One must work to improve their mood
“The Joy of Reading” was the name of one of the primers I used to learn how to read and write. I loved the title because it conveyed a clear message: reading was associated with joy.
Reading is an activity that brings many benefits, many of which are well known. Reading a text improves language skills, stimulates the imagination, increases knowledge, and reduces stress. Best of all, reading opens the mind.
With the arrival of the Internet, nowadays everyone has access to various texts, whether it is literature, news, or simply technical information about a specific field. In my case, to produce digital content, I have to read articles related to design, editing, and social media management. This type of reading has allowed me to learn technical vocabulary and understand how to apply knowledge to achieve tangible results, such as creating a video for my channel or publishing an article on my blog.
The format of reading has also changed. I love reading on paper; however, a digital book is quite a convenient option. This summer, I read several personal development books, all by Spanish authors: Víctor Küppers, a doctor in Humanities and an expert in positive psychology (the branch of psychology that studies human strengths and positive traits, such as joy, motivation, and optimism, and how these contribute to improving quality of life and achieving higher levels of well-being); Marian Rojas, a psychiatrist; and Mario Puig, a neurosurgeon.
I read Küppers’ book in airports and on airplanes. In Living and Working with Enthusiasm: Living in a Society ofFools, the author points out that joy is not just an emotion, but an attitude that can be cultivated and has a significant impact on both personal and professional life.
The book is written in a lively and simple style, making it a quick read. The comments on attitudes towards difficult situations are beautiful. “In life, there are circumstances to resolve and dramas.” If the situation is a drama, such a serious illness, a person’s attitude will be different than when dealing with a minor issue, like a broken car, which would simply be a circumstance to resolve. Küppers explains that in modern Society, people tend to see dramas where in reality there are only situations that need to be addressed.
One must allow oneself to be angry or sad, but not get stuck dwelling on negative scenarios. Negative emotions exist to be managed, and how this is done depends on each person’s attitude, not on personal circumstances or genetics. In response to a stimulus, each individual has the ability to decide how they will react.
The explanation of what one should do to foster joy are straightforward. The examples that accompany them are drawn from everyday life and include touches of humour, allowing the reader to retain the information while enjoying the reading experience.
As a teacher, the experiences in his classroom were what I most enjoyed reading, because they made me reflect. Küppers would take group of students to the oncology department of the hospital, in the children’s section, so they could learn to appreciate good health. With other students, he took them to the employment office to witness what it means to be unemployed and, in doing so, to better appreciate their own jobs.
Regarding work, Küppers recounts that on one of his flights he noticed how kind the flight attendants are. Although almost no one pays attention to them, they explain in detail what to do in case of emergency. His conclusion was that attendants have problems like everyone else, spend many hours away from home, and perform physically demanding work; yet, despite all this, they continue working with a smile, at any hour of the day or night.
Another example illustrated in the book is when Küppers asked his students to bring a plant and to water it a little or not at all. As expected, the plants gradually died and became dry sticks. Through this exercise, we learn the importance of dedicating time and care to others. In human relationships, if there is no continuous interaction, friendship disappears – just like a plant that isn’t watered. Furthermore, Küppers clarifies that a plant also won’t survive if it is watered only with a few drops occasionally, even if that water is “of the highest quality,” referring to people who talk only about the “quality of time” they dedicate to loved ones.
A joyful attitude must be practiced in everyday activities. Küppers says that when he goes to a bar to have a cold beer, he begins to savour it even before it reaches the table: he imagines it fresh, bubbly, and pleasantly flavoured. The same attitude can be applied when taking a walk or engaging in a friendly conversation with others.
Küppers points out that among the simple and easy things that help one live more joyful are:
- Learning to value positive things
- Learning to put problems into perspective
- Getting excited about things, even small ones, to have motivation
- Loving the people you care about most, dedicating time and affection to them
- Trying to take care of physical and mental health
- Being a good person to everyone
The book invites us to learn to value positive things. It teaches us about the power of a good attitude, the importance of caring for our mood, and encourages the reader to get excited and put passion into what they do. An important aspect is that it does not deny the existence of problems in life, but rather focuses on the need to maintain a positive and joyful attitude.
In conclusion, I would say that this book helped me feel happier during the trip and that reading it was a true pleasure. For more information about the book, click here.
Bibliography:
- Küppers, V. (2013) Vivir la vida con sentido. 1.ª ed. Barcelona: Plataforma Editorial. ISBN 9788416620791. Available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vivir-vida-sentido-V%C3%ADctor-K%C3%BCppers/dp/8416620792
- Gómez, R. (2024) '¿Qué es la Psicología Positiva?', Instituto Europeo de Psicología Positiva. Available at: https://www.iepp.es/que-es-la-psicologia-positiva/
- UNIR (2019) 'Qué es la psicología positiva: objetivos, antecedentes y cómo aplicarla', UNIR Revista. Available at: https://www.unir.net/revista/salud/psicologia-positiva-antecedentes-aplicacion/
- Invertir al día (2025) Ser feliz, es una elección en la vida. Victor Küppers. Avaialbe at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVGw_8y9j-Q