Kathy Hamilton Today I want to share 5 books that will make you a happier person. Can a book do that? I like to think so. Every once in a while you read a book that has a life-changing effect on you. It teaches you something important about yourself and helps to build a better perspective on life. All the books in this list fit that special category. Let’s get started, shall we?
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin is an expert in Happiness. Her podcast ‘Happier’ is packed full of ways to make your life a little better and this book is no different. Tracking her own year-long happiness project, it’s packed with advice and tips for making your life…well, happier!
The best thing about this book is that it’s part memoir part self-help guide. Gretchen approaches the topic of happiness with a researcher’s keen eye and makes you realise that sometimes, happiness is what you make it.
The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking
The Danish are Happier than the rest of us. According to statistics anyway. This little book explores all the reasons why it’s easier to be happy in Denmark thanks to one little word: Hygge. This book made it onto the list because it invites us to remember the power of community, slowing down and embracing comfort. All things that add up to a happier life, in my opinion.
A word that sparked a cultural identity, Hygge has gone mainstream and now the world wants to understand the Danish trick to happiness! (Clue, it involves eating cake with friends, crackling fires and fresh walks.) Aren’t you just a little curious to find out what it’s all about and how it can make you happier?
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf book made me a happier person, and it might just work for you too. Fresh out of a university degree, you could say I had a quarter-life crisis. Suddenly adrift in the world with no real goals, I can admit I floundered. I didn’t feel like I had a place in the world or an identity I could thrive with.
Reading this book was both a reality check and a reaffirmation of my goals. Women have been, and are, denied so many of the experiences that I have not had to fight for. It reminded me how lucky I am and taught me to be proud of all I have achieved. When I needed it most, it inspired me to reach for my goals. The perfect wakeup call! That’s why it features on this list of books that will make you a happier person.
The Conquest of Happiness by Bertrand Russel
First published in 1930, this book was ahead of it’s time when it comes to books that will make you a happier person. Grounded in common sense, it will appeal to readers who want a serious examination on what it takes to be happy.
If you’re of a more philosophical bent then The Conquest of Happiness by Betrand Russel is perfect for you. It’s the toughest read in this list of books that will make you a happier person but don’t let that daunt you. I recommend taking it chapter by chapter to give you time to absorb everything properly. Betrand Russel tackles the concept of happiness from an entirely unique perspective, by examining the causes of unhappiness. A fascinating read.
You do You by Sarah Knight
Sarah Knight has made waves recently for her pulls no punches, unapologetic style and sense of humour. You do You is her third foray into the world of “self-help” and let me tell you, it’s freeing. Her mantra is a familiar one, accept and appreciate yourself, warts and all. However, You do You is also a book that will actually make you want to embrace your quirks and feel the power in your differences.
Out of everything on this list of books that will make you happier, You do You is probably the most enjoyable to read. Sarah Knight draws you in, but rarely feels preachy. She offers sensible, actionable tips for overcoming worries and embracing yourself. Plus, it’s laugh out loud funny. The perfect combination.