Stop chasing happiness and reconnect to the meaning of each moment with this poignant guide, told through vignettes of life growing up as a Buddhist monk under the spiritual leader Thich Nhat Han.

We spend so much time in pursuit of happiness—trying to purchase it, experience it, meditate our way toward it—but happiness is elusive and doesn’t last. According to the teachings of the Buddha, this is not a problem! As Cuong Lu writes, “suffering is not a problem to be solved. It is a truth to be recognized.” Happiness Is Overrated invites us to look deeply at the truths in our lives—not glossing over or denying our suffering—and focus on the meaning and value already within us.

Each chapter shares a lesson drawn from Buddhist psychology and the Four Noble Truths, which are accessible to all readers. Short practices at the end of each of the 30 short chapters help readers apply the teachings in their own.

Happiness Is Overrated helps readers get in touch with their true selves and their true minds, through meditation and mindfulness practices that include paying attention to the breath, considering our minds, connecting with our hearts, interconnectedness with others, and more.

CUONG LU, Buddhist teacher, scholar, and writer, was ordained a monk at Plum Village in France under the guidance of Thich Nhat Hanh. In 2000, he was recognized as a teacher in the Lieu Quan line of the Linji School of Zen Buddhism. Cuong is the founder of Mind Only School, leads retreats, and gives Dharma talks in Europe, the US, and Asia. He is the author of The Buddha