An Introduction to MY Happiness Project

I came across Gretchen Rubin’s book, “The Happiness Project”, while shopping in Anthropologie last year.

The title and colorful cover caught my eye but I decided to buy the book on the spot after reading the introduction:

“One April day, on a morning just like every other morning, I had a sudden realization: I was in danger of wasting my life. As I stared out the rain-spattered window of a city bus, I saw that the years were slipping by. ‘What do I want from life, anyway?’ I asked myself. ‘Well…I want to be happy.’ But I had never thought about what made me happy or how I might be happier.”

I was stunned to find that Gretchen (a successful writer, mother and wife) had the same worries and concerns that I did and every page I read had me nodding my head in agreement! The biggest difference between us though was her ability to so eloquently articulate all the thoughts that I’d never been able to find the words to express:

“It was time to expect more of myself. Yet as I thought about happiness, I kept running up against paradoxes. I wanted to change myself but accept myself. I wanted to take myself less seriously – and also more seriously. I wanted to use my time well, but I also wanted to wander, to play, to read at whim. I wanted to think about myself so I could forget myself. I was always on the edge of agitation; I wanted to let go of envy and anxiety about the future, yet keep my energy and ambition. Elizabeth’s observation made me wonder about my motivations. Was I searching for spiritual growth and a life more dedicated to transcendent principles – or was my happiness project just an attempt to extend my driven, perfectionist ways to every aspect of my life?”

I couldn’t have said it better myself!

And while I recognize how extremely blessed and fortunate I am by all the good in my life, I am excited by this opportunity to continue my personal growth and self-discovery.

Care to join me??