The Illustrated Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start LivingThe practice of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is made even more accessible in this fun, easy-to-understand, and illustrated companion to The Happiness Trap There’s this idea going around that we’re always supposed to be happy—and it’s making us miserable. The good news is, if you can learn to let go of that impossible expectation, your life will be a whole lot happier. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a simple, self-administered therapy that uses mindfulness to enable you to do just that. In this follow-up to his bestselling The Happiness Trap, Russ Harris shows how you, like millions of other people, can use ACT to start living a life that’s far richer, fuller, and more meaningful. You will learn how ACT can help you: • Reduce stress and worry • Handle painful feelings and thoughts more effectively • Break self-defeating habits • Overcome insecurity and self-doubt • Recognize and treasure the whole range of emotions that make up a satisfying life |
Contents
| 7 | |
Vicious cycles | 29 |
The basics of ACT | 43 |
Troubleshooting defusion | 64 |
Demons in the boat | 76 |
Drop the struggle | 87 |
Troubleshooting expansion | 101 |
Youre not who you think you are | 120 |
Follow your heart | 128 |
The 1000mile journey | 135 |
Finding fullfillment | 146 |
A meaningful life | 164 |
Common terms and phrases
30 seconds ACTION PLAN ANXIETY APPRECIATE ATTENTION AVOID PAINFUL FEELINGS BETTER BLAH BODY BREATHING and THOUGHTS Chapter CLARIFY YOUR VALUES COMIC BOOK Commitment Therapy CONTROL COPE CREATE A RICH DEEP BREATHS defusion techniques demons DISTRACT DOOM AND GLOOM ENGAGE FULLY EXPANSION experience explore FEAR FEELING ANXIOUS FIGHT OR FLIGHT Focus on BREATHING FULLY PRESENT FUSE FUSION give GOAL HANDLE PAINFUL FEELINGS happening HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEALTH HELPFUL I'M A LOSER Illustrated Happiness Trap IMAGES important KEEP LIVE LOOK LOVE MEAN mind tells MINDFUL BREATHING MYTH NEGATIVE THOUGHTS notice OBSERVING OKAY painful thoughts PLEASANT POSITIVE Practice connection PROBLEMS PSYCHOLOGICAL REFOCUS RELAXATION TECHNIQUE REMEMBER ROOM Russ Harris SENSATIONS Shambhala SKILL STAY STEP STRESS STRUGGLE THANKS MIND THERE'S things THINKING thoughts and feelings THOUGHTS/FEELINGS TRYING TO AVOID UNHELPFUL UNHOOK unpleasant feelings UNPLEASANT THOUGHTS unwanted thoughts WHAT'S WORDS WORRY worthwhile human YOU’LL YOU’RE ΜΕ