Happiness Project 2010

I was given an advanced copy of Gretchen Rubin's new book, The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun.

I first became a fan of Gretchen and her website, The Happiness Project, last year when I stumbled upon this one-minute video titled: The Years Are Short.

Go ahead, check it out. It is worth one minute of your time.

Her book, currently hitting #2 on the New York Times Bestseller List, was the perfect accompaniment for my plan to start my own Happiness Project 2010.

Just the arrival of the package at my door had already made me happy (because surprise mail is super fun) but then reading this book became my inspiration to include this project on my list of resolutions.

Gretchen gives advice on what to focus on for each month of the year using the experiences she had when committing to her own Happiness Project. They are simple suggestions and tips to guide you through the year.

You may choose to follow her advice verbatim or switch one topic for another. Everyone's Happiness Project will be different.

January is dedicated as the month to Boost Energy. Suggestions are to include more sleep, exercise and organization into these next few weeks.

I have been working on getting more sleep this first week of 2010.

Setting my bedtime at midnight (yes, that is early for me), I wake up at 7:30 in the morning and my sleep is almost completely interrupted. Therefore, I receive approximately 7 1/2 hours of sleep to re-energize for the next day.

Unfortunately, I currently have a sinus cold which was inevitable because 5 certain little girls with coughs and runny noses have invaded my home.

My increase in energy has yet to be determined but I have 3 more weeks to settle in.

Here is a short video by Gretchen Rubin of her Challenge of the Week: Get More Sleep!



Even though the New Year has already begun, it is never too late to start your own Happiness Project.

Anytime can be the right time to add a bit more happiness to your life.

The days are long but the years are short.