One of the most frustrating parts during the school year – with our never-ending homework load, packed schedule of meetings, and time spent applying to internships, all the while trying to remain social and sane – is that we no longer have time to read. No, we’re not talking about your 75-page assignment to read for your literature class, we’re talking about reading for pleasure. You know, those books that grab you from the start and you can’t sleep until you know what happens next. We’ve started a series to highlight some of the most memorable, inspiring, and beautiful books we’ve ever read; the ones that are worn on the spine from being read too much. Check out which books left lasting impressions on us and let us know which ones you hold close to your own heart.
“Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder…”– Thoreau
Surely you’ve seen this quote in friends’ Facebook statuses or tweets from the many people you follow, and so had I. While a beautiful metaphor for the reality that we cannot force things, it also seemed to reaffirm a belief that if one would like to be happier, there is nothing they can actively do to make that happen. Enter Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project. I had seen the book’s cheery blue cover during an afternoon shopping at Anthropologie nearly a year ago, but it wasn’t until this past December that I made the purchase and started my own Happiness Project. I have always been conditioned that hard work is required to succeed, whether it be in school or sports, but it wasn’t until Rubin’s book did I fully realize that happiness too could benefit from ardent attention and hard work. The book is cleverly outlined around a personal set of Gretchen’s 12 Commandments. Why 12? One for each month. Each month Gretchen would focus on one commandment, and as the months progressed, she attempted to continue to focus on the past commandments, as well as the one specific to that month.
These commandments are by no means short cuts or instant fixes. Some of them worked, others didn’t. What I most enjoyed about the book was that Gretchen honestly recounted how each of the changes affected her or didn’t. She also admitted that some of the commandments were hard to stick to, which made the book and her as the main character very relatable.
So, why one month? It’s been widely researched that it takes one month to break a habit or make a new one. Thus each month presented an opportunity to evolve into a more reflective and ultimately happy person, one month at a time. These concise commandments provide an overarching theme to inspire smaller changes in everyday life. They also inspired me to scribe my own set of commandments, and I hope this article will inspire you to do the same.
- Trust yourself first, you have the best perspective in YOUR life. Get supporting opinions in addition.
- Everyone is important! Every moment a chance to change a day, a life!
- Forgive! (but you don’t have to forget…)
- Follow through on promises.
- Say what you mean and mean what you say.
- Don’t interrupt!
- Acknowledge, don’t judge, let it pass.
- Breathe!
- Don’t gossip. Those who gossip to you will gossip about you.
- Change it up!
- Take the time to plan fun things. It will be worth the investment.
- Live the life YOU want, NOW!
So now that you’ve had a glimpse at Gretchen’s Happiness Project , and mine, How will you make The Happiness Project a project all your own?
Photo Sources:
joplinloves2read.blogspot.com
gripewhine.wordpress.com
http://lisasouers.typepad.com/.a/6a0115705ef0ea970b0148c7ba2b0a970c-800wi