Monthly Archives: September 2009

Be Gretchen. Let it go. Act the way I want to feel. Do it now. Be polite and be fair. Enjoy the process. Spend out. Identify the problem. Lighten up. Do what ought to be done. No calculation. There is only love.

“Whoever is happy will make others happy, too.” Mark Twain “There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy.” Robert Louis Stevenson “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42 “Imaginary … →

The best reading is re-reading. Outer order contributes to inner calm. The opposite of a great truth is also true. You manage what you measure. By doing a little bit each day, you can get a lot accomplished. People don’t notice your mistakes and flaws as much as you think. It’s nice to have plenty of money. Most decisions don’t … →

Flaubert: “To be stupid, and selfish, and to have good health are the three requirements for happiness; though if stupidity is lacking, the others are useless.” Vauvenargues: “There are men who are happy without knowing it.” Eric Hoffer: “The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness.” Sartre: “Hell is other people.” Willa Cather: “One cannot divine … →

The Years are Short Secrets of Adulthood

Great movies about the nature of happiness and love. Reading about eating more healthfully. Reading suggestions for children’s literature. Books about the creative process. Collections of essays and maxims on human nature. An assortment of self-help books. Recent studies about happiness. Classic works about happiness. Memoirs of illness and catastrophe. Novels about happiness.

“A cross between the Dalai Lama’s The Art of Happiness and Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love, and seamlessly buttressed by insights from sources as diverse as psychological scientists, novelists, poets, and philosophers, Gretchen Rubin has written a book that readers will revisit again and again as they seek to fulfill their own dreams for happiness.”— Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., The How … →

A few of my personal favorites Embrace the paradoxes of a happiness project Ten counterintuitive tips for being happier The movie “Twilight” inspires me to do a better job with my resolutions Interview with an (Imaginary) Hostile Reader The sadness of a happiness project Happiness Myth No. 10: It’s selfish to try to be happier Start your own happiness project … →

A few years ago, I had an epiphany on the cross-town bus. I asked myself, “What do I want from life, anyway?” and I thought, “I want to be happy”—but I never spent any time thinking about happiness. “I should do a happiness project!” I realized. And so I have. My happiness project has convinced me that it’s possible to … →

I’m working on my Happiness Project, and you could have one, too! Everyone’s project will look different, but it’s the rare person who can’t benefit.   A “happiness project” is an approach to changing your life. First is the preparation stage, when you identify what brings you joy, satisfaction, and engagement, and also what brings you guilt, anger, boredom, and … →

People have done so much to shine a spotlight on The Happiness Project; it’s the main reason that the blog has amassed such a wide readership. I appreciate that enthusiasm! If you’d like to help spread the word, please consider: Volunteering as a Super-Fan and from time to time, I’ll ask for your help. Talking about The Happiness Project (blog … →

One of the happiness-project resolutions that I’ve found to be most effective – and also the most fun – is to join or start a group. Being part of a group is a terrific way to make new friends, deepen existing friendships, have fun, create a sense of belonging, and spend time thinking about a subject that interests you. People … →

Every Wednesday is Tip Day. This Wednesday: ten tips for how to fight right with your sweetheart. My friend Karen Salmansohn has written several books on happiness — The Bounce Back Book; How To Be Happy, Dammit; The Seven Lively Sins. Her new book, Prince Harming Syndrome, gives love advice by combining Aristotle’s philosophy and modern cognitive therapy, with a … →

I just read a short, interesting book by Robert Maurer, One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way. I’m surprised I hadn’t known about kaizen before. The Japanese term kaizen is an approach of using small steps of continuous improvement to bring about change. Instead of pursuing radical changes – which are ambitious, difficult, and often don’t succeed … →

I’m working on my Happiness Project, and you could have one, too! Everyone’s project will look different, but it’s the rare person who can’t benefit. Join in — no need to catch up, just jump in right now. Each Friday’s post will help you think about your own happiness project. (I’m actually posting this on Thursday this week, because I’ll … →

Every Wednesday is Tip Day. This Wednesday: 12 tips to create a happier (and more productive) workplace. I just finished First, Break All the Rules by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman. I’d heard about it for years, but I didn’t actually pick up a copy until a smart friend told me to read it. The authors did a study with … →

From time to time, I post short interviews with interesting people about their insights on happiness. During my research, I’ve noticed that I often learn more from one person’s highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do from sources that detail universal principles or cite up-to-date studies. I feel a bond with writer Amy Ferris because we both had our big happiness … →