Friday Reads: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

First, let me say, Gretchen Rubin may very well be my long lost twin.  She doesn't look like me at all, but so much of what she wrote in The Happiness Project put to words what I think, feel and do.

The Happiness Project details a year in the life of Gretchen, as she attempts to focus on resolutions to increase her level of happiness.   Each month has a specific focus, whether it be parenting, relationships, mindfulness,  de-cluttering etc.   By breaking the months into simple resolutions, she aimed to increase her happiness in those areas thus contributing to an overall increase in her happiness.  She also identifies truths to live by and routinely comes back to them to show how they support each stage in the project.

I loved this book.   Aside from her penchant for using ginormous words (I admit, I DID need to look a few of them up), she writes in a way that is easy to follow and she articulates very well exactly how each thing she accomplished contributed to her overall goal.   She was brutally honest with herself and it comes across in the book as a raw honesty with a whole lot of self-forgiveness.

I don't know if I would ever have the patience to dedicate an entire year to a Happiness Project, but I do like the idea of a resolution month here and there.   Rubin offers many tips for people who want to do their own happiness projects and, with this kind of guidance, it seems like it would be a fun project to tackle.  After all - who couldn't use a little more happiness in their life? 

I most definitely recommend this one.