The Happiness Trap (Second Edition): How to Stop Struggling and Start Living

Very excited to read this! Hopefully it gives me some inspiration and growth! Book came quickly and in great condition!

Got this because my therapist recommended it to me. I loved this book! Especially after doing ACT therapy and values work before purchasing. I don't usually like self help books, but really enjoyed this one. I highly recommend this book if you're interested/currently doing ACT therapy or values work. Its easy to read and even had me laughing sometimes. Such a beautiful book.

I am a middle-aged white male with a typical job, and I lead a typical life. I don't know if my opinion will persuade anyone to pick up this book. To be honest, I am not terribly concerned about that. I suppose I am writing this primarily as a thank you to the author. The book changed my life forever--in a good way. It brought together many things that have interested me for many years and made sense of them. It took the things I loved most about Zen Buddhism and framed them in a largely scientific context. In this scientific characterization, the power of these concepts is magnified and they are much more accessible to westerners. The writing seems compatible with ideas presented in formal epistemology. The recommended actions and ideas seem at home in the mind of an epistemic skeptic. More than just the book, ACT itself deserves much praise. To me, ACT seems a natural extension of evolutionary psychology. They fit together so seemlessly, at least in my opinion. For those in whom ACT is destined to resonate, the book is definitely a life changer. I thought he brilliantly and patiently encouraged the reader to participate in the many exercises presented in the text. The exercises are not embellishments or superficial ornaments. They are essential challenges to help one become immersed in the theory, help one reach competency in daily life. The exercises are extremely on target and extremely well balanced and measured. One of my favorite things is that when you finish the book, perhaps having left some of the exercises undone, it instantly becomes an incredible reference for the world view it describes. You can go back and finish the exercises. You can flip to a random page and study it. You can systematical refresh yourself on some pre-selected topic. In short, you can become and remain very, very familiar with the material. I am a little sheepish to admit this, but this is the best book I have ever read. I don't mean that it outdances the prose of Tolstoy (etc.). I mean in terms of pure impact on my life. I am sure the book would not effect everyone in this way. As we all know, life is a problem with many solutions (or something along those lines). Some of us might like an entirely different intellectual framework from which to view and interact with the world around us. For them, this book will probably seem ordinary, or worse. But, as for myself, I have found a magnificent text to aid me in the days ahead. My only betrayal of its role is that I know I will always be on the hunt, to some extent, for an even better formulation. Until I find one, I am set.

I purchased the eBook version of The Happiness Trap and found it to be a clear, practical guide to applying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in everyday life. Russ Harris explains concepts like mindfulness, values-based living, and psychological flexibility in a way that’s easy to follow without feeling overly clinical. One of the strongest features of this book is the hands-on activities woven throughout—such as mindfulness exercises, values clarification worksheets, and thought-defusion techniques. These aren’t just “read and forget” tips; they’re designed for you to pause, reflect, and write down your own answers. Because of that, I recommend reading it when you’re not driving and have a notebook handy to work through the exercises and jot down personal insights. The eBook format makes it easy to highlight key passages and revisit them later. If I had one small critique, it’s that some sections felt a bit repetitive—but that also helped reinforce the main ideas. Overall, this is a great resource for anyone looking to manage stress, anxiety, or unhelpful thought patterns in a practical, actionable way. The more you engage with the activities, the more value you’ll get from it.

I didn't think I would like it and get much out of it as I thought I did. Excellent, stick to with it and read it through. My favorite process is to read the chapter first over. Then do the excersies and reread it. I could see myself revisiting this book throughout the years

A psychologist from the VA recommended this book. One of the best books I have ever read and legitimately changed the way I live my life for the better. Well worth the money if you're into psychology or simple ways to deal with some of life's difficulties.

This book was recommended to me because ACT is often described as helpful for people in constrained circumstances like debilitating chronic illness—accepting reality, allowing difficult emotions, not getting caught up in stories about what one “should” be able to do, and orienting toward values rather than accomplishments. The first half of the book largely lived up to that promise and showed thoughtful awareness of how this approach might apply in limiting conditions, including prisons, refugee camps, and terminal illness. In the second half, however, the focus shifts away from that framing and becomes largely about goal-setting for people who have full physical freedom, with values serving more as a motivational overlay than as the core focus. This may be more broadly marketable, but it wasn’t what I had hoped for or been led to expect by the first part of the book.

All the issues included were greatly covered with good explanations. Text was easy to understand and inspiring. One of the greatest book I have ever read as it gave lots of good proposals how to improve the quality of your life. Book is for certain a book which needs tobe re-readed

I bought the first edition of the Happiness Trap about 5 years ago. It was a great book then, but Russ really has made a massive upgrade with this second edition. There is 50% new material inside and it reflects much of the honing and refinement that I have noticed in Russ' other work in the past few years. The book ties together core Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) practices with some of Russ' signature concepts, such as "Dropping Anchor", which is a practice you can use manage emotional storms that arise. There's a great "urge surfing" technique too, but perhaps the highlight is the application of the techniques to specific problems, such as rumination, healing of past hurts, making decisions and breaking habits. To my surprise, Russ places emphasis on self-talk as a beneficial add-on to the standard ACT approaches. I haven't seen many other instances in ACT literature of helpful self-talk as a valuable practice so it was refreshing to see it in the Happiness Trap. Note, however, that the ACT idea of self-talk is not the unrealistic, wishful thinking variety preached in positive thinking books. One thing I noticed more in this edition than the previous was the explanations of how ACT practice ties in to the bigger picture. Russ explains that by repeatedly taking charge of your inner world and behaviour, you can recondition your neurology and improve your quality of life. This longer view is sometimes missing from ACT books, partly because ACT is a very present-centered approach. Anyway, there isn't a human being alive that couldn't benefit from this book. It's instantly among my most treasured books for managing myself and improving my life. The Audible version, in which Russ narrates, I recommend as a complement to the book.

I am a Clinical Psychologist utilising ACT in my sessions. This book helped me move from theory to applicable in-session understanding. Russ Harris definately got deep hold over ACT. 💯

This book explains complex ideas in such a simple, down-to-earth way that really sticks.

This book is a life changer. I bought it about a year ago and it changed how I think about life. I bought this as a 'pay-it-forward' for a friend who is having a hard time. I could have given my copy to my friend but this is such a great book I wanted to reward Dr Russ Harris with two purchases - he is a genius. For the price of a few coffees, the benefits are way beyond expectations.

Hace justicia a su título. Es un libro que te ayuda al crecimiento personal en esos momentos en los que parece que la vida se te está yendo de las manos. Da muchas guías para manejar problemas de ansiedad, pensamientos invasivos y auto-sabotaje. Te enseña cómo buscar un propósito en tu vida o más bien a cómo orientar la forma en la que vemos la vida y qué es para nosotros ser felices y provechosos. Nos enseña a descubrir cuáles son las cosas importantes para nosotros mismos, mediante trabajo de valores. Lo recomiendo.