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
off32 | Mar 10, 2010 | 5 comments
- ISBN13: 9780061583254
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. “The days are long, but the years are short,” she realized. “Time is passing, and I’m not focusing enough on the things that really matter.” In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project. In this lively and compelling account of that year, Rubin carves out her place alongside the authors of bestselling memoirs such as Julie and Julia, The Year of Li… More >>
Filed Under: Books
The Happiness Project is a delightful book written by the only women I trust when it comes to happiness, Gretchen Rubin. I’ve read her blog for a while, so it only made sense to purchase the book. She’s inspired many people, especially during this horrible economy, to become happier. The conclusions and ideas she makes in the books have changed my mind about relationships and money. If you’re miserable or if you want to be a happier person, then you must read this book.
Rating: 5 / 5
Gretchen Rubin knows what it means to be happy. She has a loving husband, two beautiful daughters, and a circle of friends who fill her life. Yet oftentimes she wonders if she truly has it all. Is happiness merely a state of mind? Or perhaps is it just being satisfied with your own particular set of circumstances?
In order to find the answer, Gretchen embarks on a self-imposed journey to discover what makes herself and others feel fulfilled in life. With just one year to complete this study, she begins by defining her own twelve commandments to guide her through the project. With simple acts such as being herself and learning to let go, Gretchen takes flight on an adventure that will ultimately change her life.
As truths begin to emerge, Gretchen makes a list of secrets of adulthood that all too often we choose to ignore. Realizing it’s okay to ask for help, and that you don’t always have to be good at everything, enables the happiness project to take shape. Setting goals for each month keeps her on the path towards discovering the ultimate source of happiness in everyday life.
What Gretchen comes to find is that the simplest things in life often lead to the most contentment. Taking a step back to savor the sweetness in her marriage as well as delighting in the unexpected joy of finding new friends, she takes note of the essential pieces of her harmonious life. As the year comes to an end, she relishes the fact that she discovered what she knew all along…she truly is happy.
THE HAPPINESS PROJECT is the quintessential guide for anyone in need of finding the right balance in life. From helpful tips to encouraging words, Gretchen Rubin has truly found the yellow brick road to happiness.
Rating: 3 / 5
I didnt even get to finish reading this book and i was raving about this book so much. That my Father his wife, and my roomate asked to borrow it.
I lost myself in this book. im just a little miffed that i didnt even get to finish it. I mean how could I tell my Father no?
Rating: 5 / 5
Gretchen Rubin would be a cool and interesting neighbor. I find her to seem honest, real, and very a very intelligent woman. I actually wished she did live next door to me because I sure could learn alot from her.
I found this “happiness project” to be light and refreshing on some level. If I don’t think about it to much I really enjoyed it. The one thing I really give props to Gretchen for is creavity. What a cool idea! To try a happiness project. I give props to Gretchen for giving traveling the road to happiness a cool/hip name (happiness project), and it was fun to watch her to be able to break it down into a doable process for people. I have not gone to her web site to look at it, but Gretchen does include quotes from other people from her web site in this book. I think it only makes this book more intersting and gives it alittle more humor and flavor.
So Gretchen takes a year to find out what can make her happier. She is happy, but she wants to take happiness to a ten. She takes us on the journey to find a greater happiness by breaking projects/subjects down into months. She spends a year exploring energy, love, aiming higher, lightening up, play, friends, money, heaven, finding passion, paying attention, and contentment. Gretchen encourages all of us to try a happiness project. I love and appreciate the detail in each of the subjects she explores. Gretchen really will go fairly deeply into each of these subjects, and she really does commit herself to that subject during that month.
I am naturally very optomistic, fun loving, energetic, and very content with my life. Could I really be any happier?? Is my life perfect? Heck no…but can you really be happier by following a happiness project. Even though I throughly enjoyed reading about Gretchens happiness project I do find it alittle shallow on a deep level. I know that if I am a miserable person that I certainly won’t enrich the lives of my childern. Sometimes the best thing I can do for my family is to do something for myself (whatever that may be), but at this point in my life I feel like I need to serve others and try to figure out how to make someone else happy. My only complaint about this book is this…how much happiness does one need? If your already happy with your life, why would you go on this detailed and time consuming process? If you already have a pretty good happiness level in your life, really how hard is it to turn it up to a level 10. So don’t get me wrong. I really enjoyed reading about this project, but I think I will leave it here. I do get alittle sick of thinking of my own self and how to make ME happy. This book has basic merits, but for me I think I need to be more interested not in my own happiness but investing in other people and their life experiences.
Rating: 4 / 5
I love “The Happiness Project.” I have followed Gretchen’s blog for a few years and, while both are great, for me the book gives the whole arc of what she’s tried to accomplish, which is: to systematically make oneself happier.
What really works for me about this book is that it (1) is filled with ideas, theories and evidence-based practices about happiness, fulfillment and related topics; which are (2) introduced in the context of someone actually trying to use them in her life, with her own reflections on what works and doesn’t; and (3) it’s in the voice of a real person. Not you, or me, but an authentic real person, nonetheless. So the book is very entertaining. Gretchen has a real gift for taking things that happen in your own life, explaining theories from science, religion, psychology and elsewhere that might have bearing on them, and then adding the personal factor of what is hard or easy for her.
I think that my personal favorite thing about the book is that it is EARNEST. In other words, there is no snarkiness, no false comparisons, no trying to cut people down for effect, no writing off other people’s experiences. And yet there is no sappiness, weak thinking or cultish kinds of principles. I think Gretchen is very brave for just being earnest and honest. Any casual look on blogs reveals that there are a lot of people who are more interested in cutting ideas down than offering thoughtful suggestions. “The Happiness Project,” both book and blog, are aimed at people who sincerely, honestly are trying to make their life better. (And just because it’s earnest, doesn’t mean it’s not really funny. It is!)
If you are a thoughtful person interested in a thoughtful, practical book that is also a fun read, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Rating: 5 / 5