The Serious Business of Being Happy: A Cognitive Behavior Workbook to Bring Happiness to Every Day of Life

217 Pages·2020·4.933 MB·English

by  Russell Grieger

“In his usual clearly written and well-structured way, Dr. Grieger has
w ritten a gem of a book. The title is the clue: if you want to be happy, you
need to take the project seriously and put in the work. If you bring these
qualities to the book and follow Dr. Grieger’s guidelines, then you will
be healthier and happier than you would be if you just passively read the
book. The choice is yours!”
– Windy Dryden, PhD, emeritus professor,
Psychotherapeutic Studies, Goldsmiths University of London.
“In The Serious Business of Being Happy, Russell Grieger systematically
addresses the most important question any human being could conceiv-
ably ask: how to become and stay happy. Not a one-size-fts-all approach,
Dr. Grieger helps readers uniquely fashion their ‘passionate purpose’ in
life, and then compassionately guides them in building rational-emotive-
behavioral strategies for overcoming obstacles to this self-chosen end;
identifying ethical principles to direct this purpose; and creating and
implementing a ‘happiness action plan’. Chock full of workshops, Grieger
shows the reader how to plot a clearheaded path to personal and profes-
sional fulflment. Highly recommended for psychotherapists and layper-
sons alike.”
– Elliot D. Cohen, PhD, founder of Logic-Based Therapy;
author of Making Peace with Imperfection.
“This book is a beauty. Not a pollyannaistic account of what it takes to be
happy, it fags what we can do to get on the road to happiness by ‘acting in
accordance with your passionate purpose, grounded in rational thought about your-
self, other people, and life in general, and guided by your sacred principles.’ It is a
banquet full of Russell Grieger’s amazing insights into the mindset needed
for happiness-producing action.”
– Michael E. Bernard, PhD, professor, Melbourne Graduate
School of Education, University of Melbourne; emeritus professor,
California State University, Long Beach; founder,
You Can Do It! Education (youcandoiteducation.com.au).
“In this practical book, Dr. Russell Grieger shows that wisdom and happi-
ness are within the grasp of anyone who responsibly acts to pursue pur-
poseful, meaningful, and attainable goals. In this process he ably shows
how to narrow down happiness goals and follow through. He identifes
happiness-sabotaging negative beliefs and how to combat them. By using
Dr. Grieger’s carefully mapped action plans, you’ll increase your range
of positive experiences, build resilience against adversity, advance your
enlightened personal and social interests, and add joy to your life and to
the lives of those close to you.”
– Bill Knaus, EdD, original director of postdoctoral training,
Albert Ellis Institute for Advanced Study in Rational Emotive Psychotherapy;
author/coauthor of over 20 books.
THE SERIOUS BUSINESS
OF BEING HAPPY
The Serious Business of Being Happy combines scientifc research and clinical
experience to lay out a wealth of strategies to bring about happiness with one-
self, other people, and daily life in general.
Suitable for a wide range of mental health professionals, the book provides
an applicable, comprehensive step-by-step approach to fulflling a happy life.
Chapters draw on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Behavior
Therapy theory and practice to illustrate key areas where happiness can be
maximized, including identifying life purpose and sacred principles, fnding
happiness with oneself, and fnding happiness with others. Also included is a
personalized “Happiness Action Plan,” along with case examples, exercises, and
refections, to translate the ideas into concrete action.
Leaving aside the psychobabble and feel-good clichés, The Serious Business of
Being Happy is a valuable resource for practitioners working with individuals to
build a positive psychology in everyday life.
Russell Grieger, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than thirty-
fve years of experience treating individuals, couples, and families with Rational
Emotive Behavior Therapy.

THE SERIOUS BUSINESS
OF BEING HAPPY
A Cognitive Behavior Workbook to Bring
Happiness to Every Day of Life
Russell Grieger
First published 2020
by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2020 Taylor & Francis
The right of Russell Grieger to be identifed as author of this work
has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of
the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identifcation and
explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this title has been requested
ISBN: 978-1-138-38633-4 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-38634-1 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-429-42685-8 (ebk)
Typeset in Baskerville
by Deanta Global Publishing Services, Chennai, India
For
My sons, Todd and Gabriel,
whose love and loyalty
warm each and every one of my days.

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments xi
Author Notes xii
About the Author xiii
Introduction 1
PART I: THE HAPPINESS FOUNDATION 13
1 The Happiness Challenges 15
2 Visioning Happiness 23
3 The Happiness Mindsets 41
PART II: THE HAPPINESS PRACTICES 53
4 Live Your Passionate Purpose 55
5 Happiness with Yourself 74
6 Happiness with Others 95
7 Happiness with Life 116
8 Live Your Ethical Principles 138
PART III: YOUR HAPPINESS ACTION PLAN 153
9 Creating Your Happiness Action Plan 155