Happy Mind, Happy Life: The New Science of Mental Well-Being

by Rangan Chatterjee

The science is clear: Happiness plays a vital role in your health. Learn how to make it a priority.

During his 20 years as a GP, Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, author of the international bestseller Feel Better in 5, has seen first-hand that motivation isn't always enough for us to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It's only when we learn how to support our own mental wellbeing and cultivate core happiness that these choices become easy.

In Happy Mind, Happy Life, Dr. Chatterjee shares cutting-edge insights into the science of happiness and reveals 10 simple ways to put you back in control of your health. It features real-life case studies and more than 20 practical exercises, including lessons on how to:

- Find your flow
- Create distance from your phone
- Deal with criticism

Whether you are at a crisis point or simply want to experience more joy, this book will help you feel calmer, more confident, and able to live your life to the full. Your body and mind will thank you.

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

272 pages, Paperback

First published June 14, 2022

About the author

Dr. Rangan Chatterjee is regarded as one of the most influential doctors in the UK and wants to change how medicine will be practised in years to come. He has been called a pioneer and is changing the way that we look at illness. He is known for finding the root cause of people's problems and he highlighted his methods in the ground-breaking BBC television show, Doctor in the House, which has been shown in over 70 countries around the world. In 2017, he was placed 8th in the Pulse Power 50 list for influential GPs.

He is the author of the international best-seller, The Four Pillar Plan which has already become one of the top 10 selling Health titles of the past 5 years.

He has co-created the brand new RCGP accredited Prescribing Lifestyle Medicine course which was delivered to 200 GPs and specialists for the first time in January 2018 providing doctors with a framework to apply Lifestyle Medicine principles in clinical practice.

He regularly features on BBC news channels and has given an inspirational TED talk on making diseases disappear. He writes for The Huffington Post, Mind Body Green and has a monthly column on lifestyle medicine in Top Santé.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Dr Rangan Chatterjees's approach to well-being and regularly enjoy his podcast. His first book, The 4 Pillar Plan, is my all-time favourite health book, and I am always excited when a new book of his comes out.

As with his other books, this book is easy to read and down to earth with interesting scientific insights, case studies, and practical tips. It is also beautifully stylized.

Overall the book was interesting, and some chapters resonated more than others. Unfortunately, I found that the majority of chapters in this book did not feel relevant to me at the current time in my life.

I'm glad I've got this book on my bookshelf, but I don't think I'll be implementing anything from it anytime soon. However, I feel more inclined to re-read some of his earlier books that I found more relevant.

[simona.citeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pentru mine este o carte de 5⭐️ în special pentru cum m-a făcut să mă simt și pentru câte am conștientizat pe parcursul lecturii.
Nu sunt lucruri noi sau surprinzătoare dar luate ca atare și gândite la cald, îți schimbă percepția asupra vieții. Sunt fericită și nu știu, cam asta consider acum.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite book by the good Doctor so far. No nonsense, reasonably easy advice and tips to increase happiness and joy. A great read. Thoroughly recommend.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great techniques and tips on how to live about a more happy life. It's mostly in the way we think but our actions are what truly show us our happiness.

Some take aways:
- Get into deep work and find your flow
- Minimize your living space and your phone
- Limit social media and emails
- Meditation
- Giving yourself more solitude down time

[Sarah Carr · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually really loved this book; but I could only give it 3* because I just loathed the format of it. It is far too big and bulky with loads of photographs and it is difficult to read, it actually hurt my arms! I wish it was half the size, no random photographs and even a hardback would have been better than this: I loved the content of the book though.

[Keen Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full disclosure etc, I’d never heard of this guy before until I stumbled upon a really interesting interview he did, where he came across as incredibly affable, down to earth and well-intentioned man. From what I could understand in his interview, he has clearly helped a lot of people, so good on him. They didn’t have the book he was discussing, so I thought I’d give this a shot instead.

The smugness is pretty full on and hard to ignore, – it gets ridiculous and is totally unnecessary and reads like a piss take of “the self-help genre”. Unfortunately hearing the words, “Happiness isn’t about money or material goods.” coming from a privately educated millionaire who never has to worry about money or material goods, doesn’t exactly have the message he maybe thinks it does. Or what about quoting Chinese philosophy with “Knowing what is enough is wealth.” Right beside the image of you preparing a healthy, wholesome meal, in your designer kitchen at your palatial home?...

To be fair this does have its occasional profound and insightful moments, and Chatterjee makes interesting points about the Want Brain, junk happiness, happiness habits, core happiness. Though his points about perfomative authenticity and the authenticity trap, made me wonder how authentic are the images of the author throughout this book?...or does that not count…At one point he praises the benefits of religion, which I thought a tad insane and would have popped that into his “junk happiness” bin along with junk food, internet porn and online gambling.

In many ways “self-help” authors are exactly like religions and other cult gurus, in that when you dig down to the bare bones of their points you will find similar, if not identical ideas, values and goals (though to be fair I’ve not come across too many “self-help” books which preach or delight in bigotry, homophobia, sexism and hatred but I digress)…

There isn’t a single original contribution in here, which is fine I'm not sure that's his intention, all he’s done is cherry pick ideas from elsewhere, blended them with some personal experience and done what the rest do, which is rename, reframe and resell your product and then take all the credit. But still Chatterjee comes across as a well-meaning sort, and has done a lot of positive work in helping a lot of people in his healthcare work, so thank you for your service Mr Chatterjee and keep up the good work.

[Sammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love what I've seen of Dr Chatterjee on TV but didn't realise he wrote books. Well Audible must have thought I needed a happiness boost, as this one was recommended to me a few days after its release - and how glad I am that it was! This is a book that takes as it's premise that happiness should be a daily habit we practise just like physical exercise, not the subject of an elusive quest. All of the advice it gives - time alone, stepping back from our screens and devices, connecting socially with others - is ultimately common sense you could hit upon yourself, but listening to it delivered simply and calmly in one place by Dr Chatterjee is a pleasure, and gives you time to reflect as you listen, and apply the insight to your own circumstances. A lot of food for thought :)

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant book from Dr Rangan Chatterjee easy to read with good honest advice that is easy to follow.
Easy free tips to help transform your life with case studies to demonstrate the tips in action.
Dr Chatterjee is honest throughout sharing personal stories how his tips help himself showing his vulnerability.
This is a book I will recommend and refer to it will become part of my everyday toolkit.
Lightbulb moment for some of the tips, I have now implemented and become successful at practicing helping my own core happiness stool.

[Helbob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a bit of a self-help book addict. I often learn one little thing from one big or little book. I really like this one though for it’s straightforward, no nonsense approach. The case studies were relevant and just enough to illustrate the point without being the overwhelming content that they are in some books. It’s a really positive book about positive achievable change. As I find so often it’s reinforcement and validation of how I’m living my life anyway. His podcasts are worth a listen too.

[Laila-Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant.
I love the universe of “well-being”, “self-care”, “mindfulness” (insert the word that works for you) that is becoming more and more popular. I think it’s great that people are exploring their mental and physical health with curiosity and an open mind. However, there are a lot of cowboys out there and I believe that bad advice can have catastrophic consequences so, guidance and instruction regarding things like “happiness” must be given with real care and consideration. This is why this book is stand out… it’s written by a qualified doctor. His words are backed up by research and through his role as a general practitioner he has built up a wealth of knowledge and professional experience which he details in the book. The overwhelming majority of advice, suggestions and tips that he outlines are free as well as easy to understand and implement. When I went into my local bookshop to buy a copy of “Happy Mind, Happy Life” I was surprised by its physical appearance as it ressembles a coffee table or cookbook. However, I really enjoyed the experience of reading it as the text is broken down into manageable bite-sized blocks, there are beautiful calming images included (which get you even more into the atmosphere of the book) and the glossy pages feel lovely in one’s hands!! I think the fact that it looks nice and has short bursts of text will make it really easy to dip in and out of in the future if there are sections that I wish to return to (which I’m sure I will!). Another great discovery thanks to Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place… 10 out of 10, I highly recommend.

[Jessica M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr Rangan Chatterjee’s new book is a nonfiction book which expresses a variety of ways to improve your overall wellbeing and happiness through research backed techniques. Truthfully this book began with a slow tone, the writing was lengthy and I found myself wishing for more techniques included within each page. However as the pages built upon one another, I soon was interested. I enjoyed the questions Dr Chatterjee included in some sections of the book, which urged me to look internally at how I behave and react in situations. It was fascinating to learn about new perspectives I hadn’t thought of before, linked to how I perceive others. There are also a variety of related resources attached within the book, like Dr Chatterjee’s podcast episodes. This was something I found useful for further research.
In conclusion, I unfortunately found this book bittersweet. I have previously read Dr Chatterjee’s previous book ‘Feel better in 5’ which I thoroughly enjoyed. But this book didn’t catch my interest like that book did. As for some constructive feedback: I think the book could have included more adaptable exercises to try. I would still recommend this book for those who wish to learn more about research backed methods of increasing happiness. Perhaps for individuals who are looking for a knowledgeable author. Thankyou to Netgalley, Dr Rangan Chatterjee and BenBella books for the DRC!

[Nigeyb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I regularly enjoy Dr. Rangan Chatterjee's podcasts so was intrigued to have a listen to Happy Mind, Happy Life: The New Science of Mental Well-Being. I thought I might get the odd nugget from it however this is actually full of great insights and solid advice. I found it inspirational and have taken a lot from it. I read quite a few books about personal development and this is one of the better ones.

5/5

[Kelly Rambarran]

Loved reading this one slowly. Great reminder of how connected mental health is to physical health.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to audiobook

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A game changer that I read in two sittings.

Dr Chatterjee is the doctor you want in your practice! His advice is practical and based on the idea that you can’t simply flick a switch in your brain to make you motivated or want to work out, etc.

Instead, this is a guiding set of principles to first find that inner alignment and contentedness that will result in making better choices.

I can honestly recommend this to anyone who is struggling with low mood, anxiety or stress. [[Obviously, still go see your medical professional if you need help - this book is great but it’s no substitute!]]

The only criticism I have of this book is that it would be great to have an action plan at the end that brings all the chapters’ actions together. I will make my own, but it would be great if they provided a download.

Suggest you read it on kindle so you can highlight away. If you read the physical book, you’re going to need post-it tabs.

[David Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say this book was incredible. I was introduced to Dr. Chatterjee through a podcast he was a guest on and I am so glad I did. Dr. Chatterjee offers 10 easy ways to develop more happiness and they are all beneficial. I have implemented multiple suggestions in my own life and have seen the benefits immediately. Additionally, he is a medical doctor so he often appeals to science and reason which I appreciate as an engineering student. It was a very easy and quick read. I highly recommend this book for anyone and everyone.

[Vince · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basic and a little boring.

There were a few takeaways from this book but, on the whole, it was basic and boring.

It was also annoying how often he advised readers to go listen to his podcast.

[Sunshine Biskaps · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the best self-help books I’ve read. Simple, yet powerful. A must-read for anyone!

[Joan Somers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who is totally happy with their life? I think we can all improve our lives one way or another. Dr C writes an in-depth book on ways to do this. He gives many examples of his patients who came to him for help and he assisted these people gain more control over their lives. I agree with much of his advice: find one method in the book that speaks to you and do that every day, such as writing down things you’re grateful for, spend less time on your phone—go see actual friends, spend time outside, meditate.

“If you practice happiness every day, you’ll become a little bit happier.”

I think it all boils down to stepping back, getting away from things you do that prevent your happiness. Identify those things. Find rewarding actions that will make you feel good about yourself. When you feel good about yourself you will be happier and have better relationships with others. This book gives you much to ponder and concrete ways to help.

I received an advanced copy for my honest opinion.

[Briana Tully · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great read! Had some really thought provoking points on how to alter daily practices to create an overall more meaningful and fulfilling life. Also really appreciated the chapter on smart phones/social media and the negative impact on how we interact with others and ourselves. Good read for changing any negative perspectives into positive ones regardless of your situation, background, or personality.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s some really good advice in this book, but there’s a lot of filler too. I bought the kindle version of this book and it probably works better as a lovely hard book with glossy photos. I’ll definitely take some of the points though and apply them to my life, especially the one about the stress of choices, even small ones!

[Jenny Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book. I love listening to Rangan's podcast. There is something about his voice that is so lovely to listen to. When I stumbled past this book at the library I just had to borrow it. Now I want to buy it and take a million notes! It was a very easy read that forced you to stop and think sometimes and smile. Very motivating and inspiring. I will definitely go on to read more of his books and listen to the podcasts he references to that relate to each topic.

[NATALIA Bookstorm · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my point of view book is overvalued, a lot of topics that I was bringing in others "coaching books". two chapters about speaking with strangers and penatrate the telephone like a person absolutely out of my jem. moreover I dislike the concept of self narcissism which this book excude by authors photos at each of 4-5 pages, it's too much for me.

[Heather Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this interesting and liked the case studies and ways you can improve your mental well-being through happiness practices.

The author spoke of his own experiences and about dropping the stories we tell ourselves to improve.

I liked how he spoke of trying not judge people, saying if we were in their shoes and had their life experiences, we’d probably act the same way. And honestly, can we really say we wouldn’t…? Because we just don’t know, do we?

[Amy Ursula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook - listened upon recommendation, and was not disappointed! I don't remember what his pillars are, but the topics he discussed resonate with me. I have adopted several of his suggestions, and feel better off for it.
His voice is a pleasure to listen to, and his podcast interviews lots of people with stimulating ideas!

[Etienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. Simple concept explain in a simple way, so why is it good? Because the author bring concrete examples and grounded theses theories into day to day life events that we can all relate and it make them easier to remember and apply them. Not revolutionary but definitely worth reading!

[Vinunti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really positive read.

[Jessica Raddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read, great addition to his other books and a great book for tips and advice!

[Amber Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed listening to this audiobook. There are some really useful and achievable tips to help with mental wellbeing, as well as some thought provoking subjects to get you reflecting

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Dr Chatterjee. What a lovely guy. Clear, no frills, relatable, with actions that are actually doable. 4.5 rounded up.