What Happy Women Know: How New Findings in Positive Psychology Can Change Women's Lives for the Better

by Cathy L. Greenberg and Dan Baker

Book Overview

The director of Canyon Ranch's award-winning Life Enhancement Program draws on the latest discoveries in psychology and gender-specific medicine to help all women enjoy richer, healthier, more fulfilling lives. In this innovative book about what brings women happiness, Dr. Dan Baker focuses on the five traps that can compromise happiness and leave women yearning for a better life. Unlike clinical psychology, which focuses on trying to fix what's wrong...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1594865450
• ISBN13: 9781594865459
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Rodale Books
• Length: 252 Pages
• Weight: 1.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A Positive Perspective for Women

I bought this book after really appreciating What Happy People Know, also by the same author. Both are excellent self-help resources, inspiring and affirming. Dr. Baker approaches self-help concerns from a positive orientation, and recommends against endlessly examining and reviewing the problem, which so many others promote. Instead, he starts from the point of view of what works, and what can we learn from people who seem to be able to maintain their happiness no matter what life throws at them. In this book, the emphasis is on exploring the typical issues that cause women to get off-track and feel bad about themselves, like perfectionism and image issues, along with the pursuit of material comfort and money. There is excellent advice, and affirming reminders are offered for overcoming challenges to our self esteem and feelings of self-worth. My dog ate my first copy, so I actually re-purchased this book! (I think the dog was trying to remind me that happy women know that having a dog is an important part of keeping humor in my life...!)

What Happy Women Know

I think this book is an excellent read for all ages of women. Dr. Baker and Dr. Greenberg were able to share stories and research in a thought provocating manner. I would read a chapter and then spend time discussing the infomation with a friend. I will recommend this book to book clubs. In addition, I will give this book as a gift. My daughter actually read the book first. I am grateful she shared the book's concepts on happiness with me. Debbie

Positive and inspiring!

Fantastic book of tragedy and triumph- strong women doing amazing things in the world. I loved it.

Who Wouldn't Want More Happiness?

Focusing on the positive has the power to change your life for the happier. It sounds simple enough but for many, it takes desire, practice and a certain amount of discipline. What Happy Women Know by Dan Baker and Cathy Greenberg, shares the why's and how's for focusing on a happier life. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! After all, who wouldn't want more happiness? What Happy Women Know by Dan Baker and co-author Cathy Greenberg is an interesting, insightful and hopeful book to read. It's a good mix of information, inspiration and practical how-to advice. Honestly, I was a little skeptical to read a book about women's happiness written by a man. The author, Dan Baker, Ph.D., earned my respect with his insightful research and twenty years of day-to-day work with the women who visited the famous health/spa facility, Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona. Dr. Baker is the founder of the Life Enhancement Program at Canyon Ranch. This well thought out paperback book is filled with real life examples for using positive psychology to change your life for the better. What if you could learn from other women who've come before and found ways to be happier and more self-satisfied? Wouldn't you want to tap into their wisdom? If the answer is "yes," then you'll want to read this book. Here's an example of a couple of the lessons from What Happy Women Know: Happy women understand the three steps to self-forgiveness: *Acknowledge the lesson you learned. *Recognize that you're now in a different place. *Know that you may make a new mistake tomorrow. Here's another one: Men and women experience happiness differently. For men happiness is the pursuit of power and for women, happiness is the pursuit of relationships. Powerful and thought-provoking pearls of wisdom are prevalent throughout the book. By reading them you can't help but feel the power of taking positive action. As I read What Happy Women Know, I knew what I was reading could make a "happy" difference in my life. Here's a look at some the chapter titles: ~ Perfectionism: You Can't Get There From Here ~ The Revenge Rut ~ I'm Nothing Without Him ~ Transcending Loss ~ Happiness and Health ~Ten Qualities of Happy Women These few chapter titles should give you a clue to the overall approach that Dr Baker takes in this book - you control your level of happiness and happiness begins inside. This is a book you'll want to read, think about and take notes. Self-help is simply that - helping yourself live a fuller and happier life. Reading, absorbing and applying the practical wisdom found in this book could change your life for the happier. Dr. Baker helps the reader discover and embrace this often-elusive emotion called "happiness." Happiness is very personal and because of this, I'm sure this book will affect each of us in a uniquely personal way. I definitely recommend What Happy Women Know.

Empowering!

I'm halfway through this book and wanted to write a review now because of the one negative review which might dissuade someone from getting this book. If you have the opportunity to peruse it in a bookstore, you'll see for yourself that there is a lot of sharp insight. I get the feeling from reading that Dan Baker really likes women and wants for them the happiness they (we) say we desire. He really cares. The authors address many typical behaviors and beliefs women have about themselves and who they think they're suppose to be/how they're expected to behave that are counterproductive to happiness. It doesn't matter that there is discussion of things most of us have heard/read/thought about before. This book takes those things and expands on them and, personally, I have an even clearer understanding...or more passion about changing those things/concepts/beliefs/self-expectations that are still, sometimes subtly, a part of me. Highly recommended book.