Profound truths often come in small packages, Carly Mallenbaum writes.

• Distilling life lessons into one-liners is the goal of happiness expert and author Gretchen Rubin in her new book of aphorisms, "Secrets of Adulthood," out today.

💰 The money quote: "Over and over, I've found that the right aphorism, invoked at the right time, can help me manage the complexities of life," Rubin writes in the book, which she penned for her daughters.

• One line — "Choose the bigger life" — helped her decide to get a dog.

💎 Seven gems from Rubin's collection:

1. "Recognize that, like sleeping with a big dog in a small bed, things that are uncomfortable can also be comforting."
2. "The world looks different from a footpath than from a car."
3. "When in doubt about how to spend our time, energy or money, spend it on relationships."
4. "It's easier to notice the exceptional than the familiar. So to observe the obvious requires intense attention."
5. "If we're not failing, we're not trying hard enough."
6. "No tool fits every hand."
7. "If you don't know what to do with yourself, go outside or go to sleep."

Carly's thought bubble: The aphorist in my life is my grandfather, aka Pop-Pop, who turns 94 next week. Among his signature sayings:

• "Everything in moderation."
• "Why do two when one will do?"
• "When tradition is gone, there's nothing left."

📬 What's your best one-liner? Share the mantra, plus where you learned it: [email protected]. Please include your name and hometown!

• Share this story.

Mallard ducks float among fallen cherry blossom petals in the Tidal Basin in D.C. yesterday.