People feel happier when they feel like they're progressing. When they feel like something in their life is growing or getting better.

Work harder to appreciate your ordinary day.

I've found that I snack less and concentrate better when I chew on a plastic stirrer - the kind that you get to stir your to-go coffee. I picked up this habit from my husband, who loves to chew on things. His favorite chew-toy is a plastic pen top, and gnawed pen tops and little bits of plastic litter our apartment.

The more I examine the issue of clutter, the more effort I put into combating it, because it really does act as a weight.

Habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life.

In the scope of a happy life, a messy desk or an overstuffed coat closet is a trivial thing, yet I find — and I hear from other people that they agree — that getting rid of clutter gives a disproportionate boost to happiness.

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