Mindfulness Is Better Than Chocolate: A Practical Guide to Enhanced Focus and Lasting Happiness in a World of Distractions

by David Michie

Overview

“This book is better than chocolate!”—Tal Ben-Shahar, New York Times best-selling author of Happier and Choose the Life You Want

Distractions are everywhere these days. Our thoughts drift to what we need to do tomorrow, or what went wrong yesterday. Even pleasurable things—like eating chocolate—don’t receive our full attention. We miss out on joy that is easily within reach!

In Mindfulness Is Better Than Chocolate, David Michie gives us the tools to rewire our brains for happiness. “Mindfulness” is paying attention to the present moment, deliberately and nonjudgmentally—and science has shown that those who practice it experience a wealth of benefits:

• Reduced stress
• Stronger immune systems
• More ease in breaking bad habits
• Improved self-esteem
• Enhanced mental clarity
• Sharper memory
• Overall well-being
• . . . and better-tasting chocolate!

As Michie explains, the way we see the world is our own creation. Drawing on both Buddhist teachings and contemporary science, he teaches us how to experience a mind free of stress and dullness. By harnessing the power of mindfulness and meditation, we can find everything we need to be fulfilled, productive, and content!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781615192588
Publisher:	The Experiment, LLC
Publication date:	01/06/2015
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	625,698
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

David Michie, PhD, is the internationally published author if Buddhism for Busy People,Hurry Up and Meditate, and numerous other books, including a successful series of novels featuring the Dalai Lama's cat. He is a meditation coach to both secular and Buddhist audiences, and a cofounder of Organisational Mindfulness, which caters to the corporate sector. Michie holds a doctorate in Communications Strategy.

Table of Contents

1 Is mindfulness really better than chocolate? 1

2 What is mindfulness and why does it matter? 15

3 How to meditate 29

4 The benefits of meditation and mindfulness 49

5 How mindfulness benefits organizations 89

6 Ten tips for getting into the meditation habit 116

7 How to apply mindfulness in your daily life 134

8 Our mindfulness journey 147

9 How mindfulness makes us happier 167

10 What is mind? 195

11 How to meditate on your own mind 224

12 Healing and the mind 255

Epilogue 284

Acknowledgements 290

Further reading 293

Notes 295

About the author 310

Editorial Reviews

"A delightful read, providing practical tools and examples around mindfulness and meditation; steeped in tradition, yet brought to life in the modern world. The topic is supported with considerable research examples which resonate with me as a practitioner in the field of positive psychology and it was a joy to see it done so clearly."

Sue Langley

"No matter where you are on your own journey, this book offers fresh insights, inspiration, and encouragement for further exploration."

Conscious Living Magazine

"David Michie discusses the many proven health benefits a mindfulness practice can deliver and how it can enhance both your professional and personal lives, then explains how to meditate and troubleshoots common obstacles. Michie is a warm, funny writer and by the end of his book you, like he, may well be saying, ‘Chocolate, schmocolate. Show me the meditation cushion!’"

WellBeing magazine

"Full of great advice relevant to most people’s lives, with a constant undercurrent of humor."

NOVA magazine

"A practical and informed exposition of meditative techniques, complemented by a lucid scientific overview."

Gordon Parker

"Through rigorous and playful writing, David Michie provides an excellent perspective on the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of mindfulness practice. This book is better than chocolate!"

Tal Ben-Shahar

"Essential reading for leaders who want to train their minds to engage in strategic thought."

Gary Martin

"Happiness is a choice, but it also requires practice. Michie weaves together positive psychology research with practical mindset and habit changes to make the pursuit of happiness and mindfulness much more attainable in our fast paced world. Michie rescues mindfulness from the mediocrity of mere stress management, and elevates it to a daily calling. If we have developed cultural attention deficit disorder due to the constant bombarding of our attention, Michie offers a practical vaccine."

Shawn Achor

"A fascinating and illuminating journey into the many rewards that practicing mindfulness can bring: from stress release, to greater focus, to a deeper understanding of your own mind."

Beth Phelan

"David Michie demonstrates a fine knack for capturing the essence of this important topic and presenting it in a fun and accessible way. In Mindfulness is Better than Chocolate he perfectly explains what mind­ fulness is, why it’s important, and, most notably, how we can practice and integrate it into our lives. I know for a fact that mindfulness can enhance health and happiness; this book will help any reader become more mindful."

Dr. Timothy Sharp

No matter where you are on your own journey, this book offers fresh insights, inspiration, and encouragement for further exploration.”—Conscious Living Magazine

“Full of great advice relevant to most people’s lives, with a constant undercurrent of humor.”—NOVA magazine

“David Michie discusses the many proven health benefits a mindfulness practice can deliver and how it can enhance both your professional and personal lives, then explains how to meditate and troubleshoots common obstacles. Michie is a warm, funny writer and by the end of his book you, like he, may well be saying, ‘Chocolate, schmocolate. Show me the meditation cushion!’”—WellBeing magazine

“Through rigorous and playful writing, David Michie provides an excellent perspective on the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of mindfulness practice. This book is better than chocolate!”
—Tal Ben-Shahar,New York Times best-selling author of Happier and Choose the Life You Want

“Happiness is a choice, but it also requires practice. Michie weaves together positive psychology research with practical mindset and habit changes to make the pursuit of happiness and mindfulness much more attainable in our fast paced world. Michie rescues mindfulness from the mediocrity of mere stress management, and elevates it to a daily calling. If we have developed cultural attention deficit disorder due to the constant bombarding of our attention, Michie offers a practical vaccine.”
—Shawn Achor,New York Times best-selling author of The Happiness Advantage and Before Happiness

“David Michie demonstrates a fine knack for capturing the essence of this important topic and presenting it in a fun and accessible way. In Mindfulness is Better than Chocolate he perfectly explains what mind fulness is, why it’s important, and, most notably, how we can practice and integrate it into our lives. I know for a fact that mindfulness can enhance health and happiness; this book will help any reader become more mindful.”
—Dr. Timothy Sharp, The Happiness Institute

“A delightful read, providing practical tools and examples around mindfulness and meditation; steeped in tradition, yet brought to life in the modern world. The topic is supported with considerable research examples which resonate with me as a practitioner in the field of positive psychology and it was a joy to see it done so clearly.”
—Sue Langley, Emotional Intelligence Worldwide

“A fascinating and illuminating journey into the many rewards that practicing mindfulness can bring: from stress release, to greater focus, to a deeper understanding of your own mind.”
—Beth Phelan, World Happiness Forum

“A practical and informed exposition of meditative techniques, complemented by a lucid scientific overview.”
—Gordon Parker, AO, Scientia Professor of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales

“Essential reading for leaders who want to train their minds to engage in strategic thought.”
—Gary Martin, CEO, Australian Institute of Management WA

From the Publisher