My Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life

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Tag Archives: "self-knowledge"



Are You More Drawn to Simplicity or to Abundance?

I love dividing the world into categories. Abstainers and moderators. Radiators and drains. Leopards and alchemists. Marathoners and sprinters (formerly known as “tortoises and hares”–I like this terminology better, how about you?) I’ve come up with a new distinction, but I’m still turning it over in my mind. I’m not sure it works out…I would love to hear your response. …


How Well Do You Know Yourself? Take This Quiz.

Every Wednesday is Tip Day. This Wednesday: Quiz–Answer these questions to boost your self-knowledge. A key–perhaps the key–to a happy life is self-knowledge, because as the Fifth Splendid Truth holds, I can build a happy life only on the foundation of my own nature. In my own case, I’ve found that the more my life reflects my real interests, values, …


Story: Get a Hold of Yourself, Meredith.

For the weekly videos, I now tell a story. I’ve realized that for me, and I think for many people, a story is what holds my attention and makes a point most powerfully. This week’s story: Get a hold of yourself, Meredith.   Can’t see the video? Click here. Do you have any catch-phrases or mantras that work for you? …


Would You Rather Be 10 Minutes Late or 10 Minutes Early?

Would you rather be ten minutes late, or ten minutes early? I asked this question on my Facebook Page, and found the answers fascinating. I would much prefer to be ten minutes early–and in fact, I usually am. My husband is the same way, which is a major contributor to the harmony of our relationship. What time to leave for …


Secret of Adulthood: By Doing a Little Bit Each Day, You Can Get a Lot Accomplished.

Further Secrets of Adulthood:   We tend to over-estimate what we can do in a short time (say, an afternoon), and under-estimate what we can do over a longer time (a month) a little bit at a time. This realization led me to my very helpful resolution to Suffer for fifteen minutes. (I write about it a lot in Happier …