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" Most decisions don't require extensive research. "
Gretchen Rubin
Require
Most
Decisions
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" Many people keep photos in their homes, in their office, or in their wallet, and happy families tend to display large numbers of photos at home. In 'Happier at Home,' I write about my 'shrine to my family' made of photographs. "
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" Keep in mind that to avoid loneliness, many people need both a social circle and an intimate attachment. Having just one of two may still leave you feeling lonely. "
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" As goofy as it sounds, I try to sing in the morning. It's hard both to sing and to maintain a grouchy mood, and it sets a happy tone for everyone - particularly in my case, because I'm tone deaf, and my audience finds my singing a source of great hilarity. "
Gretchen Rubin
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" Most people enjoy 'potato-chip news' from time to time - to track a presidential election or the Oscars. However, some are particularly drawn to material that makes them feel shocked, frightened, insecure, or indignant, and that's what potato-chip news often provides. "
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" It's hard to avoid 'unconscious overclaiming.' In unconscious overclaiming, we unconsciously overestimate our contributions relative to others. This makes sense, because we're far more aware of what we do than what other people do. Also, we tend to do the work that we value. "
Gretchen Rubin
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" I get such a buzz out of cleaning closets. "
Gretchen Rubin
Cleaning
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" Sometimes, counter-intuitively, it's easier to make a major change than a minor change. When a habit is changing very gradually, we may lose interest, give way under stress, or dismiss the change as insignificant. There's an excitement and an energy that comes from a big transformation, and that helps to create a habit. "
Gretchen Rubin
Change
Stress
Habit
" A 'treat' is different from a 'reward,' which must be justified or earned. A treat is a small pleasure or indulgence that we give to ourselves just because we want it. Treats give us greater vitality, which boosts self-control, which helps us maintain our healthy habits. "
Gretchen Rubin
Want
Healthy
Reward
" Putting myself into categories is fun, and I think it also gives me insight into my own nature. When I see myself more clearly, I can more easily see ways that I might do things differently, to make myself happier. Categories can be unhelpful, however, when they become too all-defining, or when they become an excuse. "
Gretchen Rubin
Think
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" Getting paperwork under control makes me feel more in control of my life generally. "
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Life
Feel
Control
" If you want someone else to do a task, don't do it yourself. "
Gretchen Rubin
Task
Someone
Else
" 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
Clarity
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" 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. "
Gretchen Rubin
You
Technology
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" Try to never say 'yes' on the phone; instead, say, 'I'll get back to you.' When you're actually speaking to someone, the desire to be accommodating is very strong, and can lead you to say 'yes' without enough consideration. "
Gretchen Rubin
Desire
You
Strong
" Give warm greetings and farewells. I was surprised by how much this resolution changed the atmosphere of my home. "
Gretchen Rubin
Warm
Atmosphere
Home
" The days are long, but the years are short. "
Gretchen Rubin
Days
Long
Short
" One thing I wish I could tell my younger self: take photos of everyday life, not special occasions; later, that's what will be interesting to you. "
Gretchen Rubin
Life
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Wish
" Never label anything 'Miscellaneous.' "
Gretchen Rubin
Anything
Label
Never
" 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, we're free from the need to decide and the need to use willpower. "
Gretchen Rubin
Habit
Need
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" For one person, organized files might be a crucial tool for creativity; another person finds inspiration in random juxtapositions. "
Gretchen Rubin
Random
Inspiration
Creativity
" We all want to get along well with other people, and one way to do this is to help people feel good about themselves. If you make a person feel smart and insightful, that person will enjoy your company. "
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Good
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Help
" If you're impatient while waiting for the bus, tell yourself you're doing 'Bus waiting meditation.' If you're standing in a slow line at the drugstore, you're doing 'Waiting in line meditation.' Just saying these words makes me feel very spiritual and high-minded and wise. "
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Wise
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Waiting
" Accept yourself and expect more from yourself. "
Gretchen Rubin
Accept
Yourself
More
" Whenever I start a new book, I think, 'This is the most interesting subject of all time. It's sad, I'll never enjoy writing another book as much as I enjoy this one.' Every time, I'm convinced. And then I change my mind when I start the next book. "
Gretchen Rubin
Mind
Sad
Time
" One major challenge within happiness is loneliness. The more I've learned about happiness, the more I've come to believe that loneliness is a terrible, common, and important obstacle to consider. "
Gretchen Rubin
Loneliness
Challenge
More
" 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
Effort
Brave
Him
" I love cunning containers as much as anyone, but I've found that if I get rid of everything I don't need, I often don't need a container at all. "
Gretchen Rubin
Much
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Everything
" I've always loved 'Before and After' stories, in books, magazines, and TV shows. Whenever I read those words, I'm hooked. The thought of a transformation - any kind of transformation - thrills me. And that's the promise of habits. "
Gretchen Rubin
Loved
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Words
" While television is a good servant, it's a bad master. It can swallow up huge quantities of our lives without much happiness bang for the buck. "
Gretchen Rubin
Bad
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Master
" Do I need fifty finger-painted pictures by my toddler, or is one enough to capture this time of life? Mementos work best when they're carefully chosen - and when they don't take up much room! "
Gretchen Rubin
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