In honor of Valentine’s Day, here are some romance-related suggestions to read or watch—I highly recommend all of them. I’ve read each of these books at least twice:
- Nora Ephron’s Heartburn; the movie is also great
- Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice; there are many good movie versions, but the 1995 BBC mini-series seems to be the favorite
Or if you’d rather read memoirs about friendship:
- Ann Patchett’s Truth & Beauty—in episode 283, we talked to Ann Patchett about her novel The Dutch House
- Patti Smith’s Just Kids
5 Things to Try This Month
Harness your Rebel Tendency.
I asked Rebels, “What strategies help you stick to your good habits?” It’s tricky for Rebels, because strategies that often work for the other Tendencies (such as Accountability or Scheduling) don’t work for Rebels. Some of their suggestions:
- Don’t tell anyone about my plan
- Follow the habit in an unusual or very intense way
- Do the habit as soon as I’m in the mood, without delay
- Make a wager with myself: “Bet you can’t…”
- Focus on my identity
2
Treat yourself like a professor.
Research shows that thinking in the third person can give us a new perspective—we often handle other people’s issues better than our own. One suggestion on the Happier podcast is to “Treat yourself like a professor.” You might hold “office hours” to manage requests and avoid scheduling fatigue or agree to teach material that you want to learn yourself.
Share a journal with your sweetheart.
A listener of the Happier podcast suggested a hack for #Write24in24. She and her spouse share a journal and take turns writing in it—an imaginative way to keep a journal, build connection, and spark creativity.
Spend an evening with relationship expert Esther Perel.
I can’t wait to go to this event on April 17, featuring my friend and relationship expert Esther Perel, when she goes on tour later this year. Tickets for her tour are on sale now.
Earn badges to celebrate your progress.
When pursuing an aim, a feeling of recognition and accomplishment can help us continue to strive. It’s gratifying to reflect on the progress we’ve made and have others recognize our efforts. Now in the Happier™ app, you can earn badges for a variety of activities and milestones. Learn more about the app and download for free.
FEATURED
Workshop: Creating a Plan for Your Next New Habit
In this 90-minute live virtual workshop, I’ll do a deep-dive into the habits that make us happier. This virtual workshop will be held via Zoom, on Thursday, February 29th at 4pm PT / 7pm ET.
Dive Deeper
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467: Treat Yourself Like a Professor, Subscribe to Newsletters, and Ideas for the “Write Way”
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