Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
Audiobook (abridged)4 hours
Happy at Last: The Thinking Person's Guide to Finding Joy
Written by Richard O'Connor
Narrated by Rick Adamson
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
()
About this audiobook
From the bestselling author of Undoing Depression – a groundbreaking program to get happy and stay happy!
Do you want to live the happiest, most satisfying life possible? Does happiness feel like an elusive goal? According to the most recent developments in psychology and science, the brain can be trained to be more receptive to happiness, because staying happy doesn't come naturally. Nor does our society make it easy. In Happy at Last, psychotherapist Richard O'Connor offers new thinking about how we attain and maintain happiness, and he shows us that it doesn't necessarily have to come at a high cost or in a big package. Rather, we can be in command of our happiness by learning to control how our minds work so that we can identify and savor the hidden positive aspects of everyday life. To do this, O'Connor provides us with a set of skills that will help us re-wire our brains to allow ourselves more joy.
Filled with practical advice and exercises, Happy at Last is a step-by-step guide that will help you achieve
* The core skills that we need to feel happy and fulfilled in today's world.
* Strategies for increasing happiness, reducing unnecessary misery, and experiencing greater satisfaction.
* Techniques for keeping sadness at bay and stress from getting in the way of enjoying life.
This is not glib pop psychology but rather the best current science has to offer, put into an accessible and absorbing book. Richard O'Connor makes it possible to be, finally, Happy at Last!
Author
Richard O'Connor
Richard O'Connor is the author of five books, Undoing Depression, Active Treatment of Depression, Undoing Perpetual Stress, Happy At Last, and Rewire. For fourteen years he was executive director of the Northwest Center for Family Service and Mental Health, overseeing the treatment of almost a thousand patients per year. He is a practicing psychotherapist, with offices in Canaan, Connecticut, and New York City, and he lives with his family in Lakeville, Connecticut.
Related to Happy at Last
Related audiobooks
Happy at Last: The Thinking Person's Guide to Finding Joy Learned Hopefulness: The Power of Positivity to Overcome Depression Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Organize Your Emotions, Optimize Your Life: Decode Your Emotional DNA-and Thrive Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Happier Human: 53 Science-Backed Habits to Increase Your Happiness Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Embracing Uncertainty: Breakthrough Methods for Achieving Peace of Mind When Facing the Unknown Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Happier You: A Seven-Week Program to Transform Negative Thinking into Positivity and Resilience Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Live Happy: Ten Practices for Choosing Joy Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A Monk's Guide to Happiness: Meditation in the 21st Century Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Breaking the Stress Cycle: 7 Steps to Greater Resilience, Happiness, and Peace of Mind Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStop Checking Your Likes: Shake Off the Need for Approval and Live an Incredible Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Joy on Demand: The Art of Discovering the Happiness Within Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Happy This Year!: The Secret to Getting Happy Once and for All Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5No Regrets Living: 7 Keys to a Life of Wonder and Contentment Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-Being Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anxiety as an Ally: How I Turned a Worried Mind into My Best Friend Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Kindness Method: Change Your Habits for Good Using Self-Compassion and Understanding Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Taming Your Gremlin (Revised Edition): A Surprisingly Simple Method for Getting Out of Your Own Way Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Happy: Simple Steps to Get the Most Out of Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHealthy Habits Suck: How to get off the couch and live a healthy life... even if you don't want to Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5#Chill: Turn Off Your Job and Turn On Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stressaholic: 5 Steps to Transform Your Relationship with Stress Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Health Revolution: Finding Happiness and Health Through an Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Depression Cure: The 6-Step Program to Beat Depression without Drugs Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Getting Unstuck: How Dead Ends Become New Paths Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Pursuit of Perfect: to Stop Chasing and Start Living a Richer, Happier Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Personal Growth For You
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, and Create Your Self Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 48 Laws of Power Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/58 Rules of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let It Go Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Becoming Supernatural: How Common People Are Doing The Uncommon Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Unfu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and into Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Highly Sensitive Person Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary: Atomic Habits by James Clear: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Boundaries: When To Say Yes, How to Say No Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Courage to Be Disliked: How to Free Yourself, Change Your Life, and Achieve Real Happiness Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Paris: The Memoir Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Rewire Your Anxious Brain: How to Use the Neuroscience of Fear to End Anxiety, Panic, and Worry Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Banish Your Inner Critic: Silence the Voice of Self-Doubt to Unleash Your Creativity and Do Your Best Work Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Finding Me: A Memoir Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It Starts with Self-Compassion: A Practical Road Map Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Happiness Makeover: Overcome Stress and Negativity to Become a Hopeful, Happy Person Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related podcast episodes
Ep. 100: Best of the Brain over Binge Podcast 0% found this document usefulMindfulness and meditation: the search for authenticity 0% found this document useful134: It's Not Always Depression - So What Is It?: With Hilary Jacobs Hendel 0% found this document useful40: The Upside of Stress with Kelly McGonigal 0% found this document useful#470: You Deserve Better: Rejection Reframing 100% found this document usefulUFYB 44: Catastrophizing: Why we do this and how it impacts the results we have in our life 0% found this document useful16. Do I Deserve Self-Compassion? With Dr. Kristin Neff 0% found this document useful87 - Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety with Psychiatrist Drew Ramsey 0% found this document usefulDr Judson Brewer | The Craving Mind: Psychiatrist, famous TED talker, and Mindfulness training expert Judson Brewer MD PhD joins me on The Astral Hustle. We discuss how mindfulness can break bad habits, what the internet is doing to our brains, and his book The Craving Mind.... 100% found this document usefulJohann Hari on why your attention is slowly being stolen... 0% found this document usefulFinding Magic in the Mess with Dr. Neeta Bhushan 0% found this document usefulHow to Change: The Science of Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. With Katy Milkman 0% found this document useful
Related articles
Journalling For Greater Ease WellBeing BeingArticle
Journalling For Greater Ease
Dec 17, 2020
1 min readThe Joy Of Keeping It Simple Simply Woman & HomeArticle
The Joy Of Keeping It Simple
Jun 18, 2020
3 min readThe Courage To Do Nothing Singapore Women's WeeklyArticle
The Courage To Do Nothing
Apr 20, 2020
4 min readHow to ASK FOR HELP OK Magazine AustraliaArticle
How to ASK FOR HELP
Apr 1, 2020
1 min readUnder the Depression Helmet The AtlanticArticle
Under the Depression Helmet
Apr 19, 2019
10 min readFinish every workday ON A HIGH! Woman's DayArticle
Finish every workday ON A HIGH!
Jan 17, 2021
1 min readBreaking Up With Busy | Reclaim Your Vibrant Life By Trading Busy for Full Best Self MagazineArticle
Breaking Up With Busy | Reclaim Your Vibrant Life By Trading Busy for Full
Nov 14, 2017
5 min read'Sit, Walk, Don't Talk': An Author Finds Comfort At A Silent Meditation Retreat NPRArticle
'Sit, Walk, Don't Talk': An Author Finds Comfort At A Silent Meditation Retreat
Jun 18, 2017
2 min readHappily Ever After Women's Health AustraliaArticle
Happily Ever After
Sep 1, 2019
5 min readA Happy Accident WellBeingArticle
A Happy Accident
Dec 13, 2017
Words MARIE ROWLAND A sense of belonging is critical to your wellbeing and personal safety. Epicurus, the ancient Greek philosopher wrongly celebrated for being a bon vivant and gastronome, was actually a man of simple tastes. Like all of us, he soug
7 min readA Happiness Columnist’s Three Biggest Happiness Rules The AtlanticArticle
A Happiness Columnist’s Three Biggest Happiness Rules
Jul 21, 2022
4 min readSlowing Down FêteArticle
Slowing Down
Feb 28, 2018
7 min readFINDING YOUR happiness GoodArticle
FINDING YOUR happiness
Mar 24, 2022
11 min readHow to Buy Happiness The AtlanticArticle
How to Buy Happiness
Apr 15, 2021
4 min read10 Practical Ways to Improve Happiness The AtlanticArticle
10 Practical Ways to Improve Happiness
Apr 21, 2022
4 min readThe Three Equations for a Happy Life, Even During a Pandemic The AtlanticArticle
The Three Equations for a Happy Life, Even During a Pandemic
Apr 9, 2020
7 min readThree Myths and Four Truths About How to Get Happier The AtlanticArticle
Three Myths and Four Truths About How to Get Happier
Sep 12, 2023
8 min readThe Voice Of Reason PsychologiesArticle
The Voice Of Reason
Apr 14, 2023
2 min readHOW TO GET A HIGH DISTINCTION IN Happiness Tatler PhilippinesArticle
HOW TO GET A HIGH DISTINCTION IN Happiness
Jul 1, 2019
6 min readHIGH MARKS IN Happiess Tatler Hong KongArticle
HIGH MARKS IN Happiess
Jul 3, 2019
6 min readBrave New World Planet MindfulArticle
Brave New World
Sep 8, 2021
5 min readIt’s All About Balance You South AfricaArticle
It’s All About Balance
Dec 3, 2021
5 min readWhat Really Makes Us Happy Lion's RoarArticle
What Really Makes Us Happy
Mar 21, 2023
9 min readThe Surprising Joy Of Old Age TIMEArticle
The Surprising Joy Of Old Age
Sep 17, 2018
If life wanted to mess with you, it couldn’t have come up with a better way than death. Especially the lead-up. Your strength flags; your world narrows; much of what once gave you pleasure and satisfaction is now gone. But as it turns out, happiness
3 min readMan Down Men's Fitness UKArticle
Man Down
May 29, 2020
5 min readOf Course Our Sex Lives Are a Mess: We’ve Forgotten How To Do It | Alice O’Keeffe The GuardianArticle
Of Course Our Sex Lives Are a Mess: We’ve Forgotten How To Do It | Alice O’Keeffe
Jan 26, 2018
3 min readLouann Brizendine Liz Earle WellbeingArticle
Louann Brizendine
Sep 1, 2022
5 min readVex King Planet MindfulArticle
Vex King
Mar 3, 2021
2 min readDon’t Wish for Happiness. Work for It. The AtlanticArticle
Don’t Wish for Happiness. Work for It.
Apr 22, 2021
4 min readIt is Okay to Not Be Okay Best Self MagazineArticle
It is Okay to Not Be Okay
Jun 30, 2021
6 min read
Reviews for Happy at Last
Rating: 3.973684210526316 out of 5 stars
4/5
19 ratings1 review
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Can't afford a therapist? In his book Happy at Last, Richard O'Connor combines cognitive therapy and Buddhist philosophy to provide a clear framework for improving your mood and outlook on life. O'Connor begins by drawing heavily on Daniel Gilbert's Stumbling on Happiness and other recent research on psychology and behavioral economics, as he argues that a great deal of the unhappiness we experience has to do with our outlook or the circumstances of modern American life, and that we do have the ability to change our mood. He discusses the negative traps that lead to unhappiness that we fall into, and intersperses easy exercises we can try to keep from falling into a dark mood. The book stresses that there are no magic pills to happiness, nor should we expect to live in a constant state of bliss. It does, however, provide practical suggestions for change, andleaves the reader confident that he can make real improvements in his mood and outlook on life.