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Most of us would agree that happiness is a state of mind, one that requires more than a little maintenance. Perfect for giving your attitude a tune-up, the books below are all about achieving—and sustaining—a sunny mindset. Get ready to focus, reflect and feel happy, starting today.

In a 2016 United Nations report, Denmark was named the happiest place in the world, a title the country has earned in previous years. The sod, it seems, really is greener in Scandinavia. What’s the key to Danish contentment? Copenhagener Meik Wiking, a researcher for the World Database of Happiness, believes it’s hygge (pronounced hue-gah), the feeling of snug domesticity, companionship and security that’s central to the country’s culture. 

For those of us who live in less idyllic locations—the U.S. ranked 13th on the list of happy nations—Wiking has written The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living. In brief, breezy chapters, Wiking outlines ways we can weave hygge into the fabric of our daily lives, offering ideas on everything from decorating (candles are a hygge must-have) to dining (try the recipe for robust Skipper Stew). But hygge, Wiking points out, is much more than an aesthetic. It’s a state of mind that fosters optimism and stresses pleasure over the pressure to be perfect. The hygge way means it’s OK to disconnect from work and assemble with friends, to indulge in—yes—a Danish or two (statistics show that Denmark outeats the rest of Europe when it comes to sugary treats). As life philosophies go, this one sounds pretty sweet.

Author Malene Rydahl presents a different take on what makes Denmark tick in Happy as a Dane: 10 Secrets of the Happiest People in the World, arguing that her homeland is flourishing thanks to a solid social framework and a value structure that emphasizes personal contentment instead of status. Her 10-secrets list features qualities that define Danish society—traits such as trust, a supportive educational system, a sense of unlimited opportunity and an appreciation for simple pleasures. 

When applied to our personal lives, Rydahl says, these big-picture elements can generate the same sense of positivity that makes Denmark the happiest place on the map. Rydahl, who is Copenhagen’s goodwill ambassador, suggests simple shifts in perspective. By focusing on community, calibrating the career-life equation and developing independence and self-worth, we can create a strong foundation for fulfillment. From start to finish, Rydahl lays out a persuasive case for making 2017 the year of living Danishly.

HOW-TOS FOR HAPPINESS 
For more than a decade, sought-after speaker Halley Bock has worked with companies across the country as an advisor on workplace relationships. She’s the founder of Life, Incorporated, an organization that promotes connection, compassion and good old-fashioned joy as prime factors in personal satisfaction. Bock shares her unique approach to self-growth in Life, Incorporated: A Practical Guide to Wholehearted Living. The key word here is practical, as Bock provides concrete techniques that can help readers find new ways to flourish.

Bock’s position on self-fulfillment is holistic. She urges us to inventory our lives—to take stock of home environment, physical health, career and downtime and, through writing prompts that tap into personal inspiration, envision more rewarding versions of each. Building self-esteem, finding a sense of purpose and maintaining authentic connections with others are among her areas of emphasis. “The more we are able to live life on our own terms,” Bock observes, “the more we are able to experience wholehearted success and fulfillment.” If you’re looking for a hands-on plan for cultivating happiness, Bock’s book is for you.

POSITIVE PRACTICES
So many of us, it seems, are creatures of habit, ruled by schedules and routines. In the midst of all the busyness, it’s easy to stagnate—and stress (two verbs you should banish from your vocabulary in 2017!). Are we humans really capable of change? According to Zen master Joseph Emet, the answer to that question is a resounding yes, and in Finding the Blue Sky: A Mindful Approach to Choosing Happiness Here and Now, he shows readers how. Through a series of daily practices that includes planned meditation, Emet offers a blueprint for forming a more mindful mode of living and stopping the cycles of negative thinking that so often undermine happiness. 

Drawing on his Buddhist background, Emet provides themes for meditation and soul-searching questions, all aimed at helping the reader develop a more affirmative outlook. He also delves into issues that can complicate daily life, including mood management and relationships. Establishing positive habits and patterns of thinking is central to contentment, Emet notes, but practice makes perfect—we have to act with intention if we want the changes to be permanent. He makes it all seem achievable in this stirring, heartfelt book.

PATH TO A HAPPIER YOU
Full of smart suggestions for finding fulfillment, Rachel Kelly’s Walking on Sunshine: 52 Small Steps to Happiness is sure to put a spring in your stride. In this mood-brightening guide, Kelly, a bestselling British author and mental health advocate who has struggled with depression, reveals the techniques she relies upon for leading a bountiful life.

In journal entries attuned to the seasons, Kelly supplies 52 ideas—one for each week of the year—for creating a more satisfying lifestyle. Try building into your schedule “pockets of peace”—times to power down, pause and reflect—in order to become more mindful of the present moment. Start practicing gratitude by pinpointing positive incidents and recording them in a notebook. Tiny tweaks like these, Kelly says, can make a big difference in our attitudes and interactions.

This article was originally published in the January 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Are you kicking off 2017 determined to make it your best year yet? Breaking old habits or starting new routines can seem like insurmountable tasks without help and advice. Follow the strategies in the books below, and you’ll have a head start on making meaningful changes in the year ahead.

TAKE LIFE PRO-TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS
Tim Ferriss has attracted a huge following with his website, bestselling books (The 4-Hour Workweek, etc.) and podcast (“The Tim Ferriss Show,” downloaded more than 100 million times) that offer advice on living the life of your dreams. In his whopping new collection, Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers, Ferriss distills the wisdom from nearly 200 podcast interviews with high achievers. The “titans” represented here range from “governator” Arnold Schwarzenegger to writer Maria Popova, founder of BrainPickings.org.

Ferriss describes himself as a “compulsive note-taker” who carefully tracks his activities to figure out what works and what doesn’t in his quest to be healthy, wealthy and wise. Similarly, in Tools of Titans, he zeroes in on the actions and behaviors that have helped his subjects rise to the tops of their fields. One favorite question, for example, is about the person’s morning routine (performance coach Tony Robbins starts his day with a cold water plunge; entrepreneur Peter Diamandis does stretches in the shower). The tips from interviewees are supplemented with summaries of Ferriss’ own strategies, from “5 Tools for Faster and Better Sleep” to “Mind Training 101.” A Poor Richard’s Almanack for the 21st century, Tools of Titans is a practical and inspiring guide to being your best.

GET OFF THE COUCH AND GET ORGANIZED
If you’re looking for gentle and encouraging advice on tidying up your living space, you should probably steer clear of Unf*ck Your Habitat: You’re Better Than Your Mess. Author Rachel Hoffman takes a drill-sergeant approach to housekeeping and organization, laying down the law in clear, direct and very funny fashion. One rule is non-negotiable: You will make your bed, every day. “I can hear you whining from here, seriously. I know you don’t want to make your bed. I know you don’t see the point. . . . But a messy bed makes a room look messier and a made bed brings a focal point of cleanliness and order.” Hoffman spells out the basics of cleaning (“Trash goes in the trash can. Do the dishes every day.”) and instructs the slovenly on how to build better habits. A chapter on “Emergency Unf*cking” offers helpful tips on handling an impending visit from your mom or landlord.

 
EAT LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT
A hit with readers when it was self-published, Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food is now available in an updated edition. Author Catherine Shanahan, a family physician, was motivated to study the connection between diet and wellness after she suffered problems with her own health. Through research on cultures around the world, she identified four “pillars” that healthy diets have in common: meat cooked on the bone, fermented and sprouted foods, organ meats and fresh foods. With a wealth of detail, Shanahan shows how changing what you eat can improve everything from bone strength to memory.

 
BE BOLD ENOUGH TO CONQUER YOUR FEARS
Does fear prevent you from achieving your goals? In Reach: A New Strategy to Help You Step Outside Your Comfort Zone, Rise to the Challenge, and Build Confidence, behavioral expert Andy Molinsky reveals how hard we work to avoid tasks that make us uncomfortable—from public speaking to being assertive with a co-worker. Through procrastination, passing the buck or outright avoidance, we evade what we’re afraid of. So how can this cycle of fear be broken? Molinsky identifies three Cs—conviction, or a sense of purpose; customization, or finding what works for you; and clarity, being honest about the problem—to help you make the leap and confront your challenges.

SIMPLIFY AND LIVE WITH LESS
Though she’s French, author Dominique Loreau has lived in Japan since the 1970s, adopting a Japanese mindset and taking a Zen approach to clutter. Her guide to simplifying, L’art de la Simplicité: How to Live More with Less, is an international bestseller now available in English thanks to translator Louise Lalaurie. Her outlook shares key elements with Japanese declutterer Marie Kondo (The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up), but Loreau takes a more spiritual approach, going beyond tidy closets to advocate minimalism in all aspects of life, from eating to relationships. The reward for shedding what we don’t need, she asserts, is a purer spirit and a more satisfying life.

SAVOR YOUR DOWNTIME
Let’s face it: Being without our smartphones for even a few minutes can be a distressing experience. In an era of constant connection, how do we wind down and enjoy times of quiet contemplation? Eva Hoffman has some elegant thoughts on the subject in How to Be Bored, the latest in the School of Life series, which tackles some of life’s big questions in slender volumes. As Hoffman points out, we all have good reasons to be busy, but there are also many good reasons to unplug: cultivating a sense of curiosity about the world, observing what’s around us more closely and, perhaps most importantly, thinking about how we want to live. “This is in a way the major task of any conscious life,” Hoffman writes, “and it has never been easy.”

This article was originally published in the January 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.