Have you ever read the phrase the “Procrustean bed?” In Greek mythology, Procrustes was a bandit who forced travelers to fit into his iron bed — whether by stretching out their bodies or chopping off their limbs.

The “Procrustean bed” comes up a lot in the area of happiness and habits. We try to fit ourselves into someone else’s idea of what we should do, instead of setting up our circumstances to fit ourselves.

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Have you ever tried to fit yourself into another person’s notion of the “right” way to do something? Do it first thing in the morning! Start small! Be moderate! These strategies work for some people, but not everyone. We do better when we don’t try to cram ourselves into someone else’s iron bed.