The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Some time back, I read Happiness at Home (link to review). And since I do read things in topsy-turvey (Sometimes), I decided to read The Happiness Project.

The Happiness Project follows Gretchen Rubin as she devotes a whole year (a month per topic) to making herself happier. No, she's not depressed, she just wants to be happier. The result is a personal look at what makes one woman happier - and as she says (I think she said it somewhere in the book), what makes her happy may not make you happy.

And that is certainly true. I don't think I would make myself happier by doing a year-long project (if you like projects though, you can get materials to help yourself at her website - insert link). I do already do some of the stuff she says, like journalling (and the happiness journal is a very intruiging topic) and NaNoWriMo, but I don't think I can string it together.

For me, happiness comes when I don't expect it. Do I choose to be happy? Of course, if I don't, I would be one of those loner-girls. I choose to go to school and present a happy face and energetic countenance  And it does make a difference, I've been told (and not just once) that when I don't smile, I look extremely tired and sad and not myself.

My favourite part of the book may be how she's compiled a list of reading material. Some of the books sound really interesting (yes, she does mention them in the course of the book), and I'll have to go and look for them when I have the time.

While I'm not likely to do a happiness project and start blogging about it, I think this was a worthwhile read. It's was interesting to see how other people dealt with happiness, and pick up things that may apply to me.