Let me count the ways I love Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project. Never mind -- there are just too many to list. I reread it every January, and while I don't follow it to the letter, it inspired me to begin my own project. It's scary how much of Rubin's writing resonates with me, so I was excited to devour Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives. We all have our habits, and in Rubin's latest, she has meticulously studied how they develop, based on our personality tendency. How do we change our habits if they're not good for us or we outgrow them? How do we stick to them if we do nothing but look for loopholes to get out of them? Rubin uses herself, her family, and friends to test her theories, thereby helping readers with thorough research and a doable framework.
While not quite as inspiring as The Happiness Project, I still felt better about myself after reading Better Than Before. I have quite a few habits that I know aren't good for me (planning absolutely everything and not liking any spontaneity in my life is the biggest); with Rubin's well-researched book, I feel like positive change is totally in reach.
MY RATING - 4
