Can a planner (that’s a diary, Filofax-style, for traditionalists – when did it become “planner”") make you a happier person" That’s what the thing sitting in front of me seems to promise: it’s called The Happiness Planner and it’s filled with uplifting inspirational quotes and spaces for me to write vaguely self-indulgent things. “What I Hope For Tomorrow” and “Today I’m Excited About” and (my favourite) “Exercises”.
In short, it’s everything that makes me want to remove my own eyeballs with an ice-cream scoop.
Which got me thinking: why am I such a grumpy, cynical old moose" Why am I unable to embrace this millennial-led culture of positivity and self-championing" Perhaps it’s because I’m not strictly a millennial (born in 1980, I apparently miss the cut-off by two years) or perhaps it’s simply because I’m British. If the British are exemplary at anything, across the board, it’s being self-deprecating and pessimistic. (I’m generalising, obviously, lots of Brits are lovely people. Please do come and visit.)
Glancing over the daily journal pages in The Happiness Planner (which is a very attractive, spiral-bound hardback book weighing approximately forty-five thousand kilos, so not one for the handbag) gives me mental hives. There are little sections for you to fill in your to-do list for the day, your notes, your schedule, wh...