Best Books to Read for Happiness (Book Recommendations)

“The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it's all that matters.” 

― Audrey Hepburn

 Photo by Tim Mossholder at Unsplash

What does happiness mean to you? For some, it's a feeling of joy and contentment. For others, it might be a sense of accomplishment or freedom. But what is happiness really? And what can you do to achieve it in your own life? In this article, we'll explore the definition of happiness and share some tips for how to find it in your own life through some self help books.

In general, happiness is about living a meaningful and fulfilling life. It's about feeling positive emotions like joy, pleasure, love, and contentment on a regular basis. It's about being satisfied with what you have, and appreciating the simple things in life. Happiness is also about being at peace with yourself and your surroundings. It's about having healthy relationships with family and friends, and feeling connected to something bigger than yourself. If you're looking for happiness, it's important to remember that it doesn't come easy. You have to work at it. But the good news is that anyone can achieve happiness if they put their mind to it.

Books for Happiness

There are many different types of books that can help improve one’s happiness, from self help guides to childhood memoirs. These following books are likely to be very popular with happiness because they offer a variety of perspectives on life, the world, and the person as well as teach you how to be positive and find motivation and happiness.

 Ikigai — Francesc Miralles and Hector Garcia

The book introduces the concept of ikigai and how it helps Japanese people to live healthily even in old age. The people of Japan believe that everyone has an ikigai, that is, a reason to live their life freely everyday. And according to the people of the Japan, specially in the island of Okinawa, the world's longest-living people, finding ikigai is the key to living a longer, more fulfilling life. This inspiring and comforting book will give you the life-changing tools to discover your personal ikigai.

“Ikigai is what allows you to look forward to the future even if you’re miserable right now. . . . It might just help you live a more fulfilling life.” 

—BBC

The Happiness Hypothesis — Jonathan Haidt

The author in this book compares the past and present to explain the concept of happiness. He also tells the different ideas of various philosophers and personalities to highlight how the concept of happiness was regarded as the time went by.

" The Happiness Hypothesis is a wonderful and nuanced book that provides deep insight into the some of the most important questions in life--Why are we here? What kind of life should we lead? What paths lead to happiness? From the ancient philosophers to cutting edge scientists, Haidt weaves a tapestry of the best and the brightest. His highly original work on elevation and awe--two long-neglected emotions--adds a new weave to that tapestry. A truly inspiring book." 

 ―David M. Buss

The Happiness Project — Gretchen Rubin

In this book, the author tries out different ways to achieve happiness throughout the year. She then explains the ideas that were successful for her and lead to a peaceful and happy life for her. She also talks on how happiness  can be obtained in various stage and fields of life along with different life choices.

“An enlightening, laugh-aloud read. . . . Filled with open, honest glimpses into [Rubin’s] real life, woven together with constant doses of humor.” 

—Christian Science Monitor

 

The Happiness Equation — Neil Pasricha

This book introduces us to different techniques of achieving happiness that we can implement in our life. It focuses on different aspects of obtaining a fulfilling and happy life. This book has an 'Out of the Box' perspective for happiness in career, relation as well as for one's owns self. 

“Clear, practical, and thought-provoking, The Happiness Equation reveals how all of us can live happier lives.” 

—Gretchen Rubin

 

The Power of Positive Thinking — Norman Vincent Peale

'The Power Of Positive Thinking' by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, is a non-fiction book focusing on positivity and helping people come out of difficult situations. The author focuses on self acceptance and tells us how self-love and belief can change our perspective in life. Furthermore, the author details on stress and anxiety, the ways to manage anger related issues. 

There are plenty of books out there that promise to make you happy. But what if you could find the happiness within yourself without needing to read a single book? Of course, there's no harm in picking up a few titles that promise to help you live a happier life. But don't forget to actually read them! Skimming through the pages or reading them once and then putting them on the shelf isn't going to do you any good.