The Essential Zen Habits of 2010

Post written by Leo Babauta.

I am overjoyed.
Zen Habits has just finished its 4th year of existence and every year has been better than the last. This year has been no exception.
How great a year has it been? Zen Habits grew from 150,000 subscribers to well over 200,000 and topped TIME magazine’s Top 25 blogs for 2010 (after also making it in 2009).
But the joy has gone beyond numbers — for me both professionally and personally:

• I finished and self-published my new book focus and it has done exceedingly well.
• I moved my family from Guam to San Francisco and have been loving it here in this beautiful city.
• We gave up our automobile completely for the first time and truly love the car-free life.
• I lost more weight at the beginning of the year and am fitter slimmer and healthier than ever. By far.
• I completely eliminated ads here on Zen Habits and rely entirely on my lovely readers and on selling my own stuff.
• I also removed photos from Zen Habits. Some of you have expressed regret that the photos are gone and I understand this feeling. But it was an important change for me: it put the focus on the content and not on a superficial image. I enjoy posting more now that I don’t have to choose some image that’s only slightly related to the content.
• My other blog mnmlist.com has grown to 11,000 readers and (quietly) celebrated its one-year anniversary in September. More importantly: it has helped the minimalist movement grow by leaps and bounds this year.

The Essential Posts of 2010

Each year I choose the top posts from Zen Habits for the year but this year I decided to let you guys do the choosing. I don’t keep track of stats anymore so I don’t know which posts you guys liked best. It was interesting to see the results.
Here are the Top 20 posts as chosen by all of you:

1. you’re already perfect
2. the lost art of solitude
3. The Case Against Christmas Presents
4. Simplify, and Savor Life
5. the best goal is no goal
6. Why I don’t care about success
7. the zen of doing
8. the elements of living lightly
9. Life’s missing white space
10. The No. 1 Habit of Highly Creative People
11. A simplified morning routine
12. a brief guide to life
13. Kill Your To-Do List
14. How Not to Hurry
15. kindfully + mindfully
16. achieving, without goals
17. How to Be a Positive Person, in Under 300 Words
18. The Little Book of Procrastination Remedies
19. the tao of productivity
20. Get Inspired

A few other posts I’d recommend:

1. the barefoot philosophy
2. the insidious perfidiousness of doubts, overcome
3. lessons from a car-free life
4. The Little Guide to Inspiration

And more

For more best of Zen Habits:

• Best of Zen Habits in 2007.
• The Essential Zen Habits of 2008.
• The Essential Zen Habits of 2009.
• The Beginner’s Guide to Zen Habits – A Guided Tour.

—
el Tweeto
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Read more about focus and getting great things done
in Leo’s book, focus.