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

I spend a lot of time thinking about how we can make our lives happier, healthier, more

productive and more creative.

And one thing I believe very strongly is that to be happy, we have to build our lives

on the foundation of our own nature, our own interests, our own temperament.

There's no magic, one-size-fits-all solution.

We each must decide what's true for us.

And because of that, I feel very strongly that we want to be purposeful about what we do.

We don't want to drift into a career or a life situation just because it's the easiest

path to follow.

We don't want to do what other people expect from us without asking whether we want to

expect it from ourselves.

We don't want to jump on other people's suggestions without reflection.

I've written several times about the problem of drift, which is the decision we make by

not deciding, or by making a decision that unleashes consequences for which we don't

take responsibility.

However, one of my aphorisms is the opposite of a profound truth is also true.

And on the one hand, I think, don't drift.

Be purposeful.

But I have to admit that I have witnessed and I have also experienced many examples of

when someone takes action based on a passing comment or a light-hearted suggestion or

a brief word with enormous benefit.

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