Book Review: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

In 2009, Gretchen Rubin author of Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill released The Happiness Project. The thought behind The Happiness Project came to the author while she was on a city bus ride . She thought to herself what was her life about… what would make her happy? She devotes a year to studying, researching and experimenting with what makes HER happy. She makes the claim that happiness is individual so what makes her happy will not necessarily make someone else happy. She is in pursuit of her own happiness. When she starts the project her life is going well. No major life challenges. So I wondered why ask about happiness if your life is going well. It seems this question comes in a mid-life crisis or when something disastrous is going on in one’s life. No, she asked the question when everything is going well. She was a lawyer, very well educated, who became a writer. She had been a clerk for Supreme Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Then she discovered that instead of being a lawyer she wanted to be a writer. She had written four books before The Happiness Project. She’s happily married with two daughters. Her in-laws live nearby and she gets along with them. Her parents come out to visit often. What was there to be unhappy about? Nothing at all but yet she realized she wasn’t as happy as she could be. Just prior to the project she started her research. She looked at poets, ancient writers and modern writers searching for the meaning of happiness. She quotes Leo Tolstoy, Anne Lamott, Bertrand Russell, Malcolm Gladwell, and the Dalai Lama. Her favorite autobiography was that of Benjamin Franklin. She started the project by writing out her 12 commandments and Secrets of Adulthood. She based this on the 13 virtues of Benjamin Franklin. He made a chart to keep up with his progress and she does too. She names hers the Resolution Chart. Her 1st commandment is “Be Gretchen”. She spends the year finding out what that means. I must admit that she is an excellent researcher. She loves the power of words. One of her most ambitious happiness goals was to complete a novel in 30 days. And she did it! I loved the idea of that because I love to write. I’ve never thought of writing a novel in that short a period of time. And just as soon as I get 30 free days I will write that novel in breakneck speed. I have the plot, theme and characters all in my head. At first I couldn’t understand what the hoopla was all about. Doesn’t everybody know what makes them happy? Now after reading the book I can appreciate her initiating this project and creating dialogue about happiness and how each person must decide what makes them happy. Some of the things that make her happy couldn’t begin to make me happy. Although she heard from many of her blog readers about starting their own Happiness project, I can’t say I developed a happiness project after reading the book. I did however review my list of things that bring me joy and happiness. Writing makes me happy, nature, a good book, a good movie, good times with friends, family and co-workers, and gospel music, just to name a few more.