Volunteering to help others is the right thing to do, and it also boosts personal happiness — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
I used to be very disciplined about only buying three books ahead of what I was reading, but my husband corrupted me,… — Gretchen Rubin Book Copy Share Image
“By mindfully choosing our habits, we harness the power of mindlessness as a sweeping force for serenity, energy, and growth.” — Gretchen Rubin Habits Copy Share Image
The absence of feeling bad isn't enough to make you happy; you must strive to find sources of feeling good — Gretchen Rubin Absence 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 Life Copy Share Image
While television is a good servant, it's a bad master. It can swallow up huge quantities of our lives without much happiness… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
I collect axioms, paradoxes, maxims, teaching stories, proverbs, and aphorisms of all sorts, because I love to see complex ideas distilled into… — Gretchen Rubin Aphorism 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 Happy life Copy Share Image
Superstition is the irrational belief that an object or behavior has the power to influence an outcome, when there's no logical connection… — Gretchen Rubin Authentic happiness Copy Share Image
“It struck me as poignant that my long relationship with my beloved grandparents could be embodied in a few small objects. But… — Gretchen Rubin Long relationship Copy Share Image
If you want to feel safe, healthy, and hopeful, try to act as if you did feel that way. "Fake it 'till… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
“While some more passive forms of leisure, such as watching TV or surfing the Internet, are fun in the short term, over… — Gretchen Rubin Internet 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 Life Copy Share Image
“Sprinters are pleased with their work product, because sprinting is how they do their best work. Procrastinators aren’t pleased with their work… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
Happiness is a critical factor for work, and work is a critical factor for happiness. In one of those life-isn’t-fair results, it… — Gretchen Rubin Authentic happiness Copy Share Image
A series of small but real accomplishments gives people the energy and confidence to continue. For instance, a person who wants to… — Gretchen Rubin Accomplishments 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
“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 Character Copy Share Image
“If I never do something, it requires no self-control for me; if I do something sometimes, it requires enormous self-control.” — Gretchen Rubin Discipline Copy Share Image
“I started to apply the “one-minute rule”; I didn’t postpone any task that could be done in less than one minute.” — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter. — Gretchen Rubin Clutter Copy Share Image
You really have to begin by figuring out what kind of person you are. The tip is to really take a look… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
If I pretend to myself that I'm different from the way I truly am, I'm going to make choices that won't make… — Gretchen Rubin Choices Copy Share Image
I have a passion for children's literature. Young adult literature. I love it. I've always loved it. — Gretchen Rubin Adults Copy Share Image
“Finally I am coming to the conclusion that my highest ambition is to be what I already am. —Journal of Thomas Merton” — Gretchen Rubin Ambition Copy Share Image
I have a lucky perfume. I love beautiful smells, but I save one of my favorite perfumes to wear only when I… — Gretchen Rubin Authentic happiness Copy Share Image
“by mindfully shaping our habits, we can harness the power of mindlessness as a sweeping force for serenity, energy, and growth.” — Gretchen Rubin Habits Copy Share Image
Although we often assume that feelings inspire actions, in fact, actions also inspire feelings. By pushing myself to act happier, I make… — 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 Life Copy Share Image
We tend to overestimate what we can do in a short period, and underestimate what we can do over a long period. — 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 Entire life Copy Share Image
[S]tudies show that one of the best ways to lift your mood is to engineer an easy success, such as tackling a… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
I'm a person who's fine saying 'No.' I like saying to myself, "no gossiping," "no nagging." — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
One of my 'Secrets of Adulthood' is: Somewhere, keep an empty shelf. I know where my empty shelf is, and I treasure… — Gretchen Rubin Adulthood Copy Share Image
Keep in mind that to avoid loneliness, many people need both a social circle and an intimate attachment. Having just one of… — Gretchen Rubin Attachment Copy Share Image
The more I examine the issue of clutter, the more effort I put into combating it, because it really does act as… — Gretchen Rubin Clutter Copy Share Image
I'm constantly on the hunt for insights about happiness or ideas about how to be happier - which probably makes me a… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
Skillful conversationalists can explore disagreements and make points in ways that feel constructive and positive rather than combative or corrective. — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image
Happiness comes not from having more, not from having less, but from wanting what you have. — Gretchen Rubin Funny Copy Share Image
There's a kind of magical thinking about these kinds of things. Throw away those bad photos before the "magic" attaches to them,… — Gretchen Rubin Copy Share Image