Review of Fireproof Happiness

[muriah huerta]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Fireproof Happiness" by Dr. Randy Ross.]

---

3 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Fireproof Happiness: Extinguishing Anxiety & Igniting Hope by Dr. Randy Ross, is a self-help book that begins with a quick explanation of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on emotional and mental health as the world navigates isolation and change in everyday life. The pandemic is used as an analogy to explain the great deal of stress and hopelessness that is amplified by the unknown. He discusses the misunderstood concept of hope and its quick dismissal as wishful thinking and argues that hope is more effectively described as emotional momentum or the will to make things happen. Along with the key elements of hope, Ross explains how one can find ways to effectively understand and overcome adversity as well as prioritize what matters most, happiness. There are also chapters focusing on how challenges make people resilient, more creative, relatable, and better equipped to handle bigger challenges. Ross also mentions the way the psychology of hope can be applied to specific aspects of life like productivity, leadership, health, and positivity. The different strategies in pursuit of happiness include various studies and examples to reinforce the methods mentioned.

I give this book a 3 out of 5, because the chapters often repeat the same information in different ways, too often. I found it a little hard to keep interest but what was repeated did have some value. I agreed and resonated with the importance of having a support system as well as being cautious of relying too heavily on positivity to get through tough times. Most of the chapters were well structured and each new concept was thoroughly explained. The book would have received a better score if the chapters gave more relatable examples of how hope can be used in everyday practice. Multiple times, the examples given were about celebrities or major figures, which seemed a bit out of touch for the average reader. I also thought there was a lot of filler content between big concepts. I did find myself a little bored and counting the pages I had left in chapters that were elaborating too much on a specific topic. Overall, it wasn't a very difficult read. I'd recommend it to someone who is just jumping into self-help material but I wouldn't recommend it to someone who may have experience with similar content.

******
Fireproof Happiness
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon