Getting paperwork under control makes me feel more in control of my life generally. Gretchen Rubin More Quotes by Gretchen Rubin More Quotes From Gretchen Rubin In the scope of a happy life, a messy desk or an overstuffed coat closet is a trivial thing, yet I find — and I hear from other people that they agree — that getting rid of clutter gives a disproportionate boost to happiness. Gretchen Rubin giving happy-life people One of the most important lessons of childhood is discovering what you like to do. Gretchen Rubin childhood lessons important He is my fate. He's my soul mate. He pervades my whole existence. So, of course, I often ignore him. Gretchen Rubin mates fate soul The number one resolution that people mention to me as something that's made them happier is - to my surprise - making the bed. Gretchen Rubin bed numbers people I can DO ANYTHING I want, but I can't DO EVERYTHING I want. Gretchen Rubin i-can can-do want We tend to overestimate what we can do in a short period, and underestimate what we can do over a long period. Gretchen Rubin underestimate periods long Act the way that you want to feel. Gretchen Rubin anxiety want way There's also something about your bed; it's sort of a symbol of yourself and of your marriage, if you're married. Making your bed doesn't seem to be an important thing in a happy life, and yet it can be that tiny foothold into a more orderly life that sometimes people need. Gretchen Rubin important happy-life people No leader did more for his country than Winston Churchill. Brave, magnanimous, traditional, he was like a king-general from Britain's heroic past. His gigantic qualities set him apart from ordinary humanity; there seemed no danger he feared, no effort too great for his limitless energies. Gretchen Rubin kings country past In 'Before and After,' I identify the sixteen strategies that we can use to make or break our habits. Some are quite familiar, such as 'Monitoring,' 'Scheduling,' and 'Convenience.' Some took me a lot of effort to identify, such as 'Thinking,' 'Identity,' and 'Clarity.' Gretchen Rubin effort identity thinking Superstition is the irrational belief that an object or behavior has the power to influence an outcome, when there's no logical connection between them. Most of us aren't superstitious - but most of us are a 'littlestitious.' Gretchen Rubin superstitions connections outcomes Getting control of stuff makes people feel like they have more control over their lives - maybe irrationally, but it's one of these psychological truths. Gretchen Rubin psychological stuff people Nature is impersonal, awe-inspiring, elegant, eternal. It's geometrically perfect. It's tiny and gigantic. You can travel far to be in a beautiful natural setting, or you can observe it in your backyard - or, in my case, in the trees lining New York City sidewalks, or in the clouds above skyscrapers. Gretchen Rubin cities new-york beautiful When we don't get any treats, we feel depleted, resentful, and angry, and we feel justified in self-indulgence. We start to crave comfort - and grab that comfort wherever we can, even if it means breaking good habits. Gretchen Rubin self comfort mean 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 turns out that the happy out-perform the less happy. Gretchen Rubin hours week people Having a messy coat closet should not be a big deal in a full life, and yet there's something about getting control of that coat closet that's surprisingly satisfying. Gretchen Rubin coats bigs should I have a lucky perfume. I love beautiful smells, but I save one of my favorite perfumes to wear only when I feel like I need some extra luck. Gretchen Rubin smell love-is beautiful I've found that I snack less and concentrate better when I chew on a plastic stirrer - the kind that you get to stir your to-go coffee. I picked up this habit from my husband, who loves to chew on things. His favorite chew-toy is a plastic pen top, and gnawed pen tops and little bits of plastic litter our apartment. Gretchen Rubin snacks coffee husband Remember that although the distinction can be difficult to draw, loneliness and solitude are different. Gretchen Rubin solitude different loneliness I always say you can self-medicate through closet cleaning. Everyone knows that feeling of a clear surface, and how it makes you feel you can really focus and start your work. Gretchen Rubin focus self feelings
