Gretchen Rubin's "The Happiness Project"

I just finished reading Gretchen Rubin's "The Happiness Project" and it's definitely a keeper. After being introduced to the minimalist lifestyle aka intentional living, I purged many things from my life including books. While I'm still in the middle of the purging process, I know have a direction to go in. Before I would just add more to an empty space that I had created, but now I have learned that everything should have a home. If I believe that I will read it again and get something out of it, then I should keep it. If it served it's purpose then it's time for it to go to a new home like a library, school, or Half Price Books (where I originally purchased this book).

Included in the newer version of "The Happiness Project" is an excerpt from her next book, "Better Than Before." I have to say that I'm definitely interested in her story when it comes to habits. I enjoy the way she writes; it feels like a combination of having a conversation with a friend and someone's personal journal.

The main reasons that this book originally jumped out at me was that (1) it had my favorite color, yellow, juxtaposed with a light blue sky over the tops of some New York City apartments, and  (2) it sounded vaguely related to my current project. I literally came across this book while in the midst of my own personal happiness project, albeit a less organized version. They werent vaguely similar as I originally thought. They were one in the same, but with a different person with different life.

Starting a couple months ago, I picked a theme of something to focus on. In April it was to be more grateful, in May it was to rediscover hobbies and have more fun, in June I focused on money, June bled into July in a less stressful manner with more money mindfulness and budgeting, and right now in August I wanted to work on focus on what's important.

I love Gretchen's "Secrets of Adulthood," "Four Splendid Truths," "Happiness Project Manifesto," and all the little maxims she discovered and actually wrote down. Reading her story, like with the works of The Minimalists and Elizabeth Gilbert, it made me think about my life, how I feel, what I want out of life, and gave me a direction to start moving. One of her "Secrets of Adulthood" is "When the student is ready, the teacher appears." This book, and her next one for that matter, feels like the embodiment of this. I hope she continues to write and publish works for years to come.