Monday, April 26, 2010

"The Happiness Project"


I just found out that the book I'm reading that is due today has been put on hold, so I'm trying to race through and finish it! And it's so worth it! I am loving 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. Rubin, a mother and writer from New York (originally Kansas City) knows that she is generally happy, but she also knows that life is short and she could be happier. This non-fiction book documents her one-year quest to bring more happiness to her life. She tries different things each month; some work, and some don't, but she learns new things about herself and life each step of the way.
This book could be considered one of those trite, one-year project books that are popular lately, but this one really appeals to me. Maybe it's because I relate so much to Rubin, a closet children's book reader and organizing fanatic. Maybe it's because everyone wants to be happier, so why not give it a try? I do know that Rubin tells you up front that what works for her might not work for you, so she gives you a framework for you to fill in your own resolutions. I love her quotations and rules for life. Some things that she says, I know I will never think of again, but others I find myself thinking of daily and beginning to apply in my life. I have found that just reading this book has made me a happier person!