Happiness Guru Arthur Brooks and Existential Anget

In the spirit of Arthur Brooks's sermons on loving your enemies, I think that Brooks is well-intentioned and I am impressed at his skill in selling his snake oil to Oprah Winfrey. But, perhaps because I am depressed, and acknowledging that I was rejected from Harvard Law School, I find his books and podcasts on happiness infuritating although like a moth to a flame, I am still drawn to listen and read. What is wrong with me? Maybe I just want to be miserable?

Brooks puts faith at the forefront of his four pillars of happiness and perhaps that rubs me the wrong way because I have lost my faith.

Maybe I still am disgusted at his support of pseudoscience and rich donors at the American Enterprise Institute, with colleagues including Charles Murray.

But, Brooks does have some good points and I am depressed and miserable.

Maybe I have read too many self help books and failed and failed to implement.

If anyone has any words of wisdom or support as I sit inside gloomy and frustrated on a rainy day it would be greatly appreciated.

[Marysblue]

It takes a lot of time and repetition. I find trying to stay in the present day helps me.