What do happy people know?

So, so much!

I just, like five minutes ago, finished the book, What Happy People Know by Dan Baker.

A little background: Baker is a medical psychologist who runs a ranch where people go to receive help for depression and other mental illnesses. In the book, Dr. Baker promotes positive psychology, or a focus on helping people discover how to be happy rather than just battling mental illness of combating past problems. He shares the experiences of several patients, and his own, to emphasize the power of creating happiness, which is so much more than just positive thinking.

Can I say that I love this book?

Really, reading it has resulted one epiphany after another. I almost want to pack up my bags and run over to the Canyon Ranch right now so I can see him and get the full treatment immediately.

Not that I'm unhappy! In fact, this book has made me realize that many of the problems I've had with depression and anxiety have been rather recent. I would even go as far as saying that the struggle I've had with happiness has developed over the last year. I guess that has to do with my slow trudge into adulthood; the older I've gotten, the more unhappy I've become. I don't think life should work that way.

I think part of that is fear. Baker attributes all unhappiness (quite a claim) to our instinctive fear. I can definitely see that in my life - rather than think of possibilities, I think of consequences- rather than picture my teacher loving the poem I recently wrote or a friend being happy that I am calling them, all I do is imagine them disappointed in my lack of polished diction, or in the middle of an important meeting that my call is disturbing. This was especially true of my last year in college -- all I saw was my friends leaving me and my roommate conspiring against me (they weren't, they were fantastic). What was especially cool about Baker's explanation of fear was that he backed his theories with biological and evolutionary theories. Props for that.

Once he explains his theory of fear, Baker then goes into great detail describing the combatants to this fear. He labels appreciation as one of the best combatants to fear; appreciation, according to Baker, is the purest form of love. I've been trying this out, and I find that it really helps. Rather than being bugged that my friend didn't say the right thing at the right time, I have tried to realize how much it means that they are at least trying! It's not easy to do all the time, in fact, usually I think of it after the fact, but I'm trying.

Another part I really loved was when Baker discussed the importance of personal power. Personal power comes from utilizing your strengths, living your moral values, and knowing who you are. Wow. That is a whole bunch of idealism for one sentence. But yes, my cynical friends, I believe it is TRUE! I mean, if we didn't try to live up to something, then we're not really living.

I guess that is what I love most about Baker's book; he tells us that the most important thing about life is living.

Doesn't that just sound happy? :]
Okay, sorry for the long posts. I just really liked the book.