Be Happy: 35 Powerful Methods for Personal Growth & Well-Being (Volume 1)

by Rebecca Ray

You’ve heard it all Just think positive! Just believe! But there’s no quick fix for a happy life. Be Happy is a practical guide for forming 35 daily habits that will lead to a life of thriving rather than just surviving.

Let Dr. Rebecca Ray guide you through the four central tenets of Choosing , Cultivating , Practicing , and Making Space for the good things in your Be Happy' s techniques are based on the science of Positive Psychology and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy , the very movements responsible for millions of people improving their well-being. Become a happier version of yourself by adjusting your daily routine with these powerful tools!

There is no set of habits more important than those that help you thrive—and because Be Happy ’s tools are quick, simple, and enjoyable to use —integrating this book into your daily life is easy. Happiness is an emotional state that can be hard to find and hard to hold onto. By using these tools in your daily life, you can gain control over this fickle state and take your ability to thrive into your own hands.

The Live Well series from Rock Point invites you to create a life you love through multiple acts of self-discovery and reinvention. These encouraging gift books touch on fun yet hardworking self-improvement strategies, whether it’s learning to value progress over perfection, taking time to meditate and slow down to literally smell the roses, or finding time to show gratitude and develop a personal mantra. From learning how to obtain more restful sleep and creating a healthy work/life balance to developing personal style and your own happy place, the Live Well series encourages you to live your best life.
 
Other titles in the series Progress Over Perfection ; Find Your Flow ; Seeking Slow ; Finding Gratitude ; Eff This! Meditation ; The Joy of Forest Bathing ; Find Your Mantra ; It Had to be You ; Men’s Society ; Genius Jokes ; The Calm and Cozy Book of Sleep ; Beating Burnout ; Ayurveda for Life ; Choose Happy ; and You Got This .
 

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Psychology, Personal Development, Mental Health, Health

128 pages, Hardcover

Published March 6, 2018

About the author

Dr Rebecca Ray is a clinical psychologist, author and speaker who helps big-picture-thinking people master their psychology. Over the course of two decades of consultations, speaking events, books, and audio, she has encouraged thousands of humans making an impact on the world to live a life that's fulfilling, unapologetic, and free.

Beck’s expertise as a professional zig-zagger sets her apart as one of Australia’s most in-demand and authoritative voices in the personal development space. Her science-backed, hard and heart truth approach is uniquely informed by her pivots from pilot to psychologist, from dating men to marrying a woman, and from being burnt out to bestselling author.

Beck is the author of six books, including Be Happy, The Art of Self-Kindness, The Universe Listens to Brave, Setting Boundaries, Small Habits for a Big Life, and Difficult People (released in May 2023).

She lives in the soul-fed hills of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland with the great loves of her life: her wife Nyssa, son Bennett, two rescue Irish Setters and one gangly Weimaraner.

Reviews

[Dannii Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is dedicated to the nourishment of happiness. In particular, four key areas where happiness can blossom:

"CHOOSING emotional states and values that help us to live full lives based on what's important to us deep down

CULTIVATING habits and routines that provide the architecture for a life of flourishing

PRACTISING (over and over again) methods that create a well-being mindset.

MAKING SPACE FOR life when it gets hard, so you can face the many ways life trips you up without getting stuck"

I am one of those individuals who loves to meticulously organise their day and already has a miracle morning, night-time routine and multiple extensive to do lists that aims to maximise my productivity and fertilise a tranquil mindset. For that reason I was most looking forward to reading confirmations of my (albeit, small) progress in this areas. What I was dreading, whilst knowing it was the area I most needed help in, was the last section. I am great at making a plan and sticking to it but I come undone when the smallest of life's little hurdles intrudes. I don't deal well with change and even the thought of reading about dealing with potential changes had me sweating!

But this book delivered its advice in small, easy-to-action steps. The 35 methods proposed consisted of no more than three to four paragraphs each with an additional three to four step breakdown of how to carry this out. These methods varied from the concrete to the mental and I found something to take away from each.

Whilst this was not a mind-blowingly unique guide, it was a positive, instructional tool and delivered its advice in a personable and friendly manner. The steps felt achievable and the areas it covered were varied enough for all readers to learn something new. And also, any book that preaches the importance of self-care is a must-read, in my opinion.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Rebecca Ray, and the publisher, Rock Point, for this opportunity.

[Kirsty ❤️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short and straightforward book full of simple ideas - such as "patience",  with further info underneath on how to develop that idea. 

It's quite a short book and very easy to read. I managed it in one sitting. It doesn't go into too much detail regarding each section but there's enough to whet the interest to go away and research something more on the bits that take your interest.

A fun little book.

Free arc from netgalley

[Amirhosein G · Rating 4 out of 5]

خلاصه و کاربردی
میشه چند تا نکته خوب و مثبت رو از توش پیدا کرد و همونها رو تو زندگی به کار بست، قرار نیست تمام ۳۵ نکته رو حفظ کرد و از بر شد
همین که چند تا چیز که به درد زمدگی خودتون میخوره رو ازش بردارید کافیه

[Greta (Upcloseandbookish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new book on how to be happy! Yes, please!

BE HAPPY is the new book by Dr. Rebecca Ray, a clinical psychologist, on how to create more happiness and well-being in your life with specific habits, based on:

a) the science behind happiness and

b) the author's clinical experience.

In the words of Dr. Ray:

              "Thriving is a psychological state that doesn't just rely on positive feelings like happiness but on the daily choices we make."

Doesn't that make you feel empowered? To know that there are some things that you control (at least 40%) in order not only to survive but to thrive?How is the book structured?

The book is divided into four sections:

CHOOSING (emotional states and values that help us to live full lives based on what’s important to us deep down)

CULTIVATING (habits and routines that provide the architecture for a life of flourishing)

PRACTICING (methods that create a well-being mindset)

MAKING SPACE FOR (life when it gets hard, so you can face the many ways life trips you up without getting stuck)

At the end of each chapter, there is a section titled Make A Habit of… where the author gives us specific habits that we may adopt that will make an actual difference in our everyday lives. This is where we put these lessons to work and look at ways we can cement positivity into our everyday lives.

There are many books on happiness but what I found different in this book is the fact that it is chock full of advice in a concise and clear manner (like bullet points). There is  some theory but, most of all, is full of practical ideas and suggestions to live a life of thriving. To be honest, I've made a lot of notes in my notebook and for the first week or so, I would read them again and again! What I absolutely loved that it left me empowered that, by developing habits and changing my mindset, I was in charge of my own happiness in spite of various circumstances. It is a book worthy of your investment in time and money as I am sure that you are going to read it again and again!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be Happy! is an easy read, but full of ideas for the reader to think about, and ways to practice each of them. Very practical. I found myself writing several points down in my journal to revisit later.

Rebecca Ray talks about the components of happiness and the fact that 50% of our happiness is predetermined by our genetic make-up and our personality, 10% by things we THINK will add to our happiness (i.e. having a nice home, getting the job we wanted, etc.) and the remaining 40% of our happiness depends on our own choices and actions. That's a huge percentage to have under our control!

I love the way the book is set up. The graphics are very visually appealing, and the sections flow easily from one to another. It is easy to read this book in one sitting. Book sections include:
"Choosing - emotional states and values that help us to live full lives based on what's important to us deep down."
"Cultivating - habits and routines that provide for an architecture for a life of flourishing."
"Practicing - (over and over again) methods that create a well-being mindset.
"Making Space For - life when it gets hard, so you can face the many ways life trips you up without getting stuck"
At the end of each chapter ways are given to put these lessons to work and make them habits.

I want to thank NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for giving me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

*thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Rock Point for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

4 stars.

This was a easy to follow little book about being happy. It has '35 Powerful Methods for Personal Growth & Well-Being'. So many people think that happiness is not having any thing going wrong and everything is just perfect. When in reality its not like that at all. This is quite a well designed book that is simple enough for pretty much anybody to read. It's also very pretty. The techniques on how to help yourself be happy are really good and make sense. This is a very helpful books and would make a great gift for somebody you care about or maybe for someone who has had it rough for a bit. This book is like a little bit of sunshine.

[Candice Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect no BS guide for people (all of us?) who need a little reminder that even though life can be hard, there are small actions we can take every day to make it that little bit easier and more manageable.

This book is delivered in an unfussy, straightforward and friendly way, and is easy to navigate and read. The information is delivered as practical, actionable advice, and isn’t bogged down in theory, technicalities or unnecessary detail. Essentially this book takes all of the theory and research around happiness and positive psychology, and rolls it all into a simple, practical guide!

I’ll be picking up this book whenever I feel like I need a reminder of the small, daily things I can do to make life that little bit easier and happier!

[Monte Brogdon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very helpful and informative book. It gives great tips for being truly happy with things like practicing forgiveness. I found each and every page of this book extremely helpful and I would recommend this to anyone looking for help with true happiness or, like me, someone with anxiety.

[Jesica DeHart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being happy is exponentially more than I thought and my thorough reading of this book has blown my mind and left me smiling. A book to make you think, change and be happy.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book full of interesting advice and resourceful.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to Quarto Publishing Group and Netgalley

[Danielle Doby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful and inspiring, I read this cover to cover and refer back to it time and time again. A perfect resource! I highly recommend this book.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nicely written book with lots of excellent advice. Indeed, I use several of these techniques myself already and I can confirm they really do work. A great read whether you're struggling and in a dark place, or just want to learn more about taking control of your own happiness.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is pretty cool. It's basically what it says on the tin: 35 ways to try and become happier in your life. I took a whole host of notes whilst reading this, and will try and implement those in my daily life because they seem really helpful and really forward-looking.

The format of the book is simple - you have an idea such as "patience", and then there are around three ideas underneath on how you can develop your relationship with patience in your daily life. For example, one of the ideas for "gratitude" is to keep a gratitude journal.

I was a little disappointed that this book didn't touch on any mental illness, although the author does say that it's not meant to be a 'fix'. As someone who has had depression (although obviously I can't speak for everyone!), I would say that this perhaps might not be the best gift for a friend like that, but it's a really good gift for yourself!

Overall, I really enjoyed going through this book and picking out the bits that I would find the most helpful. Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this! It was a great way to implement some ways to choose happiness in my life! There were little things that made such a difference like the “gratitude jar” and the (running) “list of things I am thankful for”. I liked the concept of this book and it was also a good way to tell myself to cherish others and show the people that I love that I truly care about them! Also, the book taught me to not only to cherish others, but to choose happiness and care about myself!

[Karma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the small tips at the end of each section detailing how to inculcate habit in daily life. I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

[Xanthe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got this at the library and finished it before I got home. Gives very practical advice on how to be a hot girl that loves self-growth. Really liked it.

[Pieta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be Happy! by Rebecca Ray is like having a counsellor in your kindle. It is like walking with a friend putting the world to rights.There are four sections to the book: Choosing; Cultivating; Practicing; and Make Space For. Each of these sections have about nine different subjects - joy, values, setting boundaries and crises are just one example from each section.

Be Happy! really is a book for dipping in and out of, so as an example I will dip into each of the four sections.
The first is Choosing and today I choose courage. Ray gives insight on needing courage when things get hard, when we know the risks but we do it anyway and then - here’s the good bit - she gives homework. There are usually three or four activities or things to think through, for example she asks the reader to Get Clarity on Why Know your why and courage has a reason to join you.

In the next section, Cultivating I really liked the topic Green Time - this is time in the week that recharges our batteries, red time is activity spent doing things or being with people that drains us. Her call to action is to make a list of red and green time activities and then consider the changes you’d make “if you were treating your mind, body and spirit according to your best sense of well being” can any red time activities be delegated or given up? Can you introduce more green time activities?

In the third section Practicing I copied out two sentences on breath that I will use in a guided meditation: Your breath is your constant: always with you and always available as an anchor when you come untethered. Come back to your breath to help you focus, slow down and gather yourself.
I love the light hearted way she later says that taking some time to breathe is a secret 60 second vacation from your day.

The final section is for the challenging stuff it is Make Space For. In Forgiveness Ray acknowledges that we want to hold onto resentment and hurt and there may never be adequate justice for the deep scars people have left. She explains that forgiveness is a way through the pain, it doesn’t fix it but relieves you of having to carry the burden of resentment, revenge and anger on top of the pain. An exercise is to practice letting go of the hurt caused and the person who caused it even if it is for just 30 seconds a day. Forgiveness is not forgetting it is letting go so that you can focus on your own healing, which is something you do have control over.

What a lovely book. It is not an alternative to therapy it is just a bit of insight from a wise person that you might want to talk through an issue with.

[Christopher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dr. Rebecca Ray's book Be Happy: 35 Powerful Methods for Personal Growth & Well-Being is a guide to choosing, cultivating, practicing, and making space for habits that she feels will help you live a richer and happier life. I picked the book up a couple of months ago because of a really deep pit of depression that I had fallen into, hoping that this book would help me. A couple of months later, I am doing a lot better, but I can't really say that it's because of Be Happy. I get the impression that Dr. Ray is, in this book, primarily addressing people who experience the run-of-the-mill levels of unhappiness - stress at work, too many responsibilities, not having enough time in your day to do what you need to do, not having enough time to relax, and so forth. Please don't misunderstand me; I don't mean to downplay how difficult such issues can be. I have experienced those types of feelings myself and still do, but the problem is that we literally all do. Be Happy is, in my opinion at least, not really targeted toward readers who might be experiencing issues like severe and chronic depression, Manic Depressive Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, severe guilt over serious wrongdoings in the past, and so forth. (The most helpful aspect in that regard is the final part of the book that talks about forgiving yourself.) Dr. Ray also offers a lot of tips and advice without following up on specific and concrete examples. If you're dealing with the average types of obstacles that tend to get in your way on a daily basis -work, family responsibilities, and that sort of thing - then this book will probably be helpful for you, but I don't think that it's going to be too helpful if you're dealing with severe and chronic mental illness, especially not if that illness involves guilt and self-loathing.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

“You have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” ― Louise L. Hay, You Can Heal Your Life

A brilliant little book, one that can be carried around in your bag to dip in and out of whether at home or at work, with lots of little reminders and exercises and full of inspirational quotes. The book looks at our way of thinking, whether it's our values, how we see others, how to not be a perfectionist, how to think about how we treat and talk to our friends and if we do the same for ourselves. Packed full of great advice and activities. A few which I have done in the past such as a gratitude jar, writing in a journal or your computer about things you are grateful for, the happy and the fun moments. There's also a suggestion to get creative and make a vision board which I highly recommend.

[Eve L-A Witherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a guide in helping show you ways in which you can improve your mood, boost your positivity and be happier in your life.



The book shows us ways in engaging with others, accomplishing our goals and making time to practise our habit can have a long term healthy effect on us all. Keys focus points in this book are, joy, kindness, gratitude, courage and ways we can show them and make it a habit for ourselves to fall into and follow. From giving and receiving, reflecting and connecting with others to creating goals and overcoming procrastination to believe in ourselves despite our imperfections and lack of trust and hope at times.



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

[Neva]

🧡44/52🧡
❤️Después de una tarde de andar de robotina limpiando casita, solo queria sentarme, relajarme, tomar un café y leer algo lindo
❤️ Este libro es de mis favoritos aparte de ser estéticamente hermoso, se enfoca en 4 acciones esenciales a seguir: elegir, cultivar, practicar y hacer eapacio para.
❤️Al final de cada capítulo, hay un apartado que enfocado en como crear un hábito relacionado al tema del capítulo, por ejemplo, la gratitud.
❤️Preferible leerlo tomando notas de lo que mas te ha gustado y lo que te gustaría implementar.
❤️Recuerdo que cuando lo compré pensé, voy a leerlo cada año pero evidentemente no lo hice. Me alegra haber tenido el tiempo de estar cerrando el año con él.

[Tayah Turocy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Be Happy was a nice book to remind readers how to face life inside and out with a brave and stronger face. While almost all of the content was something I had heard before, the organization of the book made it feel more focused and impactful. I found myself reading this book only when I laid it in-sight around the house. After taking a few months off, I came back to finish this book before the New Year. Overall, I think this book is a great reminder of wise words you have heard from friends, family, and loving sources. It provides not only commentary on how all of us face relatable struggles but also tangible steps to face each challenge. A light, grounding read.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This self-help book had super cute graphic elements and was very organized. However, a lot of the content felt recycled; I think I've read most of the "methods" in blog posts before. I could've appreciated this book more if it was presented in a new, exciting way.

I did enjoy a few of the goal oriented sections and found the prompts to be motivational. Even though the rest served as a reminder of things I've learned before, I think this book could definitely be useful to others.

Thank you to the publishers who provided me with an ARC of this book through NetGalley!

[Adina Olaru · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute and short and not your cheesy self help book, but just short bits of advice on how to reframe your view of the world. Found it to be positive without being overwhelmingly full of unrealistic optimism. The tone was maintained throughout the book as being one of kind advice, but the author acknowledges the reality of the world and the ways in which the advice given might be difficult to put into practice on occasion. A really good read to put you in a good mood for the day.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because of its helpful, inspiring message. The author gives examples of tangible, concrete behaviors and habits a person can adopt to enjoy more happiness in life. I also love the visual aesthetic of this book- the cover design and the beautiful illustrations are the perfect setting for the content!

[Ash.O · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book from a trip to Five Below. Most of it was information, tips, etc. that I have read before or already know. But, there were some good nuggets of valuable information that were new, a different perspective, or just worded in a particularly powerful way. A good read, but one I probably won't read again.

[(a)lyss(a) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall this book isn't what I expected.

The concept is nice, but most of this book is common sense in short statements. The book talks about change and happiness, but most of the tips are well known or not super helpful. I can see this being nice for young readers or for those who haven't read much self help.

[Michelle Nakagawa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really did enjoy reading this book, mostly because it gave me a chance to sit quietly and think about my inner negative thoughts and feelings and take in the advice the author was dispensing. I especially liked that the chapters were short, so I wasn't taking in too much info at once as I find it's more useful that way.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book for someone who is ready to embrace change. There are a lot of things in here I've started doing since the year began and it made me feel like I am on the right path. You kind of want to read a few of them a day and decide what and how to include them in your life.

[Goosegirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprised by, despite years of therapy and a scepticism about 'self help' type books, how helpful this was. I'm now listening to 'Breakthrough-how to overcome self sabotage' which is free on Audible and is also excellent.