Hello, Research shows that one way to make ourselves happy in the present is to recall happy times from the past, and remembering sensory details can make those memories more vivid.
This week, the five things making me happy are my most striking five-senses experiences from my summer.
Because it’s easier to feel changed than to stay changed, now that my book Life in Five Senses is done, I worry that I’ll get stuck in my head again. I created a Five-Senses Journal as a way to help myself stay connected to the world and other people through my senses. I love this journal—I’ve never seen anything else like it, and for me, it ends up being a much more satisfying (and by that, I mean less annoying) way to keep a gratitude journal. (I’m the rare writer about happiness who really dislikes the oft-recommended practice of keeping a gratitude journal.) | | 5 Things Making Me Happy 
Seeing: I’ll never forget the sight of my younger daughter Eleanor walking across the stage, dressed in her cap and gown, for her high-school graduation. As I watched her accept her diploma, I was reminded of one of my Secrets of Adulthood: “The days are long, but the years are short.”
| |
Hearing: I remember hearing my dog Barnaby give a deep, long sigh as he settled himself into the chair in my office. It’s such a comfortable, contented sound. | |
Smelling: One of my very favorite smells is the smell of hay, and in fact, my lucky perfume is a “Hay” accord. (I love it, but I only allow myself to put it on if I need luck.) When my family was recently in Montana, I got so much pleasure from the smell of hay. I walked by these fields once or twice daily, sniffing away.
| |
Tasting: I was on a big avocado kick this summer. My family protests when I eat plain guacamole with a fork, but why not? I love the flavor and the smooth mouthfeel of avocado, and it’s such a delicious and filling food. Also, I’m always on the hunt for everyday luxuries, and fresh guacamole or sliced avocado always feels like a luxury to me. | |
Touching: A touch highlight for me came from my bottle of Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen. I used this sunscreen for the first time this summer, and it has a very odd texture…it’s described as “weightless,” and it is indeed strangely light. And slippery. I bet some people love the texture, and some people really don’t like it. I’m not sure I like it, but I’m fascinated by it. | | Updates Join me for an upcoming book event for Life in Five Senses at my beloved New York Society Library. On October 2, at 6 pm ET, I’ll be in conversation with the brilliant writer Alexandra Horowitz. You can attend in person or watch the Livestream. Learn more here. | | This week on Happier with Gretchen Rubin PODCAST EPISODE: 449 Make a Mindful Investment in Yourself, a Hack for Falling Asleep, and Fun with Pop-Tarts Listen now > | | | | ARTICLE Why Everyday Luxuries Help Make Us Happier
| | ARTICLE A Five-Senses Portrait of My Dog, Barnaby | | | | |
