The Happiness Experiment by Carl Barney - Book Review

 

Title: The Happiness Experiment; A Revolutionary Way to Increase Happiness

Author: Carl B. Barney

Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press

Publication Date: July 8, 2025

Length: 383 pages

Making a Happiness Plan and Living It Out
Mr. Barney decided to give some of his friends and associates "pre-quests" or Happiness Grants. This was money that he would have left to these people in his will, but he decided to give them the money while he was still living.

The main requirement for receiving this money was to create a happiness plan. This was a detailed plan on how the money would be spent in the next 5 years. The money was to be used to create happiness for the receivers, not to be given away.

My Thoughts
I enjoyed this book and was very impressed with the process that the author used to determine who would receive the grants and the planning that was required before the money was awarded. 

It is true that a large sum of unexpected cash can definitely change your life for the better, but careful planning is a must. I have read horror stories about how lottery winners have received huge sums of money and it ruined their relationships and their life. Mr. Barney required the recipients of his grants to work with a life coach and financial planner to make sure the money would be used in ways that were aligned with the recipient's values and long term goals.

The author enjoyed watching the recipients of his generosity achieve happiness through travel, home improvements, entertainment and shared experiences with friends and family.

This experiment had a happy ending and the book provides detailed information about how anyone can achieve similar results.

MY RATING: 5 Stars Out Of 5

Thank you to NetGalley for a free digital copy of this book to read and review.

Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World - Book Review

Title: Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World

Author: Scott Shigeoka

Publisher: Balance (Hachette Book Group)

Publication Date: November 14, 2023

Length: 228 Pages

About the Author
Scott Shigeoka is an internationally recognized curiosity expert, speaker, and author.  He is known for translating research into strategies that promote positive well-being and connected relationships around the globe, including at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center and through his groundbreaking courses at the University of Texas at Austin. 

DIVE into Curiosity and Transform Your Life
The author uses the acronym DIVE to explain how curiosity is our superpower;
Detach - Let go of the ABCs (Assumptions, Biases, and Certainty).
Intend - Prepare your mindset and setting.
Value - See the dignity in every person, including yourself.
Embrace - Welcome the hard times in your life.

Readers are encouraged to start practicing deep curiosity and strengthening our capacity to connect and be transformed by the people, places, and experiences we encounter.

My Thoughts
At the beginning of this book, the author describes himself as "a city-dwelling liberal Asian American spiritually queer professor and researcher from Hawaii." He quit his job and spent a year living out of his car and meeting people that he would not normally encounter. He visited rural towns, an Indigenous reservation in Minnesota, a retreat center where nuns and millennials live together, and even a Trump rally. He became a seeker.

This is really an awesome book. It explains the difference between shallow curiosity where we are just seeking information and deep curiosity which is about making someone feel heard, seen, and validated. 

The author goes into great detail about using the DIVE model to develop healthy and safe curiosity. He emphasizes the importance of listening and communication skills. Curiosity should always come from a place of genuine desire to know who someone is and how they became that way, not trying to get them to agree with our point of view.

Finally, Mr. Shigeoka suggests the following actions to begin our curiosity journey;

• Articulate curiosity as an important value.
• Embrace curiosity as an identity.
• Bring curiosity into the spaces you're already in.

After reading this book, I value curiosity and I am a seeker.

MY RATING: 5 Stars Out Of 5

Thank you to NetGalley for an excellent reading experience.

Wealth Redefined - A Review

Wealth Redefined: Charting the Way to Personal and Financial Freedom

Authors: Bob Reby and Greg Ruais

Publisher: River Grove Books

Publication Date: August 2, 2017

Pages: 183



About the Author
After graduating from James Madison University with a BA in Finance in 1985, Robert J. Reby decided to pursue his passion for personal finance by founding Reby Advisors. After more than three decades in business, his vision and the firm’s mission remain the same: to inspire people to achieve financial peace of mind.

Wealth is More Than Money

Do you have a financial plan for your future?

Have you made goals for your investment strategies?

What are your hopes and dreams for retirement?

Drawing on over twenty years of experience as a Certified Financial Planner, author Bob Reby explores the idea that wealth means different things to different people. Your health, relationships, and family are all components of wealth, and your financial plan should be in line with those values.

My Thoughts

I think this is the first book on the subject of financial planning that I have ever reviewed on this blog. I wish I had read this book AND TAKEN ACTION on managing my finances many years ago. However, it is never too late to educate myself on financial matters that will provide freedom and peace of mind in future days.

A financial plan is unique to each individual. It is based on that person's goals for the future. A large portion of this book is dedicated to retirement planning. How can you live the lifestyle that you want without running out of money?

Mr. Reby is a financial planner and highly recommends the use of a professional adviser to keep you on track with your financial goals.  He believes that "wealth redefined means that we should strive to achieve the right balance in our lives that also takes into consideration whether we're spending our time and our money on the right things."

Mr. Reby explains exactly how to go about choosing the best financial planner for your situation. He offers information about the right kind of insurance and how to avoid paying unnecessary taxes.

The author believes the most critical financial risk facing investors today is behavioral risk. That means people who make unwise investment decisions based on FEAR and GREED.  There is an entire chapter dedicated on how to avoid investment mistakes that will shipwreck your future.

As a novice investor, I found this book very helpful. The information is presented in an understandable manner and many examples and case studies are provided. This book has encouraged me to read and study and learn more on this important topic. 

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below. I will reply to all questions and remarks.

FYI - I received a digital review copy of this book from Net Galley.

Book Review: Building Your Beautiful Light

What are personal core values?

Do you know the difference between core values and beliefs?

Are you working from society's values instead of your own inner ones?

Bonnie Copeland instructs readers on how to identify and prioritize their personal core values in "Building Your Beautiful Life; Find Your Power Living From Your Values and Truth".



Life Coach Bonnie Copeland loves to teach about values-based living. This book  provides tools that will help you make important changes in your life.

"Wouldn't it be something to be able to consciously make a choice based on our clearly, defined values rather than some loosely based feelings?"

About The Author
Bonnie Copeland is a certified personal life coach and author of  "My Rivendell" blog. She is focused on providing people with the tools and support they need to move themselves forward.

Personal Core Values vs. Beliefs
Our core values are a set of concepts and ideals that we use to make choices and analyze our belief system. They define who we are in our innermost heart and soul. Your personal core values are those things that you must live from to ensure a happy and fulfilling life.

Our belief system is a set of perceptions that we have chosen to accept as being truth. Beliefs are more about outer focus of the world and how it functions. They come from past experiences, our parents, teachers and communities. Our beliefs merge together with our values in our day to day life.

"When you know a person's values hierarchy, you should be able to predict their general behavior."

Bonnie Copeland provides three activities in this book to help the reader identify and prioritize their values. I don't usually take time to do the activities in the books that I review, but I decided to give this activity a try.

Ms. Copeland suggests that you write down as many values that come to your mind on separate cards (I used sticky notes). You then reflect on these values and try to arrange them in order of importance. She suggests that you narrow the number of values down to eight to ten.

I made a list of ten values that are near and dear to my heart. These are the values that I will be reflecting on and attempting to prioritize in the next several weeks (I have listed them in alphabetical order);

1. Courage
2. Creativity
3. Family
4. Generosity
5. Growth/Learning
6. Intimacy
7. Love
8. Security
9. Spirituality/Faith
10. Thankfulness 

What Does This Mean For You?
 "It means you now understand where you are right this minute. You have a picture of what you are focusing on, where your energy goes and what is underlying most of your choices. You also may see where there is conflict with what you think is expected of you and where your values lie."

This Little Book Has Value
"Building Your Beautiful Light" is a 39-page ebook that offers some quality information about living your best life. Ms. Copeland is offering this book at a 50% discount if you use the coupon code "HappyHolidays". I believe you will be truly blessed if you read this book and do the work that is required to make values-based decisions and choices.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: The Rules Of Life

This book is loaded with inspiration and common sense. The Rules of Life: A Personal Code for Living a Better, Happier, More Successful Life", by Richard Templar, is divided into the following parts; (1) Rules For You, (2) Partnership Rules, (3) Family And Friends Rules, (4) Social Rules, (5) World Rules.
The author lists 100 rules that can help you live a happier and more successful life. The chapters are short and the book is a fast read. The challenging part is to process this information and put the rules to work in your life.
The very first rule is a tough one for me. Rule #1: "Keep It Under Your Hat." I am terrible at keeping secrets. The author advises the reader to keep the changes that you are making in your life as a result of reading this book to yourself; "Don't preach, propagate, try to convert, shout from the rooftops or even mention this ... just get on with it, do it quietly, and go about your daily life happily and smugly without having to tell anyone anything". So, I have already broken the first rule by writing this book review.
This is the kind of book that should be used as a handbook for growth. The author does not promote religious doctrine but he emphasizes that it is vital to have a belief system and to keep the faith. The rules for marriage are excellent and a gentle reminder to "treat your partner better than your best friend." The rules for family life will remind you that "there are no bad children" and "your children need to rebel to leave home."
The dedication of the book features the following phrase; "No Fear ~ No Surprise ~ No Hesitation ~ No Doubt." This book will give you a kickstart for the new year. You don't have to worry about writing your new year's resolutions ~ Just resovle to be a "rules player" in the new year.
I grabbed this book when it was offered as a free download on my Kindle 3. I listened to most of this book as we travelled to our Thanksgiving destination. I love the fact that every book is also an audio book on the Kindle.
The author has also written The Rules of Work, Expanded Edition: A Definitive Code for Personal Success (Richard Templar's Rules) about achieving success in the workplace.  I have not read this book but plan to do so in the future.