Fill in the Blank: “Our Life Is What Our _____ Makes It.”

How would you fill in the blank: “Life is what our ____ makes it.”

In his Journal, Jules Renard wrote: “Life is what our character makes it. We fashion it, as a snail does its shell.”

I’d propose “Life is what our habits make it.” As I write about in Better Than Before, my book about habits, habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life. About 40% of our existence is shaped by our habits — so if we have habits that work for us, we’re far more likely to be happier, healthier, and more productive.

Other possibilities? Education, relationships, self-knowledge…?

I’ve never read any other writings by Jules Renard, but this journal is extraordinary.

How would you fill in the blank?

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Gretchen Rubin is the author of the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers, Better Than Before, The Happiness Project, and Happier at Home. She writes about happiness and habit-formation at gretchenrubin.com. Follow her here by clicking the yellow FOLLOW button, on Twitter, @gretchenrubin, on Facebook,  facebook.com/ GretchenRubin. Or listen to her popular podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin.

Photo: Andy Powell, flickr