotaging negative beliefs and how to combat them. By using Dr. Grieger’s carefully mapped action plans, you’ll increase your range of positive experiences, build resilience against adversity, advance your enlightened personal and social interests, and add joy to your life and to the lives of those close to you." – Bill Knaus, EdD, original director of postdoctoral training, Albert Ellis Institute for Advanced Study in Rational Emotive Psychotherapy; author/coauthor of over 20 books.
