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Happiness Now!: Timeless Wisdom for Feeling Good FAST
Happiness NOW! is a truly powerful and radical exploration of one of life’s most treasured goals. Packed with rich insights and practical wisdom, It offers a message of profound hope and healing for a generation that is often too busy chasing happiness to be truly happy. Robert Holden, Ph.D., presents a personal, warm, and entertaining account of how he developed his pioneering work with The Happiness Project. Using a highly creative mix of stories, exercises, meditations, poetry, and prayer, Robert shares his distinctive philosophy and practice of “the how of happiness.” Visionary and practical, challenging and compassionate, Happiness NOW! gives you valuable keys to true self-acceptance, everyday abundance, loving relationships, inner success, and lasting joy—starting NOW! The greatest pain of all is the fear that happiness might somehow elude us forever; the greatest joy of all is the realization that the potential for happiness is available to us now and always.
270 pages, Paperback
First published August 6, 1998
139 people are currently reading
575 people want to read
About the author
Robert Holden
93 books107 followersRobert Holden, Ph.D., is the Director of The Happiness Project and Success Intelligence. His innovative work has been featured on Oprah, Good Morning America, and media worldwide. Robert coaches leaders in business, education, politics and healthcare. His clients include Dove and the “Real Beauty Campaign,” and also Virgin and The Body Shop. Robert is a student of A Course in Miracles. He is author of the best selling books: Happiness NOW!, Shift Happens!, Authentic Success (formerly titled Success Intelligence) and Be Happy. Robert also hosts a weekly show on Hay House Radio called Shift Happens! Website: RobertHolden.org.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 1, 2025
I thought this book from the 1990s would be a New Age tract on the power of positive thinking. But actually it’s a clearly stated, powerfully written examination of mental health or illness, by a professional psychologist. I found it close to the most insightful, practically helpful self-help book I’ve ever seen. Maybe I can't do any better here than to give a few quotes:
“After a full six years of study, I still hadn’t been given one lecture on our potential for joy, peace, unity, wholeness, and success. Psychology, originally defined as the study if the soul, had been reduced to a study of illness and neurotic behavior. … Never was there any mention of the soul, of spirit, of divinity, of God, of love.”
“We live our lives in the hopes that just one more thing will complete our happiness. The ego’s conditioned thought is that something is missing.”
“No disease happens by itself. Alcoholism … is a symptom, not an illness. Alcoholism is not the primary dis-ease; the primary disease is excessive self-judgment and constant self-criticism that pressures someone into taking a drink in the first place. The same is true … for depression, stress, burnout. And every other disease ever named by the … psychology professions. Self-judgment is the disease.”
“Nothing is enough as long as you judge your Self to be ‘not good enough.’ Nothing can make up for a lack of Self-acceptance. The ego, created by a thought of lack, can’t ever be appeased and satisfied, it can only be dropped!”
I think Holden gives a positive spin on Buddhist teaching. Instead dropping each mental distraction from the present moment, he practices loving each moment, as both the path and the fulfillment of life.
“After a full six years of study, I still hadn’t been given one lecture on our potential for joy, peace, unity, wholeness, and success. Psychology, originally defined as the study if the soul, had been reduced to a study of illness and neurotic behavior. … Never was there any mention of the soul, of spirit, of divinity, of God, of love.”
“We live our lives in the hopes that just one more thing will complete our happiness. The ego’s conditioned thought is that something is missing.”
“No disease happens by itself. Alcoholism … is a symptom, not an illness. Alcoholism is not the primary dis-ease; the primary disease is excessive self-judgment and constant self-criticism that pressures someone into taking a drink in the first place. The same is true … for depression, stress, burnout. And every other disease ever named by the … psychology professions. Self-judgment is the disease.”
“Nothing is enough as long as you judge your Self to be ‘not good enough.’ Nothing can make up for a lack of Self-acceptance. The ego, created by a thought of lack, can’t ever be appeased and satisfied, it can only be dropped!”
I think Holden gives a positive spin on Buddhist teaching. Instead dropping each mental distraction from the present moment, he practices loving each moment, as both the path and the fulfillment of life.
November 13, 2016
In this book there are some good points on judgement and acceptance that resonated with me, but I’m not sold on laughter clinics and overall I found this book too new-age for me. 2.5 stars
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May 3, 2011I've just returned from Chiang Mai, Thailand where an American lady by the name of Amy Miller foisted a book called, "The Happiness Project ' on me.
I enjoyed the book as a, "how to" type book. It has lots of merits and it is definitely worth reading as an account of someone who is searching for happiness.
"Happiness Now" , on the other hand, has depth and delves into the underbelly why people are not happy and what they need to change within themselves to be happy where as ,"The Happiness Project " encourages outside oneself activities.
The essential message of this book by Robert Holden ,P.h.D. a psychotherapist is that happiness is a choice that can be made by someone who accepts themselves -your are happy being you-not wanting to be someone else or always constantly comparing yourself to others or sabotaging your self hood with doubts, fears and anger towards yourself.
Interestingly enough this message came across recently loud and clear in a movie called,"Being in Heaven".
Things like being in a beautiful house , having enough or lots of money etc. encourage happiness he says but do not make you happy.
In these turbulent times I meet so many people who feel if they only won the lottery their troubles would be behind them and they would be able to be
happy. Facts show us that very few lottery winners end up being happy if they are not already happy in there own way before they win the lottery.
Again having not to worry about money does encourage one to be happy as is my present condition of having recently retired with enough money to travel and enjoy a modest lifestyle of my choosing confirms. I was always ,"time rich" to some extent in the past but now I can choose to do what I wan to do with my time and it hasn't anything to do with earning money. It is my believe that the more choices we have the happier we become. I also realize that we are all such unique individuals and perhaps some individuals requirement for choices are less or more than others.
These two books have given me inspiration to explore certain possibilities. Both books are definitely worth a read for those wanting to do a little deeper digging than the average person who reads their daily astrology reading in the newspaper.
July 2, 2012
I've always looked at self-help books with a bit of suspicion. Either they are blindingly obvious and don't deserve their asking price, or they are useless to anyone other than the person who wrote it, in which case we end up with the same result: you spent money, and quite a bit of time, for something that is definitely not helpful.
Robert Holden avoids both pitfalls with Happiness Now!: Timeless Wisdom for Feeling Good FAST... if you're ready to listen to its message.
The book's core idea is most elegant in its simplicity: happiness is within your grasp, now. The title is actually a bit misleading: "now" is not about "feel happy right now because you are reading this book", but rather about how the secret of happiness is in the "now". The book won't make you feel happy, but it may, in Holden's words, encourage you to happiness.
Throughout the book, Holden uses personal experience, writings from philosophers, poets and religious figures from around the world (and not just the Bible, which I appreciated), and examples from past clinical work with clients to show that deep down, everyone knows how to be happy. Most of us have simply forgotten.
The book takes you through the many facets of happiness: realizing that we already are happy, giving up the search for happiness, the curse of "not being good enough", accepting yourself, letting go of conditional love, the healing process, the importance of love, and lightening your burden.
After reading this book, I had the strangest, yet most familiar feeling: that I knew all of this all long. How easy is it to forget, in our frenzied search for more money, more possessions, more success, more love, that each of us has something inside that makes all those things optional at best.
Have you ever felt a part of you resisting the nature of modern life? Looking for a slower, more meaningful way to relate to the world and to others?
Listen to it. It's happiness knocking at your heart's door.
Robert Holden avoids both pitfalls with Happiness Now!: Timeless Wisdom for Feeling Good FAST... if you're ready to listen to its message.
The book's core idea is most elegant in its simplicity: happiness is within your grasp, now. The title is actually a bit misleading: "now" is not about "feel happy right now because you are reading this book", but rather about how the secret of happiness is in the "now". The book won't make you feel happy, but it may, in Holden's words, encourage you to happiness.
Throughout the book, Holden uses personal experience, writings from philosophers, poets and religious figures from around the world (and not just the Bible, which I appreciated), and examples from past clinical work with clients to show that deep down, everyone knows how to be happy. Most of us have simply forgotten.
The book takes you through the many facets of happiness: realizing that we already are happy, giving up the search for happiness, the curse of "not being good enough", accepting yourself, letting go of conditional love, the healing process, the importance of love, and lightening your burden.
After reading this book, I had the strangest, yet most familiar feeling: that I knew all of this all long. How easy is it to forget, in our frenzied search for more money, more possessions, more success, more love, that each of us has something inside that makes all those things optional at best.
Have you ever felt a part of you resisting the nature of modern life? Looking for a slower, more meaningful way to relate to the world and to others?
Listen to it. It's happiness knocking at your heart's door.
February 24, 2021
‘Do not seek love today; merely be loving. Do not seek peace today; merely be peaceful. Do not seek joy today; merely be joyful.’ I know it sounds too simple, too silly, too crazy – but, it might just work! Maybe you really can just be happy.
Ask not for love today; better still, pray that
you might be the Presence of Love today.
Ask not for rest today; better still, pray that
you might be the Presence of Rest today.
Ask not for kindness today; better still, pray that
you might be the Presence of Kindness today.
Ask not for victory today; better still, pray that
you might be the Presence of Victory today.
Ask not for laughter today; better still, pray that
you might be the Presence of Laughter today.
Ask not for peace today, better still, pray that
you might be the Presence of Peace today.
Ask not for love today; better still, pray that
you might be the Presence of Love today.
Ask not for rest today; better still, pray that
you might be the Presence of Rest today.
Ask not for kindness today; better still, pray that
you might be the Presence of Kindness today.
Ask not for victory today; better still, pray that
you might be the Presence of Victory today.
Ask not for laughter today; better still, pray that
you might be the Presence of Laughter today.
Ask not for peace today, better still, pray that
you might be the Presence of Peace today.
September 3, 2012
Want to feel good fast read this book! Refer to it often. I have read this book many times and still find something new.
May 29, 2008
Generally, I don't choose to read many "self help" type books, although maybe I should read more of them! Because this was a gift, it kind of fell into my lap so I figured I'd read it. Often psychology books don't interest me because sometimes the philosophies of the author are at odds with my own spiritual beliefs. In a nutshell, I was impressed with the book and found it to be very much in harmony with my belief system. Although terminology was different, I felt like the author was quite aware of our divine nature as I have been taught to understand it. I interpreted his reference to the "unconditional self" as our divine spiritual selves and his reference to our "conditioned self, or ego" as the natural man in all of us. Although I didn't necessarily agree with everything and I felt like the book was kind of repetitious, it was one I would recommend. The last two chapters were especially powerful, I thought. My biggest reason for giving it only 3 stars was that I think this type of book is highly personal. For me, it seemed a "safe" rating so that if others chose to read it they wouldn't necessarily be disappointed. Here is one of my favorite passages: "Let your gratitude be unconditional, and allow yourself to witness its miraculous powers. Decide to be grateful for everything, even the stuff that feels 'bad' or 'wrong'. Just be grateful. And, let your gratitude reveal the hidden gifts in every situation. Before you practice gratitude, you're in the dark and there appears to be very little to be grateful for; once you begin, a new light dawns, sometimes a brilliant light, a light as bright as heaven itself. If it appears that you have nothing to be grateful for, it's probably because you're not allowing yourself to receive. Just because you don't receive doesn't mean there is nothing to receive. On the contrary, there's always something wonderful to receive." (pg 240-241) I need to remember that.
September 1, 2009
Quotes:
Children are born with only an awareness of now-past and future is meaningless at first. In the beginning, now is the whole world to children. It is entirely natural; it is neither learned nor fabricated.
Why do people have the fixation on heaven when the possibility for heaven exists right here and now?
Today is brand new. Today is not yet finished. Give today another chance. The world has finished with yesterday if you have. And the world can’t tarnish your future if you do not. Be grateful for today. Say “thank you” for the present moment. Remember the gift is…
The more you give to now, the more you get from now!
Gratitude is a gift in itself. It inspires you to be open, to be present, and to receive. Gratitude is good medicine.
Let your gratitude be unconditional, and allow yourself to witness its miraculous powers. Decide to be grateful for everything, even the stuff that feels bad and wrong.
Happiness isn’t something you can get your hands on; it’s something you carry in your heart.
Remember, real prayer is not a cosmic delivery service; real prayer is receiving that which is already given.
God does not forgive because He has never condemned.
God is unconditional, and so too is love and happiness.
Thus, the fears that happiness has to be worked for, suffered for, and sacrificed for is truly laughable.
Pleasure is Happiness of the Body
Satisfaction is Happiness of the World
Joy is Happiness of the Spirit
Joy is eternal and timeless- it is happiness now. It is inward, it is deeply intimate, and 100% unconditional, non-judgmental and free.
To be happy, you have to give up “when” for “now.”
Children are born with only an awareness of now-past and future is meaningless at first. In the beginning, now is the whole world to children. It is entirely natural; it is neither learned nor fabricated.
Why do people have the fixation on heaven when the possibility for heaven exists right here and now?
Today is brand new. Today is not yet finished. Give today another chance. The world has finished with yesterday if you have. And the world can’t tarnish your future if you do not. Be grateful for today. Say “thank you” for the present moment. Remember the gift is…
The more you give to now, the more you get from now!
Gratitude is a gift in itself. It inspires you to be open, to be present, and to receive. Gratitude is good medicine.
Let your gratitude be unconditional, and allow yourself to witness its miraculous powers. Decide to be grateful for everything, even the stuff that feels bad and wrong.
Happiness isn’t something you can get your hands on; it’s something you carry in your heart.
Remember, real prayer is not a cosmic delivery service; real prayer is receiving that which is already given.
God does not forgive because He has never condemned.
God is unconditional, and so too is love and happiness.
Thus, the fears that happiness has to be worked for, suffered for, and sacrificed for is truly laughable.
Pleasure is Happiness of the Body
Satisfaction is Happiness of the World
Joy is Happiness of the Spirit
Joy is eternal and timeless- it is happiness now. It is inward, it is deeply intimate, and 100% unconditional, non-judgmental and free.
To be happy, you have to give up “when” for “now.”
August 23, 2010
This author is the director/founder of The Happiness Project which is apparently very well-known in England. I bought this book before I realized that I am going to like every book I find on the subject of happiness (and I can't buy them all - that's what libraries are for!).
I am now reading a second book by this author and I really like his upbeat attitude and the introspective "exercises" he has the reader do.
I read this book twice and I feel sure I'll read the current one twice as well.
In a nutshell, Robert Holden believes that I can be happy any minute that I choose. I need look no further than my mind/heart/spirit - the connection to feeling happy is a split second away. This is a simplistic explanation of his theories and insights but since I have been "studying" the subject of happiness I am definitely aware of when I connect to happy and when I sabotage myself. I highly recommend this author.
I am now reading a second book by this author and I really like his upbeat attitude and the introspective "exercises" he has the reader do.
I read this book twice and I feel sure I'll read the current one twice as well.
In a nutshell, Robert Holden believes that I can be happy any minute that I choose. I need look no further than my mind/heart/spirit - the connection to feeling happy is a split second away. This is a simplistic explanation of his theories and insights but since I have been "studying" the subject of happiness I am definitely aware of when I connect to happy and when I sabotage myself. I highly recommend this author.
March 31, 2009
This is an excellent book. If you read it with your mind open to his very simplistic message. I read it really slowly sort of like a work-book without pressuring myself to get it finished like I usually do. I just took my time and thought about each chapter or sometimes each page. There are lots of pages that are dog-earred now for me to go back and re-read when I feel like I need to.
Holden's message basically is that you don't have to search or work for or over think happiness or other things you might want in your life. Having those things is as simple as making a very conscious decision each day to BE happy or be kind or peaceful, loving, etc. All you have to do is BE. There are lots of other great messages too.
Holden's message basically is that you don't have to search or work for or over think happiness or other things you might want in your life. Having those things is as simple as making a very conscious decision each day to BE happy or be kind or peaceful, loving, etc. All you have to do is BE. There are lots of other great messages too.
April 14, 2020
I received this book 4 years ago but didn’t read it till this year, I wasn’t ready to fully grasp the message.
Like the message contained in the book you need to be open to the happiness within you now you need to be fully able to accept that all the happiness is already within you.
Once you are ready to make that discovery and accept that you have all the happiness you need and stop blaming the world around you, then you are ready to read the book!
Like the message contained in the book you need to be open to the happiness within you now you need to be fully able to accept that all the happiness is already within you.
Once you are ready to make that discovery and accept that you have all the happiness you need and stop blaming the world around you, then you are ready to read the book!
May 22, 2018
Stop the struggle
Excellent book that spoke directly to me especially that I read a lot of self improvement books. This book has a spin that changed my direction. I don't need to improve to be happy I can be happy right now where I am with what I have.
Excellent book that spoke directly to me especially that I read a lot of self improvement books. This book has a spin that changed my direction. I don't need to improve to be happy I can be happy right now where I am with what I have.
March 25, 2020
Great book that gives good ways to help yourself to learn to be truthfully happy. everything we do has to do with be aware how we think and feel. if you really want to be happy it all has to do with whats inside you. may you find safety, happiness, health and peace...
December 20, 2020
Simple, no-nonsense book about how not to "try too hard" to be happy and how to just go with it. Great examples and practical tips for anyone at the beginning of their happiness journey. The work Robert Holden did with Louise Hay shines through this book.
March 25, 2022
Book closest to reflecting my own views on happiness:) (though I don’t agree with everything).
“Circumstances and situations do color life, but you have been given the mind to choose what the color may be.” - John Homer Miller
“If you want to be happy, be.” - Leo Tolstoy
“Circumstances and situations do color life, but you have been given the mind to choose what the color may be.” - John Homer Miller
“If you want to be happy, be.” - Leo Tolstoy
June 21, 2017
Excellent read for a human being
Intuitive, easy to digest and timeless. This book is universal when it comes to its message, every human being can benefit greatly by reading this.
Intuitive, easy to digest and timeless. This book is universal when it comes to its message, every human being can benefit greatly by reading this.
November 7, 2019
The book is based on the idea that happiness is already inside each of us you don't have to look for it. Very inspiring indeed.
July 8, 2020
The best primer on Happiness
January 18, 2022
Really good. Highly recommend
June 16, 2023
I love how this book comforts me and indeed improved my healing process.
Read this book any time, any phase of your life.
Read this book any time, any phase of your life.
February 21, 2025
This book was excellent! Many of the principles mentioned in the book I highlighted and took notes on so that I can apply them to my life. I would recommend this book to everyone.
June 1, 2008
I loved this book. My husband & I saw him on Oprah one day and really liked his way of thinking. We had to really search to find his book about a year ago & ended up ordering it from a publisher in England. Now it is available with a new updated cover from most booksellers. Well worth your time to read. Here's an excerpt:
Happiness NOW! is a truly powerful and radical exploration of one of life’s most treasured goals. Packed with rich insights and practical wisdom, It offers a message of profound hope and healing for a generation that is often too busy chasing happiness to be truly happy.
Happiness NOW! is a truly powerful and radical exploration of one of life’s most treasured goals. Packed with rich insights and practical wisdom, It offers a message of profound hope and healing for a generation that is often too busy chasing happiness to be truly happy.
October 4, 2015
As far as a self-help book goes, I found this one lacking. The basic thesis is that happiness is not something to be found, but is already in you; a very simple idea. We must choose happiness every day and ignore fear and guilt that prevent us from being happy. Holden believes that we are born to be happy (our unconditioned self) but the ego always looks for fear and guilt, instead of love. Basically, Holden asks readers to choose love in all things. He quotes from Sufi mystics, the Bible, and uses many anecdotes. The book lacks any real structure and includes a lot of truisms and platitudes. I did not get much out of the book and found it to offer few practical tips for happiness.
July 20, 2014
As the old cliche goes, "practice what you preach", Robert Holden seems to understand profoundly what he is talking about, not just because his work contains spiritual teachings that evoke universal truths but more so, his voice in this book sounds so very happy, you can almost hear him inside your head, laughing and smiling from ear to ear, in a nutshell, its so infectious. It would be impossible for someone to read it without having their own moments to smile and laugh between the pages.
April 8, 2013
I was only 19 when I saw Robert Holden on The Oprah Winfrey Show, spouting the idea that happiness is already inside each of us. This blew my 19 year old mind and I bought this book immediately. Twenty years later, I still count Happiness Now! as one of the most influential nonfiction books in my life. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to create more joy!Happiness Now!: Timeless Wisdom for Feeling Good Fast
May 12, 2014
Robert Holden was my introduction to A Course in Miracles, the Upanishads, Hinduism, Rumi. He IS one of the most truthful and genuine seekers (seeker of truth) there is. People like Deepak and even Oprah have a lot of ego when they talk about spirituality. This book, if taken for what it really is is one of the BEST books on truth.
April 16, 2012
A few good nuggets, but I had to force myself to finish this one as it was very repetitive and disjointed. The book seemed to consist of a lot of platitudes strung together with very little analysis or depth.
April 4, 2015
I enjoyed this - lots of good stuff in there. In 2015 it feels a bit dated (I've read an older edition than this I think) but lots of wisdom and stories. Thought and heart provoking. Will definitely read his new work.
September 30, 2007
Uplifting.
November 20, 2007
Try being happy and enjoy d life!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews