The Happiness Project

I found this book in a round-about way. The author has a blog, and Michael's cousin Lis linked to it from her blog a couple of months ago. I liked what I read, and meant to pre-order the book, but life intervened and it took me until February to actually get my hands on a copy.

I love self-improvement books--it's so much easier to vicariously improve yourself than to do the actual work of changing--and this was no exception. It's akin to The Year of Living Biblically, which I also enjoyed. (It turns out the authors know each other.)

Much of this book resonated with me, starting with the premise of the Happiness Project:

And more important, I didn't want to reject my life. I wanted to change my life without changing my life, by finding more happiness in my own kitchen. I knew I wouldn't discover happiness in a faraway place or in unusual circumstances; it was right here, right now. (p12)

I tend to be drawn to books and movies and music with that same central theme: Carpe Diem. Live deliberately. Dance.

Maybe I'm a slow learner.