She also gave up trying to impress people by reading what they thought was considered to be “proper” literature, and instead focussed on reading what she enjoys.įollowing Rubin’s example, I focussed on getting all my ideas on paper first, and editing them later, instead of trying to perfect my writing, one line at a time. In the book, Rubin talks of how, for one month, she wrote approximately 2,000 words per day, without worrying about the quality of her writing. Making Time For Passionįortunately for me, Rubin and I share similar passions and hobbies- reading and writing. When it comes to sleeping early, keeping phones away at least an hour before going to bed proved to be very useful as I found myself less distracted. Lighting incense sticks or scented candles create an atmosphere of tranquillity and not only helps calm the mind but also boosts energy. I have found that playing soft and soothing tunes, or even listening to your favourite songs is an instant energy booster. What I came to understand by doing these things is: I’ve been trying to do exactly that by sleeping early, using scented candles or incense sticks, wearing comfortable clothes and listening to music. After all, we are all different people and our opinions, energy levels and situations also differ.Īccording to Rubin, self-care is not just expensive skin care routine and yoga and meditation, but it is also about taking small actions, which heighten your sense of well-being. Even though I am sharing the results of my experiment with you, it would be worthwhile to remember that what works for me may not work for you and vice versa, but that doesn’t mean you should not try them. Some things worked for me, and some didn’t.
While I couldn’t try everything she suggested, I did try many of them. Since, neither big lifestyle changes have to be made, nor are you required to spend too much money or time putting most of her suggestions into practice, you are more likely to take action. I found The Happiness Project to be particularly useful in this regard because it highlighted the importance of making small, easy changes to increase your level of happiness.
However, the good news is that 30% of it is based on how we think and act and, fortunately, that is something we can change.
Rubin found a study that says that 50% of a person’s level of happiness is determined by genetics and cannot be changed. But first, you have to decide to make it happen, because the human mind is a stubborn piece of work. Gretchen Rubin doesn’t believe you have to uproot your life Eat, Pray, Love style to make yourself happy – in fact, it is entirely possible to do so within the sanctuary of your home. Over the past two weeks, as part of my experiment on turning to books in search of happiness, I have been reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and putting some of Rubin’s suggestions into practice.
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