Overlap: The Heart of Happiness. An Evidence-Based Recipe for Joy, Meaning, & Life Satisfaction

by Trevor J Petersen

Is there something missing in your life? Do you find yourself going through the motions, your days bleeding into each other? Is your life lacking vibrancy? Despite people all around you, do you often feel disconnected, even alone? Do you desire a life filled with vitality? If you were shown the throttle for thriving, would you engage it? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this book was written for you. After spending over twenty years studying the science of thriving, carefully analyzing associated theories and evidenced-based practices, Dr. Trevor Petersen has drilled down to the underlying mechanism by which happiness is created. This book draws from the wisdom of the ages, contemporary psychology and neuroscience, cultural practices from around the world, and the lived experiences of hundreds of Dr. Petersen’s counseling clients, college students, family members, and friends to explain how happiness (i.e., regular joy, significant meaning, and elevated life satisfaction) can be cultivated every day of your life. The solution is Overlap! An evidenced-based approach, Overlap is the complete recipe for a happy life. By generously applying the practical elements of Overlap throughout each day, you will develop a depth of connection with other living things that will transform your life—filling it to the brim with vitality. With this recipe, happiness is now yours for the making. Will you choose to thrive?

429 pages, Paperback

Published June 24, 2023

Reviews

[Suey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous and thoroughly researched look at ways we can find happiness. Easy to understand steps (recipes he calls them) for Overlapping (fully connecting) with all the living things around us. There is a lot to digest, but all of it rings true.

[Larissacherpeski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful strategies for finding greater joy in life!

[Joshua Guest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Petersen has taken the best research (lots of which will be familiar to fans of positive psychology) and connected it to his main thesis that life needs to interact with life to thrive and gain vitality. A lot of us feel almost instinctively that we need to get outdoors, but this is more than just an invitation to go outside. This is about how to really suck the marrow out of life as we learn to pay attention and savor the beautiful things in the world.

Highly enriching if you’re reading just for yourself. But very timely and relevant if you’re a parent, teacher or manager.