torn out (sort of): the happiness project

I'd heard a lot about this book, and after spending the past week or so reading it, I can understand why.  It's this fun combination of practical ideas that you've read in other places and interesting research and statistics that you may not have; and the author has graciously consolidated all of that into one book and complemented it with her amusing stories and genuine reflections.  I found a lot of simple wisdom and value in these pages!


Since it's a library book, the options of marking up the pages or tearing pages out doesn't make the best sense.  However, there were a few passages that really spoke to me in one way or another...

"Nevertheless, although [the Week of Extreme Nice] was a valuable experiment, I was relieved when the week was over.  I couldn't keep up the intensity of being that Nice.  My tongue hurt because I'd bitten it so often."  (Admit it - you're laughing and thinking what a great line that last sentence is.)

"I wanted to stop hoarding, to trust in abundance, so that I could use things up, give things away, throw things away...I often found myself thinking 'That's a good idea, save it for another day.' Why?  Why delay?"  (on the concept of "spending out" - i.e. not keeping something to use "later")

"Therese's example shows that ordinary life, too, is full of opportunities for worthy, if inconspicuous, virtue." (This was an interesting pairing with a concept from my Bible study, about the way some people are given big assignments and others little ones.)

So many other things I want to remember, as well...looks like I'll have to get a copy of my own.

Where I am: home