The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky (Overview)

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Have you tried to find happiness and fallen short? Do you have clarity on what makes people—especially you—happy? In The How of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky unpacks the factors that fuel long-term happiness and provides practical strategies to nurture and sustain it. She draws from extensive research as well as insights from leading scientists in the positive psychology field. Continue reading for an overview of this book that can help you understand—and find—happiness.

Is Happiness Genetic? How Your Happiness Baseline Is Set

Three mothers holding their babies as only one of them looks happy.

Is happiness genetic? What’s your happiness baseline? Can you offset the impact that your genes have on your happiness? Sonja Lyubomirsky writes that your genetics influence 50% of your long-term happiness and determine your “happiness baseline.” Simply put, your genes define the default level of happiness you typically feel, regardless of life’s ups and downs. Read more to learn how your genetics influence your happiness.

What Determines Happiness? These 3 Factors

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What determines happiness? Which happiness factors are within your control? According to Sonja Lyubomirsky, three main factors influence your overall happiness. She contends that your genetics influence 50% of your long-term happiness, your circumstances influence 10%, and your thoughts and behaviors influence 40%.  Keep reading to understand the power of each of these happiness factors.

Leadershift: John Maxwell on Changes You Must Embrace

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What’s a leadershift? What changes must you make if you want to keep growing as a leader? In his book Leadershift, John Maxwell argues that today’s leaders must abandon traditional management practices and make “leadershifts.” This is the word he uses to describe changes in how people think, communicate, and act as leaders. Continue reading for an overview of Leadershift.

Christianity in the Victorian Era: When Masculinity Was Genteel

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What were Christian men like during the Victorian Era? How and why did masculinity change around the turn of the 20th century? A professor of history and gender studies at Calvin University, Kristin Du Mez, presents an intriguing perspective of Christianity in the Victorian era in her book Jesus and John Wayne. She focuses on men and masculinity and argues that they were quite different than they became in the 20th century. Read more to understand Du Mez’s views.

Selflessness in Leadership: 3 Ways to Put Your Team First

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Do you need other people? Are you a giver or a taker? Do you tend to run ahead of others and leave them behind? Many leaders think in terms of what’s best for themselves and base their decisions on their personal goals and opinions. John C. Maxwell writes that, to be an effective leader, you must prioritize your team’s needs over your personal ambitions. Keep reading for Maxwell’s advice on how to practice selflessness in leadership.

Happiness and Wellness: 3 Ways to Be Happier by Being Healthier

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How are happiness and wellness connected? What are some practical ways to get these significant parts of your life to work together? Sonja Lyubomirsky contends that you can assert some control over your long-term happiness by boosting your physical and mental health. She recommends three strategies to help you strengthen your mental and physical resilience, deepen your appreciation for life, and live authentically. Continue reading to find out more about these strategies and outcomes that illustrate the natural link between happiness and wellness.

The Rise of the Religious Right in America (Kristin Du Mez)

The sun beaming on the Christian cross and the American flag.

How are the election and presidency of Ronald Reagan connected to American Christianity? Who popularized the religious right? In Jesus and John Wayne, history and gender studies professor Kristin Du Mez traces the link between politics and evangelical Christianity in America. She lays out the roots of the religious right and how it entered the mainstream in the 1980s. Continue reading to learn about the rise of the religious right in America.

Trump and Christianity: Why Did Evangelicals Elect Him?

Trump and Christianity: Why Did Evangelicals Elect Him?

What’s the relationship between Donald Trump and Christianity—especially evangelicalism? Why do so many Christians endorse him? In Jesus and John Wayne, Kristin Du Mez traces the development of evangelicals’ conception of masculinity since the 1900s, outlining how the genteel masculinity of Victorian-era Christianity transformed into the militaristic masculinity that led evangelicals to embrace Trump wholeheartedly. Read more to get Du Mez’s take on the intriguing link between Donald Trump and Christianity.