Roadtesting Happiness: How to be happier (no matter what)

Description

We are constantly told that happiness should be our goal, but how can we achieve it? Does the advice of happiness 'experts' really work? Sophie Scott gets inside the ideas of leading happiness experts, including Buddhist monk Mathieu Ricard (the 'world's happiest man' ), psychologist Dr Tim Sharp (aka 'Dr Happy') from the Happiness Institute, and Assistant Professor Alice Domar from the Harvard Medical School, to discover the best ways to achieve and maintain happiness. Then she tries it all out. Using each approach suggested by the experts, she 'roadtests' her way from depression to happiness, sampling techniques such as cognitive behaviour therapy; meditation, mindfulness and spirituality; acceptance and gratitude; altruism and volunteering; food choices and exercise. If you want to become happier than you are right now and stay that way, here are the tools - and shortcuts - to make it happen.

Sophie Scott is the national medical reporter for the ABC. Her stories appear on the ABC's flagship TV news bulletin at 7.00pm, as well as 'Lateline', 'Stateline' and 'The 7.30 Report'. She also presents a weekly health show for the ABC's Australia Network and ABC Online called 'Health Watch'. In 2005, Sophie received the Media award at the Research Australia 'Thank You' Day Awards in recognition of her ability to communicate complex information in a way that the general community can easily understand. In 2004, she won the Australian Museum Eureka award for medical reporting. Her first book, 'Live a Longer Life', was published in 2007.