The Happiness Project

The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin

After the sudden realization that she was not as happy as she could be, Gretchen Rubin set out to spend a year on her happiness project. She focused on one area of life each month, making and attempting to keep resolutions that would bring her closer to the goal of increased happiness. The resulting book is chock full of inspiring anecdotes, bits of wisdom, and evidence of her extensive research on happiness. It was one of those books that I had to take notes on, lest I forget all the nuggets of truth that were popping out at me. Here are just a few:

• Act the way you want to feel. Although we presume that we act because of the way we feel, in fact we often feel because of the way we act.
• What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while.
• The absence of feeling bad is not enough to make you happy; you must strive to find sources of feeling good.
• Happiness experts point out that merely making and sticking to a decision is a source of happiness, because it gives you a feeling of control, of efficacy, of responsibility.
• The days are long, but the years are short.

I also picked up some practical advice that could certainly make a big difference in my happiness and the happiness of those around me. I'm trying to get ready for bed well before bedtime and turn out the light as soon as I'm sleepy (how many times have I avoided going to bed because I'm too exhausted to take out my contacts and brush my teeth?). I've attempted to stop thinking that I'm doing household tasks for my husband or "for the team," but rather told myself, "I'm doing this for me," and have found that this brings much more satisfaction and much less resentment. I've been encouraged to know that recalling happy times helps boost happiness in the present (good to know all the time I spend scrapbooking can serve a greater purpose). I've been challenged to tame my words and find more positive ways to make my point (or avoid speaking at all if my words are negative and of no value).

Looking back at the notes I took while reading The Happiness Project, I realize that a lot of these thoughts are common sense. They are simple, tried and true ways to add more happiness to life, and yet I often overlook them. Reading about Rubin's experiences and research has brought them into the light and challenged me to incorporate them into daily life. The Happiness Project is a book that I would (happily) read again and again, and most likely come away with something new each time.