Book picks similar to
The Art of Intimacy by Thomas P. Malone


psychology
non-fiction
sociology
personal-growth

Happier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon a Project, Read Samuel Johnson, and My Other Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life


Gretchen Rubin - 2012
    Homesick—why? She was standing right in her own kitchen. She felt homesick, she realized, with love for home itself. “Of all the elements of a happy life,” she thought, “my home is the most important.” In a flash, she decided to undertake a new happiness project, and this time, to focus on home.And what did she want from her home? A place that calmed her, and energized her. A place that, by making her feel safe, would free her to take risks. Also, while Rubin wanted to be happier at home, she wanted to appreciate how much happiness was there already. So, starting in September (the new January), Rubin dedicated a school year—September through May—to making her home a place of greater simplicity, comfort, and love.  In The Happiness Project, she worked out general theories of happiness. Here she goes deeper on factors that matter for home, such as possessions, marriage, time, and parenthood. How can she control the cubicle in her pocket? How might she spotlight her family’s treasured possessions? And it really was time to replace that dud toaster. Each month, Rubin tackles a different theme as she experiments with concrete, manageable resolutions—and this time, she coaxes her family to try some resolutions, as well.  With her signature blend of memoir, science, philosophy, and experimentation, Rubin’s passion for her subject jumps off the page, and reading just a few chapters of this book will inspire readers to find more happiness in their own lives.

The All-Or-Nothing Marriage: How the Best Marriages Work


Eli J. Finkel - 2017
     The institution of marriage in America is struggling. But as Eli Finkel's most recent research reveals, the best marriages today are better than the best marriages of earlier eras. Indeed, they are the best marriages the world has ever known. Still, the quality of the average marriage is in decline. This book reverse engineers the best marriages--from the "traditional" to the utterly nontraditional--showing how any marriage can be better. Why do some celebrity marriages work and others don't? Finkel provides insight into the lives of household names such as Elizabeth Gilbert and Neil Strauss, as well as one marriage that delivered three Olympic gold medals in 2016. Finkel digs deeper with a sweeping historic overview showing that the primary function of marriage from 1776 to 1850 was food, shelter, and protection from violence. From 1850 to 1965, the purpose revolved around love and companionship. Nowadays, marriage is all about self-discovery, self-esteem, and personal growth. (Will your spouse give you that?) Ultimately, this much-needed book delivers practical advice for immediate action as well as long-term strategies: seven "love hacks" that take little time or reflection; four categories of how to channel greater levels of effort; and three ways of recalibrating the marriage so expectations match reality--and happiness can flourish.

The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More


Bruce Feiler - 2013
    The result is a funny and thought-provoking playbook for contemporary families, with more than 200 useful strategies, including: the right way to have family dinner, what your mother never told you about sex (but should have), and why you should always have two women present in difficult conversations… Timely, compassionate, and filled with practical tips and wise advice, Bruce Feiler’s The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More should be required reading for all parents.

At Last a Life and Beyond


Paul David - 2015
    This latest title is packed with information on how to overcome anxiety and what keeps people in the loop. The book will cut out all the jargon and give you a clear perspective on how to overcome all of your anxiety and panic issues. In this book you won’t find a list of techniques, rules or methods, as you don’t need them. I am sure you have tried enough of these and still found little relief. Techniques, rules and methods usually take effort and are mostly built on suppression of feelings, which is the complete wrong approach. Anxiety is your mind and body’s way of telling you that you are already overdoing it with effort, both mentally and physically, so the last thing you want is to add more effort. If you want to free yourself from the prison you currently find yourself in and rediscover the true you, then this book will finally give you all the answers you need. Contents:Chapter 1: You are not broken 12 Chapter 2: Letting go of crutches 23 Chapter 3: Anxiety backpack 29 Chapter 4: What is the need for fear and anxiety 41 Chapter 5: Struggling with thoughts 48 Chapter 6: The inner critic 61 Chapter 7: Overworking the mind 67Chapter 8: Avoiding anxiety 78 Chapter 9: Resistance only increases suffering 83Chapter 10: Our obsession with worry 88 Chapter 10: Setbacks 92 Chapter 11: Other people’s success stories 98 Chapter 12: Q & A section 126 Chapter 11: Social anxiety 138 Chapter 12: Anxiety loop 143Chapter 13: Living without stress 148Chapter 14: Summing up 151

The Self-Sabotage Cycle: Why We Repeat Behaviors That Create Hardships and Ruin Relationships


Stanley Rosner - 2006
    Yet, 30 years later, the boy now a man leaves his own family. A young woman who's broken off an abusive relationship is now attracted to the same kind of personality in a potential boyfriend. And an attorney who grew up with an impossible-to-please father takes a job in a firm where the boss thinks praise is never productive. These are the kind of repetitive cycles that Stanley Rosner has seen time and again in his practice across 40 years as a clinical psychologist. A past president of the Connecticut Psychological Association, Rosner examines in this book whether there is for some people a compulsion to repeat self-destructive acts, and what the foundation for that compulsion might be, as well as how it can be changed to afford better, happier living.Assisted by popular author Patricia Hermes, Rosner offers many eye-opening vignettes from his therapy rooms, showing us clearly how early life events can create unconscious dilemmas that move us to repeat the situation in other forms. He aims to show us how we can resolve the issues that linger, explaining how to recognize these issues, then move forward to put them to rest in ways that are not self-sabotaging. What I have to offer, says Rosner, is the opportunity for change.

Things You Think About When You Bite Your Nails: A Fear and Anxiety Workbook


Amalia Andrade - 2020
    About how it works, how it takes hold over us, and how it dogs us from childhood (the monsters under the bed) to adulthood (careers, relationships, accidentally sending that risky text to the wrong person--all the things that make us want to bite our nails). But this is also a book about that monster our fear can warp into when it grows too powerful, a phenomenon we are all too familiar with and that more and more of us are struggling against: anxiety.Author and illustrator Amalia Andrade had her own battle with anxiety, and not only did she make it out the other side, she learned sometimes it's the very thing that almost sinks you that can save you. Through the lessons, exercises, and often hilarious personal stories Amalia shares in these pages, together you will learn how to make those feelings your friends and turn your fears into superpowers.A PENGUIN LIFE TITLE

Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment


Tal Ben-Shahar - 2007
    . . according to the teacher of Harvard University's most popular and life-changing course. One out of every five Harvard students has lined up to hear Tal Ben-Shahar's insightful and inspiring lectures on that ever-elusive state: HAPPINESS.HOW? Grounded in the revolutionary "positive psychology" movement, Ben-Shahar ingeniously combines scientific studies, scholarly research, self-help advice, and spiritual enlightenment. He weaves them together into a set of principles that you can apply to your daily life. Once you open your heart and mind to Happier 's thoughts, you will feel more fulfilled, more connected . . . and, yes, HAPPIER."Dr. Ben-Shahar, one of the most popular teachers in Harvard's recent history, has written a personal, informed, and highly enjoyable primer on how to become happier. It would be wise to take his advice." --Ellen J. Langer, author of "Mindfulness" and "On Becoming an Artist""This fine book shimmers with a rare brand of good sense that is imbedded in scientific knowledge about how to increase happiness. It is easy to see how this is the backbone of the most popular course at Harvard today." --Martin E. P. Seligman, author of "Authentic Happiness"

If You Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him: The Pilgrimage Of Psychotherapy Patients


Sheldon B. Kopp - 1972
    Explore the true nature of the therapeutic relationship, and realize that the guru is no Buddha. He is just another human struggling. Understanding the shape of your own personal ills will lead you on your journey to recovery. Sheldon Kopp has a realistic approach to altering one's destiny and accepting the responsibility that grows with freedom.

Declutter Your Way to Success


Terri Savelle Foy - 2017
    CLEAN UP AND CLEAN OUTIf you feel stuck or overwhelmed with the clutter around you, there is hope! With her passion for goals, success stories, and her practical teaching, Terri Savelle Foy shows you how to organize your life.In Declutter Your Way to Success, you will discover the practical and spiritual effects of clutter and what to do about it, including:* The connection between organization and success* How clutter affects more than your home* How to overcome procrastination* The seven habits of excellenceExperience the peace and promotion that comes from a clutter-free home, mind, and life.

Up: How Positive Outlook Can Transform Our Health and Aging


Hilary Tindle - 2013
    In Up, a practicing physician and NIH-funded researcher draws on her research and experience to show that our outlook on life— our unique patterns of thinking and feeling about ourselves, others, and the world—may be the key to how well and how fast we age. From wrinkles to cognitive decline, our outlook affects our health at every level. Using the framework of outlook GPS, Up illustrates how we can gauge our current attitude latitude and move to healthier ground. Tindle brings a fresh eye to attitudinal traits such as optimism, noting that it has many faces, including the face of her own struggling optimism. Using the 7 Steps of Attitudinal Change that she applies to her own patients, Tindle offers us a path toward healthy aging. Prescriptive and accessible, Up puts forward a paradigm shift in how we age and treat disease, giving even the most struggling optimists a chance for hope. It will appeal to readers of The Longevity Project by Howard S. Friedman and Leslie R. Martin as well as The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner.

Exaholics: Breaking Your Addiction to an Ex Love


Lisa Marie Bobby - 2016
    Up till now, people recovering from other problems were able to get real help—like AA and rehab—while those struggling in the aftermath of traumatic breaks dealt with platitudes and friends insisting they should "get over it already." But now Exaholics Anonymous treats getting over an ex like kicking a chemical habit.   Written by counselor and therapist Dr. Lisa Bobby, Exaholics offers meaningful support and advice to anyone trapped in the obsessive pain of a broken, or dying, attachment. She helps the brokenhearted heal, showing them, on a deep level, how to develop a conceptual framework for their experience, understand the emotional processes at work inside themselves, find the path to recovery, and free themselves of shame, injured ego, and remorse. In-depth case studies of others' journeys will illuminate the way to future happiness.

Inside Chanakya's Mind: Aanvikshiki and the Art of Thinking


Radhakrishnan Pillai - 2017
    1 business writerChanakya was one of the best strategic thinkers of the world. In the fourth century BC, he wrote the Arthashastra, an unrivalled political treatise that has since been used by leaders across the globe. In Inside Chanakya’s Mind, for the first time, Radhakrishnan Pillai, the bestselling author of Corporate Chanakya, will distill Chanakya’s age-old wisdom on how to think to the masses through his practical and innovative approach.

Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age


Sherry Turkle - 2015
    And yet we have sacrificed conversation for mere connection. Preeminent author and researcher Sherry Turkle has been studying digital culture for over thirty years. Long an enthusiast for its possibilities, here she investigates a troubling consequence: at work, at home, in politics, and in love, we find ways around conversation, tempted by the possibilities of a text or an email in which we don’t have to look, listen, or reveal ourselves. We develop a taste for what mere connection offers. The dinner table falls silent as children compete with phones for their parents’ attention. Friends learn strategies to keep conversations going when only a few people are looking up from their phones. At work, we retreat to our screens although it is conversation at the water cooler that increases not only productivity but commitment to work. Online, we only want to share opinions that our followers will agree with – a politics that shies away from the real conflicts and solutions of the public square. The case for conversation begins with the necessary conversations of solitude and self-reflection. They are endangered: these days, always connected, we see loneliness as a problem that technology should solve. Afraid of being alone, we rely on other people to give us a sense of ourselves, and our capacity for empathy and relationship suffers. We see the costs of the flight from conversation everywhere: conversation is the cornerstone for democracy and in business it is good for the bottom line. In the private sphere, it builds empathy, friendship, love, learning, and productivity. But there is good news: we are resilient. Conversation cures. Based on five years of research and interviews in homes, schools, and the workplace, Turkle argues that we have come to a better understanding of where our technology can and cannot take us and that the time is right to reclaim conversation. The most human—and humanizing—thing that we do. The virtues of person-to-person conversation are timeless, and our most basic technology, talk, responds to our modern challenges. We have everything we need to start, we have each other.

Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression - and the Unexpected Solutions


Johann Hari - 2018
    He was told—like his entire generation—that his problem was caused by a chemical imbalance in his brain. As an adult, trained in the social sciences, he began to investigate this question—and he learned that almost everything we have been told about depression and anxiety is wrong. Across the world, Hari discovered social scientists who were uncovering the real causes—and they are mostly not in our brains, but in the way we live today. Hari’s journey took him from the people living in the tunnels beneath Las Vegas, to an Amish community in Indiana, to an uprising in Berlin—all showing in vivid and dramatic detail these new insights. They lead to solutions radically different from the ones we have been offered up until now.Just as Chasing the Scream transformed the global debate about addiction, with over twenty million views for his TED talk and the animation based on it, Lost Connections will lead us to a very different debate about depression and anxiety—one that shows how, together, we can end this epidemic.

To Be Continued: Reincarnation and the Purpose of Our Lives


Karen Berg - 2012
    Life would make more sense and would be infinitely more fulfilling.Reincarnation is the soul’s journey back to the Light via multiple physical incarnations.In each lifetime, the soul returns to the physical world to correct a different aspect of itself. In one incarnation a soul may need to learn about being rich; another it may need to learn about being poor. Or it may need to experience strength and weakness, anger and compassion, beauty and unsightliness. It doesn’t matter if you were Cleopatra or a foot soldier, the point is to be conscious of the things we failed at, the damage we came to restore so we can make the correction this time around.Reading this book can help you understand some of the challenges and questions you have in this lifetime that may have come from another life. Part I discussses the process of reincarnation—how and why it happens. In Part II, you will learn about life challenges and why it’s important to embrace them as a necessary part of our soul’s work. In Part III, you can detect past life lessons by using kabbalistic tools of angels, astrology, palm and face reading.Awareness of our soul’s journey creates a context that helps us to guide our lives and appreciate what we were given. With this knowledge over many lifetimes our soul eventuality manages to understand all the lessons and puts all of these fragments together. As it does so, the soul gathers sparks of Light back to itself. Eventually it returns to the source of all Light—the Creator—complete.When we understand reincarnation, our mistakes in this life become devastating. We develop a level of spiritual maturity that helps us to perceive how everything is part of a bigger plan designed to help us to change and grow.Death is not the end of the game, but just a chance to do over. We have nothing to fear. Life will be continued . . .