The How of Happiness book cover

The How of Happiness

Sonja Lyubomirsky
3.9(10341 Reviews)

Overview of The How of Happiness

Discover the science of lasting joy with UC Riverside's top-ranked psychologist. "The How of Happiness" shatters the myth that circumstances determine happiness, revealing that 40% is within your control. What daily activity could triple your happiness starting today?

Key Themes in The How of Happiness

  • intentional activities
  • hedonic adaptation
  • positive psychology research
  • happiness set point
  • person-activity fit

Quotes from The How of Happiness

  • Happiness is not out there for us to find. The key is to look inside.

  • What if 40% of your happiness was entirely within your control?

  • Most of us have a deeply flawed understanding of what makes us happy.

  • Happiness is an internal state we can actively cultivate.

  • Our relationships fundamentally shape our happiness.

Characters in The How of Happiness

  • Sonja LyubomirskyAuthor and researcher of positive psychology

About the Author

About the Author of The How of Happiness

Sonja Lyubomirsky is the bestselling author of The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want and a distinguished professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, specializing in positive psychology and evidence-based well-being strategies.

A Harvard and Stanford-trained researcher, her work explores how intentional practices like gratitude and kindness can sustainably boost happiness, as outlined in her groundbreaking 50-40-10 happiness model. She further examines misconceptions about joy in her follow-up book, The Myths of Happiness, which challenges cultural narratives about life milestones.

Lyubomirsky’s research has earned prestigious recognition, including a Templeton Positive Psychology Prize and a National Institute of Mental Health grant. A frequent media contributor, she has appeared on CNN’s The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper and in The Los Angeles Times.

The How of Happiness, translated into 22 languages, spurred a Netflix documentary (Mission Joy) and a science-backed iPhone app, cementing its status as a modern classic in self-improvement literature.

Download Summary of The How of Happiness

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"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

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"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

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"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
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117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
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"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
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12
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108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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254
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17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
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"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

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