Happy This Year!: The Secret to Getting Happy Once and for All

by Will Bowen

Audie Award Finalist, Personal Development, 2014

A practical, yet inspirational work that proposes it’s the inner world of our psyches that determines happiness, not outside forces. We have control over our own happiness and this powerful book offers concrete advice on how to tap into it and nourish it all year round. The author focuses explicitly on the positive ways we can establish a higher set-point in our thoughts, speech, and actions, resulting in greater sustainable levels of happiness. Regardless of what the year and your life may bring, we can become measurably and sustainably happier.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Personal Growth, Psychology, Personal Development, Health

215 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 9, 2013

About the author

Will Bowen is an author and speaker who has been featured on/in "Oprah," NBC's "Today Show," ABC's "World News Tonight," CBS "Sunday Morning," "Fox News," "The Wall Street Journal," "Newsweek," "People," "O," "Self," "Chicken Soup for the Soul" and in hundreds of media stories around the world.

His first two books, "A Complaint Free World" (now expanded and updated) and "Complaint Free Relationships" are international best-sellers having sold more than 2 million copies around the world.

A Complaint Free World, the non-profit organization Will founded, has sent more than 10 million Complaint Free bracelets to 106 countries.

Bowen speaks to organizations helping them shift their focus from negative complaining and fault-finding to positive problem-solving leading to happier employees and even happier customers. Clients include:

*The Million Dollar Roundtable's "Top of the Table"
* Volvo Motor Company
* PriceWaterhouseCoopers
* The Human Resource Professionals Association (HRPA)
* Pratt & Whitney
* Kimberly Clark

Bowen's newest book, "Happy This Year!" demonstrates the power we have in setting and achieving higher levels of happiness regardless of what life may bring. The book is being packaged with a free Smartphone app allowing the reader to set a happiness level goal and measure his or her progress toward that goal.

The app is called "HappyStat" and is available for Iphone, Android and Kindle at www.HappyThisYear.com.

Web sites:

HappyThisYear.com
AComplaintFreeWorld.org
WillBowen.com

Reviews

[Lloyd · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only made it 30 minutes into this book. Those thirty minutes had more platitudes than I've experienced in my life, admittedly some good ones like "Folks are usually about as happy as they make up their minds to be." and "If you want happiness for a lifetime—help others". But I was also subjected to a quote from Donald Trump and two passages from the Christian bible. Thirty minutes was enough for me to conclude there would be little to no science here.

I got this audiobook on sale on audible.com.

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started reading this book I decided I must have read too many books about being happy. I felt a little jaded and as though I’d read it all before but I persevered because I liked the book’s style. The author writes in an infectiously happy way and I could feel my mood lightening as I kept reading. I found it very interesting that half your happiness is inbuilt – that is how you are and you probably can’t change that bit. Only ten percent is attributable to life events and how your life affects you leaving forty percent which you can influence. Nearly half of your happiness status is within your control and you can affect it by your thoughts, your feelings and your actions as well as your habits.

It is all too easy to get stuck in a negative frame of mind and quite difficult to get out of it if you are a naturally pessimistic person. But it is possible to change your thinking and your actions and this intriguing book shows you how. If you find the news depresses you then don’t read or watch it. Even if you don’t read any news at all you will still find you get to know the things you need to know. Read inspirational stories on the internet instead of doom and gloom. There are plenty of websites listed which you can explore as well as plenty of other books to follow up. I was intrigued by the idea of going twenty one days without complaining about anything – could you do it?

Complaining can lower your happiness – much better to count your blessings. I think what struck me most of all about the book – and it is worth reading just for this idea alone; you cannot be happy if you do not act with integrity. It’s something which resonates with me because I do have standards which I try and live up to and it does make me feel happy when I manage to live up to those standards. I’m the one who points out a mistake in change given to me even when the mistake is in my favour. I’m the person who tells the hotel they’ve undercharged me and the shop when they’ve put the wrong price on the shoes I’ve bought. Even though it costs me money – it makes me happy.

Helping other people or doing something nice for them does make you feel happy and that feeling doesn’t detract from the help given. That doesn’t mean you have to spend all your time helping others to your own detriment but it does mean that kindnesses done for others with no hope of reward can boost your own happiness. Forgiving someone for an act they’ve done against you will make you feel better. That doesn’t mean you have to be friends with that person – just that you stop holding onto the resentment and the hatred. Being happy is nothing to do with what the government of the day does or even what the weather is like – it is everything to do with how you think and what you do on a day to day basis. You can be happy whether you’re rich or poor and you need to enjoy the moment not be constantly saying that you will be happy in the future.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't quite finish this (audio) book, but after an initial "meh" reaction to the author's reading, eventually got into it and heard some very helpful suggestions and ideas. And yes, happiness is a choice (dammit). :)

[Marianne Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to increase their level of contentment and the health of their close personal relationships. For maximum impact , I advise reading his earlier book, A COMPLAINT FREE WORLD, first or along with this one. Recommended with 4 stars. This is probably the third time I have carefully reviewed this book.

[Trudy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this upbeat book with its suggestions for achieving a positive outlook. Now I'm reading again to incorporate some of these ideas.

[Vera Godley · Rating 1 out of 5]

My thoughts: I am sure that the majority of people have a deep desire for happiness. According to Will Bowen this can be achieved. Not because of your circumstances but because you tap into an inner self that focuses on happiness.

Mr. Bowen speaks early on of religious and spiritual aspects in our lives and their effect on our happiness. He seems to dwell on the spiritual part of our being as having a highly causative effect on our pursuit of happiness. But his definition of spiritual and mine are somewhat different.

The author quotes Confucius, Buddhism, and the Christian Bible (as he himself titles it). He seemingly gives more or less equal weight to the validity of each. Personally, I believe that while some sayings outside of those in the Christian Bible are good thoughts, they can not be considered in equal terms with verses from the Holy Bible (consisting of Jewish Old Testament and Christian New Testament sections).

Sitting in a prescribed position, holding one's hands in a certain style, and chanting or saying anything repeatedly or a respective sequence of times will not induce a state of happiness.

I think that focusing more on those things in our lives that are positive (our joyful occasions, our blessings, our up-times) and beneficial and less on that which is negative (our down times, our sorrows, our hurts) will tend to lend a happier countenance to us and outlook on life for us. But sometimes life simply hurts and we have sad moments. It is how we handle those moments and what source of strength we draw from that determines our success in handling the bad moments and the good moments.

I personally can not recommend this book although aspects of it were interesting and point-on.

DISCLOSURE: I was sent an invitation to review Happy This Year! and render my honest opinion. Grand Harbor Press on behalf of the author provided a complimentary copy for this purpose. No compensation has been provided for this review. Opinions expressed are solely my own.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was OK. A lot of this stuff was just common sense, however, there were a few insights that I thought were interesting. I imagine if you are an unhappy person, you obviously haven't taken advantage of the "common sense" ideas and this book could be useful. Although not heavy- handed, the author frequently cites religious references as a means to happiness. Although I feel that a belief in a higher power can help some people find happiness, I do not agree that it is an essential part of finding happiness.

[Scott Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good Read

This was a pretty good book that helped me realize how important it is to be happy. It's a great read if you are going through something or if you just feel like nothing in your life is going correctly. This book does have some religious overtones which I did not expect but the author does not for it down your throat and overall the religious parts are refreshing and not out of place.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I wish I could remember who recommended this book to me, or why I picked it up. It was in my "to read" pile, and with the new year around the corner it seemed like an appropriate time to read it. I'd say it was meh at best. Everything that struck me as really true were things I have read/heard before. He quoted a lot from other people's work, and his take on the topic wasn't new/original/inspirational.

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

An audiobook that I listened to while driving the tractor and mowing the field. Honestly it was dry and sort of lame in its trying to inspire me. Here it is in a nutshell... think happy and you’ll be happy. He quoted Abe Lincoln’s “ a person is about as happy as he thinks he is” . That pretty much sums up this book.

[Vfields Don't touch my happy! · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay There are some great ideas.
There are some meh ideas. 

[Shelley C · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, honestly, I read this book because since I check many of my books out through the national library services, Braille and audio reading download program and it was narrated by my favorite narrator or at least one of them. I thought I would take a chance and read this book. I’m not generally into what you might call self-help books, but I thought this one was really very interesting. When I say interesting, I mean that it had a lot of pertinent things to say, even though this addition, apparently it is 12 years old. I would be interested to know how this author is doing now and his teenage daughter. I like the ideas and I know that I will be tested on them, but I will try it. When I look at This description of what happiness should be I look at myself and say I’m happy. I am a basically happy person, but there are times when I get overwhelmed by things so I will try some of these ideas out and see what kind of difference they make. What I really like is that many of the things that are said are practical. Maybe it’s the way he takes philosophy and crafts it so that you can put it to work immediately without it sounding to over the top and unmanageable. The book covers large themes and also offers the opportunity for small practical things like watching your words, material that you put into your mind, And using prayer to help clear your mind and put events in people into perspective; neutralizing their effect on your mental health and happiness. the three actions rather for prayer acknowledge claim and think giving. Now just to be clear. The claim part isn’t all about claiming wealth and cars and material possessions. The claim part talks about Taking control over the thoughts that lead your mind to conclusions that may not be true. You want to claim happiness for yourself and that is not a materialistic concept. I would probably go through this book again and read chapters in smaller doses because I like what he had to say and you can’t always Absorb everything that someone presents to you in one or two single sitting. I have a series of reference books that I keep for future learning or stating of information that I find useful. This book will definitely go on that list.

[Urs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am continuing on my quest to feed my mind with positive books. I am also trying to get the most out of my kindle unlimited trial. This was another unlimited book that also had narration, so that I could switch back and forth.

The goal of this book is to get the reader on the road to happiness, once and for all. There are a lot of good tips in here. Some of them you will already, know, but I liked that way that this book framed them. There were clear steps and exercises to help you focus and feed your mind with positives and keep out the negatives. Some of these steps included monitoring your happiness (he even has an app for that), realizing that money cannot buy you happiness, expressing gratitude, meditating, helping others, building happy habits, and going on a positive mental diet. Like I mentioned before, you have probably already heard these, but this book was a good reminder and had good practical ideas for executing these actions.

The author does quote different religious texts in this book, but they are varied and not focused on any one religion. It did not feel overwhelming either. The main focus was staying positive.

The author narrated the audiobook, and his voice is perfect for the content. Reading the book or listening are both good methods. However, you will probably want to take notes if you only listen to the book.

This one was worth the read. I can honestly say that I felt happier and inspired just reading this book. I am going to actively try to put some of the actions into regular practice to increase my happiness. To get a teaser of what is in this book, visit http://www.happythisyear.com

[Abby · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF: I'm done. p 33

There's nothing to gain by reading this book. The author starts out the first chapter claiming that money can't buy happiness, explaining how generally miserable billionaires are because they have so much potential for monetary loss. He explains that after a certain level of wealth, there's nothing more to be gained except the stress associated with keeping and growing wealth. In the second chapter, the author uses pseudoscience to make claims about reaching higher levels of happiness, including an "experiment" in which the author surveyed 18 people (who he knew personally, and their friends) regularly to determine their average happiness, and reports that his experiment saw a 19% increase in overall happiness. That sample size is much too small to make assumptions on, especially when you know everyone in the study. I could go on about all the things that felt wrong in just the first 33 pages + introduction that I read, but it's not worth wasting another second on.

[Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will Bowen's premise is that Happiness should be one' life goal. At first it sounds a bit preposterous, but after reading I think he's convinced me. His point is that the pursuit of happiness leads to both personal fulfillment and achievement AND the happiness of others - loved ones, colleagues, or the people a happy person chooses to serve, influence, or share one's talents with. Will Bowen provides a step by step guide to self reflection, defining one's purpose / priorities, controlling one's thinking about adversity, leveraging spirituality, routine habit forming - visualization and meditation, affirmation, positive thinking / framing, sharing happiness. What are the benefits? Increased sense of well-being, longer life, greater resilience, improved health & brainpower, enjoyable/enduring relationships, self-esteem, more free time, improved performance, less conflict and pain....and more. Convinced me. Another reference book I intend to keep close at hand.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written by a minister, after he held a post, where the members of the church wanted to get rid of him. They had done the same with other recent ministers. Will Bowen worked hard to bring himself back to a state of happiness, despite the mean things the congregation did and said to him. He left the church to work on bring his state of mind back to happiness. He wrote about happiness being a solid, which we return to after bad things happen to us. He called Joy a liquid, that came at the highs in our lives, and then would go back down to our solid state of happiness.

The author gave many ways to help us increase our happiness, which comes from within, and not from the outside of us.

I listened to this book, and found some good ideas. Some of the ideas I have already used, and others I need to try.

[Silas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up because it was on sale for the new year from audible, and I often struggle with depression. This was of no help with that, and honestly, when I am not depressed, I am a rather happy person. I also found some of the examples troubling, since the author references debunked ideas. In contrast to another reviewer, I appreciated that the author drew upon a number of spiritual traditions, and particularly liked his ideas about sacred clowns and that he included the Wiccan Rede. There was still an awful lot of Christianity there, though, which turned me off, since it doesn't work for me. I suppose that is to be expected, given that the author is a Christian pastor, but I didn't know that going in. There is enough here for me to get over that, and have found some useful insights here, but it still wasn't a particularly enjoyable experience for me, either.

[G Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I AM happy!

A fantastic self help book which discusses many different happiness theories. It makes you stop and look at your own views of happiness and reflect on how your current viewpoint could be the reason why you are not reaching your desired happiness level.

It contains activities to help you reach your goals so be sure to have a pen and paper at hand when reading.

I have been introducing some of the strategies in my own life and, although still early days, I can already see an improvement in my happiness levels and mindset.

I will definitely be re-reading to implement more of the tips and tricks into my life and highly recommended this book for anyone else looking to improve their understanding and overall level of happiness.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Humblebrag. The author spends a good deal of this book talking about what a good person he is. He was about to hand a wad of cash to a homeless person, but another guy swooped in and gave her a bag of bagels before he had a chance.

This guy brags about being friends with Yakov Smirnov. Seriously, you can't make this up.

Bowen quickly glosses over the part where he was chased away from his job as a pastor because the congregants hated him with such passion. Apparently there's no self-reflection allowed when trying to be happy. I wonder if he they disliked him because he spent too much time talking about himself during his sermons.

[Jerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspirational and well worth a listen. Regardless of life circumstances, we all have control over our daily levels of perceived happiness. By following some simple principles, such as living with integrity, refusing to complain and spend less time with those who do, expressing gratitude and carefully selecting ideas consumed whether through music, books,or other media, we can boost our experience of life. Enjoyed the concept of sacred clowns, the people who motivate beneficial change, although their tactics may initially bring distraction or even pain.

[Tammie Venne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one that I would highly recommend to everyone I know. Its chapters are filled with useful tools, insight, quotes and examples about how to Get Happy, Stay Happy,and Chase away those negative thoughts. It really keeps you involved by giving you exercises and keeps you interested by providing examples of people that were happy and why, or those who were not and how they could make adjustments to change this. In most self help books I have read before, I felt like I only got a tidbit or two but with this book, every chapter gave me even more tools to lead a happier life.

[George Hrenko · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, motivational read with some simple ideas on how to improve the amount of happiness in your life. Upbeat, simple, effective.

In addition to the practical tips, you are reminded of what you probably already know:

1. People are usually about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
2. Your level of happiness has more to do with your mental outlook than the circumstances of your life.

Enjoy and be happy!

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm kind of a sucker for this kind of self-help book even though I usually come awake thinking the advice is a bunch of rubbish. Some of this book is no different - common sense obviousness - but there are a handful of useful techniques for reminding yourself to look on the bright side when stuff is getting you down.

[Soulla Christodoulou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of practical advice and support which is easy to take advantage of which is fabulously empowering. My family are all doing the Complaint Free Challenge which is a great way to have support too. Much of the ideas are not unique to this book and I have read about them before but it was good to be reminded of them through this book.

[David Leblanc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Try it! It works!

This book has opened my eyes to why I rarely felt content. The process this book takes you through may seem a bit out there or delusional, but it works! When you devote yourself to focusing on positive aspects of your life, it affects those around you positively as well!

[Charisse Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely Recommend

This book is a quick read but very insightful. The author provides valuable tools to aid the readers; I was very excited while reading this and will be rereading it to jot down notes. The e-book came with audio narration which is perfect. I definitely recommend this book. Thanks Mr. Bowen for enhancing my perceptions.

[Jeff Lenhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of inspirational, positivity books, but the best so far has been "A Complaint Free World," by Will Bowen! Mr. Bowen did a phenomenal job yet again with "Happy This Year!" Anyone who is wanting more positivity, more happiness in their lives, this is the book for you!! I love this book!!

[Jessica Burgo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly just want to get this on audio book so I can repetitively listen to it over and over until I memorize all of it. So good! It made me happy to even read this book.. it's all about the science of being happy, and proof of what happy people do to maintain a high happiness level.

[Andi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know I enjoyed it while I was reading it, and even thought I'd try some of the suggestions....but I finished this book sometime in the last month and can't remember anything about it. Therefore, I'd rate this book as good but not memorable.

[Jennifer Guyler · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this book has lots of wonderful advice I felt that there are too many religious references. Is it required that I be religious in order to be happy? I don't think so. I only got about 3/4 of the way through it before I just gave up. Lots of bible quotes!