Sharing a lifetime's worth of lessons in a tiny treasure of a book, Secrets of Adulthood: Simple Truths for Our Complex Lives by Gretchen Rubin offers masterly guidance on how to tackle difficult decisions, fight temptation, navigate the "perplexities of relationships," and more.
Rubin (The Happiness Project; Life in Five Senses; The Four Tendencies) is a former lawyer who clerked for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. She has authored multiple books on human nature, making her an expert on the subject. Her award-winning podcast is beloved for its motivational insights.
Although each section of the book opens with a narrative introduction, Secrets of Adulthood is crafted as a series of aphorisms, compact statements that contain broad truths and "distill big ideas into few words." Comparing the aphorism to the haiku, Rubin explains how these "short and well-expressed" statements are "easy to remember" and "provoke our reflection."
The section titled "Making Things Happen" speaks to topics such as creativity, persistence, and procrastination. On that final subject, it helps to remember that "nothing is more exhausting than the task that's never started." Perfectionists might consider how "perfectionism is driven not by high standards but by anxiety." Michael Jackson never learned to read sheet music, hence Rubin's observation that "we don't have to be good at something to be good at something."
Rubin's aphorisms offer memorable perspectives to boost emotional intelligence, making Secrets of Adulthood an ideal guide for readers desiring a refresher course on navigating the rocky terrain of adulting. --Shahina Piyarali