A few of my friends and coworkers had been talking about this book last year, I had so many projects on my mind that the mere idea of starting a new project, even if it meant to be happier just wasn’t the right timing. I think part of it meant that I was mourning the passing of two very important people to me and I wasn’t quite ready to let a Happiness project into my life. Sounds weird but it’s the truth!

So on a lazy Sunday I took a stroll into a Barnes & Noble, something I love doing, I love being surrounded by all the knowledge, the smell of new books, looking at people curled up on the floor with a piece of literature, so into what they are reading they don’t see the world around them, it’s a great thing. (Mainly a reason I’m not turning to digital reading anytime soon). So after hours of browsing the aisles and sipping on my gingerbread latte I decided it was time to let the Happiness Project in and so I walked out with the book, an open mind and a willing to make that resolution of book per month really happen.

So Step 1 of buying the book completed, Step 2 was Getting Social. I looked on the website, I liked the Facebook Page, followed Gretchen Rubin on Twitter, checked her blog out, and signed up for the toolbox. After checking all of that out and putting myself into the mind frame of what my happiness project will mean to me personally, I was ready to actually sit down in my comfy chair to begin reading the author’s journey.

And along came Step 3 – So I read the 1st chapter, which was January of her journey and her focus on Energy, or better yet on boosting energy. She explained different areas such as bodily energy, Restoring energy by de-cluttering, Tackling tasks and just acting more energetic. So far I’m liking the book, she spent more time than needed explaining about how she de-cluttered her house from top to bottom and I kept thinking, that the mere thought of de-cluttering drains my energy out, but it might be worth it…

Regarding Bodily energy, that seems simple enough!

• going to bed earlier to at least get 7-8 hrs of sleep. I think I can try that out. I’m going to try to go to bed by 9:30 (lets not count today since here I am on my computer writing about this)

• So I said be in bed by 9:30, and manage to be sound asleep by 11pm, lets see if that’s manageable!

• Some tips I picked up:

– get ready for bed early (wash face, brush teeth, pjs…)
– Turn down temperature in the room
– Lower lights to help induce sleepiness.

Tossing, Organizing and Restoring

This portion doesn’t seem half as exciting to me, but there are 3 areas that really could use it: My closet, my office and my crazy junk room (which used to be a guest room).

Tackling Nagging tasks

Oh this is a great area, no procrastinating on these daunting tasks. Laundry comes to mind, if I did that more often, it wouldn’t pile up and become such a big task.  Hmm that should be easy enough to start doing, not sure I want to, but I can see the happy outcome at my fingertips on that one. And of course the junk room is another one to tackle and that just kills two birds with one stone doesn’t it. Interesting I’m beginning to feel empowered and wanting to get on it as I write about it.

And last but not least – Acting Energetic

Hmm switching tasks when you begin to feel tired, can help you wake up, sure I can see that, it also needs quite some active manpower to accomplish, but I can certainly try that one out. I’m a good actress, I should be able to fool that body of mine into not feeling tired even when I’m dying for a nap. If when you are having fun you don’t feel tired, maybe the key thing is to think about having fun and change the mind frame… Lets get that started.

So between what Gretchen wrote from her experience and my own thinking of how it could affect me, I think I have some things that I could start working on. Lets see how that goes!