Booking It with The Happiness Project
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If you’re just now joining us, let me explain. Booking It is an online reading program designed to get you reading.
This online book club features flexibility for those who want to do their own thing as well as “assigned reading” for those who prefer a little more structure. You can even do a little of both.
On the 10th of the month, we discuss the “book of the month” while we share our choice readings on the 11th.
Have a plan
Last month we made reading plans. Having a reading plan gets you one step closer to reading. Not only do you have an idea of what you want to read, but you also can get the wheels turning to have those books at the ready for when you find pockets of time to read. I’ve bought some books, dug some out of storage, requested some from the library, and put some on my wish list to acquire later in the year.
Not sure how to find good books? No problem. Wondering where to find time to read? You can do it. Really.
There is a whole world of great books to explore. Some of them will bring you the laugh that you sorely need. Others will help you solve a problem. Still others can change your life. So let’s get reading!
The Happiness Project
Today is the first day of our Assigned Reading Check-in. We read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.
{If you haven’t read it, then this is your official SPOILER ALERT.}
Can I just say that this book was life-changing? The Happiness Project was one of the most encouraging, freeing, thought-provoking books I’ve ever read. Seriously.
Gretchen Rubin’s story of the year she intentionally pursued happiness was not only entertaining and easy to read, but it prompted me to consider what really matters in my life.
What really makes me happy? How do I really want to spend my days — and my life? How can I be intentional about living life in a way that truly blesses me and my family?
The Happiness Project got me thinking about new ways to live life “on the road to joyful motherhood.”
Not to mention, reading the book validated my college degree when I actually knew what Sisyphean meant when I came across it.
I could so relate when I read Gretchen’s confession of wishing she liked something she thought she should like instead of just enjoying where her natural preferences lay. I laughed at how she wished she enjoyed “cool music,” but that to be really happy musically, she just had to be okay with the styles that she truly enjoyed.
I think some would balk at the title of the book, thinking that it’s all about satisfying oneself and forget about others. This is so not the case. The message is clear that to be really happy, we are doing things that bless, love, and encourage the people we love.
It’s about being thankful for the good that we have and enjoying it as much as we can, whether that be marriage, children, friendships, or a good cup of coffee.
Certainly, those things vary in degree, but they are good things, and we should enjoy them.
Changes are a-coming
Different sound bites from the book come back at me at random parts of the day. And since I read and watch Gretchen’s blog and vlogs, I know what she sounds like. So, I hear her real voice, too.
No, not in an Obi-Wan-Kanobi-telling-Luke-to-use-the-Force kind of way. But, like a friend encouraging me.
When I finally put the proofs of insurance in each of our vehicles and stuck the new registration tags on, I heard Gretchen say, “Tackle a nagging task.” Yes! Who would have thought that dealing with insurance and registration would make me happy?! But, it did. Because to not do it, it would continue to bug me until I did it or until a cop pulled me over.
I feel “happy” knowing that if there was an accident or some other traffic issue, I would be prepared with proper paperwork.
Many of my year’s goals were influenced by having read this book. Working on each of them will contribute to the overall happiness of my family and me.
I find myself making mental notes about things that bring me joy or bring one of my family joy. This prompts me to think of ways to incorporate that thing more into the fabric of our lives.
I could probably write a book about this book and how it is changing my thoughts and dreams. But, since I lost my notes in the cluttered office that is nagging me to organize it, I can’t. Instead, I can ask…
What did YOU think of the Happiness Project?
Let’s talk in the comments section. And if you wrote a review of the book, share the link there as well. Can’t wait to hear what you thought!
Like the comment left by Karen earlier today, I had a bit of time sticking with a few chapters but enjoyed Rubin’s honesty. My two take aways:
1. We often UNINTENTIONALLY do not acknowledge others feelings with a sympathetic, “oh, you don’t feel that way” type of response (denying).
2. The obvious, if you make the change, you will see the results (be the results big in change or small). Take for example the April Fool’s joke, which had its own mini challenges for her to execute but the pay off was so huge.
Overall it reminded me to inspire others to change (big or small) by doing and executing Ghandi’s statement, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Great book. Here’s what I thought of it:
http://more-than-rubies-blog.blogspot.com/2011/02/happiness-project_11.html
I am a little late getting started but looking forward to Bookin It! I will get my reading list together over the weekend and post it on my blog and link up with you!
I just started reading Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin so that will be my book for this month.
I used to love reading but kind of put it on the back burner with having kids but this year I was determined to take time for myself and get back to it! I have already read 3 books!
Thanks for hosting!
Ok, I guess I am playing devil’s advocate here. While I truly did glean a lot from the book (I have a HUGE to-do list of projects to tackle, both large and small, that my husband and I have been working on all month and will probably be working on well into next year!) and plan to go back and revisit the ideas in it in the next few weeks, I found her writing quite dull in many spots. I identified with her in many ways and it was certainly reassuring to hear someone with similar weaknesses working on them in a very well thought out and organized approach but I don’t know, the book didn’t leave me feeling like I had just read something incredible. Again, I plan on going back and trying to get more from it as I think there are a lot of great ideas but I guess her writing just didn’t do it for me. I applaud Rubin for putting herself out there like she did though. That can be a tough thing to do.
I am really glad so many people got so much out of it as I think any book that can touch even one person is a success! I guess I just wish I felt more inspired too.
@Karen, I get ya. And I’m glad that you are honest with us about the dry parts. In thinking about it, I guess I felt that maybe midway, but since I had laughed so much earlier, I was trusting that there would be more spots. I wonder if the lull occurs where she feels the lull? Or maybe it’s just not the best book for everybody.
I also was watching her vlogs at the same time as reading the book, so I might have been seeing it from a number of different perspectives. I dunno.
But, I’m glad you can say you didn’t love it. I wouldn’t want it to be any different. 😉
@Jessica Fisher, Thanks Jessica! I agree. It’s nice to feel free to be honest. Again, I thought there was a lot to glean, just dry. Maybe I will go take a peek at her blog so I can see what you were seeing. 🙂 Thanks for the great book list. I am thrilled to get book feedback like this as I am constantly in the middle of a good three to five books (sometimes more….)
Inspirational. Thanks for the reading suggestion!
Loved it! I posted my review here:
http://simplythingsfamily.blogspot.com/2011/02/lets-read-2011-happiness-project.html
First I want to say that I am really enjoying being a part of “Booking It”. I have never been a part of a book club before but have been wanting to do something for me for a long time and boy, am I ever glad that I am doing this!
It is ironic that the first book was the Happiness Project since, as I just mentioned, I wanted to doing something “for me”. I must admit that when I first say this a selection I thought……I don’t think this is going to me my kind of book. But, as soon as I read the first few pages I quickly changed my mind.
I loved Gretchin’s writting style and there were times when I would actually laugh out loud at her humor. I really identified with a lot of the issues and topics that she discussed and I am eager to give my own happiness project a go. I haven’t looked at her blog yet but I am eager to do so.
I really enjoyed this book and thankyou for putting it on the list.
@Amanda B, I laughed out loud a lot, too. I identified with her on so many fronts that I could see some of the same things happening to me.
I just went back and re-read my review and noticed all of the spelling mistakes and such! Lol….note to self, don’t do book review while distracted by a 3yr old! Too funny.@Jessica Fisher,
I’m so happy you put this book on the list! I kept seeing the book last year and felt like should read it but had no desire to do so. And I wouldn’t have if it was not on your list. But I really enjoyed the book! It took me a long time to read because it was so thought provoking for me. My favorite point of the book was “if you eliminate doing the things that make you feel guilty, it will make you a happier person”. Not that I do alot of things that make me feel guilty but just the little things that I resist doing then feel bad about afterwards.
Good book and definitely adaptable/helpful for your own life. Just read Wicked with my book club, which I thought was o.k. I also just finished MiddleSex, which was an intriguing and thoughtful book. I highly recommend it!
I have to say it wasn’t life changing for me – but I expected to dislike this book and was very happily surprised once I started reading it. I was also very surprised by what spoke to me the most from this one…. certainly not what I had anticipated being the highlight of the book for me!
My thoughts are here:
http://meloniek.blogspot.com/2011/02/booking-it-with-happiness-project.html