This is a particularly good list to review if you do the “Survey of Yesterday” meditation (listed under the tab “A Christian Mindfulness Course”) and you identify activities that cause definite positive or negative emotions. Some of the books below might motivate you to change your schedule.
The list below is sortable. Click on one of the column headers to re-order the items.
| Book | Topic | Description | Audible Book Cost | Kindle Book Cost | Print Book Cost | Amazon Star Rating | Christian Mindfulness Star Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Exercise and Emotional Health | Spark: the Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey M.D. makes a persuasive case that you can create a positive emotional shift in yourself through exercise. His arguments carry extra weight because he is a medical doctor and argues that exercise can be prescribed as an alternative to anti-depressant medications. The book is somewhat heavy on jargon but I would advise you to stick with it if you want motivation to exercise. | $18.29 Order Page | $9.99 Order Page | $15.99 Order Page | 4.6 with 3,692 ratings | 4.8 |
 | Social Media Usage | Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents—and What They Mean for America’s Future by Dr. Jean Twenge. In this book Jean Twenge makes a strong case that the sharp rise in youth depression rates is related to Generation Z’s addiction to screen time in general and social media in particular. If the “Survey of Yesterday” Meditation suggests you might be happier limiting your screen time, this book will provide additional motivation. | $19.68 Order Page | $16.99 Order Page | $23.49 Order Page | 4.5 with 365 ratings | 4.7 |
 | Several Different Intentional Activities | The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want by Sonja Lyubomirsky is written from a non-Christian perspective but much of the research she quotes supports the effectiveness of Biblical virtues in promoting feelings of personal happiness. She quotes projects that use statistical methods to research experiments designed to study exercises in gratitude, forgiveness and helping others. This is a great motivator if you doubt that helping others will make you happier. | $13.78 Order Page | $7.99 Order Page | $29.74 Order Page | 4.6 with 1,663 ratings | 4.7 |
 | Several Different Intentional Activities | Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being by Marty Seligman explains the statistical research on the impact of optimism on happiness, wellbeing and measurable qualities of physical health like longevity and the strength of the immune system. He also describes the value of intentional activities like gratitude journaling and other exercises recommended by a movement he helped to found called “Positive Psychology”. He writes from a non-Christian perspective but his recommendations are in line with the practice of Biblical virtues. | $17.96 Order Page | $14.99 Order Page | $24.83 Order Page | 4.4 with 1,581 ratings | 4.8 |