Gretchen Rubin's Blog, page 256

Video: Imitate a Spiritual Master. Who Is Your Spiritual Master?

2010 Happiness Challenge: For those of you following the 2010 Happiness Project Challenge, to make 2010 a happier year – and even if you haven't officially signed up for the challenge -- this month's focus is Eternity. Last week's resolution was to Clear a surface. Did you try to follow that resolution? Did it help to boost your happiness?

In the hubbub of everyday life, it can be easy to lose touch with the things that really matter. Finding a way to incorporate transcendent values into...

What Is "Opportunity Cost"? Does It Matter For Happiness? --Yes.

One of the things I love about studying a new subject is learning the particularized vocabulary. New words describing new concepts allow me to understand the world in a deeper way.

For example, in law school, after I learned the concept of "acting in reliance," I suddenly saw people acting in reliance all over the place. (For example, when my friend John signed a lease for a two-bedroom apartment because Michael promised to room with him, he'd acted in reliance, and so when Michael wanted...

"I Never Did Pass a Night with More Epicurism of Sleep...I Never Had So Much Content in All My Life."

"...and [I:] still remember it that of all the nights that ever I slept in my life I never did pass a night with more epicurism of sleep; there being now and then a noise of people stirring that waked me, and then it was a very rainy night, and then I was a little weary, that what between waking and sleeping again, one after another, I never had so much content in all my life, and so my wife says it was with her."
Diary, September 23, 1661

* I enjoyed cruising around Woulda...

Want To Be Happier? Avoid False Choices.

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.

I started thinking about false choices when I heard a friend describe a new job he was considering. "I don't think I'll take it," he explained. "There are two ways to do that job. John Doe was the wise counselor to the boss, the old friend who had the boss's respect and his ear. Joe Doe...

"Watching Project Runway, Not Criticizing My Husband, and Remembering that 'Things Tend to Get Done.'"

Happiness interview: Trish Ryan.

I got to know Trish Ryan because I was such a fan of her first memoir, He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not: A Memoir of Finding Faith, Hope, and Happily Ever After. We exchanged emails, and then when I was in Boston for my book tour, I finally got to meet her in person. Her next book just hit the shelves: A Maze of Grace: A Memoir of Second Chances.

I'm a big fan of Trish's writing for two reasons. First, although I would describe myself as a reverent agnostic, I'm...

10 Tips for Parents Who Want to Help Their Children Handle Social Struggles.

Every Wednesday is Tip Day.

A few days ago, in a post about teasing, I quoted from Michael Thompson's excellent book, Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Lives of Children.

In the book, Thompson includes a list of ten rules for parents who want to help their children manage their social lives. He discusses each point at greater length, of course, but I thought the list itself was...

Video: Plagued by Clutter? Clear a Surface.

2010 Happiness Challenge: For those of you following the 2010 Happiness Project Challenge, to make 2010 a happier year – and even if you haven't officially signed up for the challenge -- this month's focus is Clutter. Last week's resolution was to Find an exact place for things. Did you try to follow that resolution? Did it help to boost your happiness?

This week's resolution is to Clear a surface.

If you want to read more about this resolution, check out…
Clear a surface.
Why clearing...

Should Parents Tease Their Children about Social Struggles?

A few weeks ago, I wrote about teasing, and I was astonished both by the number of people who commented and by the intensity of their reactions. Clearly, teasing is a painful issue for many people.

It's a tricky subject, however, because teasing comes in so many flavors. Teasing among family members, and teasing at work. Gentle teasing and mean teasing and flirtatious teasing. Teasing that's really a disguised compliment, and teasing that's really a masked attack. Teasing that makes people...

"A Great Humility Fused with a Great Ambition: To Be Only What I Was, But To the Utmost of What I Was."

"At these best moments a great humility fused with a great ambition: to be only what I was, but to the utmost of what I was."

–- Stephen Spender

I remind myself to Be Gretchen.

* If you'd like to volunteer as a Super-Fan, and help me out from time to time, you can sign up here or email me at grubin [at:] gretchenrubin [.com:]. Thanks! The Super-Fans have been a huge help; I so appreciate it.

Stop Talking, Or, a Happiness Lesson from Sex and the City 2.

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.

A few days ago, as a treat, a friend and I went to see Sex and the City 2, which was tons of fun.

SPOILER ALERT: I am going to talk about the plot here for a minute, so be warned.

My favorite moment of the movie...