Emotional Advantage

"Emotional Advantage is a comprehensive guide to emotional wellbeing, providing a multitude of bite-sized tips for how to increase well being drawn from dozens of different psychological approaches. The unifying and most important message is that all emotions serve an important purpose, and that we need to honor and embrace them all. Highly recommended for anyone wanting a broad overview of ways to increase emotional intelligence."—Kristin Neff, Ph.D., bestselling author of Self-Compassion, co-founder of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion

"Emotions control our lives for better or worse. Research has shown that emotions can have a profound effect on our physiology and ultimately affect our health. For many these effects are negative. What Randy offers through her wonderful book is not only the latest research on emotion but techniques to teach us how to use all of our emotional states to gain better insights about ourselves and by doing so allow us to live our best lives.”—James R. Doty, M.D., The New York Times bestselling author of Into the Magic Shop, founder & director, The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, Stanford

"Randy Taran's words are informative and transformative, interesting and enlightening. Reading Emotional Advantage felt like embarking on a journey, at the end of which I felt more deeply connected to myself and to others, better understood and more understanding, lighter as well as happier. Don't just read this book, engage with it! Do the exercises, apply its wisdom, open yourself up to the richness of your emotional life."—Tal Ben-Shahar, The New York Times bestselling author of Happier

"Emotional Advantage is a clear, easy to understand, journey deep into the emotions, showing how even the most challenging ones can be a wakeup call to living life fully. A fast-track to learning more about yourself and others, this is a book of hope and transformation."—Chade Meng Tan, international bestselling author of Search Inside Yourself and Joy on Demand

"Emotional Advantage is a guidebook to embracing the real version of yourself. If you've ever had to hide your feelings, or if you ever experience guilt or regret, you'll feel like it's written directly for you."—Chris Guillebeau, author of Side Hustle and The Happiness of Pursuit

"Emotional Advantage is not only a guide to managing our emotions but a call to action to work with them to create a better life and a better world."—Tiffany Shlain, Emmy-nominated filmmaker & Founder The Webby Awards & Character Day

“Emotional Advantage is such an uplifting answer to our challenging times. In its pages, you will find encouragement, support, and new perspectives. Randy Taran offers an antidote to emotional overwhelm—a powerful way to discover how useful your emotions can be in guiding you towards your best life.”—Marci Shimoff, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Happy For No Reason and Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul

“As a long-time fan and supporter of Project Happiness, I was thrilled to get my hands on Randy's new book. I expected a helpful tool for understanding, embracing, and learning from our emotions, and Emotional Advantage didn't disappoint. I wish I had found this book years ago, when I regularly numbed my feelings instead of hearing their valuable messages. With journal challenges and practical tips to take the wisdom off the page, Emotional Advantage could be just what you need to live your best life, using the gift of your emotions as a guide.”—Lori Deschene, tinybuddha.com founder, author of Tiny Buddha's Gratitude Journal and other books

"Emotional Advantage takes a fresh approach to making sense of our emotions. Randy Taran, in a clear and accessible way, reminds us that life isn’t about avoiding pain; it’s about removing the mental resistance to its inevitability. Even negative emotions are arrows pointing to our evolution. Every emotion has much to reveal when we know how to chart our inner landscape."—Dr. Shefali Tsabary, clinical psychologist and author of The Awakened Family

"Happiness is an evolving field and Emotional Advantage is the up-to-date dispenser of the latest in research and practices. Promoting the subtle intersection of enjoyment and purpose, Emotional Advantage engagingly shows how to handle one’s negative emotions and sustain one’s positive emotions. Written in a friendly yet carefully researched manner this book offers clear guidance to a better and more skillful life."—Dr. Fred Luskin, bestselling author of Forgive for Good

"Emotional Advantage is a must-read for everyone: leaders, parents, in fact, all of us who dare to envision new possibilities, to embrace the bright and beautiful, and to skillfully and gently face the inevitable struggles in life with grace and love. Randy Taran offers us a wise, honest, and well-researched map to true, sustainable and transformative happiness."—Carole Pertofsky, Director of Wellness and Health Promotion Services, Stanford University

"I recommend Randy Taran’s Emotional Advantage to all my colleagues in public office who are working hard to make their communities better. Emotional Advantage gives all of us better tools to listen deeply, foster more effective understanding, and be tolerant of the diverse nature of the communities we represent. Along with Robert's Rules of Order, this book should be required reading for all elected officials."—Senator Robert M. Hertzberg, Majority Leader, California State Senate

"Emotional Advantage illuminates a new path to working with all your emotions to reconnect with your authenticity and create a more fulfilling life. With its simple and accessible strategies, it provides actionable ways to positively impact your life and the lives of those you love."—Emma Seppälä, Ph.D., author of The Happiness Track, Co-Director: Yale Emotional Intelligence Project

"The information here will undoubtedly move readers toward a more abundant, satisfying life."—Library Journal