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phoenixfaie's review
4.0
couple of weeks ago Lana Grace Riva reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in reading and reviewing a copy of her book "Happier Thinking" as I have been going through a rather... not great time recently I thought I would give her book a try.
It is only a short book of 50 pages so it can be read in one short sitting, but it's also a good size to leave in your bag and if you are having a bad day then you can flip it open and find a way to help prompt you to think of something positive as a way to prevent your mindset from spiralling downwards.
The book is split into 12 small chapters:
Don't write the day off
Turn negatives into positives
Journal good things
Much you can't control but your reactions you can
Be Kind
Dwell on the good
Act on what you can change
Don't compare yourself to imagined others
Accept changed plans
Change path when it stops looking appealing
Don't make assumptions
Question your thoughts.
I will be very honest, when I was reading these I found that I was guilty of SO many of them, if something bad happens in the morning then it does seem that the rest of my day does "go to shit" and I ignore anything positive that happens.
If I manage to mess something up then no doubt I will sit there and mentally beat myself up about it for hours after it.
I am convinced that certain friends want nothing to do with me, even though a logical explanation would be that they have their own lives to live and they might be going through a tough time themselves, but my brain is insisting that they aren't actually my friend- so now anytime they do contact me, instead of being happy to hear from them, I find myself initially questioning WHY they are suddenly messaging me when they hadn't for so long.
This book has opened my eyes a little and I'm hoping that if I start to put these tips into practice then I will start to notice a change in the future.
I did notice that Lana has actually written this in the style of just talking to a friend, which to me made it easier to read and absorb, I didn't feel like I was being forced into thinking or behaving a certain way.
Obviously this book might not work for everyone, and it may not be my holy grail book for sorting my life out and finding a way to cope with my anxiety and depression but I do hope it helps even if just a little bit.
It is only a short book of 50 pages so it can be read in one short sitting, but it's also a good size to leave in your bag and if you are having a bad day then you can flip it open and find a way to help prompt you to think of something positive as a way to prevent your mindset from spiralling downwards.
The book is split into 12 small chapters:
Don't write the day off
Turn negatives into positives
Journal good things
Much you can't control but your reactions you can
Be Kind
Dwell on the good
Act on what you can change
Don't compare yourself to imagined others
Accept changed plans
Change path when it stops looking appealing
Don't make assumptions
Question your thoughts.
I will be very honest, when I was reading these I found that I was guilty of SO many of them, if something bad happens in the morning then it does seem that the rest of my day does "go to shit" and I ignore anything positive that happens.
If I manage to mess something up then no doubt I will sit there and mentally beat myself up about it for hours after it.
I am convinced that certain friends want nothing to do with me, even though a logical explanation would be that they have their own lives to live and they might be going through a tough time themselves, but my brain is insisting that they aren't actually my friend- so now anytime they do contact me, instead of being happy to hear from them, I find myself initially questioning WHY they are suddenly messaging me when they hadn't for so long.
This book has opened my eyes a little and I'm hoping that if I start to put these tips into practice then I will start to notice a change in the future.
I did notice that Lana has actually written this in the style of just talking to a friend, which to me made it easier to read and absorb, I didn't feel like I was being forced into thinking or behaving a certain way.
Obviously this book might not work for everyone, and it may not be my holy grail book for sorting my life out and finding a way to cope with my anxiety and depression but I do hope it helps even if just a little bit.
ashortbooklover's review
4.0
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review, so thanks to Lana Grace Riva for sending me a copy of her lovely book.
I loved Riva’s writing style. It just felt like you were having a conversation with a good friend the short chapters really made it flow. It was funny, insightful and honest.
It’s only 50 pages long, so it was a nice pick-me-up after a particularly taxing day. Riva brought in so many good ideas that I’m now trying to apply to situations in my own life.
That’s the thing with self-help books, they’re tricky to review as you can only really base a review on your own personal experience. So I would recommend that you read this light novella to see what your perspective is!
The main thing I took from Happier Thinking was that it was a fun, quick read that I’ll be picking up time and time again when I need a bit of a boost. It focuses on trying to alter your mindset, which is something I’ll be looking into more.
I loved Riva’s writing style. It just felt like you were having a conversation with a good friend the short chapters really made it flow. It was funny, insightful and honest.
It’s only 50 pages long, so it was a nice pick-me-up after a particularly taxing day. Riva brought in so many good ideas that I’m now trying to apply to situations in my own life.
That’s the thing with self-help books, they’re tricky to review as you can only really base a review on your own personal experience. So I would recommend that you read this light novella to see what your perspective is!
The main thing I took from Happier Thinking was that it was a fun, quick read that I’ll be picking up time and time again when I need a bit of a boost. It focuses on trying to alter your mindset, which is something I’ll be looking into more.
veronicaverlan's review
2.0
Very short book which I finished reading in about 1 hour.
Even though it includes some key points to a "less complaining attitude" (I wouldn't call it "happier") life, It wasn't very groundbreaking for me as I had already adopted most, if not all, of the advises which is this book includes.
It also includes some "hard truths" so I'd recommend it for anyone who wants a fast-forward read about adopting a "less complaining" behaviour.
Even though it includes some key points to a "less complaining attitude" (I wouldn't call it "happier") life, It wasn't very groundbreaking for me as I had already adopted most, if not all, of the advises which is this book includes.
It also includes some "hard truths" so I'd recommend it for anyone who wants a fast-forward read about adopting a "less complaining" behaviour.
sophiaaudrey's review
4.0
I got this book sent to me by the author for a review but all my opinions are my own. I will first say this book is very small so I think this is great as a pick me up for anybody. It is not written by a professional in healthcare (as per the book) however it still has very real scenarios that many of us have face.
I quite enjoyed that it delved into changing not only how we treat other but ourselves and some simple tasks to do to help build our own positive mindset. I’m a very holistic person by nature so most of the tips for me are things I already do. However, I know most people aren’t like this so it will be beneficial as a stepping stone for uplifting your mindset!
Other than wanting more details from the book, the main thing I didnt enjoy are generalizing terms for psychologists and what they mean. There’s one line where it states “psychologists will say thoughts are thoughts...” the truth is seeing more psychologists than I can count, I can attest this isn’t true. It is important that even with non-scientific writings (ie no cited facts etc) we still stay true and not put over arching comments on situations. But this is a very picky judgement and doesn’t take much away from the books relevance.
If you’re looking for a beginning to your spiritual journey this book is a good start. If you’re already there then you may not need this.
I quite enjoyed that it delved into changing not only how we treat other but ourselves and some simple tasks to do to help build our own positive mindset. I’m a very holistic person by nature so most of the tips for me are things I already do. However, I know most people aren’t like this so it will be beneficial as a stepping stone for uplifting your mindset!
Other than wanting more details from the book, the main thing I didnt enjoy are generalizing terms for psychologists and what they mean. There’s one line where it states “psychologists will say thoughts are thoughts...” the truth is seeing more psychologists than I can count, I can attest this isn’t true. It is important that even with non-scientific writings (ie no cited facts etc) we still stay true and not put over arching comments on situations. But this is a very picky judgement and doesn’t take much away from the books relevance.
If you’re looking for a beginning to your spiritual journey this book is a good start. If you’re already there then you may not need this.
jennadianne's review
4.0
If you're not into "traditional" and wordy self-help books, this is the one for you. It is incredibly short and to the point.
Thank you to the author for reaching out to me and requesting I read this book. This is something I will recommend to the non-readers in my life that I feel are in need of a little advice on being a happier person.
Thank you to the author for reaching out to me and requesting I read this book. This is something I will recommend to the non-readers in my life that I feel are in need of a little advice on being a happier person.
ljbentley27's review
4.0
I am generally a positive person. If things get me down, I will pull a proverbial Taylor Swift and I will shake things off. I will always try to find the positive in a bad situation. I know this can be annoying for some people and I can see how I would crack their corn but what can I say? This is me.
I was excited to get the chance to read Happier Thinking by Lana Grace Riva because it seemed to be the kind of book that I would see as a mirror to how I think about things. I was right. In this rather short book you find a treasure trove of helpful advice. Lana Grace Riva isn’t patronising or disregarding the negative thoughts that a person has but she is challenging you to rethink how you approach a negative situation.
In a similar ilk to The Power and The Secret, Lana Grace Riva’s book makes you think about what you put out in the world. However, the thing that makes Happier Thinking much more palatable is that the length of the book dictates that the same information or ethos isn’t repeated too much throughout.
Happier Thinking is definitely worth a read. If you don’t believe me then why don’t you go and have a rethink about that.
Happier Thinking by Lana Grace Riva is available now.
I was excited to get the chance to read Happier Thinking by Lana Grace Riva because it seemed to be the kind of book that I would see as a mirror to how I think about things. I was right. In this rather short book you find a treasure trove of helpful advice. Lana Grace Riva isn’t patronising or disregarding the negative thoughts that a person has but she is challenging you to rethink how you approach a negative situation.
In a similar ilk to The Power and The Secret, Lana Grace Riva’s book makes you think about what you put out in the world. However, the thing that makes Happier Thinking much more palatable is that the length of the book dictates that the same information or ethos isn’t repeated too much throughout.
Happier Thinking is definitely worth a read. If you don’t believe me then why don’t you go and have a rethink about that.
Happier Thinking by Lana Grace Riva is available now.
oddandbookish's review
4.0
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is an interesting book to review because it is a very short (it’s only 50 pages) self help book.
Please note that this book is written by a regular person, not some fancy expert. Riva makes it very clear right away that she is not a trained professional or anything like that. The book is just tips that she herself has used to make her thinking “happier.”
When I started reading the book, I was struck at how much I liked the writing style. The book is written in a very conversational and easy going manner. Even though the book was short, I enjoyed the style and I am curious to see what else she will write in the future.
The tips in the book are not groundbreaking in any way, but they are helpful. Most of the tips consist of altering your point of view from the negative to the positive. In my view, this book is great to read when you need a a pick-me-up. If you’re going through a not so great time, this book serves as a reminder that you can change how you think, and thus have “happier thinking.”
Overall, this is a short book that you can read over and over again when times get tough.
For more book reviews, be sure to check out my blog: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/
This is an interesting book to review because it is a very short (it’s only 50 pages) self help book.
Please note that this book is written by a regular person, not some fancy expert. Riva makes it very clear right away that she is not a trained professional or anything like that. The book is just tips that she herself has used to make her thinking “happier.”
When I started reading the book, I was struck at how much I liked the writing style. The book is written in a very conversational and easy going manner. Even though the book was short, I enjoyed the style and I am curious to see what else she will write in the future.
The tips in the book are not groundbreaking in any way, but they are helpful. Most of the tips consist of altering your point of view from the negative to the positive. In my view, this book is great to read when you need a a pick-me-up. If you’re going through a not so great time, this book serves as a reminder that you can change how you think, and thus have “happier thinking.”
Overall, this is a short book that you can read over and over again when times get tough.
For more book reviews, be sure to check out my blog: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/
lifeofpippa's review
4.0
A succinct and uplifting read: I liked that it was informative and to the point, yet not too 'preachy' or directional. A nice introduction to somebody who may be unfamiliar with yet interested in mindfulness practices!