The New Happiness: Practices for Spiritual Growth and Living with Intention

by Matthew McKay, Jeffrey C. Wood, Steven C. Hayes (Foreword)

We all want to be happy, but how do we achieve it? This unique workbook blends spiritual wisdom with evidence-based psychological practices to help you achieve lasting fulfilment. Most of us are searching for happiness in one form or another, but the “happiness” we’ve been conditioned to pursue is often elusive and fleeting. When we base our happiness on what we have—such as material possessions or status recognition from others—our happiness is no longer in our control. This workbook will show you that happiness is not about accumulating and consuming, or even achieving some deep state of spiritual bliss. Instead, you’ll find a fresh perspective on how to achieve authentic happiness rooted in spiritual values and actions. Written by two best-selling authors in the field of psychology ( The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook ), this guide blends mindfulness-based spiritual practices with evidence-based acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you develop your own spiritual action plan. Using the practical guidance and exercises in this guide, you’ll create a set of principles and behaviors aligned with your deepest values and sense of purpose, and learn to make decisions with a wise mind. Every moment of your life is an opportunity to make choices based on your own personal, deeply held spiritual values—why not start now? This workbook will give you the hands-on tools you need to get started.

Genres: Mental Health, Psychology, Nonfiction

200 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2019

About the author

Matthew McKay, PhD, is a professor of psychology at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, and author of more than 30 professional psychology and self-help books which have sold a combined total of more than 3 million copies. He is co-founder of independent self-help publisher, New Harbinger Publications. He was the clinical director of Haight Ashbury Psychological Services in San Francisco for twenty five years. He is current director of the Berkeley CBT Clinic. An accomplished novelist and poet, his poetry has appeared in two volumes from Plum Branch Press and in more than sixty literary magazines. His most recent novel, Wawona Hotel, was
published by Boaz Press in 2008.

Reviews

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested this book on Netgalley in return for an honest review

I didn't read the whole book, because it's mostly filled with exercises.
All of them very helpful, but I needed time to do them and it didn't always have my full attention.
I did enjoy this book. It's very practical and it definitely makes you think about who you want to be in life and how you make decisions, based on your values and your emotions. Sometimes, it was a bit too spiritual for me, but that's because I am new with seeking guidance in the spiritual way. I am sure that if I were to be more experiences, it would be a lot more helpful.

What helped me the most for now, was discovering my values and how to life by them.
I am now more aware of how to make a decision that feels right for me, not for others.
It has always been my weak spot, doing what makes others happy instead of myself, but now I have a clear view of what I need to do to stay focused on me. From now on, it's practice, practice and more practice. A weak spot doesn't disappear in a week ;)

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike some other reviewers, I did read the entire book. I thought this would make a great reference book to keep referring back to time and time again. You are not always going to want to do every exercise held within this book but all the exercises are timeless. I particularly enjoyed the Deep Knowledge Meditation. and the exercise where you are cutting the energetic cords you have attached between you and others.

This wasn’t exactly a book on how to be happy but instead how to learn to be the most authentic you that is possible by knowing your purpose, putting that purpose into effect and living your life with gratitude and joy. When you gain all this knowledge, in the end, you find you are happy.

I truly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others who were on the spiritual path to finding their best life.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

[K Hue]

ACT book

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book on Goodreads. Written as a workbook type book filled with interesting topics. I especially liked the topics of Deep Knowledge Meditation, Identifying Your Life Purpose, and Impermanence. This book helps explore one's values, core beliefs, and self thoughts to help limit suffering by looking at old, new, and differnt ways into the definition of happiness. I put into practice one of the methods within this book about something new I am starting in my life and received an answer I believe. With an open mind one can gain value in its methods here.

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as religious-y as it sounds, thankfully. I found it fairly helpful. Everyone could benefit from at least giving some of these practices a try.

[The_J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasant enough, and perhaps a couple of meditation nuggets of worth. But there is always a danger of becoming too focused on the self.

[Marylee Raymond Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

exercises work

[Heather Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The New Happiness is a very informative book with several exercises. It is good to have a open spiritual mind when reading the book. Written well and easy to read.