The Happiness Project

by Gretchen Rubin

TWELVE COMMANDMENTS 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. These Twelve Commandments, I predicted, would help me as I was struggling to keep my resolutions. I also came up with a goofier list: my Secrets of Adulthood. These were the lessons I’d learned with some difficulty as I’d grown up. I’m not sure why it took me years to embrace the notion that over-the-counter medication actually would cure a headache, but it had. SECRETS OF ADULTHOOD People don’t notice your mistakes as much as you think. It’s okay to ask for help. Most decisions don’t require extensive research. Do good, feel good. It’s important to be nice to everyone. Bring a sweater. By doing a little bit each day, you can get a lot accomplished. Soap and water remove most stains. Turning the computer on and off a few times often fixes a glitch. If you can’t find something, clean up. You can choose what you do; you can’t choose what you like to do. Happiness doesn’t always make you feel happy. What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while. You don’t have to be good at everything. If you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough. Over-the-counter medicines are very effective. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. What’s fun for other people may not be fun for you—and vice versa. People actually prefer that y...