Quotes by Gretchen Rubin

It was my interest in happiness that led me to the subject of habits, and of course, the study of habits is really the study of happiness. Habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life, and a significant element of happiness.

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.

We can use decision-making to choose the habits we want to form, use willpower to get the habit started, then - and this is the best part - we can allow the extraordinary power of habit to take over. At that point, were free from the need to decide and the need to use willpower.

Turn off your email; turn off your phone; disconnect from the Internet; figure out a way to set limits so you can concentrate when you need to, and disengage when you need to. Technology is a good servant but a bad master.

Like most people, I have several pet subjects - that may or may not be interesting to other people. Dont get me started on happiness, or habits, or childrens literature, or Winston Churchill, unless you really want to talk about it.

Enthusiasm is a form of social courage.

Work done by other people sounds easy. How hard can it be to take care of a newborn who sleeps 20 hours a day? How hard can it be to keep track of your billable hours? To travel for one night for business? To get a 4-year-old ready for school? To return a few phone calls? To load the dishwasher? To fill out some forms?

One of my key realizations about happiness, and a point oddly under-emphasized by positive psychologists, given its emphasis in popular culture, is that outer order contributes to inner calm. More than it should.

Skillful conversationalists can explore disagreements and make points in ways that feel constructive and positive rather than combative or corrective.

People are powerfully moved by imagination, belief, and knowledge. They can consider the past and future. They can make changes in their behavior out of reason in a way that animals cant do.

Whenever I start a new book, I think, This is the most interesting subject of all time. Its sad, Ill never enjoy writing another book as much as I enjoy this one. Every time, Im convinced. And then I change my mind when I start the next book.

Negative emotions like loneliness, envy, and guilt have an important role to play in a happy life; theyre big, flashing signs that something needs to change.

“The First Splendid Truth: To be happy, I need to think about feeling good, feeling bad, and feeling right, in an atmosphere of growth.”

“The belief that unhappiness is selfless and happiness is selfish is misguided. Its 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.”

“Laughter is more than just a pleasurable activity...When people laugh together, they tend to talk and touch more and to make eye contact more frequently.”

“There is a preppy wabi-sabi to soft, faded khakis and cotton shirts, but its not nice to be surrounded by things that are worn out or stained or used up.”

“Work harder to appreciate your ordinary day.”