I’m thrilled! Secrets of Adulthood is a New York Times bestseller. Thanks, readers and listeners, for your enthusiasm and support. I heard the news when I was in Los Angeles with my sister Elizabeth. In my happiness-bully way, I’d convinced her to let me help clear her office clutter, and we were tackling the piles on her treadmill desk when my editor gave me the good news. This is an unusual little book that was an absolute delight to write; it’s even more delightful to discover that it’s striking a chord with readers.
Onward,
5 Things Making Me Happy
Like me, do you use the calendar as a catalyst for reflection and re-engagement? If so, note that April 10 was the 100th day of the year. If you started a habit on January 1st, such as “Read 25 in ’25,” Hundredth Day is a good reminder to evaluate how it’s going. If the habit is going well, give yourself a gold star; if it’s not going well, consider trying a different approach.
I love finding an article that answers a question that has been bugging me. For instance, I’ve wondered, “Why are car headlights so blindingly bright now?” Turns out that several factors are involved.
Yes, I can be a happiness bully, and in addition to unleashing on Elizabeth (see above), recently I was very insistent with my husband Jamie that he needed to get the shingles vaccine. I know people who have had shingles, and it can be extraordinarily painful and damaging to the body. He did finally do it, and I felt smug when I told him that not only was he more protected against shingles, he was also more protected against dementia. Recent research shows that the shingles vaccine appeared to lower new dementia diagnoses by 20%—more than any other known intervention.
I love the sense of smell, and I love perfume, and I love classical statues, so I was pleased to learn that in ancient times, ancient Greek and Roman statues were often perfumed with enticing scents like rose, olive oil, and beeswax. They were also often brightly painted. Very different from the way we experience those statues today.
A few weeks ago, a friend stopped by my apartment and was very intrigued by my Visual Dictionary—he didn’t know that such a thing existed. I find it a very handy reference when I need to figure out the precise name for something, such as some architectural feature or part of a flower. It’s weirdly fascinating and clarifying to look at its pages and see all those terms.
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This week on Happier with Gretchen Rubin
PODCAST EPISODE: 527
What a Favorite Book Reveals, Photo Selection Tips & Family Secrets Explored
INTERVIEW
Chris Guillebeau
Chris Guillebeau is the author of The Art of Non-Conformity, The Happiness of Pursuit, and other books. He regularly writes on mental health, purposeful productivity, and more. His newest book, Time Anxiety, about the illusion of urgency and a better way to live, hits shelves April 15.
Q: Can you suggest something we might try to help ourselves to become happier, healthier, more productive, or more creative?
Sure! Two things:
Practice what I call ‘time decluttering.’ Just as we remove physical items that don’t serve a purpose, look at your calendar for the next few weeks and challenge yourself to remove commitments that felt right when you made them but now feel burdensome. This helps create space for what matters most and reduces the constant feeling of being overwhelmed.
Also, when you do this, don’t just fill the time right away. First take a few moments to ACTIVELY NOTICE how it feels to do this. For many people, it feels highly relieving.
Give yourself the gift of buffer time. Most of us chronically underestimate how long things take, leading to constant stress and rushing. So try adding 15 minutes of padding before any appointment or commitment. Worst case scenario? You have a few peaceful moments to yourself.
Adding buffer time is a very nice thing to do for yourself. As with time decluttering, it can feel relieving to notice the absence of stress around rushing.
Q: In your own life, have you found ways to tap into the power of your five senses? (For instance, I often take a sniff of a spice jar as I pass through my kitchen to help ground me in the present moment.)
One practice I’ve found helpful is using visual timers in different colors around my workspace. It might sound strange, but seeing time represented in vibrant colors—like my favorite “dreamsicle orange” timer on my desk— helps make time feel more tangible and like less of a scarce resource.
It engages my visual sense while helping me stay grounded in the present moment. This is especially helpful since many of us experience what I call “time blindness,” where we lose track of time’s passing.
Q: Is there a particular motto that you’ve found very helpful? (I remind myself to “Be Gretchen.”) Or a quotation that has struck you as particularly insightful?
Yes: “There is another way.”
It’s my life motto, if I have such a thing, and it reminds me that when I’m feeling frustrated about something, there’s probably at least one other path or approach I can try. It applies to so many things!
Q: What simple habit boosts your happiness or energy?
From time to time I like to ask myself, “How valuable were your last 40 minutes??
Not just productive, but valuable in any way—whether I learned something, helped someone, had fun, or made progress toward something meaningful. This quick check-in helps me be more aware of how I’m spending my time and often motivates me to shift to something more energizing.
Sometimes I discover I’ve spent the last forty minutes in a way that wasn’t serving me at all— and that’s okay too, because awareness is the first step to change. It’s like having a friendly conversation with yourself about how you want your days to unfold.
Q: Has a book ever changed your life – if so, which one and why?
So many! Probably a dozen or more. For now I’m going to go with this one:
Everything Matters! by Ron Currie. It’s just a strange, beautiful novel written largely in second-person (a la Bright Lights, Big City). I think technically it’s sci-fi? But I think of it as more of a genreless book that spoke to me when I read it.
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