Getting Back to Happy: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Reality, and Turn Your Trials into Triumphs

by Marc Chernoff, Marc Chernoff, Angel Chernoff

Empowering advice for overcoming setbacks, from the authors of a wildly popular blog that's read by millions of engaged readers each month

Through their popular blog Marc & Angel Hack Life, Marc and Angel Chernoff have become go-to voices in the area of personal development, reaching tens of thousands of fans each day with their fresh and relatable insights. Now they're writing the book they wish they'd had when they needed it most.

Getting Back to Happy reveals their strategies for changing thought patterns and daily habits to bounce back from tough times. Sharing never-before-published stories and advice, the book shows us how to harness the power of daily rituals, mindfulness, self-care, and more to overcome whatever life throws our way--in order to become our best selves.

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

272 pages, Hardcover

First published May 22, 2018

Reviews

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 3 out of 5]

reading and discussing with my co-workers. We read a chapter a week.

[Deanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book oversimplifies life to the point of being offensive. I felt more angry than hopeful during it. As if the only problem in anyone’s like is simply that they’re too lazy to enact simple changes in life that can put them in a permanent state of happy. The authors are way out of touch with the general public and life overall.

[Sheree]

During the summer of 2018, I read Getting Back To Happy, by Marc Chernoff. I chose to read this book because it relates to my life in a lot of ways. The book provided some strategies to help someone get through a rough time along with how to change your thoughts and daily habits. They give advice by telling stories from their own lives. This book has showed me how to get through the rough times of life, self mindfulness, and even self-care. During the reading the characters were very believable. This book read through of many popular blogs from Marc & Angel Hack Life. Angel and Mark shared moments of personal developments. Both of them gaining thousands of fans each day. They started writing this book so they could help others, because they wished they had something like it when they needed it most. This book genre was non-fiction and it was a very believable story. This story is not that similar to any other books I have read and I enjoyed reading it because it was brand new for me. I think everyone should read this book because we all have daily routines and daily struggles. This book could give some people tips to enjoy life a little more.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best summaries of mindful focused living that I’ve ever read. Balanced and practical. Inspirational in that it really shows a path for working on these practices. I highly recommend.

Particularly good chapter on establishing new habits.

[Geekfork · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book, ironically, made me angry at some points. Namely, with appearing to consider as "unreasonable" expectations, things like: a parent expecting their child to respect and listen to them, expecting people to treat you with dignity and respect. Of course that won't *actually* happen all the time, but why shouldn't you expect it in the sense of it being a standard of good behavior? Then again, this could be a problem with communication by the authors (also discussed in this book ;D)

Anywho, the book does have some good ideas which I am trying to incorporate into my daily life. So I can't act like it was a total waste of time or that nothing in it is useful. The rest of the advice offered, to be blunt, struck me as clichéd.

I also had a very hard time just getting through this book for some reason. It's not written in a super dry or overly complicated way, but I couldn't bring myself to read more than a few pages at a time.

[R Stanfill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read twice already!

I've read this twice -- a quick read, then , second more in depth read. And I've just started a third read! "Life is painful. Change is painful. Growth is painful. But in the end, nothing is as painful as staying stuck where you do not belong." This phrase sums up what the Chernoffs try to teach you about the changes you can make in your life. And they succeed .

[Jeanelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried listening to this audiobook, but the authors come off as condescending. I will likely read a paper copy because I feel there may be a good message but they have a “holier than thou” tone, especially Marc. I really wanted to like it because it helped my bf, but it’s a bit insulting in its oversimplification of happiness. They totally blow off legitimate depression and essentially say if you’re not happy it’s because you’re lazy.

[Susan Krafcheck · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just be.
Just accept.
Just appreciate.

[Monica Casanova · Rating 1 out of 5]

Self help clap trap.

[Emily Prior · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just the book I needed to read as I enter the next chapter of my life and let go of what is dragging me down. It brought great perspective into ways to find happiness again and let go of what wasn’t serving you.

[Allison Abrams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This self-help book was… surprisingly helpful. I’ll be recommending this to everyone I know who’s lost, grieving, down, or in a rut.

[Rick Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I subscribe to the Marc and Angel newsletters. I think that they provide valuable advice. I didn't want to read this book because I don't appreciate the terms "happy" and "happiness." I prefer "well-being." But I bought the book and underlined what was valuable, which was a significant part of the book.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very useful; not much new information; information could have been conveyed through a magazine article

[Anagha S Setlur · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good quick read for me. The book touches on various aspects in life such as- self love, motivation, relationships, getting rid of toxicity, getting back on track, journaling, having a ritual that one can stick to, etc., which are all explained well in regards to attaining happiness under sub headings, points, and chapters. There are also closing exercises given for the readers to try out at the end of every chapter that are quite intriguing.

I wouldn't go to the extent of saying that there are things that are different in this book alone and aren't there in any other book, but it serves as a gentle reminder of the things that are important to keep in mind to better our daily lives. After all, self help books are always meant to help us get back on track, even if it is just one small thing that we have learnt as a take away from the book.

I enjoyed it as it was a quick filler read for me. I would recommend it and maybe I will get back to it another day. 4 stars for now.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book when I was in an "eh" mood. I wasn't unhappy but I wasn't happy either. I took my time reading this book, pausing every few pages to truly digest what I had read. Marc and Angel offer some good advice on ways to get back to feeling happy. There are closing exercises at the end of each chapter. You have to be willing to take the time to truthfully answer some questions in order for this to work. While some of the open letters were a bit preachy in my opinion, overall I really enjoyed this book. It made strong, simple points for how to be more positive.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
If you don't read a lot of these types of books, this one is probably great. If you do, there's nothing new. I listened to this and at times it felt like someone opened a page of inspirational quotes on pinterest and started reading them. There were some good parable type stories and the last couple chapters were good.

[Kory Downey · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a lot of big sweeping generalizations in this book and not a lot of explanations on how to implement real steps into your life. Lots of repetitive advice throughout the chapters. It definitely allowed me to reflect and pushed me to think differently about a lot of things in my life, just maybe not as much as i had hoped.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the usual self-help books I’ve read.

[Nopadol Rompho · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shows you how to be happy. All wise words in this book really help readers understand that it is not that hard to get back to happy and live your life. Strongly recommended.

[Kelsey O’Brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

first self help book that i’ve actually finished. didn’t find myself wanting to pick it up all of the time but whenever I read it I always felt uplifted. very doable advice given

[Dorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book is making such a difference in my life! It’s the kind of book that helped me change my thinking about life. I lost my only adult child almost four years ago and have been in deep depression since. This book is helping get out of the depression and reframe my life. It’s not like I will not miss my daughter...I will always miss her but with the help of my dogs, my therapist and this book, I’m getting there. The other part that helped me is a how to get a different me back. It’s giving me permission to keep the people in my life that I need and eliminate toxic people. I can’t think of anything but positive thoughts about this book!

[Rubina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely one of the best book on happiness. Even though the Chernoffs touched on topics that are not exactly new in relation to being happy, such as, practising mindfulness, learning to let go, accepting impermanence and change, self-love and gratitude, they were still able to provide fresh perspectives and insights. I honestly did not think I would enjoy the book as much as I would when I picked it up. Now, I think it is a book I would highly recommend and surely return to again.

“The happiest people live not with a certain set of circumstances, but with a certain set of attitudes.”

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading your book and it’s fabulous! I’ve followed your blog for quite a while and I love your positive, encouraging words of support! Congratulations on writing such an inspiring book!

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reinforcing old stereotypes to sell a blog. And somehow the information is good, because the blog has millions of views. Or something like that.

[Dennis Raffaelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is very redundant. In a nutshell:

Life stinks, suck it up and deal with it.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would be great for a teenager or someone in their 20’s. A lot of it I have already been implementing in my life but it’s still helpful to see it all down on paper.

“Just as sticking to rituals can make you feel more accomplished and mindful of your capabilities, so can new experiences.”

Some great take-always from this book:

1. Gratitude- write it down- there are apps for this.

2. Embrace daydreaming -set aside time in the day, napping around 2/3 is the best time to let these thoughts float around your head seeing if any of them catch wind and take off.

3. Have new experiences- this is very important for people who want to grow. “When you are placed in a new situation, you realize certain things you are capable of as a human being.” Doing new things with another person bonds you in ways you won’t be able to measure.

4. Morning ritual

5. Exercise at least 15 minutes a day

6. Meditate at least 15 minutes a day.

7. Clean the dishes every morning/clean counters.

“Decide what you would put back on your plate if you could wipe it clean. Our lives get incredibly complicated, not overnight, but gradually.”

“You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.”

[Steven Marks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marc and Angel Chernoff’s Getting Back to Happy is based on lessons they learned from their personal journey. They reached a rock-bottom moment where they were depressed and realized their life was nothing like what they wanted. They managed to turn things around and become wildly successful self-help gurus.

They focus on rituals (which is the term they use for habits), prioritizing, letting go of what’s holding you back, self-love, accepting change and uncertainty, finding motivation, relationships, and forming a positive environment.

Their approach is rather scattershot and generic, without much of a unifying theme. However, I do agree with most of what they say, and they present it in an easy to follow way. If you’ve read a lot of self-help, you won’t find anything you haven’t already seen. But if you’re new to the genre, this is a good overview of pretty good advice.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took a while to get back to this book--helpful if you haven't read other self-help books before, otherwise a lot of it is already familiar. A bit repetitive. I appreciated the signs for letting go and for getting unstuck. I liked the idea of daily rituals to focus on goals, like writing in a journal/calendar as a daily motivator. I bought one of those day planners with 9-10 lines for a brief summary of the day, what I've done towards my goals, and what I'm grateful for. Then I mark an "X" on the monthly calendar pages that's at the start of every month to show I'm making this a habit. Makes it real. We'll see what happens in a year's time!

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating based on Getting Back to Happy being a helpful resource falls between a 3 and a 4. I'm familiar with the psychological basis for the book so reading this provided a very simple guide to things I already know but don't always practice. It's an easy book to pick up and flip through to get a jump start back into mindful living. What it isn't so great at is conveying a compassionate view of the real difficulties of deeper issues. The Chernoffs acknowledge their struggles but the answers come off as a little oversimplified. This book is useful as a reminder of good practices and to accompany other, deeper reading.

[Siv · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes it helps to hear from some uber-positive, encouraging people ... even if they repeat what you've heard elsewhere and taken an overly simplistic approach to what might be terribly complicated situations in your life. They say a lot of nice, motivational things, many of which are true: daily rituals make a bigger difference than goals, having a consistent gratitude practice increases happiness, and exercise matters to overall well-being. Much of what they say could be instagrammable sound-bites. I'm glad I read it and I have a few things to think about & work on. I'm sure it's helped others, and if you need the cheerleading, then by all means pick this up.