Dr. Ian K. Smith Gives Readers Tips on Being Happy in His New Book 'Happy'

In 28 years, I've conversed with hundreds of people of different cultures, races, backgrounds, economic statuses and locations. I purposely moved to a more diverse community in Chicago just to meet people I wouldn't meet in my old neighborhood. This drive for diversity teaches me a lot about people, and although I can't say I always got along with everyone I met or understood all of the folks I've talked to, I can say one thing for sure. We all had something in common. We all want to be happy, and Dr. Ian K. Smith gives readers enlightening tips on how to meet this goal in his 2010 book "Happy: Simple Steps to Get the Most Out of Life."

Dr. Smith talks repeatedly about our dependency on electronics (i.e., cable TV, cell phones, Internet, text messaging) and how if we take time to go back to old-fashioned letter writing and talking face to face, we'd find that doing the simpler things in life may make us happy. Unfortunately for me, the same week I got this book was the same week I decided to switch cable, Internet and phone providers. This meant I went a week without all of the stuff I relied on for entertainment outside of a cell phone, which I was too close to my maximum minutes on. With all this free time, I went straight to the lakefront (non-Chicagoans would call it "Lake Michigan") to read. Interestingly not long into the book I read this:

"Think about sitting on a beach and reading a book with the breeze blowing off the water and the pure sound of waves without the threat of the piercing shrill of a cell phone."

Talk about a coincidence. For the rest of the week, I went right back to the beach near the lakefront and kept on reading this book. I found myself going from being frustrated that I couldn't Tweet, check my e-mails and surf the net to being relieved that when I left work I could fully relax. It was fascinating to notice I became happier while reading a book entitled "Happy: Simple Steps to Get the Most Out of Life."

But it's not just advice that I took from this publication. Dr. Smith also asks readers to brainstorm on their own lives. Questions are printed inside the book that we're supposed to answer. Examples include: 1) Create a sentence that describes how you want people to remember you, and modify this sentence periodically if you desire. 2) Name the five things you hope to have accomplished by the end of your life. 3) Write a brief description of what you think your legacy will be. 4) List five things that are most meaningful in your life but are not money or material possessions. 5) Take the five things you listed above and estimate the amount of time you spend each week doing them, experiencing them, or thinking about them. Dr. Smith advises spending at least three to four hours doing each.

There are tips on how to be happy by making someone else happy, including leaving spare money by the vending machine for another person to use, donating books to the library or being a mentor. The myths about becoming older not making a person unhappy are also explored, and Dr. Smith talks about the importance of personal time, vacations and retirement so you don't work yourself to death.

Nothing in this book is going to be unfamiliar information, but the way it was written made me analyze a lot of my own decisions--business, personal, romantic and professional relationships, money wise, etc. Just writing down some of the questions that came up in "Happy" made me want to change the direction in a few things I do and maybe you will, too.

I did end up getting my Internet, phone and cable service hooked up, but I found myself using it less while I was at home. Just the luxury of reading a book quietly and laying down to relax was something I simply wasn't doing. And guess what? I'm happy to be doing it more nowadays.

I give this book a strong 5 out of 5 stars and recommend even the happiest person check it out.