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

by Gretchen Rubin

All these thoughts flooded through my mind, and as I sat on that crowded bus, I grasped two things: I wasn’t as happy as I could be, and my life wasn’t going to change unless I made it change. In that single moment, with that realization, I decided to dedicate a year to trying to be happier.

Many readers and listeners have told me about their happiness projects. People have so many imaginative resolutions and aims; over the years, I've copied many of my favorite ideas from other people: choose a signature color; celebrate holiday breakfasts, quit reading a book if I don't like it, and so many more. I've had a lot of requests for resources to help people organize -- and just as important, follow through -- with their own happiness projects. I've created a sample resolution chart, a time tracking chart, a video course, a one-sentence journal, a habit-tracking journal, discussion guildes...so if you're looking for tools to help you with your own happiness project, take a look at my site.