Ep #29 The How To Die Happy Book, with Martin O'Toole
In this episode of the How To Die Happy podcast, the tables are turned as co-host Julia Malcolmson takes the driving seat to interview Martin O'Toole, the self-help author and How To Die Happy podcast creator, about his new book, How To Die Happy: curated wisdom, stories, and practical utilities for the art of living. This unique self-help book offers readers an intimate exploration of what happiness is, and how to achieve it. It also highlights what happiness is not.
Martin is on a mission to help others find true happiness. Far from being a guru, coach, or PhD, he's simply "a man on the mend". As a recovered high-functioning alcoholic, he knows first-hand the depths of depression and the challenges of chasing success. Through his experiences, he discovered the alchemy of everlasting happiness, which he shares in his book.
In this episode, Julia delves deep into Martin's motivations for writing the book while exploring some of its profound messages about attaining happiness. The co-hosts share vulnerable discussions about Martin's struggles with alcoholism and the death of his alcoholic mother, offering listeners a rare insight into the complexities of addiction, its roots and subsequent impact on family dynamics.
Throughout the episode, various facets of the human experience come under the spotlight, from death to self-love, forgiveness, and mindfulness practices. Martin's "Anatomy of Happy" for finding and maintaining true happiness is detailed, offering practical tools for readers to follow.
Julia also reads a few short excerpts from the book, giving a tantalising glimpse into its contents.
If you'd like to hear an additional teaser chapter read by Martin himself during the audiobook recording, you can find it on the How To Die Happy YouTube channel.
So why write this book now? According to Martin, the world is changing, and so are we. The post-pandemic global community is slowly stirring, and change is in the air. The collective consciousness is experiencing the most significant awakening we've known in many lifetimes. In stark contrast, 89,000 people a month are searching for "how to commit suicide" online, an increase of 78% since 2019. "We are not okay", Martin soberly declares.
How To Die Happy provides readers with the stories and practical utilities they need to reframe their approach to living and dying. By curating and renovating others' wisdom and combining those utilities with real-life experience, the author explains how he - just a regular man suffering just like the rest — can use these ideas to live a sustainably contented life.
His so-called "Anatomy of Happy" is a central theme throughout the book, mapping happiness' anatomy while drawing attention to life's unhappy distractions. It ultimately invites readers to work through attaining a balanced and well-lived life.
Mental illness and suicide rates are spiralling out of control, and our traditional allopathic medical approaches to treating mental health are woefully lacking. We are not okay, and it’s time for us all to reclaim our psycho-spiritual sovereignty, and accept co-responsibility in healing ourselves.
— Martin O’Toole, author, How To Die Happy
How To Die Happy is widely available in paperback and ebook formats across retail sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It's also available on over 45 audiobook platforms, including Audible, Spotify, Scribed, Google Play, and Apple Books. If you prefer to shop locally, you can give your local bookstore the paperback ISBN (see below), and they can order copies from the wholesaler Ingram Spark. Finally, if you're in Bali, you buy the book in many outlets, including The Pyramids of Chi, Ulu Garden, Drifter, Mana, La Tribu, Chela, Bloom Cafe (Sanur), and many more.
Nick Hutchinson from the Book Thinkers podcast — a widely respected self-help review platform — recently declared, "This is one of the best books I've ever read." High praise from a reviewer who's interviewed Ryan Holiday, Steven Pressfield, Lewis Howes, Doug Evans, and many more.
We hope you enjoy this podcast. If so, please tell people about it. We're an independent show doing this for love. The more you share, the more likely we are to grow.
How To Die Happy book ISBNs:
Paperback: 978-1-7393155-0-4
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-7393155-1-1
Audiobook ISBN: 978-1-7393155-2-8
