>
Full context: I’m not the best reader, so while I wish the following was a full book review, I simply can’t read an entire book in a week. But I still want to tell you about books that have come into my life, so consider this a book review in progress.
I don’t really talk about dating a lot. A blogger has got to keep somethings to himself. But I’m going to make an exception. On Saturday night, I had the most amazing date. There was wine, laughter and a really good book. Best of all, it was by myself.
It’s this new thing I’m trying, going on dates by myself. The basic idea is to do something you would normally do with someone, but instead, enjoy your own company. You’ll find the night to be far less stressful and it is usually a lot cheaper. The best part is that at the end of the night, there is no pressure to put out, although I usually do. (tmi?)
As I mentioned, my only company on Saturday night’s date was a book, this week it was The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.
The book follows Rubin moments after she has an epiphany, “Time is passing, and I’m not focusing enough on the things that really matter.” Mind. Blown.
While Gretchen is essentially happy, there is a lot of things in her life that are weighing her down and preventing her from being completely and totally happy. I think this rather simple observation actually describes all of us. We have our good days and we have our bad days, but I think we can all generally say things aren’t that bad. But what if we got rid of the little things? Like replying to old emails, cleaning up that closet or finally paying that speeding bill. I’m no science professor, but I think it is simple physics. We let things weigh us down. And as far as I can tell, we mostly do it for no reason. So what if we got rid of those things? What if we finally returned that book to the library or organize that brunch with old friends, our happiness would seem to be able to soar, would it not?
What surprised me about The Happiness Project was how quickly I was buying what Gretchen Rubin was selling. I think we all have an excuse generator, but in a few short pages Rubin establishes herself as a no excuse go-getter. And while you’ll have to ignore how quickly the full-time writer is able to clear her schedule, to spend an entire day cleaning her closet, the point remains the same, happiness is not far off.
It’s times like this I wish I could invent a word, because if we are all just happy, we need to be looking for “happierness“, (Can I copy-write that?)
All this and I’m only fifty pages in.
I’ll check in again with you when I’m done the book, but I’m loving what I’ve read so far.
