The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life

Beck, author of the bestselling Finding Your Own North Star and columnist for O magazine, delivers another useful and sure-to-be-popular self-help guide. The Joy Diet, designed for the soul rather than the body, is composed of 10 steps that, once learned, are to be practiced on a daily basis to achieve greater fulfillment and a happier life. Beck strongly suggests becoming thoroughly familiar with each step, by practicing it for a week, before adding the next step. According to the author, the first step, spending 15 uninterrupted minutes a day doing nothing (meditating, engaging in repetitive physical activity, staring at some natural motion like flowing water), is the hardest to learn and the basis for all the other activities. She contends that a daily period of mindful silence provides a sanctuary that no one can ever take from you. The other nine steps include methods for dealing with emotional pain, identifying true desires, employing creativity to realize yearnings and taking appropriate risks. Beck advocates daily self-nourishment through play, humor and the enjoyment of at least three personalized treats. Written in a down-to-earth, positive tone, the author's thoughtfully designed exercises, inspirational anecdotes and gentle advice should fall on fertile ground. National publicity.