For Individuals

As I’ve worked on this project, I’ve found a lot of books, articles, apps, and more offering insight into happiness in life and at work. Here are some of my favorites. Have faves of your own? Please let me know!

I made a tip sheet you can download it here: Joyful Museums handout #1 individuals.


Read these books

The Care and Keeping of Museum Professionals by Sarah C. Erdman, Ed. I’m honored to have my Joyful Museums project work featured in this book!

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck

Simply fantastic. A quick read using lots of stories, but she doesn’t dumb down at all. I wish this book was required reading in high school– we would all be a lot better off. Read it and never look back.

Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive by Barbara L. Fredrickson

I picked up this book after reading a review in the Metro (of all places). Fredrickson’s research truly resonated with me and made me a student of positive psychology for life. She argues that positivity is more important than happiness and offers suggestions on how to create a more positive life outlook. Although a 2013 report debunks the math behind the 3:1 ratio (conducted by her co-author, Marcial Losada, a Chilean psychologist and business consultant), Fredrickson stands by her conclusions in the book.

The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick) by Seth Godin

Here’s how I reviewed this book in 2010: “I told one of my coworkers about this book, and gave him a very excited summary of it. He crossed his arms and sat back in his chair. Am I in The Dip right now? Maybe. Like Seth says, the time to start looking for other jobs is when you’re happy. The status quo sneaks up on you.”

Give and Take by Adam Grant

If you think networking is sleazy or if you think you might be a “doormat” at work, read this book.

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

The research for this book comes from a number of my favorite authors/ researchers so I was destined to enjoy this book. And I did. I even left it for my boss to read. The book reinforced some tricks I already knew but also taught me a lot of new techniques.


Bookmark these websites


Study with the experts


Read these articles

Why you are unhappy at work

Improving your current work situation 

Getting a new job

Emotional intelligence

Work/life balance

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