Check out some happiness lessons from Gretchen Rubin -- and win a free copy of her new book!
Gretchen Rubin, the author of the Happiness Project blog and book, has been a friend of Gimundo for a long time. And we’re thrilled that she’s now released a follow-up to The Happiness Project, Happier at Home.
Happier at Home dives into family life to explore how we can gain more fulfillment from time spent at home with our families. A few key takeaways:
Kiss more. It’s not enough to love someone—it’s important to prove it every day. One of Rubin’s resolutions involves kissing her husband and daughters good morning and good night every day, and taking the time to give warm greetings and goodbyes. Acts like these are simple, yet incredibly powerful.
Build a shrine. Creating a “shrine” in your home isn’t materialistic—it’s a creative way to reflect on your passions. Whether you love opera, horses, or international travel, build a display in your home of carefully curated mementos related to those interests, which will encourage you to reflect on them often.
Have adventures (if you want to). Rubin resolved to take her daughter on weekly adventures to new places around New York City, which has led them to discover new interests and favorite places while strengthening their family bond. When she asked her husband to go on monthly adventures with her, though, he wasn’t interested. Rubin often makes the point that what’s fun for someone else may not be fun for you (and vice versa); adding a little adventure to your family life will only work for those who actively want to pursue it.
Clear your clutter. Take an unsentimental look at all of your possessions and focus on selling or giving away anything you don’t use often. For instance, Rubin had some beautiful scarves hanging in her closet that she never wore, so she gave them away to her mother. Stop thinking “I’ll use it someday”—if you haven’t used something in years, chances are, it’s simply cluttering up your life.
These are just a few of the valuable lessons from Rubin’s book, which draws on the work of writers like Samuel Johnston and St. Therese as well as her own life experiences. To learn the rest, you’ll have to read it yourself.
Want a free copy? Gretchen has graciously given us nine copies of her new book to give away to readers!
To enter, become a Gimundo Facebook fan and write a comment sharing your own favorite happiness booster. We’ll randomly choose 9 winners from the entries we receive, and will share tips from all of the entries we’ve received in an upcoming article. Winners will be selected on Tuesday, September 25th.
If you’d rather not wait that long, Happier at Home is available from Amazon right now in hardcover and Kindle editions.