The Happiness Project asks: How well do you know yourself?


Happiness is ... finding a pencil? A warm gun? Or reading The Happiness Project blog by Gretchen Rubin?

For me, it's the last one. My coworker introduced me to Gretchen's blog several months ago, and the combo of strong writing, actionable advice, and genuine introspection (without veering into gummy self-help territory) has kept me returning. It's like happy crack.

I've been sitting on this particular Happiness post since May. Why I haven't written about it yet is beyond me. Maybe because it's called Quiz: How Well Do You Know Yourself?, and digging deep into what makes me tick always feels a little itchy, no matter how comfortable I (think) I am with myself, because if I find out something mind-blowing, my whole life could change and that's exciting in a terrifying sort of way.

Or maybe I didn't write about it because I'm perfect and know everything there is to know. Clearly.

So, in line with IMS's quest to nourish all parts of you, I'm finally sharing the short quiz so you too can feel equally itchy reach a higher plane of self-awareness without the aid of certain pharmaceuticals. Questions here:
1. What part of the newspaper do you read first?

2. What are three books you’ve read in the past year?

3. As a child, what did you do in your free time?

4. What’s a goal that has been on your list for a few years?

5. What do you actually do with your free time?

6. What types of activities energize you?

7. What famous people intrigue you?

There's no wrong answer -- just what's right for you. (For example, I answered "writing and/or reading and/or authors" to 5 of the 7 questions. I'm not sure, but I think there might be a theme.)

And if you're curious about your discoveries and want to keep the happy train going, look into Gretchen's book The Happiness Project when it comes out this December.

In the meantime, indulge my nosiness -- what did you realize about yourself?

P.S. Speaking of happy ... Happy Birthday to the Fran Man at Undergrad Rag! Enjoy the big 2-3.