Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Unavailable
The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun
Unavailable
The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun
Unavailable
The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun
Ebook375 pages6 hours

The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this ebook

“This book made me happy in the first five pages.” —AJ Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible

Award-winning author Gretchen Rubin is back with a bang, with The Happiness Project. The author of the bestselling 40 Ways to Look at Winston Churchill has produced a work that is “a cross between the Dalai Lama’s The Art of Happiness and Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love.” (Sonya Lyubomirsky, author of The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want) In the vein of Julie and Julia, The Happiness Project describes one person’s year-long attempt to discover what leads to true contentment. Drawing at once on cutting-edge science, classical philosophy, and real-world applicability, Rubin has written an engaging, eminently relatable chronicle of transformation.

Editor's Note

Attainable Happiness...

Funny, moving, thoughtful, and highly relatable, this million-selling memoir details one woman's year-long journey to become happier.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperCollins
Release dateDec 29, 2009
ISBN9780061962066
Author

Gretchen Rubin

I'm the author of the New York Times bestsellers "The Happiness Project," “Happier at Home” and “Better Than Before.” I write about my experiences as I test-drive the wisdom of the ages, current scientific studies, and lessons from popular culture about happiness, habits, and human nature. My next book will hit the shelves in summer 2017: “The Four Tendencies: The Surprising Truth about the Four Hidden Personality Types That Drive Everything We Do.” Find out your Tendency—are you an Upholder, Questioner, Obliger, or Rebel?—when you take the free quiz at GretchenRubin.com. Subscribe to my award-winning weekly podcast “Happier with Gretchen Rubin” (more than 1 million downloads each month) and hear my sister and I discuss strategies and tips for how to make your daily life happier. I also created an app to help people harness the power of the Four Tendencies. Learn more at BetterApp.us or search the app store for “Better Gretchen Rubin.” My previous books include a bestselling biography of Winston Churchill, "Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill,” and one of John Kennedy, “Forty Ways to Look at JFK.” My first book, “Power Money Fame S..: A User's Guide,” is social criticism in the guise of a user's manual. I wrote “Profane Waste” in collaboration with artist Dana Hoey. I've also written three dreadful novels that are safely locked away in a drawer. Before turning to writing, I had a career in law. A graduate of Yale and Yale Law School, I clerked for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and was editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal. I live in New York City with my husband and two daughters.  

Read more from Gretchen Rubin

Related to The Happiness Project

Related ebooks

Related articles

Reviews for The Happiness Project

Rating: 3.702060253248811 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

1,262 ratings97 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin is a stunt memoir about the author’s year of experimentation to become a happier person. Like many memoirs, especially the stunt-type, The Happiness Project seems to either inspire or annoy – depending, maybe, on how much empathy a reader feels for Gretchen as she appears in her own portrayal. To me, she seemed she was trying to be as honest as possible in reporting on her faults, failures, and emotions, but I guess to some readers her assessments of herself come across as humble-bragging.The book’s chapters are divided by the month and each focuses on a different theme, but is layered onto the others. The final three chapters are the shortest, as Gretchen continues to try to follow her resolutions from the earlier nine months, while adding on Mindfulness (October) and Attitude (November), before getting to Happiness (December) where she tries to reach “Boot Camp Perfect” by following all of her resolutions all of the time.For fuller review, visit Bay State Reader's Advisory.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Those who know me, know that I hate those cheesy cookie-cutter self-help books about telling yourself in the mirror "You're an champion". They feel to me like an exercise in egotism. They tell me how *others* believe I can be happy.Fortunately, this book isn't that case.Although it seems superficial at times, Rubin finds here some interesting ideas about happiness and one of the most important ones is that (the quest for) happiness doesn't look the same for everyone. We all have different problems and situations that make any DIY Happiness Kit impossible. Instead, Rubin takes us through her own ideas for *her* personal happiness, along with results.Some might argue, and perhaps with good reason, that the book is vain just because it was written by a woman with a job, a stable and loving family, no particular undesirable situations like disease or war and no dramatic story. To me, that's completely missing the point of the book.Instead she notes that even with all those things, happiness seems to be something else, unrelated to her status and position. Rather, it has to do with the way one acts, thinks and reacts to situations. Of course, it's impossible to account for everything and she emphasizes this repeatedly: there's no single way of achieving happiness, but we can learn some tricks and ideas from others and then adapt those to our own circumstances.Her voyage serves as a starting point, rather than a map. A series of guidelines, rather than rules and ideas rather than orders. This is why, in a way, it reads better and more honest than the average crap. She says "This is what worked for me, perhaps some of it might work for you. Off you go!" and nothing more.Give it a chance if you really have no idea where to start looking (and even if you have, chances are this might hold a surprise or two for you!)
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    While I won't say this book is useless, I can't, in all honesty, recommend it to anyone.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book sat on my nightstand for about 2 years - for some reason I kept having a reason not to read it, and there were plenty of other books to devour. Well, I finally read it, and I was pleasantly surprised. I quite liked many sections of this book, and think Ms. Rubin makes some excellent points in sharing her experience. It actually inspired me to declutter some paper piles that had been weighing on my for some time...
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I'm a loyal listener to the Happier podcast, so I figured it's time to read the book.I liked some of her revelations, her commandments, and her Splendid Realizations. They are all enlightening. Definitely fills in some details of what they talk about in the podcast.One thing that caught me. The four stages of happiness offsets the five stages of grief? Okay...Sometimes, listening to someone else's struggles does help another. But If you're not in the frame of mind to take the advice given, even through anecdotes, then the book won't be a help. I've found this many times when trying to gather information from books that I just wasn't ready for. This book I wanted to learn from and that's why I could enjoy it.This proved informative to me, even if all I take away are her Splendid Truths, her commandments, and a deeper commitment to her podcast. It also encouraged me to buy the book, rather than keep it as a borrow from the library.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I'm so "done" with happiness. I think I'll seek out some books about finding curmudgeonliness next. No, seriously, I'm afraid I won't be able to give this book a fair review, because I don't exactly remember what led me to obtain and read it, and I'm not really that interested in happiness anymore... I'm kind of there, not meaning I'm happy all the time, but I kinda know everything there is to know about my own happiness, now, after half a century. So the book - it's fine. It's one woman's one-year project. (Yet another "My Year of...") At least she wasn't surreptitiously trying to come to terms with the death of a parent or anything like that. She tries so many things, you're bound to come across a couple of good ideas to apply to your own life. God, I felt bad for her husband, though. Is this what married-with-children life is like? The abyss was one scene where her two little girls were fighting, and she discovers her husband upstairs taking a nap. She wakes him up and says, "This is your problem! You need to fix this!" Kill me now, I can imagine him thinking. She sprinkles in scenes like this where she is decidedly NOT happy, which always starts to feel like a nice, humanizing, relatable touch - but then they always end with a sappy, happy ending. You're missing the point of showing us your less-than-perfect side, Gretchen. But hey! This is supposed to be a HAPPY book... why all of this, who woke who from a nap, and who failed to live down to my imperfect expectations.. I'm sorry, though, I'm failing to come up with one excellent life lesson that I can apply to my life going forward, except to really and truly this time STOP with the happiness books.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    There are a ton of books written on happiness and The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin takes some of the best ideas as she goes thru a personal search to see what really works. Each month of a single year Rubin tried to apply the principles of a widely known source of happiness. She is brutally honest about what worked and what didn't. In the end she felt happier but ultimately there is no magic pill and what works for one person does not necessarily work for the other. An interesting read that gives some good ideas on your own pursuit of happiness.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I forget where and when I first heard of Gretchen Rubin. I listen to her podcast, but I don't remember which came first, book or podcast. Perhaps because I am so familiar with her findings, there was nothing really new here. The life-stunt format was OK, and it was nice to see things laid out, but I didn't feel that this book was very helpful to me. I do recommend her later books, which built on this one, as being more detailed and helpful. Also, the podcast is packed with useful tips and insights.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I read this as a book group selection. I would never have read it otherwise and did not really care for it.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Some of the chapters were most intriguing, esp. the January and September. Personally, I think this is unrealistic to try to tackle so much in one year. Many of the girls in book club agreed with this assessment. We also felt that it would be interesting to give it to our daughters and have them read it and then compare our reactions. This book has many good ideas and I would like to tackle a few of them. I just think that overwhelming oneself can also bring unhappiness. We all agreed that everyone's happiness project will be different and the plan has to be tailored for each and every person.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I had high hopes for this book. Unfortunatly, it failed to live up to them. There were some chapters I really liked, for example, the first chapter which was about getting more sleep and being more organized - two things I need to work on. And there were chapters I skimmed through because they bored me, like the chapter on writing a novel (I read and publish books, but have no interest in writing them.) But what I disliked the most about the book was the tone. Rubin wrote as if she were researching a dissertation, not trying to improve her happiness. She questions the success of her hapiness project throughout the book, often asking other people if she "seems happier". If you have to ask, you're probably not......
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved this book! It is thoughtful, funny, and inspiring. I find myself bringing it up in everyday conversation to friends, coworkers, and family members. I'm glad I own a copy -- I know I'll want to refer to it again and loan it to friends. Last night I started my one-sentence journal, and I suspect I'll be implementing more of Rubin's ideas.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I'm really quite torn as to what I feel about this book. On one hand, I did mostly enjoy it and I took from it some helpful ideas. On the other hand....some of the negative reviews of this book make some very good points.

    1.) I really am growing weary of the "stunt" genre of books. Do something for a year, write a book about it. It was interesting the first few go-rounds, but it's losing its appeal.

    2.) The author really is not particularly likeable. Maybe she's nicer in person, but she casts herself as a bit of a shrew. As I was reading through the marriage chapter (chapter 2, perhaps?), all I could think was, "Good God, I'm glad I'm not married to her." She strikes me as nagging, unpleasant, and intent upon bringing everyone down to make herself feel better. I suppose she gets points for honestly, but not for much else. (And what's with her emailing her husband throughout the day, and then getting snippy because he doesn't respond? Is she his mother? Does he need to check in with her regularly? I found this especially bizarre.)

    3.) She is without a doubt a woman of a certain privilege. I suspect she came from money and she certainly married into it. It's all well and good to tell me to take time for myself, take classes, exercise more, etc... I understand she's right about these things. But as a single, working mother, my life is vastly different from hers. Not everyone has the time, money, and other resources readily available to her. This is not to say that I gleaned nothing from this book, but I just can't imagine that many people would find her very relateable.

    4.) She really doesn't say anything new. I think we all already know most of her "epiphanies": money may not buy happiness, but it certainly makes it easier; regular exercise makes you happier; hobbies, friends, and a social life will make you happier; etc... While her conscious effort to do all these things (in a year, natch) is perhaps unique, not much of the information contained herein is.

    5.) I felt like a fairly big chunk of this book was devoted to quoting comments from her blog. I also feel like these quotes were not separated from her writing very clearly. Perhaps it was a problem unique to the Kindle version, but several times I found myself wondering, "Is this Gretchen or someone else?"

    Over all, I wish I could give the book 2.5 stars. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great. It was ok. I can't say that I regret reading it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it to a friend, either.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    The subtitle tells it all: "Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun". I found that there were a few insightful gems but they were lost in boring trivia. Reading to the end was a struggle that I lost.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is a book that I have been hearing about for ages. I'm a big fan of creating personal projects for yourself, so I was excited to read about Gretchen's. I like the idea behind the book and I really liked how she had a main focus for each month. I don't particular feel that I learned a whole lot, but the book did leave me wanting to create a similar project for myself.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Most did not like this book....alot! Author was too preachy & not relatable to the general public. Not a recomended read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book sat on my "to read" shelf for months patiently waiting until I saw a one minute video sent through Rubin's email newsletter. I immediately went to my shelf, grabbed the book and started reading it. I kept a highlighter attached to the book because there was so much I wanted to remember. It isn't that I feel unhappy or unsatisfied in my life, but I was hoping that this would point me towards some sort of direction. THE HAPPINESS PROJECT would be an excellent book to read anytime, but especially as a way to start off the new year. If you are looking for a book to help you in setting your goals and resolutions for 2013, I suggest starting it soon so January 1st, you can start implementing your plan. Each chapter is broken up by months and focuses then on specific tasks to conquer for that month. By setting goals and then breaking them up into manageable tasks to accomplish each month you are able really get a handle on improving your attitude, your motivation, and your life.Rubin not only focuses on improving your life but those who are around you on a daily basis. That saying "If Mom isn't happy, then no one is happy" is so true. I know from experience, that if I start the day crabby, the whole house is crabby. This book really forces you to dig deep and by making new choices and improving your life, those in your circle (work, home, friends, family) will notice a difference. Some of my favorite passages from the book include:The days are long, but the years are shortEach member of a family picks up and reflects everyone else's emotions - but of course I could change no one actions but my own.One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to make other people happy is to be happy yourself.Give thanks: for the ordinary and the extraordinary.It takes at least 5 positive marital actions to offset one critical or destructive action. When one couple's interactions are usually loving and kind, it's much easier to disregard the occasional unpleasant exchange.I could have written many other passages, but these were my top 5. Each of them are so simple and yet so profound, at least to me.Rubin ends her book with ways to create your own Happiness Project along with pages of helpful tips for every facet of your life. There is also an excellent discussion guide at the end if you choose to read this with your book club. You can also sign up to receive daily emails from Rubin that include happiness quotes and tips for managing your life. These emails really boost my day.If you are looking for something to get you back in charge of your life, this book is most definitely for you. Rubin has also come out with her next book HAPPIER AT HOME. I have yet to pick this up, but it is on my list.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Author embarks on a year of finding herself and trying to find some measure of happiness in that year. Part of the journey is in trying to discover what happiness means to her, originally blogged this book was quite useful in making me think about my life and living it as me not as someone else thinks how I should live.I think it's a book that I will think about a lot again. I'm not sure about how universal her experiences were but I do agree with a few of them, like how there is an I in happiness; that you sometimes have to invest in your own happiness, and that sometimes that means paying for it.It's a theme I may have to bring into my own life and work on over time. It's all about creating SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Bound) goals. By breaking down her goal to become happier in her life into smaller pieces and working on those small things every month for a year she changes her life. The one quote she missed was that of Socrates (quoted by Plato) "the unexamined life is not worth living" and this is what she's doing here, examining her life.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I started going to bed earlier so as to sleep more and be happier. It actually makes you feel happier when you are rested! Good read ,
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book was fantastic. This is one of the best 'concentrate on what's important' books that I've read in a long time. I felt a connection with the narrator as I notice many of the same tactics used by her appeal to me. There's a lot that could be put into play with this book, a lot that can be done with it. Of course now, the challenge is personalization and implementation of my own 'happiness project'.

    Unlike a lot of other books in the 'concentrate on what's important' genre, Rubin seems to have done her research. Yes, this book is a memoir, but it's not completely based on anecdotal and personal experience. Rubin cites scientists, philosophers, alongside her own experience. It's incredibly refreshing.

    Edit: I've read some other reviews of this book, there's a lot of 'Who wants to hear about a rich white lady who has it all?' Well, at the outset of the book Rubin admits she's living a charmed life. She seems to struggle a little bit with it through the book... but the principles are pretty universal. I don't think that anyone is going to argue that Rubin is the new Dalai Lama for spiritual enlightenment... this doesn't mean that despite the fact she leads a privileged and wonderful life that she has nothing whatsoever to say. I liked her honesty, though there seem to be quite a few reviewers who thought she was bitchy. I enjoyed Eat, Pray, Love a few years ago and liked it a lot as a travelogue and a memoir, but there wasn't a whole lot I could take away from that book to actually implement in my own life, the fact that Rubin focuses on the small things (that 99% of people could stand to work on) is what makes this book great.

    There's also something really authentic about Rubin who offers up the resources that she found useful during her journey to readers. She invites people interested to actually contact her, she could have made more money selling all these materials commercially, instead she offers them up for free... which I think is a testament to her desire to help people by publishing her journey - despite it being 'stunt journalism'.

    Also, what the hell does what her in-laws fiscal worth have to do with anything?
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This showed up on the Kindle bestsellers list and I was somewhat intrigued. I loved how many historic quotations she included but not the sections to which I could not relate--especially the pages and pages about raising kids and improving a marriage. But, other than that, I was really interested.

    I've been trying to practice some of the tactics she mentions and I find myself noticing more things that I do--good and bad. I guess it's made me more mindful.

    I've never read a book like this--I'm not sure if I'd categorize it as a "self-help" book. Rather, I guess it is a method journalism book, though it seems the author doesn't really enjoy being part of a trend. She spent a year researching happiness and trying all sorts of resolutions and, you know what, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about it!

    After all was said and done, I had over 60 Kindle bookmarks throughout the text and tons of quotes to add to my collection:-)
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Well, I found this easier (and faster) reading than I expected. It was actually almost painless, as opposed to the chore I'd set myself up for. While the author's tone of bourgeois entitlement grated intermittently, there were enough nuggets (interesting, useful, or both) along the way to keep it worthwhile. What I liked best were the literary and "scientific" bases for her efforts that she kept throwing in. Even during the "money" and "spirituality" chapters (two hot-button topics for me), it moved along smoothly. It's this month's book group selection, and I think it provides plenty of fodder for a meaty discussion.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Read from May 16 to June 01, 2011Happiness is defined a little differently by everyone. Reading a book and sitting in the sun makes me happy. Other people like to go to concerts and stand in a crowd (that stresses me out). While Rubin's happiness isn't mine, her book lays out a really nice guide for someone that might want to complete their own happiness project.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Although this was another 'follow me for a year as I change myself by doing something special' themed book - I thought there were enough differences that made it unique. I was inspired to take notes about things I could do in my own life as a 'happiness project,' and I plan to go to the website that the author started while writing the book to get ideas and see what other people have experienced.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book came very highly recommended, so I'd been meaning to check it out for awhile. Unfortunately, I had a hard time slogging through it. In the end, I think it's nothing to do with the author or the content, it's just that what makes Gretchen Rubin happy and how she goes about doing it is very opposite of my temperament. She's kind of type A and goes about things in a very methodical, academic sort of way. She creates a Resolutions Chart and gives herself gold stars when she meets her goals, which she says is very motivating to her. Classic good girl, straight A student behavior. If I tried doing something like that, I'd forget it in two days. She also researches the hell out of the concept of happiness when she first decides to do this project, to the point where her sister laughs at her about how she researches before doing. Which again, nothing wrong with that, she's writing a book, and there should be a good amount of science that she looks into.I think what turned me off right at the beginning is the same thing that turned me off with "Helping Me Help Myself." It felt like she made up a reason why she decided to take on this project. There's nothing missing from her life...she's a published author, married, two kids, etc. She decides that she's not enjoying it enough because she snaps too much and gets too impatient sometimes. Okay, I get that, but that's also part of being human. She has a revelation when she sees a haggard woman wrangling kids and grocery bags on the street and thinks, "That's me!" Oh come now. Do-a-thing-for-a-year books are very in vogue right now. You came up with this concept to sell a book. End of story. At least in "Drop Dead Healthy" A.J. Jacobs had his wake up call when he got sick and ended up in the hospital. Plus, since he'd written a couple of these before, he was up front with saying, "Okay, then, that's my next book! Do all the healthy things for a year!" Don't be all, "I felt like I was a bad person because my only resolution was to learn how to do the splits on both sides, so I decided to delve into self help for a year," or "I was happy, but figured I could be happier, so I spent a year trying to be happy."Other than that, one of the reason why these books are appealing is because the authors do a bunch of stuff and reports on it so we can pick and choose what sounds best for us if we want. Rubin does a ton of research and figures out what works best for her, following the guideline to "Be Gretchen." A lot of it is great advice, so I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to learn to be able to recognize the happy times while you're in it (and Rubin stresses that depression is a completely different thing from unhappiness, this is more for the discontent than the clinically depressed). I think that Rubin's writing style was just a bit too earnest for me. I have to "Be Jess" and know that gold stars aren't going to do it for me.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Ex-attorney spends a year trying all sorts of things that are deemed to bring happiness. She is a mother of two young girls. There were lots of good suggestions, lots of things I underlined in the book, and a decision to keep this book on myshelf, but I would like to have read something along these lines by someone in their 50s, 60s or 70s. Actually, each of these decades could have its own HAPPINESS PROJECT.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Are you happy enough? This is the question author Gretchen Rubin poses to herself one typical April day as she rides a bus in New York City. She reflects on the fact she lives in her dream city, has a wonderful husband, two healthy daughters and a job she adores. But while there is much in her life to celebrate, Gretchen is bothered by her general lack of appreciation and tendency to focus on the negative. In an attempt to maximize her happiness, Gretchen begins The Happiness Project, a year-long commitment to twelve happiness resolutions she sets for herself. Among her resolutions are to “boost energy,” “lighten up,” and “ pursue a passion.” To carry out her resolutions, Gretchen tries everything from cleaning her closets to launching a blog to starting a collection. She follows age-old wisdom as well as new age fads. Her triumphs and failures are documented in her memoir, The Happiness Project, which provides a detailed account of each month of her project. Inspiring, comical, and completely relatable, Rubin’s book will encourage readers to use the tools she offers to start their own happiness projects.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book is quite a departure for me, and I'm quite glad that I decided to branch out and try it (was it a library recommendation? I honestly can't remember what made me put it on my wishlist, other than wanting to trial the ebook reading experience!). Chatty and thoughtful without being mind-blowingly insightful, it's nevertheless been a good antidote to a slightly trying time in my working life these last few weeks, and it's enabled me to focus on the positive and remember to put myself in others' places, and just to resolve to be kinder and more thoughtful in general.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I read this book for my book club. It is the memoir of the author's one-year project to increase her happiness. At first, I was skeptical, because this seemed like yet another of those "I did this dumb thing for one year" books, and it came across as gimmicky. But Rubin won me over. She breaks her project down into one theme per month, such as energy, money or marriage, and then sets severals goals for that theme that she tries to accomplish every day of the month. Some days, she doesn't quite make her goals, which she's honest about. But what I really liked is that she emphasizes that the goals will, and should, be different for everyone. Most self-help books proselytize a one-size-fits-all solution without acknowledging that we are all individuals, and no one thing works for everyone.Rubin throws out a lot of quotes, statistics and ideas for increasing one's day-t-day happiness. In accordance with the theme of finding what works for me, I was inspired by some of these ideas and mostly ignored the rest. I was most impressed that Rubin found the time to implement all of these changes (although she does admit that she discarded some if they didn't continue to increase her happiness). She did a whole lot of reading, too, and even write a novel in a month, which I thought was inspiring because she did it just for her own enjoyment, not to try to sell it. I seem to be stuck with the notion that I have to spend my time doing something productive or money-making, which is an impediment to my personal happiness; Rubin backs this notion up with some solid statistics, and it's a lesson that many of us can stand to learn, that not everything we do has to generate income. That insight alone, and the resolution I made to try to do more things for personal enrichment even if they don't seem particularly "useful," made reading this book worthwhile.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    From my Cannonball Read V review...

    Meh.

    Since one-word reviews are frowned upon at the Cannonball Read, I’ll elaborate. Like Sophia, who read this book prior (and whose review I should have read first), I had some issues with the depth of this book. I got some useful tips from it, and it was a pretty quick read (I read it in about three days), but I didn’t enjoy it. It was like watching a rerun of one of the filler episodes of Friends – it was fine, and I laughed a bit, but I could have been doing something better with my time. (And also like the characters in friends, the people in this book are affluent, white, and seem fake.)

    That’s probably part of my problem. I don’t particularly like what this author presents of herself. While that doesn’t really matter with other books, it’s kind of a big deal with this style of book. There was an ‘aww shucks’ quality that is not my particular cup of tea. Additionally, this woman started from pretty high up on the happiness scale. Not that any happiness discussion should be limited to those who have been deeply unhappy, and I recognize that there is value in helping people improve their lives regardless of where they started from, but COME ON. This woman is rich. This woman has two healthy, adorable daughters that she clearly loves. Both the kids grandparents were alive as of the writing of the book, and her in-laws (whom she also adores) live around the corner. She makes a living following her passion. And all of that was BEFORE she started the Happiness Project.

    But as I said, that doesn’t necessarily mean what she’s going to say doesn’t have value; it just means a whole hell of a lot of people aren’t going to be able to find much in common with her and so may find it a little hard to think that singing in the morning is really going to change things for them. And Ms. Rubin is clear that this is *her* happiness project, and that everyone’s will be different. But I’d be more inclined to start on my own if the one I’d just read hadn’t been so … weirdly lacking in self-awareness. For example, she talks about wanting to eat better but seems to applaud herself because she’s NOT going on a diet. She’s just … cutting out food groups entirely to lose weight. O-kay. And while she has the healthy view that you can’t change others, you can only change yourself, some of the discussions around trying to give up needing to be praised kind of make her husband look like he’s taking total advantage of her. And since I know about 300 pages worth of her marriage (i.e. next to nothing), I’ve no right to actually judge that relationship. But it was impossible to remove my thoughts on the author from what the author was saying.

    Here’s my take-away: if you respond well to checklists, you’ve got an interest in somewhat saccharin writing, and you are looking for a dozen or so useful nuggets, sure. Add this to your list. Otherwise … no need. Shoot, you can even email me and I’ll send you the items I thought were the most useful if you’d really rather not bother.