By Gretchen Rubin
One of the bedrock principles of my happiness project is that I can't change anyone but myself. It's so easy to imagine that I’d be happier if only other people would behave properly, but I can't assign resolutions to anyone but myself.
I firmly believe this, yet I did decide to try something that runs completely contrary to this very sound Gretchen-only rule. I proposed a family resolution to Give warm greetings and farewells.
When our two daughters were little, they’d greet me and my husband with wild enthusiasm whenever we walked in the door, and often cried miserably when we left. Nowadays, they sometimes barely looked up from their own games or homework or books when we walked in or out. It was a relief, in a way, but also a little sad. And too often, my husband... More...
