Start Your Own Happiness Project

Don't break the chain journal

Drumroll…The Happiness Project! More than ten years ago, I started my “happiness project,” and in my bestselling book The Happiness Project, I write about the year I spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, cutting-edge science, lessons from pop culture, and my own experiences to try to be happier.

Since its publication, I’ve heard from countless people who have done their own happiness projects. Groups meet to discuss the book, doctors and therapists recommend it, students read it in class…and they read the book to think about their own happiness projects. In my book, I offer my happiness project as an example, but it’s meant to inspire you to ask, “If I want to be happier, what would work for me?”

The longer I study happiness, the more I realize that there’s no magical, one-size-fits-all solution. Everyone’s happiness project is different, because we all have different temperaments, interests, and values.

Different tools and different strategies work for different people.

Some people resist having someone looking over their shoulder; for others, accountability is crucial. Some want to note their progress in a physical journal; others want to record it in an app. Some tackle a challenging task early in the morning; others do better when they wait until night. Some swear by their “to-do” lists; others need the encouragement of a “ta-da” list.

So many experts argue that they’ve found the “best” way or the “right” way. But there is no one best way—only the way that works for you. And I’ve found, over and over, that it’s much easier to create a happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative life when you do it in the way that’s right for you.

So…big announcement!

I’ve launched a new website, the-happiness-project.com, a one-stop shop where you’ll find all the practical tools, resources, and insights you need to start—or continue—your own Happiness Project. Whatever your aims, this collection will be your personal happiness toolkit where you can discover the particular tools that work for you to build the life you want, starting today.

You can learn whether you’re an Upholder, Questioner, Obliger, or Rebel—because when you know your “Tendency,” you’ll find it much easier to set yourself up for success.

If you like to hold a tool in your hands, I offer physical tools, like journals, trackers, and productivity aids.

If you prefer the convenience of digital tools, there are free online resources right at your fingertips.

If you’re discouraged because you’ve tried and failed to achieve your happiness aims in the past, this site can help. There’s nothing wrong with you, you don’t need to change yourself! Change the tools you use, so you’re working in the way that’s right for you. Whatever you need, you’ll find it here.

The Happiness Project is still expanding. I’m continuing to create more tools, so stay tuned.

Now more than ever, it’s the right time to start your own happiness project. After the stress and strains of the pandemic period, we’re all focused on physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Workplaces, schools, families, and individuals are looking for ways to help people to feel energetic, enthusiastic, engaged, and purposeful.

With self-knowledge and self-compassion, we can take practical and effective steps to become happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative. Without spending a lot of time, energy, or money!

On the new Happiness Project site, you’ll find:

  • Thoughts on Happiness—insights and observations about happiness and good habits
  • Digital Tools—free resources to help you find and use the right strategies for you
  • Getting Started—step-by-step guides for your own Happiness Project
  • Shop—new products designed to help you achieve your aims

As I continue my research and create new tools related to happiness, The Happiness Project will continue to grow. Explore the Happiness Project collection, and join the mailing list here to receive updates, tips, promotions, and exclusive content. You’ll also be the first to know about new tools and features, coming soon.

If there’s a tool you wish you had, let me know! We can all learn from each other.

Sometimes, people say to me, “I just wish I’d started my Happiness Project earlier.” If you feel that regret, remember the old proverb, “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second-best time is now.”

Wherever you are, and whenever it is, now is always the right time to begin your Happiness Project. I hope the new site, with all its resources, will help.

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