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Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time Kindle Edition
You've heard the expression, “It’s the little things that count.” It's more than a simple platitude. Research has shown that integrating little daily practices into your life can actually change the way your brain works.
This guide offers simple things you can do routinely, mainly inside your mind, that will support and increase your sense of security and worth, resilience, effectiveness, well-being, insight, and inner peace. For example, they include: taking in the good, protecting your brain, feeling safer, relaxing anxiety about imperfection, not knowing, enjoying your hands, taking refuge, and filling the hole in your heart. At first glance, you may be tempted to underestimate the power of these seemingly simple practices. But they will gradually change your brain through what’s called experience-dependent neuroplasticity.
Moment to moment, whatever you're aware of—sounds, sensations, thoughts, or your most heartfelt longings—is based on underlying neural activities. This book offers simple brain training practices you can do every day to protect against stress, lift your mood, and find greater emotional resilience.
Just one practice each day can help you to:
- Be good to yourself
- Enjoy life as it is
- Build on your strengths
- Be more effective at home and work
- Make peace with your emotions
With over fifty daily practices you can use anytime, anywhere, Just One Thingis a groundbreaking combination of mindfulness meditation and neuroscience that can help you deepen your sense of well-being and unconditional happiness.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherNew Harbinger Publications
- Publication dateOctober 1, 2011
- File size701 KB

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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Rick Hanson has done the work for us, distilling decades of self-inquiry and key psychological research into fifty-two essential skills for healthy, happy living. This deceptively simple book is a trustworthy guide to living our lives more deeply and fully. Read, practice, and your brain will surely return the favor.”
—Christopher K. Germer, PhD, clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School and author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion
“If you are looking for bite-sized daily practices that can open your heart and clear your mind, Just One Thing deserves to be at the top of your reading list. Grounded in fascinating science, psychological understanding, and timeless wisdom, this book offers a rich assortment of entirely simple, doable ways you can find more happiness and ease.”
—Tara Brach, PhD, author of Radical Happiness
“What a way to go through life! These simple yet profound practices train the brain, open the heart, and enhance well-being. Rick Hanson provides the map. If you follow it, you’ll surely increase your happiness and awaken your joy!”
—James Baraz, author of Awakening Joy
“Just One Thing is a very wise, sincere, and heartfelt guide to living well. Rick Hanson skillfully guides you through fifty-two accessible and down-to-earth practices that can transform your outlook on life and health”
—Bob Stahl, PhD, coauthor of A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook and Living with Your Heart Wide Open
“Is it improper to be begged by someone you don’t know to buy a book? Then call me improper because I am begging you to give yourself the miracle of Rick Hanson’s grounded science and earthy spirituality. Keep this book close by while giving copies to everyone you love.”
—Jennifer Louden, author of The Woman's Comfort Book and The Life Organizer
“These are great practices—wise and straightforward, scientific and nourishing. They can transform your life.”
—Jack Kornfield, PhD, author of The Wise Heart and A Path with Heart
“This gem of a book is the perfect follow-up to Rick Hanson’s brilliant Buddha’s Brain. Just One Thing offers dozens of easy-to-learn practices that slowly work their magic on our brains, making it possible for all of us to dwell in the peaceful contentment of a Buddha. Just One Thing is one of those rare books that becomes a lifelong companion—never far out of reach.”
—Toni Bernhard, author of How to Be Sick: A Buddhist-Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and their Caregivers
“Most people want to be happier, healthier, less stressed, and more self-accepting, but it’s often hard to find time to work toward these goals. The brilliance of this book is that it offers powerful, targeted practices that can be done easily throughout the day to help people reach their highest potential.”
—Kristin Neff, PhD, associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin and author of Self-Compassion
“Delightfully clear and practical, this book distills profound insights from ancient wisdom traditions, modern psychology, and cutting-edge neurobiology into simple techniques anyone can use to live a happier, saner, more rewarding life. I felt more awake and alive after reading just a few pages.”
—Ronald D. Siegel, PsyD, assistant clinical professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School and author of The Mindfulness Solution
“Just One Thing is full of simple, down-to-earth steps you can take to experience greater happiness and love in your life. Based in brain science, but written beautifully from the heart, this book is a gem.”
—Marci Shimoff, author of Happy for No Reason
From the Publisher
Combining meditative principles with fascinating neuroscientific research, Just One Thing presents more than fifty simple practices readers can do each day to wire the brain for increased happiness, positive thinking, and wisdom. Written by Rick Hanson, author of Buddha's Brain, this pocket-sized book helps readers reap the benefits of meditation through simple five to ten-minute practices they can access anytime, anywhere.
From the Back Cover
You've heard the expression, "It's the little things that count." Research has shown that little daily practices can change the way your brain works, too. This book offers simple brain-training practices you can do every day to protect against stress, lift your mood, and find greater emotional resilience. "Just One Thing" is a treasure chest of over fifty practices created specifically to deepen your sense of well-being and unconditional happiness.
Just one practice each day can help you: Be good to yourselfEnjoy life as it isBuild on your strengthsBe more effective at home and workMake peace with your emotions
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
introduction
Using Your Mind to Change Your BrainThis is a book of practices—simple things you can do routinely, mainly inside your mind, that will support and increase your sense of security and worth, resilience, effectiveness, well-being, insight, and inner peace. For example, they include taking in the good, protecting your brain, feeling safer, relaxing anxiety about imperfection, not knowing, enjoying your hands, taking refuge, and filling the hole in your heart.
At first glance, you may be tempted to underestimate the power of these seemingly simple practices. But they will gradually change your brain through what’s called experience-dependent neuroplasticity.
Moment to moment, whatever you’re aware of—sounds, sensations, thoughts, or your most heartfelt longings—is based on underlying neural activities; the same goes for unconscious mental processes such as the consolidation of memory or the control of breathing. Exactly how the physical brain produces nonphysical consciousness remains a great mystery. But apart from the possible influence of transcendental factors—call them God, Spirit, the Ground, or by no name at all—there is a one-to-one mapping between mental and neural activities.
It’s a two-way street: as your brain changes, your mind changes; and as your mind changes, your brain changes. This means—remarkably—that what you pay attention to, what you think and feel and want, and how you work with your reactions to things all sculpt your brain in multiple ways:
•Busy regions get more blood flow, since they need more oxygen and glucose.•The genes inside neurons get more or less active; for example, people who routinely relax have improved expression of genes that calm down stress reactions, making them more resilient (Dusek et al. 2008).
•Neural connections that are relatively inactive wither away; it’s a kind of neural Darwinism, the survival of the busiest: use it or lose it.
•"Neurons that fire together, wire together." This saying from the work of the psychologist Donald Hebb means that active synapses—the connections between neurons—get more sensitive, plus new synapses grow, producing thicker neural layers. For example, cab drivers who have to memorize the spaghetti snarl of streets in London have a thicker hippocampus—a part of the brain that helps make visual-spatial memories—at the end of their training (Maguire et al. 2000). Similarly, people who routinely practice mindfulness meditation develop thicker layers of neurons in the insula—a region that activates when you tune in to your body and your feelings—and in parts of the prefrontal cortex (in the front of your brain) that control attention (Lazar et al. 2005).
The details are complex, but the key point is simple: how you use your mind changes your brain—for better or worse.
There’s a traditional saying that the mind takes the shape it rests upon; the modern update is that the brain takes the shape the mind rests upon. For instance, you regularly rest your mind upon worries, self-criticism, and anger, then your brain will gradually take the shape—will develop neural structures and dynamics—of anxiety, low sense of worth, and prickly reactivity to others. On the other hand, if you regularly rest your mind upon, for example, noticing you’re all right right now, seeing the good in yourself, and letting go—three of the practices in this book—then your brain will gradually take the shape of calm strength, self-confidence, and inner peace.
You can’t stop your brain from changing. The only question is: Are you getting the changes you want?
All It Takes Is PracticeThat’s where practice comes in, which simply means taking regular action—in thought, word, or deed—to increase positive qualities in yourself and decrease negative ones. For example, studies have shown that being mindful (chapter 22) increases activation of the left prefrontal cortex and thus lifts mood (since that part of the brain puts the brakes on negative emotions) (Davidson 2004), and it decreases activation of the amygdala, the alarm bell of the brain (Stein, Ives-Deliperi, and Thomas 2008). Similarly, having compassion for yourself (chapter 3) builds up resilience and lowers negative rumination (Leary et al. 2007).
Basically, practice pulls weeds and plants flowers in the garden of your mind—and thus in your brain. That improves your garden, plus it makes you a better gardener: you get more skillful at directing your attention, thinking clearly, managing your feelings, motivating yourself, getting more resilient, and riding life’s roller-coaster.
Practice also has built-in benefits that go beyond the value of the particular practice you’re doing. For example, doing any practice is an act of kindness toward yourself; you’re treating yourself like you matter—which is especially important and healing if you have felt as a child or an adult that others haven’t respected or cared about you. Further, you’re being active rather than passive—which increases optimism, resilience, and happiness, and reduces the risk of depression. At a time when people often feel pushed by external forces—such as financial pressures, the actions of others, or world events—and by their reactions to these, it’s great to have at least some part of your life where you feel like a hammer instead of a nail.
Ultimately, practice is a process of personal transformation, gradually pulling the roots of greed, hatred, heartache, and delusion—broadly defined—and replacing them with contentment, peace, love, and clarity. Sometimes this feels like you’re making changes inside yourself, and at other times it feels like you’re simply uncovering wonderful, beautiful things that were always already there, like your natural wakefulness, goodness, and loving heart.
Either way, you’re in the process of developing what one could call a "buddha brain," a brain that understands, profoundly, the causes of suffering and its end—for the root meaning of the word "buddha," is "to know, to awake." (I’m not capitalizing that word here in order to distinguish my general focus from the specific individual, the great teacher called the Buddha.) In this broad sense, anyone engaged in psychological growth or spiritual practice—whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, agnostic, atheist, or none of these—is developing a buddha brain and its related qualities of compassion, virtue, mindfulness, and wisdom.
The Law of Little ThingsNow, if a practice is a hassle, most people (including me) are not going to do it. So the practices in this book involve either brief actions a few times a day—like finding beauty (chapter 17)—or simply a general attitude or perspective, such as relaxing anxiety about imperfection (chapter 46) or not taking life so personally (chapter 48).
Each moment of practice is usually small in itself, but those moments really add up. It’s the law of little things: because of slowly accumulating changes in neural structure due to mental activity, lots of little things can wear down your well-being—and lots of little things can get you to a better place. It’s like exercise: any single time you run, do Pilates, or lift weights won’t make much difference—but over time, you’ll build up your muscles. In the same way, small efforts made routinely will gradually build up the "muscle" of your brain. You really can have confidence, grounded in the latest brain science, that practice will pay off.
How to Use This BookBut you have to stick with it—so it really helps to focus on one main practice at a time. Life these days is so busy and complicated that it’s great to have just one thing to keep in mind.
Of course, it’s got to be the right "one thing." For forty years, I’ve been doing practices—first as a young person looking for happiness, then as a husband and father dealing with work and family life, and now as a neuropsychologist and meditation teacher—and teaching them to others. For this book, I’ve picked the best practices I know to build up the neural substrates—the foundations—of resilience, resourcefulness, well-being, and inner peace. I didn’t invent a single one: they’re the fundamentals that people make New Year’s resolutions about but rarely do—and it’s the doing that makes all the difference in the world.
You can do these practices in several ways. First, you could find one particular practice that by itself makes a big difference for you. Second, you can focus on the practices within a section of the book that addresses specific needs, such as part 1 on being good to yourself if you’re self-critical, or part 5 on being at peace if you’re anxious or irritable. Third, you could move around from practice to practice depending on what strikes your fancy or feels like it would help you the most right now. Fourth, you could take a week for each one of the fifty-two practices here, giving yourself a transformational "year of practice."
Whatever your approach is, I suggest you keep it simple and focus on one practice at a time—whether that time is an event or situation (e.g., a ticklish conversation with your mate, a crunch project at work, a meditation), a day, or longer. And in the back of your mind, other practices and their benefits can certainly be operating; for example, not taking things personally (chapter 48) could be in the foreground of awareness while taking refuge (chapter 28) is in the background.
Know what your practice is each day; the more you keep it in awareness, the more it will benefit you. Besides simply thinking about this practice from time to time, you could rest your mind even more upon it by putting up little reminders about it—such as a key word on a sticky note—or journaling about it or telling a friend what you’re doing. You could also weave your practice into psychological or spiritual activities, such as psychotherapy, yoga, meditation, or prayer.
Working with just fifty-two practices, I’ve had to make some choices:
•The practices are super-succinct; more could be said about each one of them. The title of each chapter is the practice. Chapters begin by answering why to do that practice, and then tell you how to do it. Chapter lengths vary depending on their subject.•With the exception of the very last practice, I’ve emphasized things done within yourself—such as being grateful (chapter 18)—rather than between yourself and others. (If you’re interested in interpersonally focused practices in the Just One Thing (JOT) style, you might like my free e-newsletter by that name at www.RickHanson.net.) Meanwhile, you could apply the practices in this book to one or more relationships, or engage in them with a buddy—such as a friend or a mate—or as a group (e.g., family, team at work, reading group).
•Most practices here involve taking action inside your mind—and of course it’s also important to take action in your body and in the world around you.
•There are three fundamental phases to psychological and spiritual growth: being with difficult material (e.g., old wounds, anger); releasing it; and replacing it with something more beneficial. In a nutshell, you let be, let go, and let in. You’ll find practices for each of these phases, though I’ve concentrated on the third one because it’s often the most direct and rapid way to reduce stress and unhappiness and develop positive qualities in yourself.
•While I experience and believe that something transcendental is involved with both mind and matter, I’ve stayed here within the frame of Western science.
As you engage these practices, have some fun with them. Don’t take them (or yourself) too seriously. Feel free to be creative and adapt them to your own needs. For example, the How sections usually contain multiple suggestions, and you don’t have to do all of them; just find the ones that do the most for you.
Throughout, take good care of yourself. Sometimes a practice will be too hard to sustain, or it will stir up painful issues. Then just drop it—for a while, or indefinitely. Draw on resources for practices; for example, deepening your sense of being cared about by others will help you forgive yourself (chapter 7). Remember that practice does not replace appropriate professional mental or physical health care.
Keep GoingPeople recognize that they’ve got to make an effort over time to become more skillful at driving a truck, running a department, or playing tennis. Yet it’s common to think that becoming more skillful with one’s own mind should somehow come naturally, without effort or learning.
But because the mind is grounded in biology, in the physical realm, the same laws apply: the more you put in, the more you get back. To reap the rewards of practice, you need to do it, and keep doing it.
Again, it’s like exercise: if you do it only occasionally, you’ll get only a little improvement; on the other hand, if you do it routinely, you’ll get a large improvement. I’ve heard people talk like making efforts inside the mind is some kind of lightweight activity, but in fact it’s always a matter of resolve and diligence—and sometimes it’s very challenging and uncomfortable. Practice is not for wusses. You will earn its benefits.
So honor yourself for your practice. While it’s down-to-earth and ordinary, it’s also aspirational and profound. When you practice, you are nourishing, joining with, and uncovering the very best things about you. You are taking the high road, not the low one. You’re drawing on sincerity, determination, and grit. You’re taming and purifying the unruly mind—and the jungle that is the brain, with its reptilian, mammalian, and primate layers. You’re offering beautiful gifts to your future self—the one being in the world you have the most power over and therefore the greatest duty to. And the fruits of your practice will ripple outward in widening circles, benefiting others, both known and unknown. Never doubt the power of practice, or how far your own chosen path of practice can take you.
I wish you the best on your path!
Product details
- ASIN : B005LQ6UNO
- Publisher : New Harbinger Publications
- Accessibility : Learn more
- Publication date : October 1, 2011
- Edition : 1st
- Language : English
- File size : 701 KB
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 242 pages
- ISBN-13 : 978-1608825691
- Page Flip : Enabled
- Best Sellers Rank: #433,219 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #59 in Buddhist Rituals & Practice (Books)
- #207 in Buddhist Rituals & Practice (Kindle Store)
- #696 in New Age Meditation
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Rick Hanson, Ph.D. is a psychologist, Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His six books have been published in 30 languages and include Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Just One Thing, Buddha’s Brain, and Mother Nurture - with over a million copies in English alone. His free newsletters have 220,000 subscribers and his online programs have scholarships available for those with financial needs. He’s lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard, and taught in meditation centers worldwide. An expert on positive neuroplasticity, his work has been featured on the CBS, NPR, the BBC, and other major media. He began meditating in 1974 and is the founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom. He and his wife live in northern California and have two adult children. He loves wilderness and taking a break from emails.
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Customers find this mindfulness book full of daily tips for living more mindfully, with easy-to-read strategies and practical advice that can be used to better their lives. The book serves as a helpful daily resource, with customers noting it's a great way to start or end the day. They appreciate the ideas presented, with one review highlighting how the practices are grounded in both contemporary psychology and Buddhism. The book receives mixed feedback regarding its pacing, with some finding it gentle while others describe it as dull.
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Customers appreciate the mindfulness tips in the book, which are full of daily guidance for living more mindfully and improving one's outlook on life.
"...We're not aiming for enlightenment here, just peace of mind and a state of physical and mental calm...no lofty goals, just a sense that things are..." Read more
"This book is life changing. Written simply and succinctly with warmth and compassion, Rick Hanson has definitely shared a treasure...." Read more
"Affirmations are good to use and use often for best results. I found this book a bit simplistic on the subject however." Read more
"...Hanson does this beautifully. This book is hauntingly simple and insightful. Highly recommended." Read more
Customers find the book readable and essential, with one describing it as the best self-help book ever written.
"Great book." Read more
"This a great book for anyone wanting to understand more about eastern thought, Buddha and meditation...." Read more
"Love this book and the simplistic approach to re-wire your brain - and life - to be more positive! I’ve given several copies as gifts...." Read more
"Good book. You don't have to read straight through. But do read the introduction!..." Read more
Customers find the book easy to use, appreciating its concise instructions and manageable steps.
"This is a very well put together, easy to read, easy to practice in life book...." Read more
"...So intelligent but yet so down to earth and easy to understand. We are lucky to have him in the North Bay area. This book is perfect...." Read more
"Simple but effective..." Read more
"Offers simple and effective ideas to aid in retraining your brain to be more positive...." Read more
Customers find the book very useful in their practice, describing it as a wonderful day-by-day practical guide that serves as a helpful daily resource.
"...And it's concrete, practical and very helpful..." Read more
"...Very practical and easy to read." Read more
"Very helpful. We all need these reminders, and knowing how the practice connects to the brain makes is somehow more understandable and less squishy." Read more
"...to show how very simple mind-training techniques, practiced for just a few minutes daily, can radically improve our well-being...." Read more
Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable, particularly noting that the practical exercises make it a great way to start or end the day.
"...actions can turn an unruly mind into one that is focused, strong, and happy. I recommend this book highly." Read more
"...pages are gentle reminders about how to live life more fully and joyfully...." Read more
"...The strategies are grouped into five sections: Be good to yourself, Enjoy life, Build strengths, Engage the world, and Be at peace...." Read more
"...The practical exercises are wonderful ways to begin my day. This is a paradigm shift of the first order." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's ideas, with one customer noting that the practices are grounded in both contemporary psychology and Buddhism.
"...Amazing. The practices are grounded in contemporary psychology and Buddhism, but there's nothing religious here...." Read more
"...Buddha books for people trying to understand some basic and complex teachings of Buddha. The lessons are short and easily discussed..." Read more
"This book provides some ideas to think about and some suggestions on how to apply these to your life...." Read more
"It was recommended by my life coach and I found the principles grounding." Read more
Customers find the book strong and well-constructed, with one customer highlighting its content on neuroplasticity.
"...your heart, support and increase your sense of security and worth, resilience, effectiveness, and well-being...." Read more
"...are grouped into five sections: Be good to yourself, Enjoy life, Build strengths, Engage the world, and Be at peace...." Read more
"...just some "feel good" collection of helpful hints -- there is real substance here, pared down to what is essential for building on your strengths,..." Read more
"This is a very well put together, easy to read, easy to practice in life book...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it gentle while others describe it as dull.
"...This is a gentle and effective way to change ingrained, unhealthy thinking patterns." Read more
"Not my type of book. Dull and rambling." Read more
"...connects to the brain makes is somehow more understandable and less squishy." Read more
"Superficial, same old stuff. I cannot see what value this book adds to the subject. I do not recommend it." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2012Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseIn my work as a psychotherapist I rarely recommend self-help books, because most of them aren't worth the paper they're printed on. But once in a while a book comes along that really has the power to change our lives for the better. One such book is Just One Thing, by Rick Hanson. Rick is both a neuropsychologist and a meditation teacher, and he uses the new findings of neuroscience to show how very simple mind-training techniques, practiced for just a few minutes daily, can radically improve our well-being.
The science behind the practices involves a simple principle: every time you use your mind you alter the structure of your brain. Everything you pay attention to, everything you think, feel and want, every time you react to what happens to you - all of these things sculpt your brain. Busy regions of the brain get more blood flow, and little-used neural connections wither away. "Neurons that fire together wire together" - every time you repeat any mental activity, you strengthen it and make it easier to become a habit.
What this means is that if your mind regularly focuses on worries, anger, or self-criticism, then your brain develops neural structures supporting anxiety, low self-esteem, and impatience with others. But if you regularly focus your attention on noticing that you're all right now, not taking life personally, cultivating gratitude, or letting go - then gradually your brain re-shapes itself to support calm strength, self-confidence, and inner peace. So, for instance, regularly taking the time for mindfulness pauses activates the part of the brain that puts the brakes on negative feelings, and thus lifts mood. Other practices, such as taking in the good, feeling safer, relaxing anxiety about imperfection, or filling the hole in your heart, support and increase your sense of security and worth, resilience, effectiveness, and well-being.
This book is very user-friendly. Each chapter title names a specific practice, and the rest of the chapter, which is never more than a few pages, tells you why to do it, and then how to do it. The practices themselves usually involve actions you take in your mind, such as reflecting, concentrating, or focusing your attention, and they only take a few minutes to do per day. But doing them regularly gradually re-shapes the brain to reduce stress and unhappiness, and to develop positive qualities. They're exactly like physical exercise; any single time you work out, not much changes, but over time your health and strength improve.
We all understand that we have to make effort regularly over time to do things like learning how to drive a car or play basketball, but we typically think the mind should just work fine on its own, without any effort or discipline. Rick Hanson shows us how some very down-to-earth actions can turn an unruly mind into one that is focused, strong, and happy. I recommend this book highly.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2016Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseThis is truly the BEST Self-Help Book Ever Written.....If you are searching for inner peace, deeper acceptance of yourself, and you are hungry to find tools to live everyday with greater understanding and deeper meaning....then buy this book. No kidding. This is the most read book in my house. I read a chapter of it every morning, and I find inspiration and gain deeper acceptance of myself each time I read it.
I am forever grateful for the tools this book has provided me, and I am thankful for the priceless gift of understanding and acceptance it has taught me regarding myself.....as well as the new found ability to "tend the causes of life...without getting obsessed with their outcome".
I give this book as gifts, and highly recommend it to everyone I know.
This book is so good...in fact, that I think it should be required reading for every school age child. It has the power to heal the mind and soul, and inspire new ways to thinking, viewing and understand life. It provides the reader with powerful tools to deal with everyday challenges and the turbulent travels of life.....absolutely everyone could benefit from having these tools.
There is so much more I could write about this book, it is very powerful and thought provoking. All I can say is....take the plunge, and READ IT....You will never regret the time you spend reading, and taking to heart, the messages, ideas and suggestions found in each chapter.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2024Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseBrief chapters. Easy to dip in and out of. Some of these things you probably already do, skip that chapter. You’ll find something else that helps elsewhere.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2024Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseThis book was recommended to me by a life coach.
Such a sweet book and love the weekly item for self improvement/care.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2014Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseRick Hanson, a sensitive, caring human being, obviously loves to work with people, combining psychology, neuroscience and Buddhist philosophy to enable us to feel at home with ourselves despite some opposite messages from the world. Likewise, he infuses a great deal of gentle advice throughout his 52 "practices" garnered from his life, his counseling practice, and professional associations. All this, he has gathered together in a small, concise book that can easily become one's traveling companion of practical reminders.
My first read was a "beginning to end" approach, straight through--to learn about the practices. Later, I discovered it was helpful to keep it handy for daily reflections--just opening it up to the table of contents, and seeing what particular practice would "speak to me" about my present situation. Also, with 52 practices, one practice a week can be reread daily to help the brain form new neural pathways. The reinforcement of great ideas and encouragement through difficult times not only builds good mental habits, but makes this book a little treasure chest. The more I think about it, the more ideas for using it come to mind! In any case, for periods of inspiration, and morale boosts, this book is a keeper! (And, according to neuroscience, if we keep applying what we learn, this book changes us!)
Top reviews from other countries
- mkdReviewed in Spain on May 18, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Monika
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseReally nice approach to the «simple» details that make a difference on how we feel on a daily basis. It explains clearly why each issue is important and gives tips on how to achieve that.
- Kirsten ErlenbruchReviewed in Germany on June 10, 2015
2.0 out of 5 stars Not really
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseSorry, Mr. Hanson, I have read some of your other books and enjoyed them tremendously and I have been watching some of your online-videos as well - absolutely perfect. But this book, I am very sorry to say, is a total disappointment. It is supposed to be some kind of a workbook but it isn't very good organized after all. If I have a problem I normally do not necessarily know the solution beforehand. So it isn't really useful to structure this book by different solutions. Moreover I found several chapters quite profane all in all. Really sorry, but this time - no recommendation from my side. If you are looking for books by Rick Hanson, stick to the other ones which are excellent.
- Jamie SooReviewed in Canada on August 3, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Practical Advice for Getting to Peace of Mind
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseDr. Hanson discusses 52 practices that could help you become a calmer and happier person in his book “Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time.”
While I’ve heard about some of these practices before (like self-compassion or mindfulness), there were other practices (like letting go) that was great to be reminded of. I like having these practices in one volume that I could refer to again in the future. This book is a great reference to have.
The book is very practical and wise and written in a warm and down-to-earth way. I appreciated the conciseness of each chapter. Each chapter is self-contained, so that if you had to, you could leave the book and pick it up a few days later and not worry that you haven’t remembered what you read before.
I came to this book with a Stoic perspective. Dr. Hanson doesn’t reference Stoicism, but I was reminded of the
Stoic concept of “dichotomy of control” as something that we can think about for peace of mind. “Dichotomy of control” suggests that we focus on the things that we can control (like our own thoughts and actions) and pay less attention to the things we can’t control (like other people’s behaviour). We can’t control other people’s behaviour, but we can control how we respond to other people’s behaviour.
Dr. Hansen’s book expands on the concept of dichotomy of control and provides specific strategies on what we can think about or do for peace of mind, and for that I recommend this book!
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 16, 2012
5.0 out of 5 stars Simple and inspiring
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseYou can change your brain by how you use it. In this lovely book the author has distilled a mixture of neuroscience, psychology and mindfulness into 52 simple yet powerful daily mental practices. You can work through the book focusing on one topic a week, or just pick one that you fancy - no rules here. The idea is to do something from the book each day as it is daily practice that brings development and change.
Each short and easy to read chapter starts with a title like 'Be Mindful', 'Aspire without attachment', or 'Respond, don't react', then has some very pertinent background information, which really helps with the following section on how to do it in a short daily practice. The book's simplicity and kindliness make it very accessible and therefore powerful in bringing about helpful change. I suggest keeping it to hand so that you see it and dip in often [daily].
- GeethamaniReviewed in India on May 9, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseAn excellent self-help book to attain peace and maximize your potential in today's chaotic and stressed world.