Born to Flourish:
How New Science and Ancient Wisdom Reveal a Simple Path to Thriving
Born to Flourish:
How New Science and Ancient Wisdom Reveal a Simple Path to Thriving
Overview
For anyone who is overwhelmed, stressed, or lonely in today’s world, or who simply senses they have an untapped potential to lead a more fulfilling life, here are ways to flourish.
The human species is experiencing a massive mental health crisis. Depression is now the leading cause of morbidity globally. Loneliness is more dangerous to our health than smoking 15 cigarettes per day. Suicide rates in different groups in some parts of the world are skyrocketing and cut across social class and income. Distractibility and impairments of concentration are at an all-time high, and teens are spending more time on social media than they do sleeping.
Now, based on decades of neuroscientific research, Dr Richard J. Davidson, a pioneering neuroscientist and New York Times bestselling author, and Dr Cortland Dahl, one of the world’s foremost experts on the science and practice of meditation, share their groundbreaking scientific model — the Healthy Minds Framework — that highlights the four core skills of human flourishing to counteract such problems.
Each skill — awareness, insight, connection, and purpose — translates into practices that all of us can do in simple ways, every day, with enormous positive results. When we cultivate these skills, we can navigate life’s ups and downs with far more resilience and calmness, on a path to a life that feels balanced, rich, and rewarding.
Details
- Format
- Size
- Extent
- ISBN
- RRP
- Pub date
- Rights held
- Other rights
- Hardback
- 216mm x 135mm
- 304 pages
- 9781917189392
- GBP£16.99
- 9 April 2026
- UK & Commonwealth (ex. Can)
- Simon & Schuster US
Praise
‘A proven path to living a full, rich life despite today’s challenges. We all need this!’
Praise for Altered Traits (co-authored by Richard J. Davidson):
‘This exquisite duet between a down-to-earth science writer and path-breaking neuroscientist is a tour-de-force, revealing how training the mind can transform the brain and our sense of self, inspiring us to create a greater sense of wellbeing, meaning, and connection in our world. Bravo!’
About the Authors
Dr Richard J. Davidson is the New York Times bestselling co-author of The Emotional Life of Your Brain. He is the recipient of numerous awards, and is the William James and Vilas Research Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, and founder and director of the Center for Healthy Minds, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Dr Cortland Dahl, who also works at the Center, is a scientist, translator, and leading expert on meditation and the cultivation of human flourishing. He is the author of A Meditator’s Guide to Buddhism: The Path of Awareness, Compassion, and Wisdom.