Recommended Reading: The Happiness Project

I had been hearing a lot about The Happiness Project, online, from friends, from other bloggers, and I decided I would give it a read. I didn't really know anything about it when I got it from the library, but I loved it almost immediately.

The author, Gretchen Rubin, goes through a period of reflection, and decides that her life is just too good to not be happier than she is. She and her husband are both well-employed, she has two daughters, lives in a nice home in the city she loves, and has loving and supportive extended family and friends. 

She began to research happiness in hopes to determine whether or not a person such as herself, with a pretty average life and no extreme lifestyle changes (such as a terminal illness or loss of job), could make herself happier. She decided to spend one year--focusing on different aspects of her life (marriage, work, hobbies, etc.) each month--doing things that would make her happier, and tracking her progress along the way. With that, The Happiness Project was born. 

I loved this book for a lot of reasons. First, because Rubin makes use of charts and resolutions to implement changes in her life, and it of seems exactly like something I would do too. Next, because she is so real and down to earth. She doesn't pretend to make any major break throughs that don't take time and hard work (in other words, this is not a "just follow these 4 steps to a happier life" kind of book), and is honest about her weaknesses and shortcomings. Finally, I loved this book because it really inspired me. I am a pretty naturally happy person, and I have really a pretty good life. But there are still things I could do to be even happier, and more grateful, and more well-rounded, and this book made me want to do those things.

The Happiness Project made me want to look a little deeper inside myself and see where I could improve, but not in such an "I am making this change because I should" (which is a result of feeling guilty) kind of a way, but more in an "I am making this change because I really want to and I enjoy it" kind of a way. I also read it in December, which was perfect to gear me up for a new year and encouraged me to think of resolutions to make myself happier in 2015.

I would recommend this book to anyone, whether you want to use it as a jumping off point to make changes in your life, or just as a casual read that will make you smile. Do enjoy.