The Happiness Project is what would happen if a self-help book, your Type-A best friend, and a colour-coded bullet journal had a baby.  

Author Gretchen Rubin wakes up one day and poses a powerful question: “Wait, what if I just… tried being happier?” Not in a toxic positivity way, but in a “let’s see if flossing every day makes me less angry at the world” way. For that alone, I salute her. 

The book is structured by month as we follow Rubin's year-long experiment. She tackles one aspect of her life at a time—marriage, parenting, friendships, MONEY (yikes), and fun—all while she tries out little habits and mindset shifts to see what sticks. Refreshingly, it doesn’t feel like a lecture. It reads like you’re texting that friend who’s really into life hacks right now, but you’re kind of digging it, too. 

Personal Highlights: 

• Her rule of “Be Gretchen” hit me square in my identity crisis. Like, yes, please?! Let me stop pretending I like parties when I'd rather be home with a book under a fluffy blanket the size of a small country. 

• Oh, you thought Marie Kondo was the only declutter girlie in town? Think again. Rubin made me immediately rage-clean my wardrobe like a woman possessed. Goodbye jeans-that-never-fit, hello serotonin! (It was me vs. the clutter, and I won.) 

• Her section about making room for joy really spoke to me. I just LET myself buy art market trinkets and dance around to ABBA, even if I look hilariously silly. It’s called personal growth. Look it up.

That said, sometimes Rubin does veer into ‘Pinterest-mom’ territory. You know, “Wake up early and your life will change.” And I was like… bestie. No. Some of us are creatures of the night, and that’s OK. 

But overall? It’s charming. It’s thoughtful. It’s a self-help starter pack for people who want to feel better without doing a full personality transplant. 

Would I recommend it? Yes, especially if you’ve ever looked at your life and thought, “I should be happier than this, right?” It’s not preachy—just one woman’s trial-and-error guide to joy. And honestly, I’m now one gratitude list away from becoming insufferably positive. Pray for me. (Or join me. We’re forming a cult. The first rule is “Be Yourself,” and the second rule is “Bring snacks.”) 

I would definitely read it again (I am), preferably while sipping tea and romanticising my routine.

Because sometimes happiness looks like doing the most boring little things with the most annoying level of intention—and absolutely loving it. 

Shay is a 2nd-year double master's student doing construction project management and property development. In their spare time they slay at reading, vlogging and meal prepping.