The Happiness Project

Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project has been getting a fair amount of attention, and I while I don't usually go for self-help or self-improvement books, I admit this intrigued me. Can someone make themselves happier (without medication)? And is happiness determined by outside factors? I've always felt that happiness is a state of mind-either you are or you aren't and there isn't much you can do to change that. Rubin claims that she is fairly happy, but she wanted to increase her happiness. To be all that she could be. She wants to see if she can increase her happiness by making some changes in her life, such as getting more rest, quit nagging, spend more time with friends, tackling difficult projects, make new friends, etc. Her project encompasses an entire year, each month focusing on a different aspect of her life, culminating in December, when she attempts to incorporate all of her resolutions. While many of her resolutions certainly had merit and are worth doing, I doubt their ability to increase true happiness. Certainly they will make life more orderly, run more smoothly, and allow time for enjoyable activities, but will these things make her happier? Maybe, but I'm skeptical. Upon telling a friend about her project, he quoted John Stuart Mill, saying: "Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you cease to be." I tend to agree. But I do admire her dedication to sticking to these resolutions, many of which I'd do well to incorporate into my own life. And I did take away some good ideas for better communication with my spouse and kids (if I had any).