I'm Gretchen Rubin and this is a little happier.

I love it when people know the right thing to say.

And I'm fortunate because my husband Jamie is very good at this.

In a few words, he often says, just the right thing to put my mind at rest.

For instance, he knows the right things to say to me when I hit some of the happiness

stumbling blocks that are common to writers.

For instance, I might say to him, my editor has suggested so many changes.

I mean, I agree with most of them, but it's discouraging.

I thought this draft was in great shape.

Or maybe someone writes something about me or my work that I don't like.

I try never to read anything that's written about me or my work

because it's not good for me or my writing, but sometimes stuff does slip through.

And I say to him, I don't know what this whole thing says, but I know there's at least this one part

that's annoying or that's hurting my feelings.

Or I say to him, I've got to get it before I am to catch a flight to give a talk.

And so on.

Jamie listens and then inevitably he says very kindly.

Remember, this is what you want to.

And it's comforting because that's true.

This is what I wanted.

I wanted to become a writer.

I wanted constructive criticism to make my work better.

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