My Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life

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November 13, 2012
11 Comment

Pigeon of Discontent: I Don’t Know How To Start My Happiness Project.

Each week, I post a video about some Pigeon of Discontent raised by a reader. Because, as much as we try to find the Bluebird of Happiness, we’re also plagued by those small but pesky Pigeons of Discontent.

This week’s Pigeon of Discontent, suggested by a reader, is: “I don’t know how to start my happiness project.”

 

If you want to read more about this resolution, check out…

Get started on your own happiness project.

5 tips for planning effective New Year’s resolutions.

13 tips for sticking to your New Year’s resolutions.

You can check out the archives of videos here. It’s crazy–my YouTube channel has passed the mark for one million viewers.

Also ...

  • I had a great time last night talking to a great group at the home of my friend, novelist and blogger Aidan Donnelly Rowley--"writing books and raising girls in the wilderness of NYC."

     

     

  • The holidays are coming! Would you like a signed, personalized, free bookplate for a copy of Happier at Home or The Happiness Project, to make a gift more personal?  (Or would you like one for yourself?) Or, for e-books or audio-books, a signature card? Email me to request them: just be sure to include your mailing address and people's names. I'll mail anywhere, and ask for as many as you like. But PLEASE request them soon, if this is for a holiday gift; fact is, I can be pretty slow. Don't know what I'm talking about? Look here.

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Other posts you might be interested in...

  1. Pigeon of Discontent: “I’m a Perfectionist; I Fear Failure.”
  2. Pigeon of Discontent: “I Get Distracted When I Work From Home.”
  3. Pigeon of Discontent: News of the World Makes Me Unhappy.
  4. Pigeon of Discontent: “I Check My Email Constantly.”
  5. Pigeon of Discontent: “I Don’t Have Time To Read for Pleasure.”
  • Jenny

    Thanks for this, Gretchen. I am re-reading The Happiness Project now. We have a baby due next month, and I want to be in peak happiness form when he arrives! :-)

    • gretchenrubin

      Terrific! Congratulations!

  • Annelies

    I am reading ‘Happier at Home’ right now and after a few pages I ordered some copies for my girlfriends. I loved reading ‘The Happiness Project’ and I am a big fan of your blog. Thank you so much for all the inspiration you give me!

    • gretchenrubin

      Terrific! I’m so HAPPY to hear that.

  • http://twitter.com/thinkandbehappy Terri Lynn

    That’s probably because getting started, making the decision to be happy, can be the hardest part!

  • Laurent

    Bonjour Gretchen, I’m french, I read your book and I follow your blog. Thanks for the positive things you share, you are really inspiring. May I ask you a favour ? Could you please talk a little bit slower in your videos. English is not my native language and you have probably many others followers like me in the world :-) Merci beaucoup and keep on with this wonderful project ! Laurent

    • gretchenrubin

      Thanks for the suggestion! I’m a fast talker – and will try to slow it down.

  • rbo

    Thanks for the much-needed kick in the tail, Gretchen! Hearing you say “Just. Get. Started.” prompted me to Get Started on a wall-repair-and-painting project I’ve postponed for almost a year, despite having the materials at the ready. Once I DID get started, I found it wasn’t half as onerous a task as I’d built it up to be, and even with freshly dried “mud” on the walls, the room already is looking better!

  • Leslie

    This is a really helpful video. I’m working on figuring out what the most basic things are I need to do, because I feel very overwhelmed by all the things I feel like I want and need to do. It makes it very difficult to figure out where to start. Sleep is definitely a big one. I have also added “Get more exercise”. I’ve put that above “Get control of clutter” because even though I know that I will be happier with less clutter and more order, I have so much clutter that it really overwhelms me and I feel that if I get more sleep and exercise, I will be less depressed and have more energy to face breaking the clutter into manageable steps. Thanks for continuing to provide inspiration!

  • Jan

    I have recently found your book and blog The Happiness Project and I am on Chapter 7. I feel very grateful to have watched this video…just hearing and seeing your words kind of cement if you like my starting points…more sleep and less clutter (in small bites). Thank you for inspirational thoughts and words.

  • Pingback: 6 annoying things I’m thankful for at The Accidental Expert

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