A Happier You

These wise and compassionate trainings teach us how to access our inner strength, creativity, and loveawakening the deep and lasting well-being we most long for.

Tara Brach , author of Radical Acceptance and Radical Compassion

Glassmans program gives us a clear pathway to seeing the good in ourselves, in others, and in the world around us. All of us could benefit from reading this book. It is truly transformative!

Hal Elrod , international keynote speaker, and best-selling author of The Miracle Morning and The Miracle Equation

This wonderful book shows you how to use practical daily exercises based on the science of positive psychology to enrich your life.

Alan Carr, PhD , professor of clinical psychology at University College Dublin, and author of Positive Psychology and You

We are living in a time of great uncertainty, environmental crisis, and dramatically increased stress. The ocean of our collective minds is in turmoil. In this book, Glassman provides a lighthouse for us; a place of sanctuary, where we can swim out of the rough sea and find a place of humor, joy, and playfulness. A place where we can find our true nature once again.

Craig Foster , naturalist/filmmaker, producer of the Oscar-winning My Octopus Teacher , coauthor of Underwater Wild , and cofounder of the Seachange project

Open, accessible, and filled with meaningful exercises to help the reader discover a reliable path toward the positive in life, A Happier You skillfully delivers on what it promises.

Zindel Segal, PhD , coauthor of The Mindful Way through Depression

In A Happier You , Scott Glassman teaches you how to skillfully focus on the joyful and meaningful moments that are hiding in plain sightand how to find the happiness strategies that best fit you.

Nataly Kogan , author of Happier Now , and founder of Happier, Inc.

In these crazy times, we all need more resilience, and we all need ways to access the peace and joy that is always within our graspregardless of outer circumstances. Scott Glassmans systematic, evidence-based, and eminently practical program is a veritable toolbox for building a solid life structure in which happiness can flourish, whether the road at the moment is smooth or bumpy.

Philip Goldberg , public speaker; podcast host; and author of numerous books, including American Veda and Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times

As opposed to a one-size-fits-all strategy, Glassman provides a multidimensional approach to happiness using gratitude, strengths, humor, kindness, and love to shift your mindset to positive. A Happier You offers practical ways to improve multiple domains of your well-being and the lives of people around you, which is both timely and vital.

Shawn Achor , New York Times bestselling author of Big Potential

Publishers Note

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional services. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

A HAPPIER YOU is a registered trademark of Scott Glassman

NEW HARBINGER PUBLICATIONS is a registered trademark of New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

Copyright 2021 by Scott Glassman

New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

5674 Shattuck Avenue

Oakland, CA 94609

www.newharbinger.com

The exercise Treating Yourself in Week 1 of this program is loosely adapted from the Raisin Exercise in MINDFULNESS-BASED COGNITIVE THERAPY FOR DEPRESSION by Zindel V. Segal, J. Mark G. Williams, and John D. Teasdale. Copyright 2013 Guilford Publications. Used by permission of Guilford Publications.

Cover design by Sara Christian; Acquired by Jess OBrien; Edited by Teja Watson

All Rights Reserved

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file

Names: Glassman, Scott, author.

Title: A happier you : a seven-week program to transform negative thinking into positivity and resilience / by Scott Glassman, PsyD.

Description: Oakland, CA : New Harbinger Publications, Inc., [2021] | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021023031 | ISBN 9781684037858 (trade paperback)

Subjects: LCSH: Happiness. | Negativism. | Resilience (Personality trait)

Classification: LCC BF575.H27 G53 2021 | DDC 158--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021023031

Contents

Acknowledgments

This book would not have been possible if it wasnt for the support of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and Independence Blue Cross Foundation in developing the A Happier You program. I am immensely grateful to Dr. Barbara Golden, Dr. Harry Morris, Dr. Robert DiTomasso, Dr. Lisa Corbin, Christina Mazzella, and Deketa Cobb at PCOM for their continuous encouragement along this journey.

I want to acknowledge Dr. Jeff Huffman for his input into the collection of positivity themes incorporated into the program, as well as Benjamin Barnes and Peer Mugnier for their insightful contributions to the original modules. Dr. Josephine Shih has been an inspiring research collaborator as we work toward a clearer understanding of the programs impact on well-being. Along the way, Amanda Alstons research assistance has been another gift.

I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to all those who carefully detailed their inner experiences of positivity for this book, including Greg Castro, Adina Bitner, Janessa Brown, Christine Wilkinson, Silina Flacks, Maya Ehikhamenor, Alyson Zerbe, Nikki Ryan, Anthony Austin, Jonathan Kline, Douglas J. Koch, Brenda Hoffman, Maricela Montijo, Kevin A. Barry, and Faith Tanner. I am especially honored by the dedication and positive spirit that Nikki, Janessa, Maya, and Alyson have brought to their roles as trainers. They have spent many hours teaching Happier You skills in masterful ways.

I am deeply appreciative for everyone at New Harbinger Publications who has shaped and steered this project, including Dorothy Smyk, Wendy Millstine, Jess OBrien, Vicraj Gill, and T. R. Watson. An author couldnt have asked for a more caring team.

Finally, I want to thank my wife, Linda, and son, Zach, for their love and weekly sacrifices of family time as I wrote. They are the truest reflection of what positive living is, and they make everything else possible, simply by being who they are.

Introduction

We are living in a time of great uncertainty and turmoil. The world seems to constantly pull us away from ourselves, with stressful events, negative thoughts, and upsetting feelings. For many of us, this wave of negativity begins not long after waking up.

Your first thought may be, Today is going to be overwhelming. When your phone buzzes with another work-related text message, you might think, Here comes another problem. And I cant respond right now even though its urgent. Say you suddenly remember, then, that you didnt wheel the recycling bin down to the curb. You can feel your anxiety rising. You think, Im a disorganized mess. The negative narrator in your head continues: Its only Monday! How am I ever going to get through the week? Whats the point of trying? By now, you are seriously considering climbing back into bed.

When consumed by this kind of negative thinking, we enjoy life less, struggle in our relationships, sleep poorly, feel drained, and find it more difficult to remember things (Fredman Stein, Morys-Carter, and Hinkley 2018; Zawadzki, Sliwinski, and Smyth 2018). We become more susceptible to anxiety, depression, and anger. This downward spiral into negativity can leave little room for taking care of yourself at a time when you need it most.