Happiness Project: Gretchen Rubin of “The” Happiness Project
Gretchen Rubin is an author, mother, wife, and happiness expert. I dub her the Happiness Project Queen! Educated in Yale Law School, Gretchen won a writing prize, and went on to clerk for a Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Despite her extensive law experience, Gretchen heard her calling to be a writer. Gretchen published several books, but is now working on ‘The Happiness Project’. She is learning all there is about writing, and keeping records on her amazing blog The Happiness Project.
Gretchen made the move from Kansas to big time New York City, not too far from me. She lives there with her husband and two young daughters.
My only hobbies are reading and writing—and helping other people clean out their closets. I’m left-handed, terrible at sports, tone-deaf, a constant hair-twister, and afraid to drive. I talk to my parents and my sister all the time, and I live around the corner from my in-laws.
Gretchen just released an awesome internet mini movie, The Years Are Short. I watched it, and was really moved by it. It really captures the essence of life, and the importance of being present.
Gretchen’s Current Books:
1. How do you define happiness?
Hmmm…that’s so tough. Happiness experts use more than a dozen terms to mean “happiness” (subjective well-being, positive affect, etc.) Instead of spending a lot of energy trying to define it exactly, I just say to myself and everyone else – Let’s think about how to be happier, however we might define it.
2. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your happiness now, versus when you were a child?
I’ve been the same my whole life. I probably rate about an average of 7.
3. What do you do on a daily basis that brings you happiness? (and how consistent is the feeling of happiness throughout your day)
I exercise, I sing in the morning to my children, I email or see friends, I run into friends on the street (I live in New York City so this happens a lot), I read, I kiss my husband.
4. What things take away from your happiness? What can be done to lessen their impact or remove them from your life?
I am the biggest hurdle to my own happiness! — my crabbiness, impatience, fretfulness, envy, and self-centeredness. My whole Happiness Project is aimed at trying to help me control my “bosom enemies” so that they don’t wreck my happiness.
5. What do you plan on doing in the future that will bring you even more happiness?
I’ve been working hard on developing the resolutions for my Happiness Project that will make me happy. Now the challenge is to do them, ceaselessly, for the rest of my life. They aren’t hard, but it takes discipline to keep up with everything.
____
To get more info about what the Happiness Project is and isn’t, please visit the Introduction Post. To see a running list of all participants, which I will be updating as things happen, please visit the Happiness Project Page.
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Posted by Alex Shalman in Happiness Project | February 13, 2008 | Digg | Del.icio.us | Stumble | Print | 8 comments
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I’m a huge fan of Gretchen’s Happiness Project. Her approach of taking proactive steps to increase happiness – even when you don’t FEEL happy – is something I find I can apply in lots of ways in my own life.
Thanks for sharing more of her insights, Alex.
Gretchen’s Happiness Project is so helpful and inspiring, it is THE first email that I read every morning!
Thanks Gretchen.
Nice interview. I can totally relate. Your short video was awesome. Thank you for that simple and beautiful reminder that right now is my child’s life and to savor every moment with him. Thank you.
Gretchen’s video is a great reminder of the importance of being gratefull something that I think is also a great ‘gateway’ to Happiness. One of the best and most simple defenitions that I know about Happiness Is simply:
‘To be in ‘a State of Mind’ that makes you Feel that Life is Good’.
Like for example if you are in a State of ‘Gratitude’.
Indeed something ‘to be’.
All the Best,
HP
Interesting. She calls herself an author first, then a wife and then a mother. Hmmm. Telling.
Well, perhaps the author of this article calls her that. I take back what I said. Sorry so stupid. Carry on.
Francis, I did that bio, and I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s empty and meaningless. Carrying on. =)
I can very much relate to the crabbiness and impatience – two things that certainly can come between a person and happines! It’s refreshing to hear someone who is writing about happiness admit that it can be an elusive goal. I’ve been struggling with my own demons and trying to tame the ones that persistently lower my happiness factor. It’s not easy…but I find myself making progress (although not quickly enough for an impatient person!).
I’ve written some about what I’ve learned about the pursuit of happiness on my blog – http://www.betweenusgirls.info – for anyone who might be interested. I read Gretchen’s blog regularly, and a few others that have a similar theme. It’s reassuring to those of us pursuing happiness to hear about the triumphs and tribulations of those on the same path. Keep up the good work everybody!
Love the “Years are Short” video – how true. I’ve got two girls, 8 and 3, and I can’t believe how fast it’s moving…