“I wasn't as happy as I could be, and my life wasn't going to change unless I made it change.” — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
He is my fate. He's my soul mate. He pervades my whole existence. So, of course, I often ignore him. — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
Getting paperwork under control makes me feel more in control of my life generally. — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
“One of life’s small pleasures is to return something to its proper place;” — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
“Habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life, and a significant element of happiness. If we have habits that work for us,… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
One thing I wish I could tell my younger self: take photos of everyday life, not special occasions; later, that's what will… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
Having a messy coat closet should not be a big deal in a full life, and yet there's something about getting control… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
Nothing,' wrote Tolstoy, 'can make our life, or the lives of other people, more beautiful than perpetual kindness. — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
I am living my real life, this is it. Now is now, and if I waited to be happier, waited to have… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
People feel happier when they feel like they're progressing. When they feel like something in their life is growing or getting better. — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
Do I need fifty finger-painted pictures by my toddler, or is one enough to capture this time of life? Mementos work best… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
“The pleasure of doing the same thing, in the same way, every day, shouldn't be overlooked. The things I do every day… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
Whenever I'm trying to decide how to spend my precious time, energy, or money, I ask myself a series of questions. 'Will… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
It was my interest in happiness that led me to the subject of habits, and of course, the study of habits is… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
“There are times in the lives of most of us,” observed William Edward Hartpole Lecky, “when we would have given all the… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
“Keep it simple' wasn't always the right response. Many things that boosted my happiness also added complexity to my life. Having children.… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
Habit allows us to go from 'before' to 'after,' to make life easier and better. Habit is notorious - and rightly so… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
People in religions that teach that believers in other faiths are condemned, for example, tend to have lower life satisfaction. People who… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
“There's no "right" or "best" way to create a better life. Nevertheless, while each of us may define and achieve outer order… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
In the scope of a happy life, a messy desk or an overstuffed coat closet is a trivial thing, yet I find… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
“Thoreau admonished, “Our life is frittered away by detail.… Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!” This longing for simplicity is so powerful and complex that… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
I realize that in a happy life, making your bed should play a very small part, I don't know why this is… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
“Studies show that each common interest between people boosts the chances of a lasting relationship and also brings about a 2 percent… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
“Of all the things that wisdom provides for living one’s entire life in happiness, the greatest by far is the possession of… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
Sometimes I think it's easier to think about being happier, for what ever that means to you then worrying about what is… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
“The words of the writer Colette had haunted me for years: “What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
Negative emotions like loneliness, envy, and guilt have an important role to play in a happy life; they're big, flashing signs that… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
“This self-knowledge is crucial because we can build a happy life only on the foundation of our own nature, our own interests,… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
“Feeling right” is about living the life that’s right for you—in occupation, location, marital status, and so on. It’s also about virtue:… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
I grasped two things: I wasn't as happy as I could be, and my life wasnt going to change unless I made… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
There's also something about your bed; it's sort of a symbol of yourself and of your marriage, if you're married. Making your… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
According to current research, in the determination of a person's level of happiness, genetics accounts for about 50 percent; life circumstances, such… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
“Second Splendid Truth One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share
Knowing what you admire in others is a wonderful mirror into your deepest, as yet unborn, self. — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share
Being taken for granted is an unpleasant but sincere form of praise. Ironically, the more reliable you are and the less you complain, the… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share
“one Secret of Adulthood is “Never start a sentence with the words ‘No offense’”? “And” — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share
One of the findings that really interests me is that, although we think we ACT because of the way we FEEL, we often FEEL… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share
We all want to get along well with other people, and one way to do this is to help people feel good about themselves.… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share
During my study of happiness, I noticed something that surprised me: I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share
There is a preppy wabi-sabi to soft, faded khakis and cotton shirts, but it's not nice to be surrounded by things that are worn… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share
“There are times in the lives of most of us,” observed William Edward Hartpole Lecky, “when we would have given all the world to… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share
“I started thinking more about music. I thought I'd accepted the fact that, as part of "Being Gretchen," I didn't really like music, but… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share
If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter. — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share
“The pleasure of doing the same thing, in the same way, every day, shouldn't be overlooked. The things I do every day take on… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share
Although we often assume that feelings inspire actions, in fact, actions also inspire feelings. By pushing myself to act happier, I make myself feel… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share
“After someone's death, how strange to see the value drain away from his or her possessions; useful objects such as clothes, or dish towels,… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share
