Make Life Happier: 23 Practical Ways to Feel Better, Find Meaning, and Make a Difference by Mark Williamson: Book Beginnings on Fridays, First Line Friday, The Friday 56, and Book Blogger Hop

            

Today's Featured Book: 

Make Life Happier:

23 Practical Ways to Feel Better, Find Meaning, and Make a Difference

by Mark Williamson

Genre: Nonfiction

Published: 2026

Page Count: 392 pages

Summary: 

This book offers 23 practical ways to make life happier. It's based on evidence from the latest scientific research combined with unique insights from the author plus proven ideas that he has helped thousands of people to adopt successfully in their everyday lives.

It goes much deeper than typical self-help advice, covering a wide range of themes which contribute to lifelong wellbeing. Crucially, the book combines actions you can do to improve your own happiness with actions that benefit others too. The first part covers self-care themes such as mindfulness, optimism, self-acceptance, goals and purpose. The second part covers relational themes, including listening, vulnerability, forgiveness and community.

 

BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAY is hosted by Rose City Reader. What book are you happy about reading this week? Please share the opening sentence (or so) on BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAY! Add the link to your blog or social media post and visit other blogs to see what others are reading.

Happy Friday and welcome to the FIRST LINE FRIDAY, hosted by Reading is My Superpower! It’s time to grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line.

I'm not a happiness gury and this book can't change your life.

So why am I writing it---and why should you keep reading?

THE FRIDAY 56 is hosted by Anne of Head Full of Books. To play, open a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% on your e-reader). Find a sentence or two and post them, along with the book title and author. Then link up on Head Full of Books and visit others in the linky. 

Despite good intentions, I really struggle with my tech use and often find myself staring at a screen instead of being there for my kids, listening to someone, enjoying a meal, or noticing my surroundings. 

Mark Williamson is the CEO and host of the British series, Action for Happiness. He was trained as an engineer, and he applies hard science to ways to find more happiness in our lives. 

I'm a huge fan of Action for Happiness and I wanted to read this book so much that I pre-ordered the book from Great Britain last April and I've been reading it ever since.

I've listened to a couple of dozen speakers on happiness at the Action for Happiness website, I've taken the six-week Happiness Habits course, and I download the monthly happiness calendar to point me in the right direction each day. 

The official book launch in US and Canada will be later, so the book isn't currently on Amazon or other stores here. These British retailers ship internationally, so please order here instead: Blackwell's or Waterstones.

The purpose of THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, and befriend other bloggers. THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.    

How do you decide which books to highlight on your blog? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee-Addicted Writer)

I highlight books I love and want to share with others.