How to be miserable

40 strategies you already use

by

231 pages

English language

Published June 11, 2016

ISBN:
978-1-62625-406-0
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OCLC Number:
914290471

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3 stars (7 reviews)

"In How to Be Miserable, psychologist Randy Paterson outlines 40 specific behaviors and habits, which -- if followed -- are sure to lead to a lifetime of unhappiness. On the other hand, if you do the opposite, you may yet join the ranks of happy people everywhere! There are stacks upon stacks of self-help books that will promise you love, happiness, and a fabulous life. But how can you pinpoint the exact behaviors that cause you to be miserable in the first place? Sometimes when we're depressed, or just sad or unhappy, our instincts tell us to do the opposite of what we should -- such as focusing on the negative, dwelling on what we can't change, isolating ourselves from friends and loved ones, eating junk food, or overindulging in alcohol. Sound familiar? This tongue-in-cheek guide will help you identify the behaviors that make you unhappy and discover how you …

1 edition

reviewed How to be miserable by Randy J. Paterson

One of the best, if not the best "self-help" book

5 stars

If you are interested in how to live a happier life or feel like you are not dealing with situations the best way, this is the book for you.

I'd think, that I'm generally a very happy person. Some say even too optimistic, but there was still a lot to get from this book. I was interested in what I was doing right or if I was just being happy despite some bad habits and of course it's not that simple.

In showing how to do it wrong, this book reveals in a fun and intriguing way, why some behavior is so destructive to our lifes. It also points to how society got us there and why it is so hard to change those things.

If you are even a bit interested in how some behavioral quirks make life so hard, this is the book you should read.

reviewed How to be miserable by Randy J. Paterson

Review of 'How to be miserable' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

It's an amazing book for identifying those holes you fall down and simply can't seem to get out of but doesn't really do a whole lot more than that. Often you find yourself absolutely identifying with it but the conclusion just seems to be "Stop doing that".

But, once you can identify it, you can see it, you're aware of it so all you have to do is find the dirt that was once in that hole and put it back in.

So in that it does a great job and self-reflection is absolutely insanely important in improving yourself.

reviewed How to be miserable by Randy J. Paterson

Review of 'How to be miserable' on 'Goodreads'

No rating

As a citizen of a nation of complainers I too enjoy a good complaining now and then. However with my life as good as it is now there is not much heart in my complaints. I thought maybe if I increased my misery...

In all honesty the gimmick caught me and I thought this might be a fun way to review the "oh, so obvious" truths that slip the habit prone mind all to easily and perhaps give a new insight or some nuance to some of the remembered truths.
It was not to be. I guess the main issue for me was that this book is very much a list. There is little story around each of the 40 points and therefore not much to listen to. I imagine that it might work in a paper format where I could stop and contemplate each point after reading it but …

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Subjects

  • Conduct of life
  • Self-actualization (Psychology)
  • Humor
  • Happiness
  • American wit and humor