During times of uncertainty and fear, we need to become even more aware of happy, positive feelings to help neutralize unpleasant ones—especially when these are part of a collective experience that many are feeling simultaneously.

This book helps readers to consider their own happiness from a different perspective, rather than telling them how to be happy as per the latest scientific study. The four happiness principles in Practical Happiness are a philosophy for living a realistic yet happy life:

• Happiness is personal
• Happiness Zappers can be managed
• Happiness changes as you change
• Happiness is bigger than you think

 These principles help readers recognize personal happiness, manage their Happiness Zappers, recognize that happiness changes, and become more aware of new happy moments. Readers will be shown how to apply these principles so they can experience more and consistent happiness in real, concrete, and practical ways.

A recent study showed Americans are unhappier than they've been in 50 years. Prior to that, a 2018 study showed that of 2.5 million people polled, Americans are more anxious, depressed, and dissatisfied than they've been since 2009, the height of the great recession, despite the robust economy at the time of the survey. As we enter into a new challenging time globally, even more polls are confirming that we are mentally more stressed and anxious than we were prior to the pandemic. So, finding happiness will be an even bigger challenge for many people.

As Pamela Gail Johnson has learned since founding the Society of Happy People, happiness doesn't happen as the result of the absence of unhappiness, stress, fear, chaos, and annoyances. Since your happiness comes from the inside, your happy mindset influences your reaction to these experiences. How you manage those Happiness Zappers determines their influence on your personal happiness.