A LIGHTHEARTED GUIDE TO HAPPINESS FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN LAUGH AT THEMSELVES...AND OTHERS!
If reading conventional self-help books on how to be your best self and live your best life hasnât made you any happier, youâve come to the right place. Crappy Advice for a Happy Life offers humorous advice on how to be happier without having to change what you think, say, or do.
This âreverseâ self-help guide introduces a path to happiness called Approach-EZ. It consists of 100 simple rules that many people unconsciously follow because (a) they believe they can only be happy when things go their way, and (b) they automatically react to people and situations in whatever way comes naturally to them, given their personality. Not that you would do that.
If youâre wise (or a contrarian), youâll do the opposite of what the rules suggest. But following the rules âas isâ is more fun. This short guide includes a quiz. You can see how many of the rules you regularly followâŚand no judgment here if you also grade your family, friends, and coworkers!
A LIGHTHEARTED GUIDE TO HAPPINESS FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN LAUGH AT THEMSELVES...AND OTHERS!
If reading conventional self-help books on how to be your best self and live your best life hasnât made you any happier, youâve come to the right place. Crappy Advice for a Happy Life offers humorous advice on how to be happier without having to change what you think, say, or do.
This âreverseâ self-help guide introduces a path to happiness called Approach-EZ. It consists of 100 simple rules that many people unconsciously follow because (a) they believe they can only be happy when things go their way, and (b) they automatically react to people and situations in whatever way comes naturally to them, given their personality. Not that you would do that.
If youâre wise (or a contrarian), youâll do the opposite of what the rules suggest. But following the rules âas isâ is more fun. This short guide includes a quiz. You can see how many of the rules you regularly followâŚand no judgment here if you also grade your family, friends, and coworkers!
You are blessed, and you are cursed. You are blessed because you have more control over your happiness than any other living creature. Yay! You are cursed for the same reason. Nay! Control sounds good in theory, but itâs a lot of responsibility.
Picture a kitten. It has it easy. It does not think to itself, âWhat should I be when I grow up?â When it grows up, it does not ponder spiritual cat questions like, âIs it true I have nine lives?â Nor does it worry about its image, wondering, âDo the others think Iâm a cool cat?â Life is simpler for cats.
You are not a cat. You are a human. What complicates things is that you are not the only human. Not only do you have to deal with your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviorâthe good, the bad, and the ugly. But you must also put up with other humans' thoughts, feelings, and behavior. I know, right? And then there are the circumstances, inanimate objects, and other stuff that sometimes affect your happiness.
Life feels complicated because it is. Donât let anyone tell you otherwise. But there are approaches to life that lead to happiness. One approach (letâs call it Approach-A) is to pick a purpose for your life, set your own goals and work hard to achieve them, focus on the people and interests that matter most to you, be kind and generous to others along the way, figure out a way to find inner peace, and then, abracadabra; youâll be happy.
Approach-A sounds like a great way to achieve happiness, doesnât it? Well, itâs not. People who follow that approach are weird. They have to think for themselves instead of following the crowd. They have to put in the effort to get the results they want. They have to do things they donât feel like doing. They have to consider other peopleâs perspectives and not just their own. Itâs way too hard to follow Approach-A.
You may want to consider a different path to achieving happiness (letâs call it Approach-EZ). Itâs way easier. Itâs the path most traveled by most people, most of the time. And you know most people are super happy, so obviously this approach works.
The theory behind Approach-EZ is that the simplest way to be happy is to always get your way. Failing that, you should at least be able to react to people and situations in whatever way comes naturally to you, given your personality. Under no circumstances should you have to adapt to others or to reality. Let others and reality adapt to you.
To achieve happiness via Approach-EZ, you must follow 100 simple rules. Each rule benefits you directly, indirectly, or not at all (no system is perfect). But taken collectively, the rules will lead to happiness because they take all the guesswork out of how to live your life. Bonus: Most of the rules require minimal effort.
Now, you may be tempted to stop reading before finishing the book because some rules may sound counterintuitive and/or contradict other rules. But thatâs by design. The rules work in mysterious ways. ChatGPT told me that most readers abandon books after the first 25% to 50%. Donât be a ChatGPT statistic. If you donât read to the end, youâll never discover the secret to a happy life. What a shame.
Also, F. Scott Fitzgerald said: âThe test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.â If youâre a brainiac who can hold two opposing ideas in your mind at the same time, consider each rule as stated (Approach-EZ) and simultaneously consider the opposite of the rule (Approach-A). Since youâre a smarty-pants, you can follow the rules, flip the rules, create your own rules, or whatever. But everyone else should follow the rules.
Following are the 100 simple rules for a crappyâI mean happyâlife. Give yourself 1 point for each rule you regularly follow. The goal is to score 100, but donât feel bad if you fall short. Youâre only human, after all.
Rule 1 - Cultivate indifference to things that donât affect you
We all know there is injustice in the world, but whatâs it to you? Does thinking about it make you happy? No. Does it affect your lifestyle? No. Does it make you money? No. Does it give you power? No. So why should you care? Itâs not your fault that crime, terrorism, inequality, natural disasters, drug addiction, and homelessness exist. You didnât do it. So, when you hear about tragedies on the news, change the channel. Compassion is not entertaining. It can make you sad and cost you time and money if it prompts you to make donations. Of course, you also donât want to feel guilty, so itâs best to feel nothing at all. Just ask an anesthesiologist.
Rule 2 - Be impatient when you want something
Good things come to those who wait, but they come faster to those who donât wait. And why should you have to wait on other people? As if whatâs going on in their lives is as important as whatâs going on in yours. Contrary to popular belief, patience is not a virtue. Thatâs just an old wivesâ tale started by old wives. Patience is a vice. Have you ever noticed that âpatienceâ and âpatientsâ sound alike? Thatâs because patients who practice patience die before the physician gets around to seeing them. Impatience is the true virtue. An impatient patient will ring their call button so frequently that the nurses will beg the physician to put them at the top of the list. And that, my friend, is why you should be impatient. It saves lives.
Rule 3 - Act on your feelings of jealousy
Some may call jealousy the green-eyed monster as if thatâs bad, but theyâve clearly never seen a Disney Pixar movie. Green-eyed monsters are adorable. And you should give in to feelings of jealousy even if you have brown or blue eyes. Jealousy is natureâs way of saying, âHouston, we have a problem.â You wouldnât feel jealous unless someone has, or is trying to take, something thatâs rightfully yours. Acting on your jealousy is just righting a wrong so you can get back to your happy place. So if you see your boyfriend Ken talking to his âfriendâ Barbie, go ahead and slash his tires and burn down her Malibu house. Her place is probably insured, and heâll think itâs sweet you care enough to fight for him.
Excerpted from the M.S. Word version of Crappy Advice for a Happy Life. The ebook, paperback & hardcover contain interior design elements not present in this excerpt.
If youâve found reading traditional self-help books which focus on becoming your best self and living your happiest life hasnât resulted in the happiness you desire, youâre in for a treat. Set aside your expectations with this book, youâre not about to be told youâre doing all wrong.
"Crappy Advice for a Happy Life" provides a refreshing and humorous perspective on achieving happiness without necessitating changes to your thoughts, words, or actions.
This unconventional self-help guide introduces a novel approach to happiness known as Approach-EZ. It comprises of 100 simple rules that many people unwittingly follow in their daily lives. Reading it I do wonder if its humour is sarcasm but without trying to read between the lines, itâs very funny.
These rules stem from two primary beliefs: first, that happiness can only be attained when everything is going their way; and second, that they react to people and situations in a manner that feels instinctive based on their personalities.
Thereâs some great rules to live by, such as procrastinate for as long as you can (as problems can disappear) and plan everything or nothing (ie pick a side and stick with it). Each rule is simple and followed by a one page explanation, so nothing overly preachy or dressed up with a personal story.
The beauty of this guide lies in its light-hearted approach to navigating the complexities of happiness, making it accessible and enjoyable. It also makes it easy to read.
In addition to the rules, this short and engaging guide features a quiz that allows you to assess how many of these rules you regularly follow. Itâs a fun way to reflect on your own habits.
Ultimately, "Crappy Advice for a Happy Life" encouraging readers to embrace their quirks while finding laughter in the journey toward happiness.