I always had the uncomfortable feeling that if I wasn't sitting in front of a computer typing, I was wasting my time - but I pushed myself to take a wider view of what was "productive." Time spent with my family and friends was never wasted. Gretchen Rubin More Quotes by Gretchen Rubin More Quotes From Gretchen Rubin 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 me happy. Gretchen Rubin different choices way Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I fail, but every day is a clean slate and a fresh opportunity. Gretchen Rubin succeed opportunity sometimes Happiness comes not from having more, not from having less, but from wanting what you have. Gretchen Rubin You really have to begin by figuring out what kind of person you are. The tip is to really take a look at yourself. Gretchen Rubin look-at-yourself kind looks Negative emotions like loneliness, envy, and guilt have an important role to play in a happy life; they’re big, flashing signs that something needs to change. Gretchen Rubin loneliness play happy-life Focus Not on Having Less or Having More, But on Wanting What You Have. Gretchen Rubin focus Focus not on doing less or doing more but on doing what you value. Gretchen Rubin values focus Self-knowledge makes me happy. Gretchen Rubin self-knowledge make-me-happy self It's about living in the moment and appreciating the smallest things. Surrounding yourself with the things that inspire you and letting go of the obsessions that want to take over your mind. It is a daily struggle sometimes and hard work but happiness begins with your own attitude and how you look at the world. Gretchen Rubin struggle letting-go attitude Turns out that people who try new things, go new places, learn new skills, etc. are happier. This can be tough, because novelty and challenge also bring frustration and irritation - but if you can push through that, novelty and challenge can bring enormous happiness rewards. Gretchen Rubin irritation frustration skills When I thought about why I was sometimes reluctant to push myself, I realized that it was because I was afraid of failure - but in order to have more success, I needed to be willing to accept more failure. Gretchen Rubin accepting sometimes order Think about what kind of person you are and shape your habits, and your happiness, to show what's true about you instead of thinking that you can just import the right answer from the outside. Gretchen Rubin shapes answers thinking One of the best ways to make yourself happy in the present is to recall happy times from the past. Photos are a great memory-prompt, and because we tend to take photos of happy occasions, they weight our memories to the good. Gretchen Rubin happy-times memories past One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to make other people happy is to be happy yourself. Gretchen Rubin mma happiness people Habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life. Gretchen Rubin invisible architecture everyday I'm doing a lot of speaking and talking about habits, which is this subject that obsesses me. That's a lot of fun. Gretchen Rubin habit fun talking Never start a sentence with the words 'No offense. Gretchen Rubin tact offense sentences I am living my real life, this is it. Now is now, and if I waited to be happier, waited to have fun, waited to do the things that I know I ought to do, I might never get the chance. Gretchen Rubin real fun might September is the other January. Gretchen Rubin january september Your unhappiness doesn't help anyone else - and in fact, as I mentioned in another answer, happy people are more altruistically inclined. So happiness is not a selfish goal. Gretchen Rubin selfish goal people
