I don’t read a lot of self help books, maybe a couple a year. I decided to read Happier Now by Nataly Kogan, because who doesn’t want to be happier. The book is a combination of her story and tips on how to be happier. Nataly is a Russian Jewish refuge who came to this country during her middle school years. She struggled with learning English and trying to fit in and achieve the “American Dream”. She is successful, very successful, as an entrepreneur creating a company and app “Happier”. But, she feels stressed and unhappy, so with the help of a coach who is recommended by a friend, she sets a new course for her life and finds new ways to achieve happiness.
The tips she recommends are basically easy and pretty obvious, things like gratitude, kindness, and self-care (stuff you usually read about in any positive psychology writing.) She writes well (really well considering English is her second language) and sprinkles comments from her Happier app users showing their successes throughout the book. I don’t usually grab a journal and start adopting specific techniques from self-help books, and this one is no different. Instead I hope to have learned something which is now in my toolbox to pick up if I need it. I think the best part of the book is her epilogue letter to her daughter with 40 reflections on life. Good stuff like ” always read the entire recipe before you start.”
Well that is it for me in 2019. I have cannonballed, this is number 13 for me. I will be back next year with another 13 reviews. Have a “Happier” New Year!