What if, instead of trying to fix the problems in your life, you decided that you wanted to do something different? What if you wanted to be miserable? How would you go about it, and what would you learn about yourself? You might be surprised to learn that this counter-intuitive approach to how to feel happy can actually point you in the direction of a life of contentment.

Today we have a conversation with psychologist Dr. Randy Paterson about his audiobook How To Be Miserable: 40 Strategies You Already Use. In How to Be Miserable, Dr. Paterson outlines 40 specific behaviors and habits, which—if followed—are sure to lead to a lifetime of unhappiness. On the other hand, if you do the opposite, you have an effective way to increase your happiness.

In this episode, Dr. Paterson talks about his new audiobook. He also discusses the power of flipping the question and asking: If I wanted to, how would I make myself miserable? He shares tips and exercises to identify the ways you may already be sabotaging your well-being—physically, mentally, emotionally and socially—as well as ways to break out of old, unhealthy patterns. Surprisingly, gaining insight into how to feel happy can be found in this unusual technique.

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Randy J. Paterson, PhD, is director of Changeways Clinic, a private psychotherapy practice in Vancouver, Canada. He is author of The Assertiveness Workbook and Your Depression Map, and he conducts training programs for professionals on evidence-based treatment. Through Changeways Clinic, Paterson presents lectures and workshops internationally on topics including cognitive behavioral therapy and the nature and treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. He is the 2008 recipient of the Canadian Psychological Association’s Distinguished Practitioner Award. For more information, please visit www.psychologysalon.com.

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