Are You Happy? A guidebook on how to earn happiness

What is happiness? If you ask most people what would make them happy, they would say something along the lines of going on vacation, walking on the beach, being in love, having money, etcetera etcetera. In Are You Happy? A guidebook on how to earn happiness, Lea Colleens uses a no-nonsense approach to help the reader realize that happiness and what causes feelings of happiness actually have to do with the three parts of the brain. Written in a light-hearted and casual manner, this book explains happiness like you’ve never heard before. Colleens emphasizes the definition of happiness: a state of mind in which you have certainty of future pleasures. She explains it as affection plus excitement. And when you really think about it, isn’t that what happiness really feels like, no matter what its source? You get those little bubbly feelings in your stomach, your eyes light up, and you yearn for more of that wonderful feeling. Yes, that’s what happiness really is…affection and excitement! Colleens goes on to explain the three parts of the brain as they relate to one another. The Master Brain controls your path to happiness, whereas the Reptile Brain controls hormones and the Dog Brain controls emotions. With the delightful cartoon drawings in the book, it becomes easy to understand how each brain works. My favorite part of the book, of course, is the hands-on, how-do-I-do-it-myself part of the book. The Instruction Guide gives step-by-step instructions on how to analyze your current situation and take control of your brain. The best part is, anyone can do this. It just takes a little bit of practice and trial-and-error. I especially loved the suggestion of wandering. Walk down the street of your neighborhood or in another city or, even better, in another country. Put down your technology and just observe and wander. Wandering is physical, emotional, and mental, so it really gets that Master Brain working! This book gives tips on how to get excited and earn affection to create the ultimate happiness bubble! While reading this book, I kept a mental checklist of the things I do (and don’t do) that help to stimulate and work my brains as suggested by the author. Are You Happy? is an easy-to-follow guide on happiness that I would recommend to all my friends and family.