Book Review: The Happiness Project - Getting Started

Source

After a recommendation from my sister-in-law I went to my nearest Barnes and Noble and bought it. I started reading it that night and I love it. Gretchen Rubin determined that she wasn't as happy as she could be so she went on a year long "journey" to find her happiness. I was going to wait to review it until I was at the end but I've decided there is so much insight that I will go chapter by chapter.

Getting Started
In her search to define happiness she came up with this as a possible definition "Defining happiness: that the opposite of happiness is unhappiness, not depression." (pg. 7, the Happiness Project) I thought this quote was so true because I wouldn't say I'm depressed but at times I'm unhappy and there is a big difference. Depression is a serious condition that should be treated by a doctor.

She also comes up with her 12 Commandments to guide her in this process and I love this concept. I'm working on a set of mine own. Some examples of her Commandments...

1. Be Gretchen
10. Do what ought to be done.
12. There is only love.

But what sold me on loving this book was her "Secrets of Adulthood" which included such insights as

People don't notice your mistakes as much as you think.
By doing a little bit each day, you can get a lot accomplished.
Happiness doesn't always make you feel happy.
If you're not failing, you're not trying hard enough.

I found my self going "wow she's right" to many of her "Secrets of Adulthood."

In her experience not everyone will be on board with your "happiness project" some people will assume you are happy enough. And she determined that "one of my goals for the happiness project was to prepare for adversity - to develop self-discipline and the mental habits to deal with a bad thing when it happened." (pg 15, The Happiness Project) And I like this concept because I think having a good foundation before something bad happens makes a world of difference. It makes things a bit easier to deal with.

I'll keep you up to date as I go along. I also recommend her website it has some great suggestions, tips, etc.

Wordle=fun

So I started reading The Happiness Project which I'll discuss more later I'm only half way through chapter 2 but it is a great book. Well it also has a website for more ideas, support, etc. on the blog they discussed Wordle which is a fun-filled site where you can input text and it comes up with a cool word cloud. I copied part of Wear Sunscreen by Mary Schmich
     Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to  
    solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be
    things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle
    Tuesday. 
and here is what it created. It is a lot of fun to play with. I recommend checking it out.