"What do I want from life, anyway?"
- The Happiness Project, page 1
"This is my life, but I never give any thought to it."- The Happiness Project, page 2
What are some of the things that make you feel good in your life? When you’re working, when you’re at home or when you’re someplace else? This is not about the big things, like finding a partner, starting a business or moving to a new country, but the little day-to-day things that make all the difference. Little things like taking a walk at lunch, brainstorming with a colleague instead of working alone, or asking for help when you need it.
The goal here is to actively assess activities and aspects of your life, with the intention of monitoring them for happiness triggers.
"Tackle a Nagging Task."- The Happiness Project, page 34
How are your energy levels? Boosting your energy not only makes you feel good and raises your self-esteem, it also has the positive knock-on effect that you’ll be better able to take more actions that make you feel happy. What are some things in your life that sap your energy levels and what can you do about it?
Gretchen identified resolutions for January that would help her to feel more energized. She realized that lack of sleep, poor exercise and clutter drained her of energy so she took action to improve those areas.
In my work, my file folder of receipts that I had not organized or entered into a spreadsheet was bothering me. I was bothered by it every day, just a little, each time I put another receipt into that file. It was always in the back of my mind and it was sapping my mental energy. I decided to tackle it the lazy way: rather than spend a few more hours in my office one evening, I handed the file and instructions to an assistant that I hired on a casual basis.
The relief that this gave me was unexpected. Having removed this task from the back of mind, I felt creatively free. I found myself with head space to consider my goals and plans for next year. I experienced a lightness that helped me to tackle more interesting work. I felt more productive and happier.
"Happiness is a critical factor for work, and work is a critical factor for happiness."- The Happiness Project, page 112
What makes you feel good? Completing a big project, achieving a significant goal, getting promoted? Of course these things make people feel good, but what’s something that you could do differently right now that will make a difference to your happiness?
When I’m working on a project that involves thinking and writing, I used to feel that sitting at my desk, making notes and then typing was the best way to get it done. Recently, I noticed that if I review my notes and remind myself of the outline and deliverables, then immediately take a break and go for a walk, I have better ideas in a shorter space of time and I enjoy the process more. I come back to my desk with a clear picture of what to do and the energy to do it. Challenging my assumptions about what makes me happy in my work led me to make a small change that had a big impact.
Once I finished reading The Happiness Project I realized that I wasn’t interested in the disciplined approach that Gretchen applied to this topic, with charts and resolutions for every month. But, I found that reading about happiness makes me happy. I found that by looking for small things to do differently I increased my feelings of happiness, within my already happy life. How can you do the same?
Gretchen Rubin’s is the author of the #1 New York Times and international bestseller “The Happiness Project”—an account of the year she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, the current scientific studies, and the lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. On her popular blog, The Happiness Project, she reports on her daily adventures in the pursuit of happiness.
