The Happiness Project

Seven Tips For Getting Yourself To Go To Bed On Time.

Yesterday I video-posted about the Pigeon of Discontent, "I can never get to bed on time." A few readers rightly pointed out that while I emphasized the importance of having a "bedtime," I didn't address the challenge of actually getting yourself to turn off the light when it's time for bed.

That's a very important question. Since I've started my Happiness Project, I've become more and more convinced that sleep is vital to happiness and energy. (Here are fourteen tips on getting more sleep.)

If you want to get more sleep, but have a hard time getting yourself to turn out the light, try these strategies:

1. First things first: give yourself a specific bedtime. Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep every night, so take a look at your wake-up time, and do the math. Even if you don't regularly go to bed at your bedtime, knowing, "Well, it's midnight, so I'm two hours past my bedtime" might help prod you to bed.

2. Don't wait until you feel sleepy to think "Hey, maybe it's about time for bed." It's all too easy to keep yourself alert and busy way past the time that you should be asleep. If you insist that you're quite wide awake at 1:00 a.m., test yourself: sit in a dim room with your head back for five minutes. How does it feel? Are you still wide awake? Along those lines...

3. Stay away from the internet for at least an hour before your bedtime. Television, too, but I think the internet is even more apt to make me feel artificially wide awake. I used to try to go through my emails one last time before bed, to get a jump on the morning, but I realized that this stimulating activity made it much harder to go to sleep.

4. Don't drink caffeine for several hours before your bedtime.

5. Remind yourself how great it feels to wake up naturally, before the alarm goes off, without that sickening jolt into wakefulness. Then, when you're surfing the internet at 11:30 p.m., ask yourself, "Am I making a good trade-off?" I was recently talking to a group of medical students, and one guy protested, "But if I go to bed at 11:00, I won't have time to watch some TV before bed." I asked, "Is watching that block of TV so fun that it outweighs the pleasure of getting enough sleep?" (I don't know what he decided.)

6. Get ready before bed well ahead of time. I realized that, perversely, I often put off going to bed because I was too tired to take out my contacts, brush my teeth, and get changed. Now I get ready earlier in the evening. Side benefit: once I do these things, I'm less likely to head to the kitchen for a snack. On a related note...

7. Create a bedtime ritual, and do it at the same time every night. Maybe you fix yourself a cup of herbal tea, maybe you read in bed, maybe you do an evening tidy-up. By doing the same thing every night, you will cue yourself to start heading to bed.

One bit of folk wisdom that I heard when I had very young children was that "Sleep begets sleep." I found that to be true of my children, and also of myself. I sleep better when I'm well-rested than when I'm over-tired.

How about you? Have you found any effective strategies for coaxing yourself to bed on time?

* There's a lot of terrific material about fitness, health, and happiness on Greatist—"choose better, be a greatist."

* Blatant self-promotion: If The Happiness Project stays on the New York Times bestseller list until March 1, it will have been there for one solid year. Thrilling! So if you're looking for a good book, or for a gift, or a choice for your book group, please consider The Happiness Project. Buy early and often! Order your copy.
Read sample chapters.
Watch the one-minute book video.
Listen to a sample of the audiobook.

"I Can Never Get To Bed On Time."

2012 Happiness Challenge: For those of you following the 2012 Happiness Project Challenge, to make 2012 a happier year -- and even if you haven’t officially signed up for the challenge -- welcome! Each week, I post a video about some Pigeon of Discontent raised by a reader. Because, as much as we try to find the Bluebird of Happiness, we're also plagued by the Pigeons of Discontent.

For the first month of the Pigeons of Discontent videos, my friend Maria helped me out. This was a fun experiment, but we couldn't really get that format to work properly, so I'm switching back to doing the videos solo.

This week's Pigeon of Discontent, suggested by a reader, is: "I can never get to bed on time."

Give yourself a bedtime.

See the happiness mug on the table beside me? That was a birthday present from my sister a few years ago. She finds great happiness-related gifts.

If you want to read more about this resolution, check out…
A secret to more happiness and energy? Give yourself a bedtime.
Fourteen tips for getting more sleep—and why it matters.
A fundamental secret to happiness? Get enough sleep.

I hope you enjoy the new format. It's still evolving, so bear with me while it's taking shape.

You can post your own Pigeon of Discontent at any time; also, from time to time, I'll make a special call for suggestions.

If you're new, jump in right now, sign up here. Studies suggest that by taking action, like signing up for this challenge, will help you keep your resolutions. For the 2012 Challenge, each week I'll post a video for you to consider, and you can check out the archives of videos here.

* I never know what I'm going to find on Kirtsy.

* Want to get my free monthly newsletter? It highlights the best of the month’s material from the blog and the Facebook Page. Sign up here or email me at gretchenrubin1@gretchenrubin.com.

A Secret To More Happiness And Energy? Give Yourself A Bedtime.

As a result of my happiness project, I've become a sleep zealot. It's just so obvious to me—from reading the research and from personal experience—that getting enough sleep is a key to a happier life.

I've noticed something, however. I noticed this in myself, before I became such a sleep nut, and I see it in the people around me: most adults don't give themselves a bedtime.

Children have a fixed bedtime; we know they need their allotment of sleep, and we pack them off to bed when it's time. But many adults just go to bed whenever they feel like it.

The problem with this approach is that it's far too easy to stay up too late. The TV, the internet, your email, your book...these distractions keep you alert past the point at which you should head to bed. Many of us know we ought to go to sleep sooner, but we just can't manage to pull it off.

One suggestion: Give yourself a bedtime. Even if you don't actually go to bed on time, at the very least, you should know that you're "staying up past your bedtime." Just the realization that it's an hour past your "bedtime" might help you nudge yourself into bed. Most adults should get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, so do the math.

I get up at 6:00 am, which means my bedtime is 10:30 pm. When I first gave myself a bedtime, I was in the habit of going to bed around 11:30 or midnight. I thought that was an appropriate grown-up bedtime. Well, it's not if you're a grown-up who gets up at 6:00!

For me, at least, getting more sleep was a habit that was self-reinforcing. I felt so, so much better when I started getting enough sleep that it was very easy to observe that bedtime, even though I do regret the loss of those leisure hours.

How do you know if you're not getting enough sleep? Some warning signs:

• you're jolted out of sleep by your alarm clock every morning
• you fall asleep any time you find yourself in a quiet, still place (in a movie theater, or rocking your child)
• you sleep-binge on the weekends
• you feel exhausted all the time
• on the day when Daylights Savings Time gives you an extra hour of sleep, you feel amazing

Try it. Don't even attempt to go to bed earlier. Just identify your bedtime. We tend to manage what we measure, and by identifying a specific bedtime, you might find yourself developing the habit of turning off the light earlier.

Do you have a regular bedtime, or not? If so, how much sleep do you get, and when do you turn off the light?

I’m working on my Happiness Project, and you could have one, too! Everyone’s project will look different, but it’s the rare person who can’t benefit. Join in -- no need to catch up, just jump in right now. Each Friday’s post will help you think about your own happiness project.

* My friend Debbie Stier has a blog called the Perfect Score Project, all about her attempts to ace the SAT. I have no interest in taking the SAT (thank goodness!), but she is so funny and engaging that I love checking out the site, anyway.

* Would you like a copy of my personal Resolutions Chart, just to see how I organized it (and copied from Benjamin Franklin)? Email me at gretchenrubin1@gretchenrubin.com if you'd like to get it.

Trying to Eat Better? Ask Yourself This Important Question.

Every Wednesday is Tip Day or Quiz Day.
Quiz: Are you a moderator or an abstainer?

In honor of many people's New Year's resolutions—"Eat more healthfully," "Cut out sweets," "Lose weight," and the like—I'm re-posting this quiz, to help you determine whether you're a moderator or an abstainer. When I figured out that I'm an "abstainer," it helped me tremendously in terms of eating better.

Often, we know we’d have more long-term happiness if we gave up something that gives us a rush of satisfaction in the short-term. That morning doughnut, that late-night ice cream.

A piece of advice I often see is, “Be moderate. Don’t have dessert every night, but if you try to deny yourself altogether, you’ll fall off the wagon. Allow yourself to have the occasional treat, it will help you stick to your plan.”

I’ve come to believe that this is good advice for some people: the moderators. They do better when they try to make moderate changes, when they avoid absolutes and bright lines.

For a long time, I kept trying this strategy of moderation—and failing. Then I read a line from Samuel Johnson, about drinking wine: “Abstinence is as easy to me as temperance would be difficult.” Like Dr. Johnson, I’m an abstainer.

I find it far easier to give something up altogether than to indulge moderately. When I admitted to myself that I was eating my favorite frozen “fake food” treat, Tasti D-Lite, two and even three times a day, I gave it up cold turkey. That was far easier for me to do than to eat Tasti D-Lite twice a week. If I try to be moderate, I exhaust myself debating, “Today, tomorrow?" "Does this time ‘count?’” etc. If I never do something, it requires no self-control for me; if I do something sometimes, it requires enormous self-control.

For instance, we keep a bag of cookies in our cupboard. If I ever ate one of those cookies, they'd prey on my mind constantly. I'd constantly struggle not to eat them. But because I've never once eaten one of those cookies, I never think about them. I don't have to use any will-power not to reach into that bag. It might as well be a bag of flour.

When I told a moderator friend about this, she shook her head pityingly and said, "That's just sad. Really. Life is too short not to have a cookie."

"No," I answered, "for me, life is too short to use up my precious mental energy on a few cookies. I'm happier if I don't eat them."

There’s no right way or wrong way—it’s just a matter of knowing which strategy works better for you. Once again, back to the Fifth Splendid Truth: you can build a happy life only on the foundation of your own nature. If moderators try to abstain, they feel trapped and rebellious. If abstainers try to be moderate, they spend a lot of mental energy battling their temptations.

You’re a moderator if you…
-- find that occasional indulgence heightens your pleasure—and strengthens your resolve
-- get panicky at the thought of “never” getting or doing something

You’re an abstainer if you…
-- have trouble stopping something once you’ve started
-- aren’t tempted by things that you’ve decided are off-limits

People can be surprisingly judgmental about which approach you take. As an abstainer, I often get disapproving comments like, “It’s not healthy to take such a severe approach” or “It would be better to learn how to manage yourself” or “Can’t you let yourself have a little fun?” On the other hand, I hear fellow abstainer-types saying to moderators, “You can’t keep cheating and expect to make progress” or “Why don’t you just go cold turkey?” But different approaches work for different people. (Exception: with an actual addiction, like alcohol or cigarettes, people generally accept that abstaining is the only solution.)

Does this ring true for you? Do you identify as a moderator or abstainer?

* Yesterday, I joined Pinterest, "an online pinboard to organize and share the things you love." I'd heard so many good things about it, and am just starting to dive in myself.

* Would you like a free, signed bookplate for your copy of The Happiness Project, or as a gift? Or, for the audio-book or the e-book, a free signature card? Sign up here or email me at gretchenrubin1@gretchenrubin.com.

Making New Year's Resolutions? Ask Yourself 6 Questions.

Every Wednesday is Tip Day—or List Day, or Quiz Day.
This Wednesday: Six questions to help you make effective New Year's resolutions.

Forty-four percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, and I know I always do. I’m more inclined to make resolutions than ever, in fact, because if my happiness project has convinced me of anything, it has convinced me that resolutions—made right—can make a huge difference in boosting happiness.

So how do you resolve well? This is trickier than it sounds. Here are some tips for making your resolutions as effective as possible.

1. Ask: “What would make me happier?” It might having more of something good —more fun with friends, more time for a hobby. It might be less of something bad —less yelling at your kids, less nagging of your spouse. It might be fixing something that doesn’t feel right—more time spent volunteering, more time doing something to make someone else happier. Or maybe you need to get an atmosphere of growth in your life by learning something new, helping someone, or fixing something that isn't working properly. (These questions relate to the First Splendid Truth.)

2. Ask: “What is a concrete action that would bring change?” One common problem is that people make abstract resolutions, which are hard to keep. “Be more optimistic,” “Find more joy in life,” “Enjoy now,” are resolutions that are hard to measure and therefore difficult to keep. Instead, look for a specific, measurable action. “Distract myself with fun music when I’m feeling gloomy,” “Watch at least one movie each week,” “Buy a plant for my desk” are resolutions that will carry you toward those abstract goals.

3. Ask: “Am I a ‘yes’ resolver or a ‘no’ resolver?” Some people resent negative resolutions. They dislike hearing “don’t” or “stop” (even from themselves) or adding to their list of chores. If this describes you, try to find positive resolutions: “Take that dance class,” “Have lunch with a friend once a week.” Or maybe you respond well to “no.” I actually do better with "no" resolutions; this may be related to the abstainer/moderator split. A lot of my resolutions are aimed at getting me to stop doing something, or to do something I don’t really want to do—such as Don't expect gold stars. There’s no right way to make a resolution, but it’s important to know what works for you. As always, the secret is to know your own nature. (That's the Fifth Splendid Truth.)

4. Ask: “Am I starting small enough?” Many people make super-ambitious resolutions and then drop them, feeling defeated, before January is over. Start small! We tend to over-estimate what we can do over a short time and under-estimate what we can do over a long time, if we make consistent, small steps. If you’re going to resolve to start exercising (one of the most popular resolutions), don’t resolve to go to the gym for an hour every day before work. Start by going for a ten-minute walk at lunch or marching in place once a day during the commercial breaks in your favorite TV show. Little accomplishments provide energy for bigger challenges. The humble resolution you actually follow is more helpful than the ambitious resolution you abandon. Lower the bar!

5. Ask: “How am I going to hold myself accountable?” Accountability is the secret to sticking to resolutions. That’s why groups like AA and Weight Watchers are effective. There are many ways to hold yourself accountable; for example, I keep my Resolutions Chart (if you’d like to see my chart, for inspiration, email me at gretchenrubin1@gretchenrubin.com). Or you might want to join or launch a Happiness Project group. Accountability is why #2 is so important. If your resolution is too vague, it’s hard to measure whether you’ve been keeping it. A resolution to “Eat healthier” is harder to track than “Eat salad for lunch three times a week.”

6. Ask: "Are there any small, nagging issues weighing down my happiness?" (really a subset of #1) I call these the Pigeons of Discontent. They aren't major happiness challenges, but rather, the ordinary problems that bedevil us. The 2012 Happiness Challenge is going to be aimed at finding ways to get rid of these.

If you want to make 2012 a happier year, please consider joining the 2012 Happiness Challenge! The sign-up link isn't ready yet, but it's coming soon. By officially signing up, studies show, you help yourself better stick to your resolutions. More info to come.

Have you found any strategies that have helped you successfully keep resolutions in the past?

* Speaking of resolutions, several of my resolutions are aimed at making sure I exercise regularly. I've been exercising (regularly but mildly) for a long time now, but my couch-potato inclinations always lurk. Reading the New York Times blog Phys Ed strengthens my resolve by reminding me how much healthier and happier I am, when I manage to get some exercise.

* Again, if you'd like to see my Resolutions Chart, to get ideas for yourself, email me at gretchenrubin1@gretchenrubin.com. Or email me if you'd want the starter kit for joining or launching a Happiness Project group.

A Key to Happiness: First Things First.

2011 Happiness Challenge: For those of you following the 2011 Happiness Project Challenge, to make 2011 a happier year -- and even if you haven’t officially signed up for the challenge -- welcome for this last week of 2011.

For the last month of this year, instead of tackling a theme, I'm going to discuss a question: What is the key to happiness? That's a question that can be answered in different ways, depending on what framework you use to address the issue of happiness. The resolution for each week will reflect that week's answer.

Last week’s answer was to Know yourself. This week’s answer is First things first.

First Things First

If you want to read more about this resolution, check out…
Do first things first.
Manage pain.
7 tips for dealing with a sweetheart who is constantly crabby.

How about you? Have you found that when you're trying to get happier or stay happy, it helps to think about the basics?

If you're new, here’s information on the 2011 Happiness Challenge. It’s never too late to start! You’re not behind, jump in right now, sign up here. For the Challenge, each week I'll post a video suggesting a resolution for you to consider. For more ideas for resolutions to try, check out the archives of videos here.

* Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel. To get the weekly video by email, right in your email in-box, you can:
-- On the GretchenRubin channel page, after you subscribe, click "Edit Subscription" and check the box, “Email me for new uploads.” Or...
-- Go to your main drop-down box, click “Subscriptions,” find the GretchenRubin channel, click “Edit Subscriptions,” and check “Email me for new uploads” there.

To get the audio podcast of the video:
-- Log in to iTunes
-- Go to “Podcasts”
-- Search for “The Happiness Project.” Free, of course.

* Yes, there will be a 2012 Happiness Challenge! Stay tuned for details.

14 Tips for Controlling Holiday Eating.

I’ve been thinking a lot about my eating habits lately—probably because the holiday season is so full of temptation. Here are some guidelines that I’ve been trying to follow, whether eating in or eating out, with various degrees of fidelity.

1. Wear snug-fitting clothes.

2. Buy food in small containers. Studies show that people give themselves larger portions out of larger boxes, so I don’t buy that economy box of whatever.

3. Make tempting food inconvenient—put cookies in a hard-to-reach spot, set the freezer to a very cold temperature so it’s hard to spoon out ice cream, store goodies in hard-to-open containers.

4. Order the appetizer size.

5. Use smaller plates, bowls, and cutlery. I often use the plastic plates we have left over from when my daughters were young.

6. Dish food up in the kitchen, and don’t bring serving platters onto the table (except vegetables).

7. Pile my plate with everything I intend to eat, and don’t get seconds once that food is gone. (I can do this with everything except my favorite Thanksgiving food, served every year in my family: sweet potatoes with marshmellows.)

8. Keep serving sizes small: get a small frozen yoghurt instead of a large (ok, I would get a medium not a small, but still); get a single hamburger instead of a double.

9. Skip the add-ons: tell the waiter that I don’t want the side of fries, don’t add croutons or bacon to my salad. I feel like Sally from When Harry Met Sally as I quibble about how my food should be served, but oh well.

10. After dinner, signal myself that “Eating’s over”: brush my teeth, clean up the kitchen, turn out the lights.

11. Don’t allow myself to get too hungry or too full.

12. Realize that, with some things, I can’t have just a little bit. In the abstainer/moderator split, I'm a hard-core abstainer. It’s far easier for me to skip cookies, bagels, and chocolate than it is to have a sensible portion.

13. Never eat hors d’oeuvres.

14. Don't eat food I don't like, just because it's there. No one cares if I have a serving of asparagus or cranberry sauce.

I've realized that although it seems festive and carefree to indulge in lots of treats, in the end, I feel guilty and overstuffed. Which doesn't make the holiday happier. It's a Secret of Adulthood: By giving myself limits, I give myself freedom.

* I had a lot of fun reading through this list of the Top 100 Movie Taglines. Example: Star Wars -- "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..."

* The biggest shopping day of the year is nigh! If you need a gift suggestion, please consider The Happiness Project (can't resist mentioning: #1 New York Times bestseller).
Order your copy.
Read sample chapters.

Prediction: Will You Stick to Your Exercise Program?

Every Wednesday is Tip Day (or Quiz Day, or List Day).
This Wednesday – Warning signs that you might abandon your exercise program.

I've discovered that the key to my happiness project is my determination to make and keep my innumerable resolutions. I follow -- or try to follow -- dozens of resolutions, and they've made a real difference in the happiness of my everyday life. (If you’d like to get a copy of my Resolutions Chart, for inspiration, just email me at gretchenrubin1@gretchenrubin.com).

One resolution that many people make and break is the resolution to exercise. Exercise is a key to good health, and for me, has always been essential to feeling cheerful. In fact, when I’m feeling blue, one of the best ways to shake the mood is to exercise. Also, exercising has a strange double effect: it makes me feel both calmer and more energetic. My husband is the same way. On Sunday, he was feeling low, and a trip to the gym chirked him up considerably.

And even if I don’t feel better, at least I have the satisfaction of knowing that I exercised.

I’m fascinated by the question of why sometimes people are able to stick to resolutions, and some people aren’t – and what steps people can take to help themselves stick to their resolutions. There are a lot of factors, of course, in each individual’s case.

Take me. As I just detailed above, I know that exercise is an essential element of a happy life for me, and yet I've been very bad, lately, about getting exercise. Often, when I have a lot of work, I skip the gym as a way of proving my diligence to myself. "Look, I'm working so hard, I can't even find time to exercise." Sometimes, it's inevitable, but I've been using that excuse too readily for the last month.

So, how to do better? I have a friend who is a yoga instructor and a friend who is a strength training trainer. I asked them if they recognized any warning signs in people who are likely not to stick to a resolution to keep exercising.

They both agreed that there are warning signs. Read on, and if you recognize yourself in the statements below, beware. You may need to make a special effort to stick to a program. Check off any statement that sounds like it could have come out of your mouth:

“This time, I’m really going to stick to it! I mean it, I’m totally, 100% committed!”
This person sounds like he’s trying to convince himself but not really succeeding.

“I’m potentially thinking that maybe I might join this class.”
This person hasn’t really made up his mind. He’s not committed. Although he sounds very different, he's actually an awful lot like the person who says…

“I have to start tomorrow. No delay!”
This person is afraid that she’s going to lose her resolve. It’s probably happened to her before.

“Well, afternoons don’t work. And I can’t do mornings. I can come Tuesdays at noon, but not this Tuesday. Or next Tuesday...”
If people really want to exercise, they find the time.

“I’ll squeeze it in at lunchtime. I can just run out between meetings.”
This person hasn’t acknowledged to herself that exercise must be its own priority, and if she doesn’t make it a priority, it’ll always get shoved to the bottom of the to-do list. Which means it won't happen.

"As soon as I've done this task for Pat, and this other task for Blake, I'll exercise."
Again, exercise needs to be on the official to-list.

“I can’t wait to start. But first, I need to buy some new clothes. And some new shoes. And a mat. And I want to read up on it, too.”
I had a roommate like this. She loved shopping and everything involved in the preparation stage. But once she had all the stuff she needed for yoga or roller-blading or whatever, she lost interest.

If any of these statements remind you of yourself, use it as a warning sign to re-commit yourself to sticking to your exercise plan.

If you're embarking on a new routine, sometimes it helps to tell yourself that you’re just going to do it for six months. That doesn’t sound too onerous. Both instructors agreed that once people have kept up a program for six months, the exercise has become part of their routine, and it becomes much less likely that they’ll drop out. Also, if you really just can't fit it in, or make yourself do it, try to go for a twenty-minute walk each day. Or two ten-minute walks. Even that much exercise is so much better than nothing. I'm fortunate, because every school-day morning, I get a twenty-minute walk in, just taking my daughter to school.

* There's a huge amount of fascinating information on the blogs at Psychology Today.

If you like the blog, you'll love the book! Please consider The Happiness Project (can't resist mentioning: #1 New York Times bestseller).
Order your copy.
Read sample chapters.
Watch the one-minute book video.
Listen to a sample of the audiobook.

To Boost Your Self-Control, Use Convenience to Your Advantage.

2011 Happiness Challenge: For those of you following the 2011 Happiness Project Challenge, to make 2011 a happier year -- and even if you haven’t officially signed up for the challenge -- welcome! This month’s theme is Self-control, and last week’s resolution was to Ask yourself whether you're an "abstainer" or a "moderator." Did you try that resolution? Did it boost your happiness?

This week’s resolution is to Use convenience to your advantage.

Use convenience to your advantage.

If you want to read more about this resolution, check out…
Abandon your self-control.
6 tips for getting yourself to do something you don't want to do.
9 tips to keep yourself exercising, from a former couch potato.

How about you? Have you found ways to make things more or less convenient, in order to help yourself do something, or resist it? What has worked for you? The more strategies to boost self-control, the better.

If you're new, here’s information on the 2011 Happiness Challenge. It’s never too late to start! You’re not behind, jump in right now, sign up here. For the Challenge, each week I'll post a video suggesting a resolution for you to consider. For more ideas for resolutions to try, check out the archives of videos here.

* I'm very excited for my friend Jonathan Fields, who has a terrific new book coming out next week: Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance. You can find out more about the book (and some bonuses for pre-ordering) here.

* Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel. To get the weekly video by email, right in your email in-box, you can:
-- On the GretchenRubin channel page, after you subscribe, click "Edit Subscription" and check the box, “Email me for new uploads.” Or...
-- Go to your main drop-down box, click “Subscriptions,” find the GretchenRubin channel, click “Edit Subscriptions,” and check “Email me for new uploads” there.

To get the audio podcast of the video:
-- Log in to iTunes
-- Go to “Podcasts”
-- Search for “The Happiness Project.” Free, of course.

To Boost Your Self-Control, Ask Yourself Whether You're an "Abstainer" or a "Moderator."

2011 Happiness Challenge: For those of you following the 2011 Happiness Project Challenge, to make 2011 a happier year -- and even if you haven’t officially signed up for the challenge -- welcome! This month’s theme is Self-control. Last week’s resolution was To increase your self-control, boost your energy level. Did you try that resolution? Did it boost your happiness?

This week’s resolution is Ask yourself: Are you an abstainer or a moderator?

Download Are you an abstainer or a moderator

If you want to read more about this resolution, check out…
Quiz: When trying to give something up, are you an abstainer or a moderator?
Are you a "yes" resolver or a "no" resolver?
Do something every day.

If you're new, here’s information on the 2011 Happiness Challenge. It’s never too late to start! You’re not behind, jump in right now, sign up here. For the Challenge, each week I'll post a video suggesting a resolution for you to consider. For more ideas for resolutions to try, check out the archives of videos here.

* Check out Zen Habits -- "smile, breathe, and go slowly."

* Sign up to become a Super Fan, and from time to time, I’ll ask for your help. I so appreciate the support and enthusiasm of the Super Fans.