I love proverbs, and here are a few traditional proverbs that I find myself constantly invoking:

A stumble may prevent a fall.

You can’t push a rope.

Ships fear fire more than water.

Past labor’s pleasant.

Traditional proverbs, modern proverbs, proverbs of the professions, aphorisms, teaching stories…I enjoy them all.

5 Things to Try This Month

 1 

Take the Gift-Giving Quiz.

Struggling to find the perfect gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or graduation? Learn your recipient’s gift-appreciation profile–whether that person is an Easy-to-Please, a Tried-and-True, an Enthusiast, or a Connoisseur–to get ideas and inspiration for gifts they’ll love.

 2 

Join National Letter-Writing Month.

I’ve teamed up with Paper Source to create daily letter-writing prompts to encourage connection for the month of April. It’s not too late to join—see previous prompts here and complete them at your own pace. Click here to join the challenge and get the rest of this month’s daily prompts delivered to your inbox.

 3 

Consider your vent/non-vent ratio.

We all vent, and sometimes it’s a beneficial thing to do. However, if there’s a particular person in our lives that we always tend to vent to, we can make them feel drained or overwhelmed. We also infect other people with our moods, so it’s good to be mindful of what we share with others.

 4 

Focus on the textures in your life.

It’s easy to go through our whole day without thinking about the texture of anything we touch, or only focusing sensations that bother us. When we focus on sensations that we enjoy, we can get more pleasure from ordinary life. Try closing your eyes when you’re trying on clothes to concentrate on how they feel, thinking about textures that evoke happy memories, or adding more textures you enjoy to your surroundings.

 5 

Keep up with your writing aims.

It’s never too late to join the #Write24in24 challenge and discover new ways to make progress on your writing aims. Participants shared these ideas:

  • Write positive reviews or encouraging comments—these help creators and businesses and put positive energy out into the world.
  • Set a timer for 2-4 or 24 minutes—it’s easier to keep going once you get started.
  • Use the Muse Machine to spark daily ideas.
  • Write down your thoughts to help you get clarity and make decisions.
  • Keep a one-sentence journal as a daily record—it can come in handy when trying to recall specific dates and places.
Life in Five Senses paperback book cover

AVAILABLE APRIL 30TH

Pre-order Life in Five Senses on paperback

Life in Five Senses is coming to paperback on April 30th. Want to give my book as a gift? You can request a signed book plate to add a personal touch (US and Canada only).

Dive Deeper

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READ

Five Senses Gift Ideas

LISTEN

476: If You Want Neither to Lie nor Tell the Truth, Plus a “Silky” Debate and a Yoga-Block Hack

Listen to the Happier podcast?
Click here to read the show notes.

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Every Friday, Gretchen Rubin shares 5 things that are making her happier, asks readers and listeners questions, and includes exclusive updates and behind-the-scenes material.