Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project is a terrific book. No, I take that back. It’s actually a fan-flippin-tastic book! Not only did I thoroughly enjoy it while reading the book, but it’s resonated with me ever since. Sadly, it was a library book, so I no longer have it in hand. But thanks to the magic of the interweb, I do have access to Rubin’s Happiness Project blog, from which I can happily glean all sorts of information.
Rubin conducted a 12 month long happiness project focusing each month on a different “Personal Commandment,” of which my favorite was to:
Recognizing who she was, and importantly, recognizing that what makes other people happy was not necessarily what made her happy.
This is very true for me.
What I like to do is very different from a lot of my peers. I don’t enjoy knitting, (I know — this is blasphemous!) I’ll never sign up for a “fun run” and there’s not enough tea in China to make me join the PTA. I do enjoy spending hours a day working on the blog, (for which I receive a pittance in compensation) would read for hours if people would let me and would rather go for a walk with a friend than sit with her in a bar or coffee shop.
Recognizing who we are is an important component of self-awareness and happiness.
Click here to read Gretchen Rubin’s blog post about how the realization that she’ll never be that person who goes to hear jazz at midnight actually saddened her.
I will continue to write about this book, and will be doing a book giveaway in a few weeks. I would like to do a series of posts about this book, so let me know if this is something you’d be interested in.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Katy —
I thought The Happiness Project was an amazing book (and I’m also slowly working my way through all Gretchen Rubin’s blog archives). I’d love to see a series of posts on the book or the blog or both on The Non-Consumer Advocate!
I’m 53 on the library waiting list for this book!
I don’t knit either. I know it’s coolest hobby EVER (at least, like, right now), but I am just more interested in scrapbooking and photography and baking and lots of other stuff.
I hate knitting, too, but my kids have taken it up (go figure). I’ll never do any kind of organized run, whether “fun” or not, and I too prefer a walk to sitting in a bar or a coffee shop (unless the freezing temperature makes walking an impossible option). I guess your influence on my goes deep 🙂
I’m on the waiting list for the book at the library, too. And of course, Katy, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it as well. Going to check out the blog, when I have a chance.
I have started reading this book based on your suggestion and I love it! I would think others would like to see more info on it too! Thanks again for the recommendation!
This is the first time I’ve heard about this book. ( I hear the communal gasp this statement just received.) It sounds fascinating. I’m curious to learn all about it…including the other 11 Personal Commandments. I borrow all my reading materials from the Library of Congress through Services for the Blind &/or Physically Handicapped. So I’ll have to check whether it is available on audio or digital format yet.
I guess it’s easy to be fascinated by some bloggers, their personality and their lives. They seem to have the coolest jobs and hobbies, live in the coolest places, do the coolest activities. We don’t have to*be* them but we can let their enthusiasm stimulate us 🙂
yes, do post more on this! I think one reason people shop so much is to try to buy happiness, so thinking about what REALLY makes us happy is a huge component to being frugal!
I saw the nice mention of my book, The Happiness Project, here! I very much appreciate those kind words and you shinning a spotlight on my work!! Thanks and best wishes,
Gretchen
Happy to oblige.
😀
Katy