Best Selling Books by Gretchen Rubin

“This book made me happy in the first five pages.” —AJ Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically: One Man''s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible Award-winning author Gretchen Rubin is back with a bang, with The Happiness Project. The author of the bestselling 40 Ways to Look at Winston Churchill has produced a work that is “a cross between the Dalai Lama’s The Art of Happiness and Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love.” (Sonya Lyubomirsky, author of The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want) In the vein of Julie and Julia, The Happiness Project describes one person’s year-long attempt to discover what leads to true contentment. Drawing at once on cutting-edge science, classical philosophy, and real-world applicability, Rubin has written an engaging, eminently relatable chronicle of transformation.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The author of The Happiness Project and “a force for real change” (Brené Brown) examines how changing our habits can change our lives. “If anyone can help us stop procrastinating, start exercising, or get organized, it’s Gretchen Rubin. The happiness guru takes a sledgehammer to old-fashioned notions about change.”—Parade Most of us have a habit we’d like to change, and there’s no shortage of expert advice. But as we all know from tough experience, no magic, one-size-fits-all solution exists. It takes work to make a habit, but once that habit is set, we can harness the energy of habits to build happier, stronger, more productive lives. In Better Than Before, acclaimed writer Gretchen Rubin identifies every approach that actually works. She presents a practical, concrete framework to allow readers to understand their habits—and to change them for good. Infused with Rubin’s compelling voice, rigorous research, and easy humor, and packed with vivid stories of lives transformed, Better Than Before explains the (sometimes counterintuitive) core principles of habit formation and answers the most perplexing questions about habits: • Why do we find it tough to create a habit for something we love to do? • How can we keep our healthy habits when we’re surrounded by temptations? • How can we help someone else change a habit? Rubin reveals the true secret to habit change: first, we must know ourselves. When we shape our habits to suit ourselves, we can find success—even if we’ve failed before. Whether you want to eat more healthfully, stop checking devices, or finish a project, the invaluable ideas in Better Than Before will start you working on your own habits—even before you’ve finished the book.

In the spirit of her blockbuster #1 New York Times bestseller The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin embarks on a new project to make home a happier place. One Sunday afternoon, as she unloaded the dishwasher, Gretchen Rubin felt hit by a wave of homesickness. Homesick—why? She was standing right in her own kitchen. She felt homesick, she realized, with love for home itself. “Of all the elements of a happy life,” she thought, “my home is the most important.” In a flash, she decided to undertake a new happiness project, and this time, to focus on home. And what did she want from her home? A place that calmed her, and energized her. A place that, by making her feel safe, would free her to take risks. Also, while Rubin wanted to be happier at home, she wanted to appreciate how much happiness was there already. So, starting in September (the new January), Rubin dedicated a school year—September through May—to making her home a place of greater simplicity, comfort, and love. In The Happiness Project, she worked out general theories of happiness. Here she goes deeper on factors that matter for home, such as possessions, marriage, time, and parenthood. How can she control the cubicle in her pocket? How might she spotlight her family’s treasured possessions? And it really was time to replace that dud toaster. Each month, Rubin tackles a different theme as she experiments with concrete, manageable resolutions—and this time, she coaxes her family to try some resolutions, as well. With her signature blend of memoir, science, philosophy, and experimentation, Rubin’s passion for her subject jumps off the page, and reading just a few chapters of this book will inspire readers to find more happiness in their own lives.

#1 New York Times Bestseller Gretchen Rubin’s year-long experiment to discover how to create true happiness. Drawing on cutting-edge science, classical philosophy, and real-world examples, Rubin delivers an engaging, eminently relatable chronicle of transformation. This special 10th Anniversary edition features a Conversation with Gretchen Rubin, Happiness Project Stories, a guide to creating your own happiness project, a list of dozens of free resources, and more. “An enlightening, laugh-aloud read. . . . Filled with open, honest glimpses into [Rubin’s] real life, woven together with constant doses of humor.”—Christian Science Monitor Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. “The days are long, but the years are short,” she realized. “Time is passing, and I’m not focusing enough on the things that really matter.” In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project. In this lively and compelling account—now updated with new material by the author—Rubin chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. Among other things, she found that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that money can help buy happiness, when spent wisely; that outer order contributes to inner calm; and that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference. This updated edition includes: · An extensive new interview with the author · Stories of other people’s life-changing happiness projects · A resource guide to the dozens of free resources created for readers · The Happiness Project Manifesto · An excerpt from Gretchen Rubin’s bestselling book The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles that Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People’s Lives Better, Too)

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this lovely, easy-to-use illustrated guide to decluttering, the beloved author of The Happiness Project shows us how to take control of our stuff—and, by extension, our lives. Gretchen Rubin knows firsthand that creating order can make our lives happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative. But for most of us, a rigid, one-size-fits-all solution doesn''t work. When we tailor our approach to suit our own particular challenges and habits, we can find inner calm. With a sense of fun, and a clear idea of what’s realistic for most people, Rubin suggests dozens of manageable tips and tricks for creating a more serene, orderly environment, including: • Never label anything “miscellaneous.” • Ask yourself, “Do I need more than one?” • Don’t aim for minimalism. • Remember: If you can’t retrieve it, you won’t use it. • Stay current with a child’s interests. • Beware the urge to “procrasticlear.” By getting rid of things we don’t use, don’t need, or don’t love, we free our minds (and our shelves) for what we truly value.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Are you an Upholder, a Questioner, an Obliger, or a Rebel? From the author of Better Than Before and The Happiness Project comes a groundbreaking analysis of personality type that “will immediately improve every area of your life” (Melissa Urban, co-founder of the Whole30). During her multibook investigation into human nature, Gretchen Rubin realized that by asking the seemingly dry question “How do I respond to expectations?” we gain explosive self-knowledge. She discovered that based on their answer, people fit into Four Tendencies: • Upholders meet outer and inner expectations readily. “Discipline is my freedom.” • Questioners meet inner expectations, but meet outer expectations only if they make sense. “If you convince me why, I’ll comply.” • Obligers (the largest Tendency) meet outer expectations, but struggle to meet inner expectations—therefore, they need outer accountability to meet inner expectations. “You can count on me, and I’m counting on you to count on me.” • Rebels (the smallest group) resist all expectations, outer and inner alike. They do what they choose to do, when they choose to do it, and typically they don’t tell themselves what to do. “You can’t make me, and neither can I.” Our Tendency shapes every aspect of our behavior, so using this framework allows us to make better decisions, meet deadlines, suffer less stress, and engage more effectively. It’s far easier to succeed when you know what works for you. With sharp insight, compelling research, and hilarious examples, The Four Tendencies will help you get happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The author of The Happiness Project discovers a surprising path to a life of more energy, creativity, luck, and love: by tuning in to the five senses. “Life in Five Senses invites us into the seismic shift toward a life grounded in sensation, vitality, and innate intelligence.”—GLENNON DOYLE, author of Untamed “An inspiring and practical guide to living in the moment.”—SUSAN CAIN, author of Bittersweet and Quiet For more than a decade, Gretchen Rubin had been studying happiness and human nature. Then, one day, a visit to her eye doctor made her realize that she’d been overlooking a key element of happiness: her five senses. She’d spent so much time stuck in her head that she’d allowed the vital sensations of life to slip away, unnoticed. This epiphany lifted her from a state of foggy preoccupation into a world invigorated by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. In this journey of self-experimentation, Rubin explores the mysteries and joys of the five senses as a path to a happier, more mindful life. Drawing on cutting-edge science, philosophy, literature, and her own efforts to practice what she learns, she investigates the profound power of tuning in to the physical world. From the simple pleasures of appreciating the magic of ketchup and adding favorite songs to a playlist, to more adventurous efforts like creating a daily ritual of visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art and attending a flavor university, Rubin shows us how to experience each day with depth, delight, and connection. In the rush of daily life, she finds, our five senses offer us immediate, sustainable ways to cheer up, calm down, and engage the world around us—as well as ways to glimpse the soul and touch the transcendent. Life in Five Senses is an absorbing, layered story of discovery filled with profound insights and practical suggestions about how to heighten our senses and use our powers of perception to live fuller, richer lives—and, ultimately, how to move through the world with more vitality and love.

365 days. 5 years. 1,825 moments captured. In her bestselling book The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin discovers the pleasure of writing just one sentence every day. The Happiness Project One-Sentence Journal helps you to make a fascinating and revealing time capsule of the next five years of your life. Simply turn to today''s date, reflect on the quote at the top of the page, and jot down just one sentence (perhaps about something good that happened that day). This daily ritual is highly do-able and provides a striking sense of accomplishment, and as the years go by you can see how your entries evolve.

365 days. 5 years. 1,825 happy moments.The Happiness Project One-Sentence Journal for Mothersis the ideal project for moms who want to capture the everyday moments of their child''s growth but are naturally short on time. Based on the book,Happier at Homeby Gretchen Rubin, this five-year journal will help you make a time capsule of your family''s growth in the simplest way possible. You can start at any point in the year. Simply turn to today''s date, and take a few moments to think about the quote or question on the top of the page. Jot down your thoughts and perhaps a note or reflection about your child. As the years go by you''ll notice how your children evolve and discover the aspects about your family that lead to lasting happiness. The quotes are interesting, funny, and always thought provoking. The diary can be started on any day of the year but makes a terrific gift for the New Year or Mother''s Day.

A WALL STREET JOURNAL SUMMER PICK A WASHINGTON POST BESTSELLER Warrior and writer, genius and crank, rider in the British cavalry’s last great charge and inventor of the tank, Winston Churchill led Britain to fight alone against Nazi Germany in the fateful year of 1940 and set the standard for leading a democracy at war. With penetrating insight and vivid anecdotes, Gretchen Rubin makes Churchill accessible and meaningful to twenty-first-century readers by analyzing the many contrasting views of the man: he was an alcoholic, he was not; he was an anachronism, he was a visionary; he was a racist, he was a humanitarian; he was the most quotable man in the history of the English language, he was a bore. Like no other portrait of its famous subject, Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill is a dazzling display of facts more improbable than fiction. It brings to full realization the depiction of a man too fabulous for any novelist to construct, too complex for even the longest narrative to describe, and too significant ever to be forgotten.

Jewels buried in a grave, cigarettes smoked in $100 bills, champagne poured into a bathtub--these perverse, irrational acts are also somehow thrilling. Profane Waste explores the workings of an unacknowledged taboo: the taboo against willful dissipation. Dana Hoey, an acclaimed photographer appearing here in her first book, presents a series of 30 haunting images that are at once ultra-real and uncanny. Bestselling biographer and social critic Gretchen Rubin uses lucid analysis and explosive examples--the actions of Rauschenberg, Jesus, Ivan Boesky, Thoreau and Goebbels, among others--to demonstrate the power of the title concept. Together, Hoey''s photographs and Rubin''s provocative arguments create a shock of recognition: they lay bare intentions that stand outside the conventional goals of acquisition and accumulation.

The Happiness Coloring Book features 20 illustrated nuggets of happy-making wisdom pulled from Gretchen Rubin''s entertaining exploration of happiness, changing habits and personal growth she has detailed in her bestselling books. Printed on sturdy art board, each image can be colored in, pulled out, and hung for inspirational display. Artist and hand-letterer Clairice Gifford has designed each image to create surprising, serenity-inducing coloring pages that will be beautiful to behold.

The author dissects the tactics of Warren Buffett, Muhammad Ali, Gwyneth Paltrow, Richard Nixon, Princess Diana, and other successful people, to reveal how power plays are made in the real world.

Are you over-extended, over-distracted, and overwhelmed? Do you work at a breakneck pace all day, only to find that you haven''t accomplished the most important things on your agenda when you leave the office? The world has changed and the way we work has to change, too. With wisdom from 20 leading creative minds, Manage Your Day-to-Day will give you a toolkit for tackling the new challenges of a 24/7, always-on workplace.

Aprende a dominar los hábitos de la vida cotidiana De la autora de The Happiness project, best seller #1 del New York Times. Si los hábitos son la clave para cambiar, lo que necesitamos saber es: ¿Cómo cambiar nuestros hábitos? Mejor que nunca brinda una guía concreta para entender tus hábitos y cambiar para siempre. Con un tono humorístico, sin dejar de ser convincente, una investigación rigurosa, y testimonios de vidas transformadas, este libro explica los principios básicos para la formación de hábitos. ¿Por qué me resulta difícil crear un hábito de algo que me gusta hacer? ¿Por qué a veces puedo cambiar un hábito de un día para otro, y a veces no puedo cambiarlo, no importa cuánto lo intente? ¿Qué tan rápido puedo cambiar un hábito? ¿Cómo me aseguro de integrar en mí un nuevo hábito? ¿Cómo puedo ayudar a alguien más a cambiar un hábito? ¿Por qué puedo mantener los hábitos que benefician a otros, pero no los que son para mí? Si quieres dormir más, mantener un peso saludable, dejar de fumar o terminar un proyecto importante, los hábitos hacen que el cambio sea posible. Con sólo leer unos capítulos de este libro excepcional, querrás empezar a trabajar en tus propios hábitos y transformar tu vida positivamente. ENGLISH DESCRIPTION The author of the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home, tackles the critical question: How do we change? Gretchen Rubin''s answer: through habits. Habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life. It takes work to make a habit, but once that habit is set, we can harness the energy of habits to build happier, stronger, more productive lives. So if habits are a key to change, then what we really need to know is: How do we change our habits? Better than Before answers that question. It presents a practical, concrete framework to allow readers to understand their habits--and to change them for good. Infused with Rubin''s compelling voice, rigorous research, and easy humor, and packed with vivid stories of lives transformed, Better than Before explains the (sometimes counter-intuitive) core principles of habit formation. Along the way, Rubin uses herself as guinea pig, tests her theories on family and friends, and answers readers'' most pressing questions--oddly, questions that other writers and researchers tend to ignore: - Why do I find it tough to create a habit for something I love to do? - Sometimes I can change a habit overnight, and sometimes I can''t change a habit, no matter how hard I try. Why? - How quickly can I change a habit? - What can I do to make sure I stick to a new habit? - How can I help someone else change a habit? - Why can I keep habits that benefit others, but can''t make habits that are just for me? Whether readers want to get more sleep, stop checking their devices, maintain a healthy weight, or finish an important project, habits make change possible. Reading just a few chapters of Better Than Before will make readers eager to start work on their own habits--even before they''ve finished the book.

En este innovador análisis del tipo de personalidad, la exitosa autora Gretchen Rubin revela una pregunta simple que transformará lo que haces en casa, en el trabajo y en la vida. Existen personas que respetan las reglas, los horarios y los compromisos; otras están dispuestas a resolver problemas y ayudar siempre a los demás; algunas cuestionan y dudan de cualquier imposición; y otras se niegan a obedecer o les gusta llevar la contraria. Tras años de estudiar distintos aspectos de la naturaleza humana, Gretchen Rubin descubrió que podemos aprender mucho sobre nuestra conducta y actitudes si analizamos cómo respondemos a las expectativas propias y las de los demás. Como explica este libro revelador, existen cuatro tendencias de personalidad: los favorecedores, los cuestionadores, los complacientes y los rebeldes. Cada uno de estos grupos responde de manera diferente a las relaciones de pareja y familia, al trabajo y a sus propios objetivos. Las cuatro tendencias presenta claves para comprender cómo somos y cómo son quienes nos rodean, para comunicarnos mejor, compartir, colaborar y alcanzar una vida más productiva, creativa, sana y feliz.

Descubre cómo sintonizar con tus cinco sentidos puede llevarte a una vida más feliz, consciente y plena La autora del bestseller número 1 del New York TimesThe Happiness Project nos descubre un sorprendente camino hacia una vida con más energía, creatividad, suerte y amor: sintonizando con los cinco sentidos. Gretchen Rubin llevaba más de una década estudiando la felicidad y la naturaleza humana. Entonces, un día, una visita a su oftalmólogo le hizo darse cuenta de que había estado pasando por alto un elemento clave de la felicidad: sus cinco sentidos. Había pasado tanto tiempo metida en su cabeza que había dejado que las sensaciones vitales de la vida pasaran desapercibidas. Esta epifanía la sacó de un estado de nebulosa preocupación y la llevó a un mundo redescubierto a través de la vista, el oído, el olfato, el gusto y el tacto. En este viaje de autoexperimentación, Rubin explora los misterios y las alegrías de los cinco sentidos como camino hacia una vida más feliz y consciente. Basándose en la ciencia más avanzada, la filosofía, la literatura y sus propios esfuerzos por poner en práctica lo que aprende, investiga el profundo poder de sintonizar con el mundo físico. Desde los sencillos placeres de apreciar la magia del ketchup y añadir canciones favoritas a una lista de reproducción, hasta esfuerzos más aventureros como crear un ritual diario de visita al Museo Metropolitano de Arte y asistir a la Universidad del Sabor, Rubin nos muestra cómo experimentar cada día con profundidad, deleite y conexión. En el ajetreo de la vida diaria, descubre que los cinco sentidos nos ofrecen una forma inmediata y sostenible de animarnos, calmarnos y comprometernos con el mundo que nos rodea, así como una manera de vislumbrar el alma y tocar lo trascendente. Vivir con los cinco sentidos es una absorbente historia de descubrimientos llena de profundas ideas y sugerencias prácticas sobre cómo potenciar nuestros sentidos y utilizar nuestro poder de percepción para vivir una vida más plena y enriquecedora y, en última instancia, cómo movernos por el mundo con más vitalidad y amor. «Este libro inspirador incitará a los lectores a abrirse al mundo que les rodea», Booklist «Ahora mismo, lo que más necesita el mundo es gente que haya recuperado el sentido común, que se haya reencontrado con el poder y la sabiduría de su cuerpo. Vivir con los cinco sentidos de Gretchen Rubin —tejido de investigación, práctica y una historia convincente— nos invita a participar en el cambio sísmico hacia una vida basada en las sensaciones, la vitalidad y la inteligencia innata», Glennon Doyle, autora del bestseller del New York Times número 1 Untamed y fundadora de Together Rising «Vivir con los cinco sentidos es una gran oportunidad para pasar tiempo en la inimitable compañía de Gretchen Rubin. Pero también es una guía inspiradora y práctica para vivir el momento. Muchos libros han intentado enseñarnos el poder del presente. Pero Rubin crea sus propias herramientas y forja su propio camino, uno que los lectores seguramente querrán seguir», Susan Cain, autora de Bittersweet y Quiet, número 1 en ventas del New York Times. «¡Qué maravillosa llamada de atención! Gracias a Gretchen Rubin, he notado más, saboreado más, probado y olido más, y eso ha hecho que mi vida sea mucho más interesante. Lo único que lamento es haber leído el libro electrónico Vivir con los cinco sentidos en lugar de la tapa dura. Me perdí la oportunidad de sentir el papel, de oír el sonido de las páginas al pasar», A.J. Jacobs, autor del bestseller del New York TimesThe Year of Living Biblically. «Un viaje encantador a través de la ciencia y la experiencia de captar plenamente los sentidos del olfato, el gusto, el tacto, la vista y el oído», Adam Grant, autor del bestseller del New York Times número 1 Think Again y presentador del podcast de TED Re:Thinking.

Jedes zweite Buch verspricht Glück – aber dieses hält Wort! Gretchen Rubin hat eigentlich allen Grund glücklich zu sein: Sie hat eine liebevolle Familie, ein schönes Zuhause und ein erfolgreiches Berufsleben. Trotzdem ist sie immer wieder unzufrieden mit sich und ihrer Umwelt, weshalb sie sich fragt, was ihr zum großen Glück fehlt. Und so startet sie ihren Selbstversuch: Das Happiness Projekt! Sie studiert systematisch die Glücksforschung, macht sich einen Plan für die nächsten zwölf Monate und fängt an, mit kleinen Dingen ihren Alltag zu verändern. Für jeden Monat nimmt sich Rubin einen anderen Lebensbereich vor: vom eigenen Körper bis zur ganzen Familie, von Freundschaft und Liebe bis hin zu Geld und Beruf. So geht sie früher schlafen, packt eine ungeliebte Tätigkeit an, hört mit dem Nörgeln auf, versucht, an die Geburtstage ihrer Freunde zu denken und sogar Misserfolge zu genießen. Dieses Buch ist so einfach wie einleuchtend. Rubin liefert originelle Impulse, mit denen Sie Ihr Leben Tag für Tag ein bisschen besser machen können. Ohne Null-Diät, ohne Hau-ruck-Verfahren. Praxiserprobte Tipps statt Hokuspokus. Machen Sie Ihr Glück jeden Tag zu Ihrem persönlichen Projekt – aber in machbaren Portionen. Und noch bevor Sie sich versehen, haben Sie Ihr Leben zum Positiven verändert! Happiness ist machbar – hier ist die praktische Anleitung dazu.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before distills her key insights into simple truths for living with greater satisfaction, clarity and happiness. The right idea, invoked at the right time, can change your life. Drawing from her long studies of happiness, and also from the challenges she''s faced herself, writer Gretchen Rubin has discovered the "Secrets of Adulthood" that can help us manage the complexities of life. To convey her conclusions, she turned to the aphorism - the ancient literary discipline that demands that a writer convey a large truth in a few words. Perhaps you''re paralyzed by indecision, struggling to navigate a big change, fighting a temptation, or puzzled by the behaviour of someone you love; whatever you face, the right aphorism can help. From procrastination to the pursuit of happiness, Secrets of Adulthood is filled with witty and thought-provoking reflections such as: * "Recognize that, like sleeping with a big dog in a small bed, things that are uncomfortable can also be comforting" * "Accept yourself, expect more from yourself" * "Easy children raise good parents" * "What can be done at any time is often done at no time" For anyone undergoing a major life transition, such as graduation, career switch, marriage, or moving, or for those just encountering everyday dilemmas, these disarming aphorisms will inspire you by articulating truths that you may never have noticed but instantly recognize.

From the author of BETTER THAN BEFORE u003e ''A LOT OF US WOULD LIKE A RUBIN IN OUR LIVES'' The Times Magazine - ''EXTRAORDINARY'' Viv Groskop, The Times Style - ''FASCINATING, PERSUASIVE'' Guardian - ''A LIFE-CHANGER'' The Pool Did you love The Happiness Project, Happier at Home and Better Than Before? New York Times bestselling author and award-winning podcaster Gretchen Rubin celebrates ten years of blogging with a special commemorative ebook. This collection offers Gretchen''s best articles from a decade of studying happiness and habits. From her first day as a blogger to the happiest day of her life, Rubin relives the moments that have helped us understand our habits, improve our relationships, and lead happier lives. Whether you''re a longtime fan who has read Gretchen''s recent New York Times bestsellers The Happiness Project, Happier at Home and Better Than Before, or a new convert from her wildly popular podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, this funny and poignant compilation will entertain and inspire you in your own pursuit of happiness and good habits.

Dans cette analyse révolutionnaire des profils de personnalité, Gretchen Rubin, auteure à succès traduite dans plus de 19 pays, vous pose une question qui pourra transformer votre vie personnelle et professionnelle : comment répondez-vous aux attentes des autres et aux objectifs que vous vous fixez ? L''auteur nous enseigne qu''en fonction de notre réponse, nous nous inscrivons dans un des quatre profils de personnalité : Discipline, Pointilleux, Dévoué ou Rebelle, et que cela impacte tous les aspects de notre comportement. Cette connaissance de nous-mêmes et des autres va nous aider à prendre de meilleures décisions, à mieux comprendre et communiquer avec autrui, àréduire notre stress... bref, à vivre mieux ! Les 4 profils vous apporteront des réponses pratiques si vous vous demandez, par exemple : Comment arrêter cette mauvaise habitude ? Les gens peuvent compter sur moi, mais je ne peux compter que sur moi-même. Que puis-je y faire ? Comment aider quelqu''un à suivre mes conseils ? Comment travailler avec quelqu''un qui refuse de faire ce que je demande ?

Quando a vida segue seu curso normal, fica difícil lembrar do que é realmente importante. Em uma tarde chuvosa, Gretchen Rubin teve um momento de reflexão enquanto observava as pessoas pela janela do ônibus: “Os dias são longos, mas os anos, curtos. O tempo está passando, e eu não estou suficientemente focada no que realmente importa.” Mesmo sem estar deprimida ou se sentindo mal com o próprio estilo de vida (afinal, estava bem empregada, tinha um ótimo marido e duas lindas filhas), a autora percebeu que poderia aproveitar melhor tudo o que considerava importante. Naquele momento, decidiu dedicar um ano a seu Projeto felicidade. Rubin não quis se reinventar, nem imaginar suas atitudes como gostaria que fossem; limitou-se a interpretar a própria vida de maneira realista. Com humor e inteligência, ela relata suas aventuras durante os doze meses em que aplicou no seu dia a dia familiar e profissional as observações sobre felicidade extraída da sabedoria de grandes pensadores, as lições da cultura popular e da espiritualidade às recentes pesquisas científicas sobre esse tema. Tudo isso sempre atenta àquilo que funcionava ou não para ela. Foi assim que listou seus Doze Mandamentos, determinando a cada mês novas resoluções: organizar os armários, exercitar-se, dar mais provas de amor, pedir ajuda... No entanto, realizar todas as propostas se tornou um desafio tão divertido e instigante que mudou definitivamente seu cotidiano.

A resposta de Gretchen Rubin para como mudar é simples: por meio dos hábitos. Os hábitos são a estrutura invisível do cotidiano. É difícil criar um hábito, mas, uma vez adquirido, ele nos dá energia para ter uma vida mais feliz, plena e produtiva. Mas como podemos mudar os nossos hábitos do dia a dia? Melhor do que antes responde essa questão. O livro apresenta uma estrutura prática para que os leitores entendam os próprios hábitos e possam transformá-los de uma vez por todas. Com seu tom sempre divertido e convincente, Gretchen une pesquisa rigorosa a histórias de vidas transformadas para explicar os princípios fundamentais de como se formam os hábitos.