Unlock Your Happiness with Five Simple Questions: The Option Method

By Bruce M. Di Marsico

Bruce Di Marsico developed and created the Option Method over thirty-six years ago. The Option Method is a self-help tool for happiness; a completely unique and powerful way of questioning beliefs that allows for profound and instantaneous transformation. Unlock Your Happiness With Five Simple Questions - The Option Method is truly a handbook for happiness and is Di Marsico's most succinct work; taken from writings that he evolved and refined over the thirty years of teaching until his death in 1995. In this book there is something for everyone, those who had the opportunity to know him and especially those who had not. Whether exploring Option with friends or in one's own Option Method workshops or practice, this book is an invaluable guide. Di Marsico invites us to try out his extraordinary method, clearly explaining the philosophy behind it and how it leads to the Option Method questions. He unravels the mystery of unhappiness revealing how our beliefs affect our emotions; what truly motivates us; how wanting and needing make all the difference to our happiness; how judgments and shoulds sap our spontaneity and short-circuit our joy, creating a fearful, out of control existence. This compact book is simple, inspirational and challenging. Those new to The Option Method and students at all levels of Option study have loved exploring Di Marsico's ideas and changed their lives by accepting his invitation to question unhappiness in a powerful new way. Previously published under the title "The Principles and Philosophy of The Option Method"

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dialogues in Self Discovery LLC
• Release date: Feb 22, 2013
• ISBN: 9781934450086

Bruce M. Di Marsico

Bruce M. Di Marsico (1942-1995) was an American psychotherapist who created The Option Method in the late 1960's. Di Marsico spent his early years as a Catholic seminarian and student of psychology and philosophy, and later practiced as a psychotherapist and human relations consultant. He came to understand that every person has a choice in their own happiness and strove to develop a simple, effective self-help tool that each person can use to live their happiest life. The Option Method has spread around the world, helping others achieve their own greatest wisdom and happiness.

Book preview

Praise for Bruce and The Option Method

I know I will keep using this method probably for a long time to come, if not forever! I am indebted to Bruce. It’s sheer GENIUS! —Jan Frijters, The Netherlands

I have been doing dialogues with myself and have had some quite startling realizations. It is clearly a very powerful tool! —Randy Austill

Reading Bruce’s book was one of the most profound experiences of my life. I got through 30 pages the first night, had intense and ‘insightful’ dreams and awoke to a transformed world. —Sue Kranz, Canada

The Option idea is a very powerful one and it has had a strong impact on my life. —John McIlroy

Bruce’s words are inspiring and I will keep them close to remind me of the source of my happiness and my choice to claim my right to perfect peace and joy! —Geraldine Berbaum

I was so amazed to learn about this method and how easy it can be to become happy. —Lutz Stradmann, Germany

Bruce and Deborah have given the world a GREAT gift. —Bob Marino

Bruce, our dear, dear friend . . . Through the years, your ‘gifts’ have been plentiful, yet incalculable — since through them, we have had the opportunity to re-weave the very fabric of our lives — in every way. There will never be a way we could demonstrate or give enough to fully express the extent of our appreciation and gratitude for your existence . . . but we do experience it for ourselves every day of our lives! All Light & Love. —Bears & Samahria

The Option Method

Unlock Your Happiness with Five Simple Questions

Bruce M. Di Marsico

Embrace your specialness. You have within you the seeds for a beautiful garden. Spread them fearlessly.

I would like to dedicate this book to all of the Option students everywhere around the world. To all of our Monday Night gang, those dear ones who have passed on, and those who remain, I hope this book is a wish finally fulfilled. For those of you who never had the opportunity to know Bruce personally, may it bring you that much closer to a man I’m sure you would have loved. Let it empower you and inspire you to share the joy in your hearts.

The Option Method: Unlock Your Happiness with Five Simple Questions by Bruce M. Di Marsico

Second Edition. Originally entitled The Principles and Philosophy of The Option Method

ISBN 978-1-934450-08-6

Smashwords Edition

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Copyright © 2004, 2006, 2013 Deborah Mendel. All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts used in reviews, no portion of this work may be reproduced or published without expressed written permission from the publisher.

Published by Dialogues in Self

Discovery LLC,

www.DialoguesInSelfDiscovery.com

Illustrations and cover art by Chris Spencer

E-book design by Williams Writing, Editing & Design

Quid Querits . . . What do you seek?

This is the age-old question posed to those who seek a new way of life. It is a question for those who are seeking more satisfaction by finding better ways of expressing and enjoying their deeply held truths and insights. Through The Option Method I have found new happiness, and the knowledge that real and lasting happiness is possible.

— Bruce Di Marsico

Contents

Cover

Praise for Bruce and The Option Method

Title Page

Copyright

Epigraph

Foreword

A Message from Bruce

1 • All People Seek Happiness

Your Right to Happiness • You Can Be Happy

2 • The Option Method Questions

About Beliefs • Unhappiness Is a Choice • Unhappiness Is Not Wrong • The Option Method Questions

3 • The Philosophy Behind The Option Method

The Primary Operating Principles of Emotions • Happiness • Fear • Attitudes • Believing Happiness is Bad for Us • Believing Unhappiness Is Good for Us • Wanting Is Happy, Needing Is Unhappy

4 • Unhappiness and Its Many Forms

The Value of Feeling Bad • Anticipating Unhappiness • Using Unhappiness as Proof • The Difference Between Sadness and Anger • The Many Forms of Unhappiness • Boredom • Hate Is Fear • Terror • Obligation • Blame • Guilt • Enemies • The Option Method Questions

5 • Our Fears

The Emotion of Fear Versus Caution • Event–Belief–Response • The Fear of Heights • The Fear of Unhappiness • The