The Happiness Project – A Review from Vienna
Posted on February 17th, 2011

By Ravindra Wickremasinghe

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Gretchen Rubin has written a delightful book. The colourful cover itself makes one happy even before turning to the inside flap and thus begins a merry journey.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Happiness Project which grew out of her blog is much more than the compilation of entries, it is in fact, a story of daily life driven by an agenda which still leaves room for the vicissitudes which brings out the best or worst in us. It is both spontaneous and planned.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Gretchen who is a daughter, sister, wife, mother, a friend and much more tries to make to the most of everyday while benefiting for the counsel of everyone from Samuel Johnson to the Dalai Lama.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ She plays her multiple life roles with a harmony which can only be a result of a resourcefulness which is product of steely determination tempered by equanimity. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ .

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Early on in The Happiness Project, Gretchen persuades the reader to become her friend and this ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-bondƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and resulting empathy is both instructive and exhilarating as each passing page brings forth a contented smile instigated by inspiration and aspiration.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Gretchen ensures that the book is not an ego-trip designed to act a mirror for me, myself and I. Instead her story resonates with us all, as it is about experiencing the most mundane of daily moments and reacting to them in a positive and grateful manner, while at all times being true to oneself.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ While she neither defines happiness, peace of mind nor pleasure, she gives hints of how life can be enriched if one is clear in purpose and is at the same time realistic enough to accept its limitations. Gretchen understands that we are all visitors on earth and have only so many hours to experience and share joy.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Happiness Project deliberately does not offer a set formula for happiness, as Gretchen respects the intelligence and the particular circumstances which each one of us finds ourselves in either by chance or by design. It this respect it is a welcome break from the self-help books which seem to only help their authors to help themselves to massive sales and earnings.

In fact, it would be insult to Gretchen to describe The Happiness Project as a self-help book.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A very well researched book which, however, ensure that in the end it is about Gretchen and her very own happiness project while at the same time ensuring that the reader has enough reference material on the subject to peruse for many days and years to come. Readers around the world will easily identify with her family-centric happiness challenge.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ One of the most delightful aspects of The Happiness Project is the repeated mention of strength-building workouts and how Gretchen does them religious in spite of their cost and her time limitations given the need to juggle multiple duties all while researching and writing this book. It builds on the American can do ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Since happiness is like a muscle and its has to be trained and nourished everyday if it is to grow and support one on a daily basis, it would be fitting if Gretchen spoke to the godfather of fitness Jack LaLanne who at the youthful age of 95 works out two hours everyday along with his wife of fifty years Elaine Doyle (90). The happiness muscle also requires daily training and feeding as sarcopenia is not conducive for optimal living.

P.S. This writer has been exchanging emails on happiness with Gretchen for the past few years. A copy of The Happiness Project was sent upon request, for review by her publisher HarperCollins.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Happiness Project

My book, THE HAPPINESS PROJECT, is a memoir of the year I spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, the current scientific studies, and the lessons from …

www.happiness-project.com

One Response to “The Happiness Project – A Review from Vienna”

  1. Asoka_Wickramasurya Says:

    It is interesting to see how this Happiness Business is creeping into Asian societies now. Did our Asian ancestors live talking happiness or did they enjoyed the wisdom taught by their wise men, such as Buddha, Lao Tzu, way of Dao etc whilst the west is going on with its usual murder, slaughter and mayhem. It does not mean that Asian did not engage in war, but relatively to a lesser extent. And the wisdom these Asian wise men taught were whatever things sitting under their/your noses! What is happiness, and it’s relevance to Asia, particularly to Sri Lanka now?

    To say in a nut shell, all the victors are very happy bunch of people. Don’t they? CIA, FBI, and all the western allies are very happy too, as the world is revolving around them and they want to be like that way. Let alone the war and the control, think about the people of the Book. When they come around and get someone to their club they are a happy too. Is that what we want?

    Or, a few monks enjoying a well cooked alms provided by few lay people, while boxes of donated goods sent by expatriates living in western countries to be donated to the IDPs living in camps, sitting next to the monks in the dhana sala. Is that happiness, for some, yes it is!

    Or, do we have to do everything to be happy.

    What we need in Sri Lanka is work, to get out of tour sheer laziness, which is sadly blamed on Buddhism. Singhala Buddhists use Buddhism to cover their utter nonsense. It is not necessary to do things to gains joy or happiness. You will achieve joy invariably in whatever you do. Doing things are a duty to a nation you are born or to a nation you are adopted in. Whether someone wins or loses there is something to cheer about and that is joy. That is Asian Wisdom! Not chasing happiness!!!! Likewise we know more about Hollywood and Yankee history than our parents and it is sad!!! That is also happiness to some.

    At the same token, do we have to join or follow Opera’s book club to start reading something, at least a food label, let along books!!! When I was a kid I read every printed paper that came to our house, including the wrapping paper! That was my joy, even though it was not INTENTIONAL.

    Think about, all these are under your noses. No need to go to a web page, book club or a bookshop.

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