The Happiness Project

This is a re-post from January 3, 2012. I am sharing this again in my blog as this January is the time to set our New Year's Resolutions or Goals that we would like to achieve for the rest of the year. I hope this Book may inspire you to take on the monthly challenge. 

The Happiness Project Book book written by American, Gretchen Rubin  has been in the New York Times Bestseller's list for several years now.  Gretchen is a lawyer in New York City with her husband and daughter when she actually created a Blog about her Happiness Project to change her life for the better. This is a book about changing our lives in small monthly steps. An inspirational and effective book in helping us to achieve our goals for a period of 12 months.

I read and tried the projects in the book since January to December 2011. Instead of reading the whole book in one sitting, I read each chapter on a monthly basis so that I can absorb and action each of the set action plans. Instead of having New Year's Resolutions, I highly recommend this book as your project for the year to achieve your goals. I am sure that some of your New Year's Resolutions may be in this book too. You might be surprised!

The Happiness Project

According to Gretchen, "As I worked to identify my resolutions, some overarching principles started to emerge. Distilling these principles turned out to be far more taxing that I expected."

Gretchen's Twelve Personal Commandments

                                                                     1. Be Gretchen.

                                                                     2. Let it go.

                                                                     3. Act the way I want to feel.

                                                                     4. Do it now.

                                                                     5. Be polite and be fair.

                                                                     6. Enjoy the process.

                                                                     7. Spend out.

                                                                     8. Identify the problem.

                                                                     9. Lighten up.

                                                                    10. Do what ought to be done.

                                                                    11. No calculation.

                                                                    12. There is only love.

These are Gretchen's guiding principles that helped her to decide which actions she will take in order to achieve her goals for the whole year. Then she monitors her Happiness Project with a Happiness Toolbox which is available in her website The Happiness Project.

                                                                     

What have I achieved for myself from this book?  Among others, the most notable and measurable was from the March Chapter, Aim Higher/Work, the actions plans were: 

Launch a Blog.

Enjoy the fun of failure.

Ask for help.

Work Smart.

Enjoy now.

I would say that I have achieved most of it. Not right away but over a period of time during 2011. I was able to launch my blog, asked for help, worked smarter and of course enjoying now.  I conceptualised and tested my own blog in July but actually designed, organised and launched the whole blog last  September 2011 full time. I learnt many things about this book. Of course, this was written by Gretchen based on her experiences  and action plans which were down to earth. Nothing too difficult. Of course, you will have to adjust some things based on your own interests and principles.

Happy in Blue!  The Blue Bag and pumps are both Prada.

Photo Credit: Tommy Ton, Style.com

Keep smiling!

Photo credit: Tommy Ton, Style.com

Overall, it is a very inspiring and effective book to help you achieve your goals, to be positive, loving and Happy for 2013!

In Canada, Book is available at Chapters-Indigo.

In the USA, Book is available at Barnes and Noble.

For Worldwide, Book is available at Amazon.