--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the findings that really interests…" description: "\"One of the findings that really interests me is that, although we think we ACT because of the way we FEEL, we often FEEL because of the way we ACT. So ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/738/gretchen-rubin-867_feelings_one-of-the-findings-that-really-interest_44123.png" --- # One of the findings that really interests me is that… ![“One of the findings that really interests me is that, although we think we ACT because of the way we FEEL, we often FEEL because of the way we ACT. So an almost uncanny way to change your feelings is to act the way you WISH you felt.” quote by Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/738/gretchen-rubin-867_feelings_one-of-the-findings-that-really-interest_44123.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/738/gretchen-rubin-867_feelings_one-of-the-findings-that-really-interest_44123.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/738/gretchen-rubin-867_feelings_one-of-the-findings-that-really-interest_44123.png) > “One of the findings that really interests me is that, although we think we ACT because of the way we FEEL, we often FEEL because of the way we ACT. So an almost uncanny way to change your feelings is to act the way you WISH you felt.” [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our emotions are often a result of our actions, not the other way around; deliberately behaving as if we already feel a certain way can generate the desired feeling. **In simple terms:** Acting can create the feelings you seek. Key Takeaway Behavior shapes emotion. Themes psychology self-improvement behavioral science motivation cognitive restructuring Mood hopeful empowering Type advice insight When to use this quote - overcoming anxiety - building confidence - breaking habits - improving mood Key Concepts agency feedback loop emotional regulation Practical Applications - therapy techniques - self-help strategies Questions to Reflect On - What actions could you take to feel more confident? - How does this idea challenge the belief that feelings drive behavior? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-feelings/) [Feel Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-feel/) [Feel Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-way/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Feelings Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings-act-653342/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Findings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/findings/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Uncanny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncanny/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Wish you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish-you/) ## Related quotes > [“…she was afraid of how he made her feel, because he made her feel way too much”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justine-dell/she-was-afraid-of-how-he-made-her-feel-because-he-made-her-feel-way/) [Justine Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justine-dell/) > [If you want to feel safe, healthy, and hopeful, try to act as if you did feel that way. "Fake it 'till you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/if-you-want-to-feel-safe-healthy-and-hopeful-try-to-act-as-if-you-did/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“Although we presume that we act because of the way we feel, in fact we often feel because of the way we act.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/although-we-presume-that-we-act-because-of-the-way-we-feel-in-fact-we/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“When you understand that your feelings are triggered by what you think about an event and not by the event itself, you gain a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-a-m-a-ross-and-judy-corcoran/when-you-understand-that-your-feelings-are-triggered-by-what-you/) [Julie A. M.A. Ross and Judy Corcoran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-a-m-a-ross-and-judy-corcoran/) > [Dont change who u are for someone else, just change their feelings about u!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-karanja/dont-change-who-u-are-for-someone-else-just-change-their-feelings/) [Lenny Karanja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-karanja/) > [“You can't change the feeling but you can change your feelings about the feeling in a second or two”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/you-can-t-change-the-feeling-but-you-can-change-your-feelings-about/) [david berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [The first step to forgiveness is the desire to do it, no matter how you feel toward the person who hurt you. Then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/the-first-step-to-forgiveness-is-the-desire-to-do-it-no-matter-how/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Don't think for a second your back won't be stabbed, because people change, and feelings fade, but don't worry new friendships are made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-scott/don-t-think-for-a-second-your-back-won-t-be-stabbed-because-people/) [Travis Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-scott/) > [Don't trust people who change their feelings with Time .. Trust people whose feelings remain the same when your time changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-trust-people-who-change-their-feelings-with-time-trust-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People change there feelings for you when they see fit so f them. Live your life the way you want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/people-change-there-feelings-for-you-when-they-see-fit-so-f-them-live/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [“You can’t just change your feelings, but you can change your daily habits to strengthen your sense of gratitude, which will then produce feelings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/you-can-t-just-change-your-feelings-but-you-can-change-your-daily/) [Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/) > [A tattoo doesn't change feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stassi-schroeder/a-tattoo-doesn-t-change-feelings/) [Stassi Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stassi-schroeder/) > [“Knowing your feelings won't change the facts, but knowing the facts can change your feelings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-chism/knowing-your-feelings-won-t-change-the-facts-but-knowing-the-facts/) [Marlene Chism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-chism/) > [Shit happens. People change. Feelings fade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boss-daddy-leslie/shit-happens-people-change-feelings-fade/) [Boss Daddy Leslie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boss-daddy-leslie/) > [I know when I leave, the distance will keep us apart. But distance, no matter how far, can't change these feelings in my heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-when-i-leave-the-distance-will-keep-us-apart-but-distance-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Gretchen Rubin > [“Second Splendid Truth One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/second-splendid-truth-one-of-the-best-ways-to-make-yourself-happy-is/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Knowing what you admire in others is a wonderful mirror into your deepest, as yet unborn, self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/knowing-what-you-admire-in-others-is-a-wonderful-mirror-into-your/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Being taken for granted is an unpleasant but sincere form of praise. Ironically, the more reliable you are and the less you complain, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/being-taken-for-granted-is-an-unpleasant-but-sincere-form-of-praise/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“one Secret of Adulthood is “Never start a sentence with the words ‘No offense’”? “And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-secret-of-adulthood-is-never-start-a-sentence-with-the-words-no/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [We all want to get along well with other people, and one way to do this is to help people feel good about themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/we-all-want-to-get-along-well-with-other-people-and-one-way-to-do/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/during-my-study-of-happiness-i-noticed-something-that-surprised-me-i/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-is-a-preppy-wabi-sabi-to-soft-faded-khakis-and-cotton-shirts/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“There are times in the lives of most of us,” observed William Edward Hartpole Lecky, “when we would have given all the world to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-are-times-in-the-lives-of-most-of-us-observed-william-edward/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-started-thinking-more-about-music-i-thought-i-d-accepted-the-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/if-you-ve-had-something-for-more-than-six-months-and-it-s-still-not/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-pleasure-of-doing-the-same-thing-in-the-same-way-every-day/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Although we often assume that feelings inspire actions, in fact, actions also inspire feelings. By pushing myself to act happier, I make myself feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/although-we-often-assume-that-feelings-inspire-actions-in-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I love finding - or inventing - ways to categorize people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-love-finding-or-inventing-ways-to-categorize-people/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“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,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/after-someone-s-death-how-strange-to-see-the-value-drain-away-from/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [One of my Secrets of Adulthood is: Most decisions don't require extensive research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-of-my-secrets-of-adulthood-is-most-decisions-don-t-require/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) [Explore all 346 Gretchen Rubin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## More Feelings quotes > [I have a strong feeling about this quick movement and changing of society and populations growing - something scary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-sugimoto/i-have-a-strong-feeling-about-this-quick-movement-and-changing-of/) [Hiroshi Sugimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-sugimoto/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [We never realize the importance of any our action until we be the hunt of same situation in reaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fadi/we-never-realize-the-importance-of-any-our-action-until-we-be-the/) [Fadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fadi/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [My feeling has always been that 'Good Eats' would have never happened had it been left to a committee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/my-feeling-has-always-been-that-good-eats-would-have-never-happened/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If someone really loves you, no matter how many other people they meet, their feelings for you wouldn't change. A real lover cant be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-someone-really-loves-you-no-matter-how-many-other-people-they-meet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [“I urge you: don't cut short these thought-trains of yours. Follow them through to their end. Your thoughts and your feelings. Follow them through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee/i-urge-you-don-t-cut-short-these-thought-trains-of-yours-follow-them/) [J.M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [Good girls don't hurt other people's feelings. Good girls are not overly aggressive, competitive, or boastful. Good girls please others. But what good girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jane-gilman/good-girls-don-t-hurt-other-people-s-feelings-good-girls-are-not/) [Susan Jane Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jane-gilman/) > [You will never fully understand how much you mean to me, because there are no amount of words that can begin to describe my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-fully-understand-how-much-you-mean-to-me-because-there/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) [Browse all 21,172 Feelings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of the findings that really interests me is that, although we think we ACT because of the way we FEEL, we often FEEL because of the way we ACT. 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