One of the things that I made a resolution for this year was to find some happiness within me. I’ve been lost since having kids, and the stress from 2020 really showed me how much I had strayed from my dreams. Like a beacon of light, two books came across my Kindle that are a great starting point.

The first book I read was The Happiness Journal by Viet Hung. This book is that common sense kick in the pants everyone needs to be reminded of. The reminders are told in small snippets that can be read with “sips of coffee.” The inspirational reminders seemed silly when I was reading them, until I took a step back and realized I was doing some pretty negative thinking throughout 2020, and acting in not such a happy fashion thereby ruining relationships around me. Every now and then, everyone can use a reminder, and that’s what this book is.

So what should I do to find my happiness again? Enter book #2! Journaling Power by Mari McCarthy. Honestly, these books should join forces and change the world.

The second book discusses how the process of journaling can help you discover things about yourself you never knew. This book is the ultimate starters kit, by providing the what (journal, journal, journal!), the how (exercises to help you get started), testimonials from people who have tried it, and also some scientific studies that were done on the art of journaling and its power to heal your body.

One part of the book discusses how it can heal you and help certain medical conditions feel better. I was a bit skeptical about this, but reading some of the science did make sense. I’m going to take the approach here of “don’t knock it until you try it.” And trying it starts today! I have completed my daily pages and will do more again tomorrow until this becomes a habit. I used to keep a diary in college – I think this is a great time to start journaling!

Want to try to find some happiness within you but don’t know where to begin? Give these books a try!