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How to be Happy (No Fairy Dust or Moonbeams Required): 10 Simple Tools for a Happier Life Kindle Edition

4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 1,065 ratings

Discover the secrets to true, lasting happiness

Imagine going through life with confidence and deep satisfaction, knowing that you’re making the most of your time, talents, and abilities.

  • Imagine waking up every morning, feeling good about what your day will bring.
  • Imagine being your own best friend instead of your own worst enemy.
  • Imagine truly enjoying your life on a daily basis!

This book contains 10 steps on how to be happy. By following these steps, you will learn how to have a happier life. And it’s probably a lot easier than you imagine.

A lot of people think that happiness is something you have to be born with. Don’t fall for that happiness myth! With a few simple actions, you can increase your life-satisfaction and create a life of joy.

How do I know? I could tell you that I have a Ph.D. (true) or that I’m a Certified Professional Coach and Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner (also true). But what really qualifies me to write this book is that I’ve been there.

I used to be a miserable person: depressed, victimized, apathetic, and going through the motions in life. At the end of a bad marriage, I realized that I was not willing to live this way forever. Something had to change.

I started therapy. I got to work reading self-help books and trying out their advice. I studied what worked and what didn’t work. And over time, I succeeded: I made myself happy!

I was so excited that it worked—I felt like I had solved the greatest mystery of life. I just had to share everything I had learned with the world. That’s why I wrote this book. The techniques in this book are exactly what I used to transform my life.

Here are a few of the things you’ll learn in this short, simple book:

  • The top 4 myths about happiness—and the real truth about what you need to know to be happy in your life
  • The definition of true happiness, and how it’s different from what most people think
  • The real cause of unhappiness: once you understand it, you can overcome it!
  • One essential change in mindset that can help you stop taking things personally
  • The fastest way to shift your mood when you’re feeling bad, so you can feel good any time you want
  • A simple technique for reprogramming the voices in your head, so they stop making you miserable and start helping you live a better life
  • Four common, insidious happiness-blockers—and how to defeat them for good

Buy this book now so you can start being happier today! Just click the BUY NOW button at the top of this page.

Product description

About the Author

Cara Stein is the founder of 17000 Days, a blog about remembering that life is short and making your best days a common occurrence. She's a big believer in self-reinvention and building your ideal life for yourself. She's the author of Reclaim Your Love and Getting Unstuck. Her latest adventure is Beyond Fear, a workshop on overcoming your fears. Find Cara on 17000-days.com to read her latest.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B007JCGSLW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Fire Lizard Press (11 Mar. 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1091 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 75 pages
  • Customer reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 1,065 ratings

About the author

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Cara Stein
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I'm Cara Stein. I've always wanted to be a writer, but I took a roundabout way of getting there. Among other relics of career change and self-reinvention, I have a PhD in computer science, assorted programming skills, several years' teaching experience, and advanced skills in wasting a whole afternoon surfing the internet.

Now, in addition to writing my own books, I'm a full-time book designer and editor. I help people finish and publish their books, from writing and editing to design and layout. It's the most fun I've ever had at work!

My newest book is a coloring book for adults. It's called Relax and Color, and it was a pure passion project for me. I never thought I could be an artist, but designing my own coloring book showed me that I can.

Many writers have said that writing is part of their healing process, and that's certainly been true for me. I started making the coloring book about two months after my former boyfriend passed away. This is the book that I needed to help me heal and get back to my center. I hope it will help others do the same. But even if there's nothing more to it than coloring pretty pictures, that's great, too! Creating this book is the best thing I've done so far, and I can't wait to see what comes next.

My other books include How to be Happy (No Fairy Dust or Moonbeams Required), Getting Unstuck, and Reclaim Your Love: How to Fix Your Relationship.

I live in Huntsville, Alabama, with one stripy gray kitty cat.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
1,065 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and understand. They appreciate the practical advice and insights that help improve their outlook on life. The book is short and concise, making it a nice read.

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98 customers mention ‘Readability’98 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and understand. It provides practical tips in a clear and simple manner. The idea is simple and the tips are straightforward to apply.

"...A smart phone is great for this, but if not just a note pad. The idea is simple. At the end of each day, just write down what things made you happy...." Read more

"...The author outlines some simples 'tools' for happiness, but in a very clear and down to earth way, that you can easily start putting into practice...." Read more

"...of researched information presented in such a relaxed tone and tidy format...." Read more

"I loved this book. Took the kindle on holiday abd couldn't stop reading it. It felt like the author was speaking to me personally...." Read more

88 customers mention ‘Advice’88 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides insightful and practical advice about happiness. They say it helps them take stock and open their minds to positive thoughts. The book contains simple techniques to improve their outlook on life and feel happier. It's easy to read, understand, and apply.

"...The book contains a number of simple techniques to help improve your outlook on life and thus feel hopefully happier and more fulfilled...." Read more

"...She also backs up her claims with good evidence from research, for example she cites works by Martin Seligman, who is the 'Daddy' of the Positive..." Read more

"This book is absolutely amazing. It combines digestible science and when only appropriate, validating self disclosure about the author’s own..." Read more

"...While it touched on all areas of life it doesn't give a solution. In my point of view, it's too general...." Read more

6 customers mention ‘Length’6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book short and easy to read.

"This product was short and snappy but quite to the point of the exercise and took me just a night to read all of." Read more

"...It's short and concise and suggests some practical tips that can help increase optimism and happiness...." Read more

"Excellent, short and to the point. You could read it in a couple of hours and feel enlightened afterwards. Great for a read down the pub or cafe." Read more

"This book has some very nice tips to improve your life.This book is short and to the point.Very well written." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 July 2014
    This book was FREE so it's an easy decision to give it a whirl. Thank you to the author for giving it away for free. There is no hidden demand for any money whatsoever. The author is just kindly trying to improve people's lives. Thank you :)

    The book contains a number of simple techniques to help improve your outlook on life and thus feel hopefully happier and more fulfilled. None of them are rocket science, but being happy isn't. The author suggests that you need a ratio of 3:1 happy things vs sad things to feel happier. That seems sensible to me and I am working on this.

    What is important is that you think about how you can improve you daily activities. If things make you sad then see what you can change. For example, if your job makes you sad, then look at how you can improve it or change it altogether.

    Think about things you can work into your life that you will enjoy. Some exercise, take a walk in the park, smell the flowers, listen to music (Spotify is great BTW and free!). Do things for others and expect nothing in return. Play with your kids and make them laugh. Visit your family. Go out with friends. Go on holiday. Read an interesting book. Explore somewhere. The list is endless. Just make sure you do things and experience life.

    One of my favourite things from this book is the happy list. A smart phone is great for this, but if not just a note pad. The idea is simple. At the end of each day, just write down what things made you happy. Aim for 5 things. It lets you remember them and experience that happy feeling again. If your list is slim, then resolve to fit more happy things in tomorrow. The lists are also nice to refer to on days where you're feeling like you want something to make you smile.

    Of course try to avoid sad things if you can but that's nigh on impossible. So try and counteract them by 3 times as much happy things and look at things as positively as possible. I read a nice example of why to keep possible which I'll share. I can't recall which book I read it in but I like the story:

    Once there was a man who owned a horse. His horse let him travel around and helped him to work. One day the horse disappeared. The people in the village said 'that's terrible'. The man replied 'It could be bad, it could be good, who knows?'

    The following day the horse returned with another horse. The man gave the second horse to his son and they enjoyed riding and working together.

    A few weeks later the man's son fell off his horse and broke his leg badly. He needed to rest many weeks. The villagers said 'that's terrible!'. The man replied 'It could be bad, could be good, who knows?'

    A week later a war broke out and many villagers had to go fight. The man's son could not because of his leg. Many villagers died in the war but the son survived.

    As is clear, we have no idea what the future holds. So try not to worry about it. Live and love the present and enjoy what life has to offer. :)
    27 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 August 2014
    If you would like to be more happy, but don't know how or where to start, this book will give you a good overview of how to get started. The author outlines some simples 'tools' for happiness, but in a very clear and down to earth way, that you can easily start putting into practice. She also backs up her claims with good evidence from research, for example she cites works by Martin Seligman, who is the 'Daddy' of the Positive Psychology movement. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to start living a happier, more positive life NOW.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 June 2018
    This book is absolutely amazing. It combines digestible science and when only appropriate, validating self disclosure about the author’s own assumptions and feelings surrounding issues we all face as humans. This is such a large amount of researched information presented in such a relaxed tone and tidy format. I’m using my first effort of expressing gratitude and it’s for the effort and value put into this free resource
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 January 2016
    The book itself doesn't answer the question on How to be Happy. While it touched on all areas of life it doesn't give a solution. In my point of view, it's too general. What it does however, is to provide you with a workbook for you to use and recommends other sources. All together, it makes it a good start point on learning how to be Happier!
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 September 2018
    I loved this book. Took the kindle on holiday abd couldn't stop reading it. It felt like the author was speaking to me personally. I could relate to the book totally. How generous of her to give it away for free! Will be buying her other books soon.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 April 2020
    I have, for as long as I can remember, always thought I was a lesser person and my self confidence has been lacking considerably for some time especially on the work front. Worrying what people thought about me, worrying that my work colleagues thought I wasn't working hard enough and over thinking everything to the point that things were taking me much longer to sort out than was necessary. This caused me to spend wasted time worrying and fretting. This book is the first 'self-help' book I have read and I am glad I did, the part that really struck me was imagine what sort of person you want to be and be that person, or words to that effect. This book is the first step for me to get back my confidence and I am really glad I took the time to read it. I will be implementing the techniques outlined in the book and making some positive changes to the way I view things.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 April 2016
    Excellent motivational guide! Makes you stop and look at your life, the things that we aren't happy about and guides us to change them. Reading this book made me more appreciative of people and things that I've got in my life. This book gave me a little push in right direction. My next book is getting unstuck! Can't wait to read it already!
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 September 2015
    Brilliant book. Easy to read and makes complete sense. I have read it twice on my kindle, and today got it in paperback too.
    Everyone should read this book. I have recommended it to two friends who also got it on kindle and loved it. Explains in very easy reading, just how easy it is to be happy. Keep up the great work Cara Stein :-)

Top reviews from other countries

  • Websun
    5.0 out of 5 stars Happiness in a nutshell
    Reviewed in Canada on 28 November 2023
    An excellent book for people who are pressed for time. It covers most aspects of life that tend to make us feel unhappy, while showing that happiness comes from inside you and that you can reclaim it any time. And this little book tells you unequivocally how.
  • Sage
    5.0 out of 5 stars SUPERB book!
    Reviewed in the United States on 9 April 2014
    The ideas seem simple and easy to put into practice but surely yield profound benefits in the long run should you apply it well. Each and every line is embedded with great knowledge and the simplest 'how-to's. I appreciate the author's kind motive behind writing this book.I felt like never keeping it down. But I believe I would savor it daily. That way its absorbed in my subconscious . I am surely returning to this book time and again for years to come. This book is GOLD ! This cover or any cover cannot do justice to the "superb" content within. For those who are skeptical about needing to read this book- I would simply say that the information in this book is surely going to positively impact your life and you will be grateful to yourself for having read this. You do not have to be in a dark pit or the lowest low in life, this book can pick you up from wherever you are to a more joyful and fulfilling life. Thank you Cara Stein for touching so many lives by sharing this beautiful book!
  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent self-help guide
    Reviewed in India on 8 August 2015
    Enjoyable read and very well written book. The author identifies the common patterns of negative thinking and provides practical solutions to change this way of thinking.
  • Michele
    4.0 out of 5 stars Short but interesting
    Reviewed in the United States on 10 July 2024
    This book is short and to the point. It's good, sound advice. Life is what you make it. There's a free workbook you can use with this. Looking forward to trying it.
  • Amazon Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on 8 July 2016
    Arrived early but I am disappointed with the quality, looks like pyjama than outdoor clothing.

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