Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time

This is truly the BEST Self-Help Book Ever Written.....If you are searching for inner peace, deeper acceptance of yourself, and you are hungry to find tools to live everyday with greater understanding and deeper meaning....then buy this book. No kidding. This is the most read book in my house. I read a chapter of it every morning, and I find inspiration and gain deeper acceptance of myself each time I read it. I am forever grateful for the tools this book has provided me, and I am thankful for the priceless gift of understanding and acceptance it has taught me regarding myself.....as well as the new found ability to "tend the causes of life...without getting obsessed with their outcome". I give this book as gifts, and highly recommend it to everyone I know. This book is so good...in fact, that I think it should be required reading for every school age child. It has the power to heal the mind and soul, and inspire new ways to thinking, viewing and understand life. It provides the reader with powerful tools to deal with everyday challenges and the turbulent travels of life.....absolutely everyone could benefit from having these tools. There is so much more I could write about this book, it is very powerful and thought provoking. All I can say is....take the plunge, and READ IT....You will never regret the time you spend reading, and taking to heart, the messages, ideas and suggestions found in each chapter.

I ordered this book about a week ago to help with some severe anxiety( as a result I've been having some uncomfortable health related side effects). I'm honestly no more then 29 pages in and feel as if its helping. I have coupled the exercises in this book with a new daily yoga regime, and already I'm finding myself more at ease, more accepting of myself, and more patient with my kids. Its really helping. The simplicity of this book is key. We're not aiming for enlightenment here, just peace of mind and a state of physical and mental calm...no lofty goals, just a sense that things are okay. Most exercises (so far) involve gently rethinking things, and letting oneself feel the positive moments in life. The writing is based on neuropsychological research, which means the aim is to really reshape the pathways of the your brain...making permanent long term change. This book is a valuable tool for anyone who is anxiety prone, prone to depression, or just prone negative self talk. This is one I will always carry with me. Wonderful, simple stuff! My thanks to the author!!

I am still reading through this book, however I already feel more positive about myself and my personal problems. This book clearly sets forth the necessity of loving and caring for oneself, and for forgiving oneself. Good advice!

This book is one more rest-stop along life's journey, or perhaps friendly directions from a stranger when you are feeling lost. I've certainly added it to my 'most valued books' list, myself. Here's the thing about "Just One Thing" - it is written very much like a user's guide for the brain. I had already read "Mindfulness for Beginners" (Jon Kabat-Zinn) and Buddhist Boot Camp (Timber Hawkeye). This is not a book about Buddhism, at all. I've also read "Buddha's Brain" (the author of "Just One Thing" also wrote it), and it is outstanding, with more details on the science, but soft on instruction. I needed more. This book, "Just One Thing", is a guidebook for taking advantage of the natural plasticity of the brain by building habits that capitalize on how the brain, and our chemistry, function in order to leverage those qualities for a more enjoyable emotionally healthy experience. If you are on the hunt for religion, this is not the book. If you are seeking skills and knowledge to provide you with greater emotional resilience, balance, and whole-body wellness, then it just may be the read you are looking for.

Really nice approach to the «simple» details that make a difference on how we feel on a daily basis. It explains clearly why each issue is important and gives tips on how to achieve that.

Sorry, Mr. Hanson, I have read some of your other books and enjoyed them tremendously and I have been watching some of your online-videos as well - absolutely perfect. But this book, I am very sorry to say, is a total disappointment. It is supposed to be some kind of a workbook but it isn't very good organized after all. If I have a problem I normally do not necessarily know the solution beforehand. So it isn't really useful to structure this book by different solutions. Moreover I found several chapters quite profane all in all. Really sorry, but this time - no recommendation from my side. If you are looking for books by Rick Hanson, stick to the other ones which are excellent.

Dr. Hanson discusses 52 practices that could help you become a calmer and happier person in his book “Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time.” While I’ve heard about some of these practices before (like self-compassion or mindfulness), there were other practices (like letting go) that was great to be reminded of. I like having these practices in one volume that I could refer to again in the future. This book is a great reference to have. The book is very practical and wise and written in a warm and down-to-earth way. I appreciated the conciseness of each chapter. Each chapter is self-contained, so that if you had to, you could leave the book and pick it up a few days later and not worry that you haven’t remembered what you read before. I came to this book with a Stoic perspective. Dr. Hanson doesn’t reference Stoicism, but I was reminded of the Stoic concept of “dichotomy of control” as something that we can think about for peace of mind. “Dichotomy of control” suggests that we focus on the things that we can control (like our own thoughts and actions) and pay less attention to the things we can’t control (like other people’s behaviour). We can’t control other people’s behaviour, but we can control how we respond to other people’s behaviour. Dr. Hansen’s book expands on the concept of dichotomy of control and provides specific strategies on what we can think about or do for peace of mind, and for that I recommend this book!

You can change your brain by how you use it. In this lovely book the author has distilled a mixture of neuroscience, psychology and mindfulness into 52 simple yet powerful daily mental practices. You can work through the book focusing on one topic a week, or just pick one that you fancy - no rules here. The idea is to do something from the book each day as it is daily practice that brings development and change. Each short and easy to read chapter starts with a title like 'Be Mindful', 'Aspire without attachment', or 'Respond, don't react', then has some very pertinent background information, which really helps with the following section on how to do it in a short daily practice. The book's simplicity and kindliness make it very accessible and therefore powerful in bringing about helpful change. I suggest keeping it to hand so that you see it and dip in often [daily].

An excellent self-help book to attain peace and maximize your potential in today's chaotic and stressed world.