I can build a happy life only on the foundation of my own nature. Gretchen Rubin More Quotes by Gretchen Rubin More Quotes From Gretchen Rubin Reading makes me happy. Gretchen Rubin make-me-happy reading It's true that people do assume that people who are critical are smarter than people who are uncritical. Gretchen Rubin critical assuming people It's the task that's never started that's more tiresome. Gretchen Rubin tiresome tasks motivational What's fun for other people may not be fun for you- and vice versa. Gretchen Rubin vices fun people Writing makes me happy. Gretchen Rubin make-me-happy writing The belief that unhappiness is selfless and happiness is selfish is misguided. It's more selfless to act happy. It takes energy, generosity, and discipline to be unfailingly lighthearted, yet everyone takes the happy person for granted. No one is careful of his feelings or tries to keep his spirits high. He seems self-sufficient; he becomes a cushion for others. And because happiness seems unforced, that person usually gets no credit. Gretchen Rubin selfish discipline happiness I enjoy the fun of failure. It's fun to fail, I kept repeating. It's part of being ambitious; it's part of being creative. If something is worth doing, it's worth doing badly Gretchen Rubin ambitious creative fun Knowing what you admire in others is a wonderful mirror into your deepest, as yet unborn, self. Gretchen Rubin mirrors knowing self Relationships make me happy. Gretchen Rubin make-me-happy It's so easy to wish that we'd made an effort in the past, so that we'd happily be enjoying the benefit now, but when now is the time when that effort must be made, as it always is, that prospect is much less inviting. Gretchen Rubin effort monday past It's easy to be heavy; hard to be light. Gretchen Rubin heavy light easy One of the things that surprised me the most is how often we assume that because something's fun for someone else, it makes somebody else happy, it will make us happy. Gretchen Rubin assuming fun I think the big myth about habits, and happiness too, is that there's somehow a magic "one size fits all" solution. That, "If it works for you it's going to work for me," and it's just a matter of figuring out what that habit would be, whether that's do it first thing in the morning, or start small, or do it for thirty days, or give yourself a cheat day. Gretchen Rubin morning giving thinking The belief that unhappiness is selfless and happiness is selfish is misguided. It's more selfless to act happy. It takes energy, generosity, and discipline to be unfailingly lighthearted. Gretchen Rubin generosity selfish discipline We must exercise ourselves in the things which bring happiness, since, if that be present, we have everything, and, if that be absent, all our actions are directed toward attaining it. Gretchen Rubin absent our-actions exercise There are no do overs and some things just aren't going to happen. It is a little sad but you just have to embrace what is Gretchen Rubin embrace happens littles Get enough exercise and sleep: Sounds trivial, but it's not. You may have the urge to work 24/7, to skip the gym and to stay up late to get a few more things done. That's short-sighted. Exercise and sleep are critical to having the physical and mental energy necessary to meet a challenge. Gretchen Rubin challenges exercise sleep I spend a lot of time saying to myself, "Well, is that really what I like to do? Is that really something that makes me happy?" and letting go of the things that don't make me happy. Gretchen Rubin make-me-happy wells letting-go No one regrets having changed a lightbulb. Gretchen Rubin changed regret Behind our unremarkable front door waits the little world of our making - our home. Gretchen Rubin waiting home doors