Fill in the Blank: _____ is a Good Servant but a Bad Master

Gretchen Rubin

I love to collect variations on phrases, such as the "X is the new Y." "Orange is the new black," "Breakfast is the new lunch," "Forties are the new thirties," "Halloween is the new Christmas," or-and I was inspired by this one for Happier at Home-"September is the new January." (I started this happiness project in September, instead of January, because September also seems like a good time for a fresh start.)

I came up with my own fill-in-the-blank phrase, "___ is a good servant but a bad master." I've been thinking about different ways to fill in the blank, and I've asked people for their suggestions. It's a very thought-provoking list.

Money is a good servant but a bad master

Technology (includes Facebook, Twitter, email…)

Alcohol

Caffeine

Habit

Television

Anger

Food

Ambition

Planning

The flesh

Ego

Leisure

Productivity

What would you add? I don't know why I get such a big kick out of lists like this, but I do.

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The book give-away continues. If you'd like to win a free copy of Happier at Home, I'm giving away one book each day until publication. Enter your name and email in the sign-up form here, and every day, a name will be picked at random. U.S., Canada, and U.K. only-sorry about that restriction on the give-away.

If you're wondering about the book, you can learn more about it here or…

--read a sample chapter on the subject of "time" here

--watch the new one-minute book trailer on "Ten ways to be happier at home"

-pre-order the book here (buy early and often!)

Also ...

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