A happy book

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

I have seen this book on several blogs and decided to check it out from the library. I now plan to buy the book so I can underline and mark it up.

I like her observations on life.

The premise of the book is the author decides to work for a year on being happier. The book is divided into 12 chapters for the 12 months of the year. She tries different resolutions each month. She quotes lots of sources and draws some interesting conclusions.

Here are a few of the notes I made as I read the book

'What you do every day is more important than what you do once in a while'

'recalling happy times helps boast happiness at the present'

'the four stages of happiness are anticipation, savor, express, and recall'

'find explanations in charity or cut people slack'

'laughing out loud means I give up my pride, my defensiveness and my self centeredness'

She included this quote from St Augustine

Tend your sick ones, O Lord Jesus Christ, rest your weary ones; bless your dying ones; soothe your suffering ones; pity your afflicted ones; shield your joyous ones and all for your love's sake.

It struck her that the joyous ones would be included in such a list as this. Her conclusion is that most folks like to take the joyous down a notch, misery loves company. She realized how much she did this. This really struck me. I tend to be on the joyous end of the spectrum and I wondered why folks sometimes seem to come after our joyfulness.

Very fascinating read.