Happiness Is Overrated: Simple Lessons on Finding Meaning in Each Moment

by Cuong Lu

Stop chasing happiness and reconnect to the meaning of each moment through this practical guide, told through vignettes of life training as a Buddhist monk under world-renowned spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh.

We spend so much time in pursuit of happiness—trying to purchase it, experience it, meditate our way toward it—but happiness is elusive and doesn’t last. According to the teachings of the Buddha, Cuong Lu writes, “Suffering is not a problem to be solved. It is a truth to be recognized.” Happiness Is Overrated invites us to look deeply at the truths in our lives—not glossing over or denying our suffering—and to focus on the meaning and value already within us.  
 
Each chapter of Happiness Is Overrated shares a lesson drawn from Buddhist psychology, accessible for all readers. Short practices at the end of each of the 30 short chapters help readers apply the teachings on their own.

Happiness Is Overrated helps us get in touch with our true selves and our true minds, through meditation and mindfulness practices that include paying attention to the breath, observing our minds, connecting with our hearts, practicing “interbeing” with others and the Earth, and more.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Mental Health, Buddhism, Psychology, Religion, Zen

130 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 9, 2023

About the author

Cuong Lu, Buddhist teacher, scholar, and writer, was born in Vietnam in 1968 and emigrated to the Netherlands with his family in 1980. He majored in East Asian studies at the University of Leiden, and in 1993 was ordained as the 18th monastic disciple of Thich Nhat Hanh at Plum Village in France. In 2000, he was recognized as a teacher in the Lieu Quan line of the Linji School of Zen Buddhism.

In 2009, Cuong left Plum Village after sixteen years, returned to lay life, and continued his practice as an invisible monk in the Netherlands. In 2011, along with five colleagues, he attended a ceremony establishing Buddhist spiritual care at the Ministry of Justice and served as a chaplain in Holland’s penitentiary system for six years.

In the same year, Cuong founded Mind Only Institute, located in Holland, where he teaches Buddhist philosophy and psychology, specializing in Yogachara Buddhism combined with the Madhyamaka (Middle Way) school of Nagarjuna.

In 2022, he founded No Word Zen, an order of “invisible” monks and nuns. The monastics in this order are everywhere, serving society and the planet without being “caught” by monastic forms or robes.

Cuong Lu is the author of The Buddha in Jail: Restoring Lives, Finding Hope and Freedom; Wait: A Love Letter to Those in Despair; and Happiness is Overrated: Simple Lessons on Finding Meaning in Each Moment.

He teaches in Europe, Asia, and United States.

Reviews

[Andrea Pole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happiness is Overrated by Cuong Lu is an enlightening read that draws from the teachings of Buddhist psychology to explain the inherent value in each of us. Happiness, Lu explains quite succinctly, is not something to be sought externally as it already resides within. Short chapters explain the techniques in drawing upon this knowledge, and each ends with a suggested exercise to apply learned principles, most involving conscious breathing and the value of focus on the present moment. Overall, this is an illuminating read that is accessible to all, wherever one might be on their personal journey.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Shambhala Publications Inc for an ARC.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will definitely bring you calm and peace when you need them the most.

I love the short chapters and the simple writing.

The only issue I had with the book is the repetitive same exercise to follow after each chapter for all the chapters in the book.

Otherwise a short very helpful read.

[Al :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review I thought of during reading “Everything is nothing and nothing is everything” meaning everything you think with your mind means nothing and achieving thinking nothing is the goal bc that’s what happiness is.

It’s good but repetitive and the “Apps” seemed random. If you’ve never read a book about Meditation/Mindfulness I would not recommend starting with this one—the author assumes you know a lot.

[MKF · Rating 1 out of 5]

The more I learn the more I realize how these Modern, Eastern religion books are garbage. They cater to one type of person and is unrealistic to everyone else. Even the practices for meditation completely ignores a very large group of people. One of those people is me so I skipped all of the author's tips for mindfulness and meditations. It's a decent enough book if you are one of those people that this book caters too.

Last thought though is the garbage about prisoners. He says he connected with prisoners and helped them reach their true, essential goodness. And, that many prisoners suffers because of how people have judged them. Does this mean that people who harm or kill others are actually good people and we're hurting their feelings for judging them for those crimes? Now we know that the world's prison systems are filled with good people who can cause suffering and then work to overcome their own suffering.

[Ashley Soberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learned a lot about buddhist psychology. Very interesting!

[r]

fav daily affirmation: wait im goated

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had read an excerpt of happiness is overrated on a websites a few months ago and was excited to finally be reading Happiness is overrated.

I like that its small and only a little over 100 pages. So it was a quick read even for me. And after I read it I did feel calmer. And I tried some of the exercises at the end of each chapter. Most of which had mindful breathing for 10 minutes and then repeating a sentence that had to do with that specific chapter. I did not do any exercises for the full 15 minutes though.

I was disappointed by Happiness is overrated. I thought it would talk about how we don't need to worry about being happy. And being happy should not be a goal. But, if I remember right what the author meant by happiness is overrated is that its not better than any other emotion such as sadness.

My favorite chapter was 19. Being nobody doing nothing witch talked about for one day a week ever week they did not have anything planned at his monastery. And the monks would go or do where ever their nose led them.

So Happiness is overrated is not what I expected but, I did like the exercises at the end of each chapter. Breathing for 10 minutes and then repeated a sentence for 5 minutes.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 This deceptively thin book offer me a lot to think about and consider. It’s definitely introductory, but that’s ok. Lu was a monk at Plum Village under Thich Nhat Hanh and much of this is written about what he learned from his teacher. I like the chapters were very short - just 2-3 pages each with a meditation at the end that contained simple meditations with a line to use during the meditation like one I use every meditation: “Breathing in, I know that I am breathing in. Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.” This helps me focus onto the breath. Or “I know that suffering is present.” This last line is a large part of the book. The book address that suffering has meaning and it should not be an obstacle. It is part of life. When we meditate, we should allow all feelings to be present even if at first we can only touch on them for a brief while to start.

[Rebecca McCord · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I realized about myself, from reading this book, is that Buddhism is not for me.
The book summary reads "Cuong offers teaching and practices that help us realize we don't need to avoid suffering or chase happiness. We can find ourselves,and meaning in our lives, when we realize that joy and difficulty are two sides of the same coin." The teachings &practices are 'mindful breathing' & repeating a daily (different) phrase to yourself.

Now I wasn't expecting some great epiphany or secrets of the world to unveil in front of me after a 116 page book. I honestly don't know what I expected, but this was not it.

In summary, 116 pages of breathing, being reminded to 'be in the moment ' & joy/difficulty are the same. There, now you can go read something else.

[Mario Martinez · Rating 3 out of 5]

One take away I took from this book is the quote, “find stillness in the noise not the silence”. It’s easy to find stillness and peace I. The silence but the real work is finding that same stillness in the noise. That noise being your inner thought, family, work, etc., etc. Mastering this helps you get in contact with your “raw mind” which is what I think the goal of the book is. Solid little book!

[miss c a shuter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just What I Needed To Read Today

A friend sent me this book and asked me to read it and feed back. I have just read it from cover to cover and will complete a meditation each day for the month of July. (In this book meditations are called apps) This book teaches us not to fear suffering. It is beautiful.

[Sharron · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had hopes that I would connect with some of this; years ago I read a little book of Budhist thoughts that was good. In the beginning it talked about feeling emptiness, and that is a new thing for me so I thought it was a good start. I did realize some things about how my body feels.

However, I've never been good at breathing and that is the answer to everything in this book.

[Daehan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short but concise book. It gives you a summary on how to handle life and not to chase happiness. There was a few of Lu’s life experiences that we can learn from and at the end of each chapter was a few helpful quotes with additional breathing techniques.

Not the best book but may be good for beginners!

[Valeri Drach · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, consistent se book, with exercises at the end of each chapter, on how meditation puts you in touch with your “raw” or true self. I liked his personal stories this former Buddhist monk adds to the self help book.

[John Kaufmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent little book about looking at life realistically, without rose-colored glasses, the good and the bad on equal footing. Don't let the striving for happiness or preconceptions get in the way of seeing life as it is. Short and well-written -- easy to get through and understand.

[POPPY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soul-awakening, peaceful, uplifting little book with meditation prompts to follow.

I find this book tiny but packed with wisdom and the way to true peace. Recommend to everyone that seeks for the light of life.

[Marco Antonio · Rating 5 out of 5]

The read of a lifetime or at the very least, a peek into wisdom. It is a great start to living fully in getting closer to enlightenment. Easily broken up into small China complete with individual, mindfulness practices.

[Paul]

I liked this but I was expecting more or something different. Nonetheless, most people that pick it up will likely find a lot of value here.

Thanks very much for the free copy for review!!

[Crissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely excited to have won a copy through Goodreads Giveaways and can not wait to receive and post a review!

[Trisha Hatfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some really thought provoking sentences in this book that I've already shared with friends.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent book. It gives you ideas for meditation and breath work

[Madeline Frazier · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book might work for others, but it didn’t match with me.

[Mary Jeneverre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take your time reading this book.

[KLCreative · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much in here, I will think about this for a long time…

[Ella · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't have anything to offer me

[Read Walk Repeat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A selection of mini teachings on how to live a mindful life that accepts and embraces all facets of the human condition. Supported by years of practicing meditation and Buddhist psychology, the author offers easily readable insights and wisdom as well as accompanying meditation exercises.

This is an accessible introduction to buddhist teachings that leaves the reader with the kind of lighthearted wisdom that grows more impactful the longer you sit with it. I liked the format with short sections (teachings) followed by a meditation / mindfulness activity. It’s the sort of book you can pick up and read multiple times and always get something new from it.

💕You might like this book if:
🔹 you are interested in mindfulness / meditation
🔹 you like books that provide thoughts to ponder
🔹 you are looking for some wisdom on how to live life at peace with yourself and the world around you.

A huge thanks to @NetGalley and Shambhala Publications
for providing me with a digital ARC in return for an honest review.