Catherine A. Sanderson - 29 Jan

Table of Contents

Praise for The Positive Shift

The research is clear: Your mindset is one of the greatest predictors of your success and well-being. With practical strategies and stories, Catherine Sanderson shows you how to apply this research at work, with your family, and in your own life.

Shawn Achor, New York Times bestselling author of Before Happiness and The Happiness Advantage

A smart and engaging exploration of the science of happiness and how we can use it on our own lives.

Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness and professor of psychology at Harvard University

As someone who in the past has suffered from anxiety and depression, I only wish this book had been available in those dark days. It is chock full of evidence-based strategies of how to convert the Eeyores of this world like me into Tiggers. And we really can change into more kittens and rainbows sorts of people! Professor Sanderson shares in her warm and conversational voice what really makes a difference to our mental health, from using money to save time, to planning a trip (even better than going on one), and why we should give gifts to everyone. I was electrified to read the data and evidence for lots of stuff I naturally have learned to do in my own efforts to become calm and well. But I discovered a whole lot of new ideas, too: try saying I dont do something rather than I cant. Above all, this is a book that gives hope. We can change our mindset, and in doing so we really can become happier and healthier, and even live longer. Heres to making The Positive Shift.

Rachel Kelly, bestselling author of Walking on Sunshine: 52 Small Steps to Happiness

The Positive Shift offers a rare and valuable combination by offering deeply practical advice about what can seem an impossibly abstract problem: How can we use our big brains to increase our well-being?

Michael Norton, professor at Harvard Business School and coauthor of Happy Money

Everyone seeking to live a long and successful life needs The Positive Shift! Catherine Sandersons mantra that our mindsets have powerful influences on our performancegood and badgives us an incredible set of tools to make important changes at any stage of life.

Marc E. Agronin, MD, author of The End of Old Age: Living a Longer, More Purposeful Life

Dr. Catherine Sanderson, nationally recognized as a fabulous teacher, researcher, corporate speaker, and consultant, has gifted us with a goldmine of information to reduce stress and improve our life. Using only empirically significant research findings, case histories, personal anecdotes and foibles, and self-quizzes, Professor Sanderson provides clear and compelling take-home instructions for adopting a positive mindset. Her warm and accessible writing style will definitely enable you to become happier, healthier, and wiser and live longer. Who could ask for anything more!

Dr. James B. Maas, Weiss Presidential Fellow and former professor and chair of psychology at Cornell University and CEO of Sleep for Success

The Positive Shift is a lucid work, drawing upon the latest scientific findings, that will enable readers to enhance their health and well-being in daily life. I especially liked Dr. Sandersons ability to weave events from her own life into this tapestry designed to help others.

Edward Hoffman, PhD, author of Paths to Happiness: 50 Ways to Add Joy to Your Life Every Day

This book is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional medical advice. The author and publisher specifically disclaim any and all liability arising directly or indirectly from the use of any information contained in this book. A health care professional should be consulted regarding your specific medical situation.

Copyright 2019 by Catherine A. Sanderson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

BenBella Books, Inc.

10440 N. Central Expressway, Suite 800 | Dallas, TX 75231

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Sanderson, Catherine Ashley, 1968- author.

Title: The positive shift : mastering mindset to improve happiness, health, and longevity / by Catherine A. Sanderson.

Description: Dallas, TX : BenBella Books, [2019] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018036996 (print) | LCCN 2018041331 (ebook) | ISBN 9781946885715 (electronic) | ISBN 9781946885449 (trade paper : alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Self-actualization (Psychology) | Self-care, Health. | Longevity. | Interpersonal relations.

Classification: LCC BF637.S4 (ebook) | LCC BF637.S4 S256 2019 (print) | DDC 158.1dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018036996

Copyediting by Miki Alexandra Caputo

Proofreading by Jenny Bridges and Chris Gage

Indexing by Amy Murphy Indexing & Editorial

Text design and composition by Silver Feather Design

Cover design by Oceana Garceau

Cover photo iStock

Distributed to the trade by Two Rivers Distribution, an Ingram brand

www.tworiversdistribution.com

To Bart,

for his ability to change a flat tire

but also so much more.

Contents

I gave a talk a few years ago on the science of happiness at a large financial services convention in which attendees had the option to sit in on one of several presentations on different topics. At the end of my lecture, a woman came up to me to tell me how much she enjoyed it. And then she said, To be honest, I almost didnt come to your session, because I figured that I would really hate you.

Her comment waslets just sayunexpected. So, I thanked her for her unusual compliment and then asked her why she had such a negative expectation.

She responded, I just figured that anyone who talked about happiness for an hour would be all about rainbows and kittens and that by the end of the hour I would want to strangle you.

I open this book with that story to illustrate a key principle that Ill return to repeatedly in the pages ahead. There are indeed some people who are naturally happy and who do consistently see the world in an overwhelmingly positive way; these are the kittens and rainbows people. If you are one of those people, congratulations... and truly, you dont really need this book because you are already probably doing the right things to find happiness and good health.

Unfortunately, I am not one of these people. I worry about far too many things. Is this traffic jam going to make me miss my plane? Is that pain in my stomach a sign of cancer? Is my son with mediocre grades ever going to get into college? My natural tendency is quite honestly one of doom and gloompretty much the opposite of the kittens-and-rainbows perspective.