Rediscovering Happiness: Celebrating 9 Years of The Freedom Project: Happiness
Finding True Fulfillment: A Guide to Gratitude and Happiness in Your Work Life, Just in Time for Canadian Thanksgiving
This week, just before Canadian Thanksgiving, marked the 9th anniversary of The Freedom Project: Happiness. A perfect time to take a few minutes to reflect on the journey of discovering true “happiness”. For me, this milestone offers an opportunity to reflect on the success principles shared in this book that really work. It’s not about me - this book shares insights and stories I’m passing along to help others find fulfillment in their own lives.
With The Freedom Project: Happiness, I delved into the struggle between career success and personal fulfillment. I discovered that true happiness doesn’t come from climbing the corporate ladder or running a business—it comes from aligning your life with your passions. This book shares how I learned to carry the freedom of travel into everyday life, reconnecting with what truly matters and escaping the confines of a life I didn’t love.
The Journey to Happiness
The Freedom Project: Happiness is more than just a book; it’s a guide to rediscovering what it means to live a meaningful life. When I first wrote this book, my goal was to provide an action plan for anyone feeling stuck in a career that doesn’t bring joy or fulfillment. My idea of “happiness at work” has been purely hypothetical for many years, as I hated what I did for a living. We often equate success with climbing the corporate ladder, but what happens when you reach the top and still feel empty inside?
The truth is, happiness doesn’t come from a job title or a paycheque. Contrary to popular belief, it also doesn’t come from quitting your job and/or running a business. Most entrepreneurs don’t own a business, they own a job. True happiness comes from living a life aligned with your passions, values, and desires.
In this second book in The Freedom Project series, I share my journey of leaving behind a successful yet unfulfilling career to pursue a life of freedom, both in terms of time and location. The lessons I learned along the way are timeless, and they still work today, nine years after the book was first released.
Finding Fulfillment Beyond Work
One of the key messages of the book is that happiness is not about escaping from work, but about redefining what work means. Whether you have a job, or own a job, isn’t as important as most modern-day gurus and business coaches make it sound like. That’s just how those coaches and gurus make their money (from you).
For some, this might mean pursuing a different career path, while for others, it could be about finding joy in their current roles by focusing on what truly matters. It’s about taking control of your life and making choices that bring you closer to true fulfillment.
Practical Tips for Creating a Fulfilling Life
To help you get started, here are a few tips inspired by the book:
Identify Your Core Values: Take time to reflect on what truly matters to you. Your core values are the foundation of a fulfilling life.
Pursue Your Passions: Make time for the activities that bring you joy. Whether it’s a hobby, a side project, or a new career path, following your passions can lead to a more meaningful life.
Set Boundaries: Learn to say no to things that don’t align with your values or goals. Protecting your time and energy is essential for maintaining happiness.
Embrace Change: Don’t be afraid to make changes in your life if something isn’t working. Whether it’s changing jobs, moving to a new city, or ending a toxic relationship, sometimes a fresh start is what you need.
Practice Gratitude: Take time each day to reflect on what you’re grateful for. Focusing on the positive aspects of your life can help you cultivate a sense of contentment and happiness.1
Get Into Action
As we celebrate the 9th anniversary of The Freedom Project: Happiness, I encourage you to reflect on your own journey. The questions and articles linked below may help.
Are you living a life that brings you happiness?
Are you following your passions, or are you stuck in a routine that drains your energy and enthusiasm?
If there was one thing you could change today, what would it be?
If you want to keep reading, The Freedom Project: Happiness is available on Amazon Kindle for only $5 USD/CAD. The paperback is just $14.99 USD or $19.99 CAD.2
Whether you’re looking to make a change in your life or simply want to find more joy in your daily routine, The Freedom Project: Happiness offers valuable insights and practical advice. Let this anniversary be a reminder that your goals are within reach—you just need to take the first step.
Further reading
Don’t worry: I’m not another guy preaching about gratitude. I’m too Dutch, too direct, and too realistic. Life can be difficult sometimes and not everything deserves gratitude. Period. Please be mindful of the gratitude trap.
So you can literally buy Happiness for less than $20 😉 All jokes aside, the book does discuss whether or not money can buy true happiness. Long story short: to a large degree, it does. I’ll explain in the book. All people who preach otherwise have constructed a life where they no longer need money to get by, most often because they’re financially safe already.