Roxanne reviews The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness by Robert Waldinger, MD, & Marc Schulz, PhD
While the fact that The Good Life is based on the longest study on happiness ever is a big deal, what’s most important to me, an average human being, is the payoff of the ‘sub’ subtitle, highlighted in orange on the cover: Create a More Meaningful and Satisfying Life.
The Good Life offers my favorite mechanism, charts for the reader to complete which glean insights that hours and many dollars of therapy would take to accomplish. Being energetic and optimistic, I jumped to action after looking at both charts of Sources of Support in My Life and People I Support, realizing that while I bemoan my lack of a consistent romance, I was also negligent in more demonstrative help for my Dad, a heroic main caregiver for my Grandma.
I’m sharing the result, not in a blow my own horn way, but as proof that this book really works! Thinking back on rewards I received in high school for getting good grades, I made High Honor Certificates for my family with specifics on what made me proud. I then chose treats, as I once received ‘back in the day’, that I knew each of them would enjoy. This not only thrilled my family, but gave me an altruism boost.
The book tackles almost every type of relationship in expressing data from their longitudinal study as well as linking it to today’s challenges of social media overdose and disconnectedness.
If you think your life could use some spring cleaning, The Good Life is just the book for you.
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