What Your Body Knows about Happiness - by Janice Kaplan

About the Book

Subtitle on cover/jacket: How to use your body to change your mind.

Book Synopsis

Happiness isn't just a state of mind. It's also a state of body.

Standing straight can give you a shot of confidence and forcing a smile might improve your mood. But do you know why? We generally believe that the brain is the big computer telling our bodies how to respond, but new research shows that the system often works in reverse. Your body reacts first, and your brain then interprets the physical signals. As you walk by a dark alley, your heart starts pounding and only then does your brain get the message: I'm scared! The body can also send messages about positive emotions, allowing you to experience more happiness, love, and joy.

Based on groundbreaking research and expert opinions, What Your Body Knows About Happiness will teach you:

• How to use your body to spark your creativity
• How to find joy through your senses
• How changing your environment can improve your mood
• The unexpected powers of diet, exercise, and sex
• The ways your brain can resolve bodily pain
• How to create optimism through your body

In What Your Body Knows About Happiness, Janice Kaplan, the New York Times bestselling author of The Gratitude Diaries, explores the startling new evidence showing that our feeling bodies are often smarter than our thinking minds. Talking to experts in a wide range of fields, she brings her distinctive brand of conversation, humor, and storytelling to scientific research, drawing unexpected links that reveal the power of body-mind connections. You'll also get tips and strategies for knowing your body in a whole new way--leading to greater happiness and pleasure every day.

Review Quotes

"A worthy addition . . . on the mind-body connection." -- Publishers Weekly

"What Your Body Knows About Happiness is an exploration of the importance of our bodies in experiencing true joy. Through engaging storytelling and scientific research, Janice Kaplan uncovers the wisdom encoded within our physical selves, and offers practical strategies to harness this knowledge for a happier, more fulfilling life." -- Ellen Langer, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University and author of The Mindful Body

"Grab this book, find a comfortable chair, and settle in for a delightful master class in what makes us happy. Grounded in science, Janice Kaplan's book will show you how the connections between mind and body--hidden in plain sight--can be harnessed every day to bring more joy into your life." -- Robert J. Waldinger, MD, New York Times bestselling co-author of The Good Life and Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

"My grandmother always told me 'Healthy mind in a healthy body.' Janice Kaplan's terrific book is an exploration of why my grandma turned out to be right. The mind and body cannot be separated. Janice uses science, personal stories, and humor to show how we can live happier, more fulfilling lives by paying attention not only to our brains, but also everything below our necks. Everybody (and every mind) can benefit from reading it. " -- AJ Jacobs, New York Times bestselling author of The Year of Living Biblically and It's All Relative

"Our bodies influence our minds and our minds watch out for our bodies--after all, they grew up together! Janice Kaplan's delightful book brings to life all the wonderful, and often surprising, evidence of this close bond between two lifelong friends." -- John Bargh, author of Before You Know It and Professor of Psychology, Yale University

"This book brings research out of psychology and neuroscience labs and takes it for a walk in the real world, allowing us to overcome the disconnect between our mind and our body in the process. Delightful and well researched, What Your Body Knows About Happiness will help you find more ways to explore happiness in everyday life." -- Shawn Achor, New York Times bestselling author of Big Potential and The Happiness Advantage

"A must-read for anyone looking for practical ways to enhance their daily joy. Kaplan's exploration beautifully explores the relationship between mind and body, showing how intertwined the two are in supporting our well-being. By blending engaging storytelling with the latest research, Kapan offers valuable insights into how making simple changes in either your routine, physical environment, or both, can have a profound positive impact on your happiness." -- Mike Rucker, Ph.D., Author of The Fun Habit

"A fresh and engaging perspective on happiness from the inside out. Reading this book will make you happier, and living out its principles will help you thrive!" -- Aditi Nerurkar, MD, author of The 5 Resets