The Five Things We Cannot Change And the Happiness We Find by Embracing Them

Why is it that despite our best efforts, many of us remain fundamentally unhappy and unfulfilled in our lives? In this provocative and inspiring book, David Richo distills thirty years of experience as a therapist to explain the underlying roots of unhappinessand the surprising secret to finding freedom and fulfillment. There are certain facts of life that we cannot changethe unavoidable "givens" of human existence: (1) everything changes and ends, (2) things do not always go according to plan, (3) life is not always fair, (4) pain is a part of life, and (5) people are not loving and loyal all the time. Richo shows us that by dropping our deep-seated resistance to these givens, we can find liberation and discover the true richness that life has to offer. Blending Western psychology and Eastern spirituality, including practical exercises, Richo shows us how to open up to our livesincluding to what is frightening, painful, or disappointingand discover our greatest gifts.

David Richo, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, teacher, and writer who draws on Jungian, Buddhist, and poetic perspectives in his work. He leads popular workshops at the Esalen Institute, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of California at Santa Barbara, and Santa Barbara City College. He is the author of How to Be an Adult , How to Be an Adult in Relationships , and Shadow Dance: Liberating the Power and Creativity of Your Dark Side . He lives in Santa Barbara and San Francisco, California.