by Malena Lott
In yesterday’s video reveal of our February Top Picks, I explained that Book End Babes will be hosting our own Happiness Project on our Facebook group for the next 12 weeks. THE HAPPINESS PROJECT by Gretchen Rubin is a February Top Pick and is our source for our HP series. I downloaded the group Happiness Project kit, which outlines our 12 weeks we’ll be spending together searching for our own personal happiness. Why do I want to do this? Let me count the ways.
1. I love men, but I’m a woman and therefore the woman’s journey is an important part of my life and purpose. I love to write about it, I love to explore it, and I love to inspire women to find their purpose and live a passionate life. The journey looks different for each woman, which is why it’s so interesting to see where those roads lead.
2. Happiness is a funny word. I’ve studied a lot of Eastern philosophies and have come to believe that “happiness” isn’t the ultimate goal, but that peace and living a full life WITHIN the turmoil and troubles that life hands us is the mark of an enriched life. Despite a tumultuous early childhood, I’ve always considered myself a “happy person.” Yet I was happy and anxious. Happy and worried. Happy and obsessive. So my own journey has been getting rid of those unwanted things to feel peace and within even the mundane moments I can find a sort of happiness that looks nothing like a Snoopy dance. So I am intrigued by Gretchen’s journey and hope to see how hers can make me better understand my own.
3. One whack at the bat. Unless you believe in reincarnation, you only get one whack at the bat when it comes to your life. One chance to get things figured out and living the best life for you (whether that’s big or small or trapezoid or square). Let’s decide right here and now that you may get one baseball game, seven innings and many strikes at the bat to figure out what your authentic life should look like for you. THIS is why I think it’s a good way to spend our time, reflecting and weeding out the stuff getting in our way and pruning and planting the good stuff. It’s 12 weeks to make a positive difference in your life.
4. Women need each other. As is our mission at Book End Babes, books rock, girlfriends rule. We need to help support each other in our journeys, lose the guilt and the judgement and go for it. I’m here for you. I hope you really will use our Facebook group and these weekly lessons to share and build the life you’ve always wanted or decide you want from here on out. Doing things together makes us not feel so alone.
Huge thanks to Gretchen Rubin for writing this fabulous book and creating this foundation for our discussion and our journeys. Visit her website here and click on the the book cover in our sidebar to the right to get the book or visit your favorite retailer so we can begin TODAY! Gretchen tested the theories and wisdom of great leaders so we aren’t starting from scratch here. Atta-babe Gretchen! We salute you.