The Unexpected Joy of the Ordinary

by Catherine Gray

Learning how to be exalted by the everyday is the most important lesson we can possibly learn. In Catherine Gray's hilarious, insightful, soulful (and very ordinary) next book, you may learn to do just that.

We're told that happiness is in the extraordinary. It's on a Caribbean sun lounger, in the driving seat of a luxury car, inside an expensive golden locket, watching sunrise from Machu Picchu. We strive, reach, push, shoot for more. 'Enough' is a moving target we never quite reach.

When we do brush our fingertips against the extraordinary a deeply inconvenient psychological phenomenon called the 'hedonic treadmill' means that, after a surge of joy, our happiness level returns to the baseline it was at before the 'extra' event.

So, what's the answer? The Unexpected Joy of the Ordinary theorizes that the solution is rediscovering the joy in the ordinary that we so often now forget to feel. Because we now expect the pleasure of a croissant, a hot shower, a yoga class, someone delivering our shopping to our door, we no longer feel its buzz. The joy of it whips through us like a bullet train, without pause.

Catherine Gray was a grandmaster in the art of eye-rolling the ordinary, and skilled in everlasting reaching. Until the black dog of depression forced her to re-think everything.

Along the way, she discovered some surprising realities about the extraordinaries among that influencers risk higher rates of anxiety and depression and high-rollers are less happy.

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

288 pages, Hardcover

Published March 3, 2020

Reviews

[K.J. Charles]

Is there anything better than a self help book that just reinforces you're doing everything right (aka, stamps approval on your personal beliefs)? Well, probably a holiday in Bali is better, but you don't get many of those, whereas the pleasure of a self help book agreeing with you is there for the taking. The point of this book is to appreciate the small ordinary things in life because, you know, there's a lot of them in our daily lives, and if we ignore them in favour of always wanting the holiday, the bigger house, the better car, we will spend our time miserable and unsatisfied. Make your own satisfaction, actually appreciate what you've got and what's around you, and use the strength that brings as a springboard to change the things that actually do need changing.

I particularly liked the observation that the best way to cope with something non-horrific going badly wrong is to think how you'll tell it as a funny story afterwards. Again, this is because I 100% agree. Some of my favourite holiday memories with my husband are exactly this, things going ludicrously wrong, and the pair of us laughing till we cried. Do not ask me about the toilet incident in Mumbai station, or Escape from the Noto Peninsula.

A good reminder to get over yourself.

[Stacie Scanlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m working hard on improving my mental health this year after coming to a point in my life where I can no longer sustain this level of stress, anxiety, anger and ill health. I’ve started with The Chimp Paradox but wanted a lighter read to read alongside. This was a total chance purchase after a trip to Waterstones and a scan of the latest hardbacks. I think it was fate!

Some things I am changing now I have read this book:
- I’ve started a ‘gratitude diary.’ It’s lovely to appreciate the little things in life and I feel so much more at peace after writing in my diary.

- a social media/technology limit. I had started to do this anyway as I can’t stand that everywhere I go, people are glued to their phones. But this book hammered it home for me. I’m deleting my social media apps immediately and will check them at weekends only. (Goodreads stays of course)

- I’m going to read more.

- I’m exercising for my health and not just for weight loss. I’ve long associated the gym and exercise etc with me needing to lose weight. I love exercise so much more now that I see it in a different light. And I do genuinely feel better for moving my body- so this book has helped me to focus on that positive feeling rather than on the ‘must lose weight’ angry chimp in my head.

- It’s made me realise that I’ve been negative for a long time and that I’ve neglected my mental health. No wonder I’ve felt so sad. No wonder I get so stressed for ‘no reason.’ I haven’t been taking care of myself. Meditation is back on the agenda.

Today I got the train home from work, put my book and my phone down for 15 minutes and just watched and listened to the rain pattering on the window. I felt so calm. It was an utter joy.

Thanks Catherine for teaching me to find joy in the ordinary again :) we should all read this!

[Nika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Вагаюся між 3 і 4. Нічого такого надзвичайного, десь є щось занадто просте або й obvious🤷🏼, але якщо розглядати книгу, як нагадування про такі речі - то піде👌

[Lawrence Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had this nagging query whilst reading this book - is this really worth the time and effort after all I am a male and quarter of a century older than the author. How do I relate to someone trying to convince me from another generation and a different sex.. However it was self evident that Catherine had come to conclusions that I myself had identified over the last ten to fifteen years and whilst a good chunk of the book revolves round the lifestyle of the female of the species there was a good number of things like being single, living in a flat, no longer absorbed by TV, enjoying reading and finding time for the ordinary things with a commitment that equalled or surpassed the "special" outings and events. There are plenty nuggets of good sense and inspiration from the many aspects of life that are worth taking seriously throughout this book. There are a few parts I glossed over as my male nature found them hard to relate to and were obviously more appropriate to the fairer sex. We all have our addictions and need to overcome them but one essential truth that we need to come to terms with our lifestyle and appreciate what is unnecessary and how ordinary things can meet a healthy and satisfying need. So I am glad I persevered and finished this book identifying that I am not that different to the author in my attitude and approach to my day to day existence on planet earth!

[Jules · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s very rare for me to give a scathing review of a book because generally I wouldn’t even finish a book I didn’t like from the beginning. But as someone who already sees the joy in the ordinary, the everyday and the simple things, I wanted to love this book and so decided to give it a chance right to the end. And oh, how I wish I hadn’t wasted my time.

I found The Unexpected Joy of the Ordinary to be preachy, self-indulgent and judgmental. And when in Part VII Ordinary Bodies, Catherine Gray states “…we used to go out practically wearing bikinis, and looking for this attention [from men].”, I stopped dead in my tracks (listening on audio). I was gobsmacked that, in an age where we’re trying to teach young women and girls that they should dress for themselves and not for men, a female author would write this, even if she does think it’s true (as she later admits).

Rather than this book be celebrating the ordinary and be full of suggestions to enjoy life to its fullest from the simplest of things, I found it to be just full of demands, as if everything the author does, everyone else should be doing aswell.

Yes, there are common sense things, like not comparing ourselves to influencers on social media, and that it’s not necessary to always be striving for better. But, suggesting that, for example, there’s always a “better partner” made me shake my head and roll my eyes. If you’re in a relationship and thinking there’s a “better partner” out there for you, then you shouldn’t be in the relationship you’re in!

Also, I hated this book on audio. I don’t think I need to say, I’ll not be giving this book to anyone for Christmas!

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm going to start by saying I really loved Catherine's other books and wanted very much to love this one..but I just didn't enjoy it as much. Now, there may be a valid reason for this - it may be that I already take joy in the ordinary and am a fairly happy and satisfied person, but I was unconvinced by the book. It felt in parts like a rejash of her other books, and in other parts just felt like essays that weren't really connected. I feel sad that I didn't "get" it but we can't always like everything we read.

[Cherniakhivska · Rating 3 out of 5]

Звичайна блогова література, наче розмова з подругою, особливих відкриттів і інсайтів не пригадую, але деякі думки собі відмічала: про шопінг, очікування тощо. З одного боку, я багато в чому погоджуюся з авторкою. З іншого, мені здається, тема примирення зі звичайністю і "не треба прагнути більше" підходить не всім. Наприклад, мені здається, мають різні базові потреби люди, які вважають себе митцями і відчувають свій обов"язок щось створювати, і люди, які такого внутрішнього імпульсу не відчувають. Мені здається, другі не дуже розуміють, що за внутрішній вогонь так ковбасить перших, коли вони не виражають себе. Якщо я змирюся зі звичайністю, то в мене не буде потреби шукати, фотошопити, писати, мені достатньо буде шити штори і підмітати підлогу, я вже пробувала роками цей психотерапевтичний шлях примирення "я всього лише людина" і він мене не влаштовує, бо тоді життя не має жодного сенсу для мене. Я талановита людина, і мені не треба гасити свої імпульси думкою "і так добре". Примирення - корисна штука в плані пробачати собі недосконалості і нестворене, але зробити його метою і стилем життя - ні, дякую.

[Oksana · Rating 4 out of 5]

книжка-відпочинок. ніби нічого нового чи революційного тут, про прийняття, вдячність, порядок в голові та вдома, але від читання тепло й хороше. зазвичай прискіпливо ставлюся до авторів, які хочуть серйозні теми загорнути в стиль задушевної бесіди, а фамільярність в бік читача сприймається як дикість. не хочу, аби хтось чужий, хай навіть і успішний автор книжки, говорив зі мною як з недотепою, якій пояснюють закони буття. але Кетрін Ґрей вдалося втримати межу. її текст наповнений гумором та легкістю, разом з тим не було відчуття, що мене повчають. жарти не злі, не токсичні і стосувалися переважно авторки. наприклад, свою амигдалу вона порівнює з чихуахуа, що труситься на тоненьких ніжках, а префронтальну кору - з Ганді, і описує їх уявний діалог між собою в критичній ситуації. було кумедно візуалізувати собі цю картинку )

[Tom Flay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober so picked this up thinking it would be along the same lines, but unfortunately it was too much along the same lines. It felt like the format had been duplicated from the former and pasted into the latter and the words kind of flung in around it.

I really wanted to enjoy The Unexpected Joy of the Ordinary but for me it was just too wordy, like it was trying to fill itself up with words to create enough pages for a book.

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5-5⭐️ read for me, I absolutely loved it! A great re-affirming reminder of how we should embrace more of the ordinary in our lives from where we live, our career, our bodies, relationships to tech. This is a recommended read for when you think life should be filled with extraordinary moments and why we seek this way of life when in actual fact neuroscience and psychology bucks these myths and that a life of ordinary is in itself extraordinary. I’m not a re-reader (very often) but I will 100% re-read this!

[Nina Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Shallow, tone deaf, and self-indulgent. Incredibly boring and at times unintelligible. This book was a bad memoir and a worse self-help book. If you are coping with loss, depression, divorce, etc. I advise you to steer clear of this one. I can understand writing a book focused on providing solutions for, “first world problems”, but I cannot support work that is uninformed and dismissive of the reality of many.

1. The Good – Should’ve been a list of resources
2. Writing – Abysmal and incoherent
3. Memoir Elements – Self-Indulgent and meaningless rambling
4. Content – Many Uncredited Sources and Studies
5. Author’s Voice – Self-righteous and Oblivious

The Good – Should’ve been a list of resources

At the beginning of the book, Gray does well to acknowledge over-assigned solutions, such as gratitude, meditation, and yoga, particularly in the personal development genre. She shares helpful studies that show practising gratitude is only valuable when you are as specific as possible. She also talks about hedonic adaptation and the idea of the hedonic treadmill. The discussion on maximizers and satisfiers was relatable.

The first chapter had a lot of excerpts from other resources and lacked a voice from the book’s author, which as it turns out is why it was so good. I was highlighting a lot of excerpts written by other authors and their book titles. Akin to the idea that this meeting could’ve been an email, my thoughts on this book became that this book could have been a resource list. Considering that the author used to work in the magazine industry, it makes sense that she was able to curate a good list of resources. The sources shared were much more appreciated than her rambling words to come.

The Writing – Abysmal and Incoherent

In the early chapters, reading the author’s stories read like a conversation with a friend. There was good flow but then she takes this too far and goes off on too many tangents. The narrative in this book was a mess. She uses a lot of English slang, I think, but sometimes while reading I really had no idea what she was saying. Examples below:

“That I felt that camera flash of pain in my gob that tells me I need to go to the dentist – so I went to the dentist. That I can afford to do so, without financial jiggery-pokery and stress.”

“That I chose to swerve bubble-gum for the brain this evening in the shape of a Rebel Wilson film…”

Death by adjectives and often the wrong ones. I flagged many instances where the author was misusing words that it was hard to believe she has a background in journalism. Her use of literary devices failed with weird hyperboles and the overuse of metaphors. The prose was not witty and her attempts at humour fell flat. Instead, she comes off as resentful.

The Memoir Elements – Self-Indulgent and Meaningless Rambling

As a memoir this book really flops. Gray does not share memories of specific events that anchor her growth and story. I felt like the author keeps the reader at an arm’s length by mentioning “events” but never telling us what happened. It reminds me of a comic I saw the other day about a job interviewer asks the candidate to elaborate on being cryptic and mysterious, to which the candidate says, “I cannot, not since the incident.” (Nathan Wypyle – Strange Planet).

The reader learns that Gray was an alcoholic, that she had a job with Cosmopolitan at some point but for unknown reasons is now self-employed, and that she lost her father. She doesn’t allow the reader to connect with her story because there are no details provided on any of these significant life points. Her discussion on grieving the loss of her father was a good example of how confusing her story telling is throughout. She writes,

“Losing a parent was not, it turned out, the melodrama I expected, in which life screeched to a halt. Plus, we had this godforsaken memorial to organize now…”

She tells us nothing of her relationship with her father that would allow us as the reader to understand why she views her father’s passing as more of an inconvenience to her. She had referred to her father earlier as her, “bombastic father”, which is all we learn about him. Then a page later she says,

“When I’d heard the news of his death, I had folded over and dropped my phone of the floor, as if right-hooked in the stomach by loss. I lay on the kitchen tiles, as expected, dominated by the overlord of bereavement.”

There is much rambling when it comes to her personal stories but there is no development of meaningful life events or relationships that the reader can connect with. What she does do is pick out personal things to share such as her clothing size, her extravagant life experiences, and anything else that makes her look successful to the reader. She is insincere, lacks depth of emotion and thought, and alienates the reader.

Content – Many Uncredited Sources and Studies

The layout of this book was awkward to read. I stopped reading the “Odes to…” because they were tiringly descriptive and added nothing of value to the book. I found them a bit odd, and their sunny disposition was polarizing compared to the author’s otherwise bitter tone. They were also detached from the chapter goals.

There are many movie examples used in this book and as a reader I find it lazy. The forced links between movies and ideas reminded me of last-minute high school book reports.

The author often used phrases like, “some scientists”, “some experts”, “researchers” so I was left questioning the credibility of the ideas being presented. Could she not reference which experts and scientists? It felt lazy, but worse than that it lacked validity. I stopped reading any section where no explicit source could be credited. At one point she talks about why the first rule of hostage negotiation school is to ask the hostage-taker to name how they feel, and I actually laughed. Is this common knowledge? Where does this information come from?

The Author’s Voice – Self-righteous and Oblivious

The author is ignorant and uninformed in the areas she is trying to speak on, which we learn is because she actively avoids consuming the news or anything else that might be upsetting. Her perspective is ego-centric, and she is unaware of how life outside the upper-middle class looks.

The author also lacks knowledge of key terms on the topics she is presenting. The chapter on well-being makes grand statements about things where real terms to identify issues exist but are never used. For example, she rambles on about the idea of boundaries but never acknowledges the term that defines these ideas. Just using the term boundaries would have made these sections more effective and they could easily be supported with research. In this discussion, she complains about text messaging apps that show messages as read so she can’t just ignore them. This highlights what kind of person she is.

In other areas, she oversimplifies complicated feelings in her attempts to prove that you just need to paint a silver lining on hardships. She writes,

“Say a relationship ends; now I know he’s a cheater. Or if a boring but reliable source of income vanishes; now I can pursue something that doesn’t turn my brain into a narcoleptic. Having to move house; a new town becomes my oyster.”

Tone deaf, invalidating, ignorant. I want to understand what she is trying to say about finding a silver lining in hardship, but I don’t think she has the knowledge or ability to articulate what we need as a reader. We learn later that when she faced financial insecurity in the past, she just asked her parents to bail her out, a few times. Gray’s invalidating tone and lack of compassion extend to her discussions on other ideas like social media use and the role of influencers.

Overall, I gave this book one star because I didn’t like the author’s tone or messaging. There were many assumptions and generalizations made and not enough specifics provided. It was difficult to humanize and connect with the author. Most importantly, I didn’t get the sense the author wrote this book with a sincere intention to help readers better themselves.

Below is an excerpt from the book on why gratitude literature is so off-putting:

“Here are some real lines from real gratitude literature, plus how I felt when I read them. (Article origins and writers obviously concealed.)
‘Practising gratitude means paying attention to what we are grateful for.’
No shit, Sherlock. But how? HOW? This is too vague. BAH.” (Chapter 1: The Pursuit of the Extraordinary)

[Ольга К. · Rating 3 out of 5]

непогано, враховуючи, що я загалом ненавиджу селфгелп

[Tracy Larner-Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this fabulous book that a friend recommended to me last year. A really positive book that reminds you to enjoy the everyday 'little' things and to live in the moment because although we all know that this is the most enjoyable way to live, I think we all need reminding from time to time.

It really spoke to me, especially about screen time and feeling inadequate when you see other people's squares (the perfect life/home/family/holiday/clothes/car etc). So I've made a pact with myself to declutter my email subscriptions, apps and switch my phone onto silent for periods of time so I can read, chat, walk, listen to music, watch TV etc without the pesky notifications disturbing my inner peace and enjoyment! 🧘🏼‍♀️

[Eve Dangerfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the previous two, but wasn't really feeling this one. I still haven't completed it. It might just be me though, I still adore CG's style and voice, but it's been ages and I must admit defeat.
Update, I've come back to this a bunch of times since and I think it's actually excellent. One star added!

[The-grateful-spoonie · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE IT !!! I had dreams come true and everything I ever wanted and then it became, what next ? I got low and longed for more more more and to occupy my wondering saddening mind I wanted a book. I saw this and like the universe wanted me to read it, it stood out like a shining beacon. I LOVE this book. It was like a perfect thing at the perfect time and it felt like it was written for me but I'm assuming if I feel this and Catherine wrote this, its more than just us two. EVERYONE needs to read this, my kids are a little young yet but I'm already thinking, they will need to read this, I read bits to my hubby and he asks me to read the parts I laugh at and I've messaged all my friends and told them they NEED this book. Bravo Catherine, I somehow feel connected to you now. Thanks for sharing and its so wonderful to see how far you have come. Right I'm off to reflect on that view that made me cry with elation today :)

[Ike · Rating 2 out of 5]

So. I bought this book because the title seemed like a message I needed to reinforce in my life. I got 40 pages in before I had to give up because Ms Gray's "normal" is still miles above mine and the amount of assumptions she makes about the reader made me so cross. At one point she says "so the likelihood is if you can afford to buy this book you had an education [...] And don't have to steal food in order to eat. This is all undeniably true." Ma'am, I bought this book secondhand off eBay because I couldn't afford the retail price, because I am dirt broke. The assumed "ordinary" she presents, despite her disclaimer at the beginning about being white and middle class, sounds like luxury to me and coupled with the facts spouted off left right and center with no source attached I couldn't bring myself to finish. The only reason this book doesn't have a lower rating is because the friendly chatty manner that the book is written in makes it very accessible.

[Penelope · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easily accessible and utterly enjoyable book packed with simple and doable ideas that have the potential to change your life. Written in a light hearted style but with enough substance to stop it being throwaway fluff I found this book to be incredible useful in suggesting ways to stop reaching for happiness in the extraordinary but finding it in the ordinary, everyday, humdrum stuff. Wise, whole-hearted and joyful this is a book that everyone could benefit from reading.

[Anthony O' · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wrote to long reviews on this book already but the stupid app crashed TWICE!!! So I’ll say this.

It’s a shite book by a well meaning feminist, neo- liberal 40 something who talks with American upspeak and is generally annoying.

Well done on the sobriety though. I’m sure some ppl will glean plenty of positive messages from this book.

I just thought it was rubbish.

[Alistair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing groundbreaking but great to be reminded of the beauty in simplicity.

[Moh. Nasiri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Your brain is always searching for bad news.


Do you often find yourself focusing on what you don’t have? Imagine that you’re in a performance review with your boss. She praises your hard work, social skills, and professionalism. However, she also mentions that you sometimes lack confidence. And now the end result is you come out of that meeting feeling deflated.

You spend the rest of the night focusing on your shortcomings. But what about all the good things your boss said? Well, you hardly give them a second thought.

Here’s a question, then. Should you beat yourself up for focusing on the bad? Well, maybe that’s not your fault. The devastating truth is that evolution has primed you to be relentlessly negative.


Neuroscientist Dr. John Cacioppo carried out a study in which he showed his subjects different sets of images and measured how their brains responded. He found that people became more engaged when they looked at negative pictures, like guns and dead animals. Positive photos – things like pizza and ice-cream – didn’t create the same level of excitement.

Dr. Cacioppo concluded that negative information seems to trigger a greater mental response.

Unfortunately, our negative bias doesn’t stop there. Other studies have found that we’re quicker to spot an angry face in a crowd than a cheerful one. This phenomenon is called the anger superiority effect. Worse still, our negative bias affects our interpersonal relations, too. We tend to see people’s bad characteristics as more significant than their positive traits.

But why are we so negative? The answer lies in our evolutionary past, and a region of our brain called the amygdala. 

Your amygdala plays a key role in your emotions and decision-making. It’s especially sensitive to negative information. This sensitivity evolved with our prehistoric ancestors. Their lives were incredibly difficult. They had to deal with lots of aggression from members of their own tribe, and predators were an ever-present threat. In other words, if our ancestors hadn’t been wired to always look out for trouble, chances are they wouldn’t have lived long enough to reproduce.

Thankfully, modern life isn’t nearly so dangerous. But evolution moves slowly, and your amygdala is still scanning for threats. The author, for instance, often feels threatened when she finds herself in busy subway stations. The reason is simple: her amygdala is warning her that there are no plants or water sources around, so she might have a problem finding sustenance.

In the book, we’ll combat this negativity bias, and look at all the reasons to be positive instead.

*Blinkist.com

[Yuliia Tsyba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Іноді, ми настільки зациклені на унікальності, грандіозності й «успішному успіху», що звичайне асоціюється з чимось поганим чи незначним.
Якщо за день не відбулося нічого грандіозного – значить так собі день.
Якщо мрія чи бажання, не пов’язане з успішним успіхом - ну, так собі мрія.
Що вже казати про зовнішність, отут звичайність точно не в тренді))

Кетрін Грей розповідає про свій шлях до звичайності.
Книжка з гумором і хорошими моментами, які хочеться виділити.
Було таке, що хотілося відкласти читання, бо не сходилися погляди з авторкою.
Але, вона пише про свій досвід, і не обов’язково стовідсотково з усім погоджуватися.

Окремий респект за «диво в буднях» й практику вдячності, як би банально це не звучало. Це тільки здається, що все просто, а спробуй знайди три пункти за що вдячна в цьому дні й ти вже здулася))
Як кажуть, «плавали, знаємо»))

«…коли не дозволяю повсякденним приємностям непомітно прослизати повз мене або вилітати в мене з голови, то тішитимусь, навіть спостерігаючи за песиком на пляжі.
Можливо це хвилюватиме не так, як вигляд сотень дельфінів, що супроводжують корабель в Індійському океані, але якщо приплюсувати до радісного цуцика, який уявляє себе тюленем, ще скибочку хліба з маслом, вільне місце в переповненому вагоні, приємну розмову з незнайомою людиною – усе те, що трапляється протягом звичайнісінького дня – то цей звичайний день починає створювати таке ж саме відчуття, як і день надзвичайний.»

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Considero que, en mi día a día, ya tiendo a prestar atención a los pequeños placeres ordinarios de la vida y regocijarme en ellos; esta lectura ha sido un buen recordatorio, aunque el estilo tan informal/cómico no es lo mío.
Me apunto el consejo relacionado con las listas de gratitud: en lugar de generalizar ("doy gracias por mi familia, amigos, trabajo"), escribir cosas específicas que te hayan pasado en el día y te hayan hecho feliz.

[Verity · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ I found this book hard work if I’m honest. I just couldn’t get into a flow when I was reading. There are some great little nuggets in there but not half as enjoyable as some of this author’s other books.

[Svenja Bunte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great big hug in a book 😍 as per obsessed with Catherine, she’s open, honest and pours her heart out for you. This is uplifting, well referenced and informative but also enjoyable and easy to read. Feeling much more positive already. For some reason I found it slightly too long but it was a very minor issue.

[Malin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Amelia Wally · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, through a strikingly relatable tone and numerous personal and honest examples, gives a simple yet effective message for how to live your life with a bit more positivity. Its suggestions are down to earth and useful, promising a way to change your mindset rather than a utopian better life.

[Alla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Кожна книга під свій настрій) Дуже легка для прочитання, багато посилань на психологічні дослідження на тему "чому варто відчепитися від себе" і жити нормальним спокійним життям. Як літнє чтиво - заходить дуже гарно.

[emma hicklin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. Not for me.
Loved her other books but this one is banal 😕

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as a book for a book club. But it won’t surprise anyone who knows me that this book is right up my street.

Finding pleasures in the everyday is something I’ve been trying to do for a few years now. I fall out of the habit from time to time but have been doing a daily gratitude practice again since before Christmas. I also have a jug of notes with small pleasures written upon them that I can revisit whenever I need them. The majority of them are small and ordinary. This book reminded me why I do this. How it benefits me. And backs it up with science and references.

This book touches on a lot of different ideas and areas, and so I feel is a great introduction. It’s also gently written with humour.

The only negative is that my kindle decided not to allow me to progress beyond 54% of the book and so I had to swap to the kindle app. While reading about how device use is bad. Hey ho!

[Ashley (Ashreadslondon) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concept of this book - re-enchanting the everyday - is completely and utterly fabulous. Catherine analyses, summarises and presents a wealth of compelling research in support of the book's main thesis which is that, the best kind of joy is to be found in the everyday moments of our everyday lives. I really loved the concept and the manageable way in which the book breaks it down into a variety of specific segments for example 'ordinary living' and 'ordinary loving'. I think this book will offer some comfort and inspiration for anyone who has felt the pressure to reach a certain (likely socially constructed) milestone in their life as well as anyone who finds the frenetic pace of our modern and tech-driven lives somewhat overwhelming. I certainly found this an empowering read and there were many moments when I just wanted to let out a huge YES (and did in fact give myself a mental fist bump!) because I identified so strongly with the issue being discussed and the consequent feeling of being less alone is a rather lovely one.

Unfortunately I did not follow Catherine's advice and scribble all over the book so I now can't find my favourite quote which is one about how Catherine realised she'd surrounded herself with over-achievers, rather than such a high level of ambition/perfection being ordinary amongst humans! Catherine's tone is friendly and warm and I'd describe the writing style as personal and informative. In many ways the book reads like an accessible and extended journal article, well researched and referenced. I loved the feeling of calm I felt whilst reading this book. It is interesting, helpful (but not in that nauseating/patronising way I usually associate with any book which may find itself categorised as self-help) and it left me with a hopeful feeling. All in all, I can't think of a better start to my reading year!