CollectionsOct 10, 2025
Count Down to the Holidays With Astrid & Miyu’s Advent CalendarsThe trio of Advent calendars include a version with 18-karat gold and lab-grown diamond jewelry in a red lacquer jewelry box.
OtherMar 10, 2015
3 ways to be a happier person
Focusing on one’s body, eliminating clutter and cultivating relationships are three of the most important aspects to being happier, author and keynote speaker Gretchen Rubin said at WJA’s In the Know conference Tuesday.
Gretchen Rubin was one of the keynote speakers at WJA’s In the Know conference in New York Tuesday, where she spoke to the audience about how to be happier.
New York--Though happiness means something different to everyone and our disposition is hard-wired to a certain extent, there still are things one can do to be happier, according to one woman who’s written the book on happiness, literally.
At the Women’s Jewelry Association’s In The Know conference Tuesday, keynote speaker Gretchen Rubin discussed her New York Times bestseller The Happiness Project: Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean my Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun.
Her session was followed by a book signing of her new book, Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives.
Rubin said that though a lot of people think it might be selfish to want to be happier in a world where so many are struggling and suffering, it has been shown that happy people are more interested in those around them, are more likely to help others, have better habits, are healthier and are more creative. On the other hand, those that are unhappy are defensive and tend to stay focused on their own problems.
So, it’s actually a selfless thing in the long run to be selfish and want to be happy, she said, as it ultimately ends up helping others as well.
The first important place to start, Rubin said, is with the body, as there’s a significant tie between happiness and energy levels.
“The first thing I’m going to say, and you’re going to laugh because it’s so basic, is that if you want to be happier, you have to get enough sleep,” she told the audience, adding that studies have shown that even people who think their bodies have been conditioned to run on less sleep still are “quite impaired” and need to get a regular seven hours.
Besides adequate sleep, also key is exercise, which Rubin referred to as the “magical elixir of life,” helping one stay healthy as well as fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
The second aspect to happiness is possessions, though Rubin noted that doesn’t necessarily mean getting rid of everything because for most people, the things they own do play a direct role in happiness levels.
This could just mean getting a handle on their placement in our space--staying uncluttered can help keep people stay calm and feel like they have a handle on life, and organizing special
belongings in a mindful way in a place of “super engagement” also can keep people happy.
Here, Rubin gave the example of the “shrine” she has in her apartment; as a longtime lover of children’s literature, she created a special place on her family’s bookshelf for all of her books and trinkets fitting in that genre.
And the third, arguably most important, aspect of being happy is relationships. Having strong relationships means having support and someone to confide in and being able to offer that to others as well.
It’s important to have strong bonds with others and also to know ourselves well, she said.
Yet, “one of the sad truths about happiness is that the only person you can change is yourself,” Rubin said, so strengthening relationships and being happier requires a self-awareness of how one operates as a person and how that can be changed.
To help do this, Rubin developed a framework to help people classify their personalities in terms of how they manage expectations, both “outer” from others and “inner” that people have for themselves. The four categories are as follows.
1. Upholders respond readily to both outer and internal expectations, and, to them, it’s important to meet both.
2. Questioners ask questions about all expectations, rejecting outer and turning them into inner expectations. They love research and getting all the pertinent information to make a decision, but also can be burdened by this factor.
3. Obligers readily meet outer expectations but struggle to meet the goals they have set for themselves. They’re extremely reliable to others because for them, it’s more important to uphold the standards set by someone else than it is to be accountable for their own goals.
4. Rebels resist all expectations--outer and inner alike--and in fact might even do the opposite. They will do whatever they want and may even seek out the highest expectations set, just to be able to break the rules.
Though these tendencies can’t really be changed, by recognizing which category one falls into, and also through maturity, impulses can be changed, Rubin said.
The categories can help identify one’s own personality as well as that of others to better manage communications, which strengthens relationships with others and, ultimately, makes one a happier person.
More on Other
The Latest
CollectionsOct 10, 2025
Piece of the Week: Marla Aaron’s ‘Nymphenburg Lock’Created in collaboration with Nymphenburg Porcelain, the lock is part of a four-piece collection that took two years to bring to fruition.
MajorsOct 10, 2025
Frederick Goldman Names New VP of SalesJewelry industry veteran Alisa Bunger has taken on the role.
Brought to you by
JA New York Fall Is Right Around the CornerThe upcoming show provides savvy retailers with the opportunity to stock their cases with best sellers in advance of the holiday season.
SourcingOct 09, 2025
Feriel Zerouki Is Leaving De Beers The company and industry leader’s two-decade tenure with De Beers will come to a close at the end of the month.
Weekly QuizOct 09, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsOct 09, 2025
This Fabergé Egg Could Crack $27M At Auction“The Winter Egg” set the world auction record for a Fabergé piece twice at previous Christie’s sales.
MajorsOct 09, 2025
Sy Kessler Buying Watch Batteries as Silver Hits Record High The company will pay 1.5x silver’s current spot price for each pound of silver oxide batteries submitted.
CollectionsOct 09, 2025
Katkim Launches First Men’s CollectionThe line includes a “Shadow” series crafted exclusively for the new men’s offering and reimagined styles from the brand’s core collections.
SourcingOct 09, 2025
Gemfields’ Mini Mixed-Quality Ruby Auction Garners $11MThe rough on offer was recovered from a newer area at the Montepuez mine.
SourcingOct 08, 2025
In ‘Storied Diamond,’ Jared Jewelers Is Emphasizing the Journey The retailer’s new collection of engagement rings and fashion jewelry is set with natural diamonds that are traceable via blockchain.
CollectionsOct 08, 2025
Emily P. Wheeler Shifts Into Neutral for Latest ‘Ombré’ CollectionThe champagne colorway in her newest “Ombré” collection combines white and trendy brown diamonds, a departure from her usual vibrant hues.
CollectionsOct 08, 2025
Tsuba Designs Inspire Monica Rich Kosann’s New CharmsKosann partnered with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, to create a set of necklaces inspired by the artwork on samurai sword handguards.
CrimeOct 07, 2025
Men Who Posed as Utility Workers Found Guilty in Jeweler’s MurderCarlos Jose Hernandez and Joshua Zuazo face life in prison for the October 2024 murder of 72-year-old Detroit-area jeweler Hussein Murray.
CollectionsOct 07, 2025
Jessica McCormack Looks to Sea Spirits for ‘Tempest’ CollectionThe brand’s first high jewelry collection, “Tempest” plays with movement while calling to mind the folklore of the sea.
SourcingOct 07, 2025
Columbia Gem House Announces ‘Opals for Outback Heroes’ FundraiserProceeds from its jewelry raffle will go to a volunteer-run fire and rescue group in the Lightning Ridge area of New South Wales, Australia.
MajorsOct 07, 2025
Stuller Names Its S.E.R.V.E Stars for 2025Stuller said the recipients embody the company’s core values, which include community participation and personal and professional growth.
WatchesOct 06, 2025
This Fall, Citizen’s Forecast Calls for RainCitizen’s new “Rainell” women’s watch has a raindrop-shaped case and is available with a silver-, gold-, purple-, or green-colored dial.
AuctionsOct 06, 2025
The ‘Rolex That Made Rolex’ Heads to Auction at Sotheby’s The “Mercedes Gleitze Rolex Oyster,” named for the British endurance swimmer who made it famous, will go up for sale next month.
GradingOct 06, 2025
GIA India Names Former De Beers Exec as New Managing DirectorAmit Pratihari was previously the managing director of De Beers India and Forevermark India.
SourcingOct 06, 2025
SoCal 24 Karat Club Integrates Into Diamond Club West CoastMembers of the Jewelers 24 Karat Club of Southern California will gain access to expanded services, resources, and connections, DCWC said.
TrendsOct 03, 2025
Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco Tie the Knot Wearing Diamonds, White MetalsGomez’s jewelry included Tiffany & Co. drop-style earrings while Blanco stacked diamonds from Jacob & Co. on his wrist.
GradingOct 03, 2025
Grading Lab HRD Antwerp Names New CEODiamond industry banking veteran Paul De Wachter will take on the role in January 2026.
TrendsOct 03, 2025
Piece of the Week: Kallati’s Pink Sapphire RingTaylor Swift flaunts an Elizabeth Taylor-esque gemstone in promo for her new album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
CollectionsOct 02, 2025
Boucheron Debuts Cuffs Crafted With 3D-Printed SandIts “Quantre Sand” capsule was made using a 3D sand printing technique borrowed from the automotive and aeronautics industries.
CrimeOct 02, 2025
$1M in Jewelry Stolen in Northern California Smash and Grab Four individuals have been charged in the “takeover-style” robbery of Heller Jewelers last month, and additional charges are expected.
MajorsOct 02, 2025
Neil Lane Jewelry Exhibition Coming to Toledo Museum of Art“Radiance and Reverie” will showcase more than 150 jewels from Lane’s personal collection by Tiffany & Co., Cartier, and more.
