Happy Habits by Karen Salmansohn

HAPPY HABITS by Karen Salmansohn is a cute, little book (roughly six by seven inches) containing “50 Science-Backed Rituals to Adopt (or Stop) to Boost Health and Happiness.”  It is similar to other books (Life is Long, Think Happy, etc.) which Salmansohn has created.  Filled with colorful, “feel good” drawings, alternating pages offer her suggestions for forming habits to help the reader feel happier mentally, physically, in relationships, and at work, home or play. I especially liked that the suggestions were science based and readers can explore those findings online. There is a nice emphasis on meditation and gratitude and while some ideas (smile, stay hydrated, practice good posture) seem well-known, HAPPY HABITS offers a cheerful reminder. In fact, I think this is the kind of book that could work well in advisory over the course of a quarter (45 school days almost exactly matches the 50 suggestions), with a reminder each morning. Quite a bit has been written recently about forming positive habits – have a look at James Clear's Atomic Habits (referenced by Salmansohn and on several recent best-seller lists), and Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg, too.