The Happiness Project

A few weeks ago I posted that I had become a bit of a grouch and I wanted to try to get to the bottom of why I was acting all negative and grouchy. I spent a few days cleaning my house and getting it in order and I found that it has tremendously helped my mood.

I have gotten into the habit of picking up a bit each day, washing my dishes immediately after I use them, and being conscious of things like hanging up my coat and not leaving junk mail on our island. Now, last week I finished reading "Little Women" and was itching to use the $30 Amazon gift card I had gotten for Christmas. I put the info into the computer and immediately purchased all three of the "Hunger Games" books. Since I didn't feel like immediately jumping into a three book series and still had a little credit on my gift card, I decided to download one more book. I went straight to my Kindle's "Wish List" and found a book that I didn't even remember putting in my wish list.

That book was "The Happiness Project."
I didn't know a thing about this book but was really surprised when I started reading it. It's about a woman who isn't depressed or sad but could stand to be a little happier. It sounded just like how I felt! It even started out with her getting more organized - clearing out the clutter... So far, I am only in the third chapter but its odd because its like I am one step ahead of this book. Every day I decide to do something to make myself happier and it seems like the next night, I am reading about the same thing in this book. So strange.

She even mentions this sort of thing in the book: "when the student is ready, the teacher appears" She calls it "Cosmic Harmony" and though I have always believed you will know and get "signs" if you are on the right track with your life, I never had an official name for that sort of thing.

So, that is what is going on with me lately. I am just trying to become more organized, more rested, healthier, and more in tune with life. There are still some kinks to work out and some things I would love to be able to discuss on my blog, but I just can't. We all know the story of "Dooce" don't we? I'll just have to leave it at that.

But, I have noticed this -- the more I do around the house and the earlier I go to bed, the more it affects Aubrey. I am not sure if he even notices what I am doing or knows that it is having a good effect on him. (Did I totally just get "affect" and "effect" mixed up?) But, he made up the bed one morning when he got up. He has washed dishes a few times and he even had dinner ready for me when I got home from work on Wednesday night. It's like the more I do, the more he does to help. Maybe when I am finished working on my own "Happiness Project" we will both end up a little bit happier than we already are.

Have you read this book?