Happiness Life Lessons

I read an encouraging article by Gretchen Rubin, happiness researcher and CNBC.com contributor. While I want to touch on a few points she made that align with my adulthood philosophy, I urge you to read the entire article, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/10/i-study-happiness-for-a-living-use-these-short-little-reminders-to-be-happier-more-confident-every-day.html.

My blog focuses on living a ‘lit’ business and life. Needless to say, many disturbing things are happening in the world these days. You might be wondering what you can do to accomplish some semblance of satisfaction, even happiness. The trick is to identify what fuels you to embrace vivacity and optimism in your little corner. The lessons Rubin shares ignite our ability to incorporate contentment, significance and self-assurance in our lives.

So, here’s how five of her examples hit home with me at my current stage of life. 

Accept yourself, and expect more from yourself.

By nature, I am an introvert. However, I’m in my happy place when I share. I feel satisfied when I can help others solve problems or bring individuals of like minds or causes together. Therefore, I push myself to continue writing about what I’ve learned and make it a point to encourage meaningful relationships by introducing my friends and colleagues to each other. 

What we do every day matters more than what we do once in a while.

I practice, research or study writing techniques and play poker every day. My lofty goals are to become a respected wordsmith and an adept poker player. So, best-selling author and World Poker Tour tournament winner, here I come!

To respect us, people must first notice us; we can’t earn trust and admiration from the sidelines. 

Getting noticed is more than a notion unless you’re a TikTok sensation. Growing my readership has become my hardest challenge. I’ve concluded that I must 1) continue communicating through my writing whether data indicates what I’ve written is immediately read; 2) trust the organic process; and 3) manage my expectations. BTW – my second most read article talks about managing my expectations as a writer. 

If we’re not failing, we’re not trying hard enough. 

My years as a grant proposal writer taught me to accept failure gracefully. I learned to brush off rejection. More opportunities always come along, and success will follow – sometimes when you least expect it. 

I’ve also come to understand the value of not giving up. People may not comment on my posts, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t absorbed the conveyed message. 

And last, nothing is more exhausting than the task that’s never started.

Procrastination is our worst enemy. We sometimes spend more time worrying about dreaded tasks than doing them. We should make it a practice to tackle what’s troubling us rather than spending sleepless nights worrying about it.

Bottom Line – The days I wake up feeling anxious generally turn out fine. My advice is to discover happiness by embracing life, accepting what’s going to happen and knowing you will get through it. Sounds like the perfect New Year’s resolution to me!

Share your advice for obtaining happiness in the comments because I really do want feedback. What can I say? 👏🗣