getAbstract Summary: Get the key points from this book in less than 10 minutes.

Going through life with a short, handy, happy philosophy – particularly one as affirming as the concept in this book – is very nice. However, a fine line separates simple from simplistic. Although some readers will enjoy the breezy easiness of this approach, others might find it to be just a first step toward becoming more upbeat. Donald O. Clifton, a pioneer in positive psychology, and his co-author and grandson, Tom Rath, developed the "bucket" and "dipper" theories of happy emotions, based on Clifton's research. The bucket is a metaphor for your sense of well-being. Every interaction fills your bucket or drains it. You also have a psychological dipper you use to add to or take away from other people's sense of joy and security – their buckets. The choice, the authors explain, is yours. The book includes small drop-shaped cards for dropping a few friendly notes. It also provides five strategies that can increase your positive emotions and those of the other people in your life. If your bucket is perennially half-empty, getAbstract recommends dipping into this bestseller to see if it holds water for you.

Book Publisher:

Gallup Press