Happier with Gretchen Rubin artwork

Happier with Gretchen Rubin

982 episodes - English - Latest episode: 24 days ago - ★★★★★ - 12K ratings

Gretchen Rubin is HAPPIER, and she wants you to be happier too. The #1 bestselling author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before gets more personal than ever as she brings her practical, manageable advice about happiness and good habits to this lively, thought-provoking podcast. Gretchen’s cohost and guinea pig is her younger sister, Elizabeth Craft, a TV writer and producer living in Los Angeles, who (lovingly) refers to Gretchen as her happiness bully. Part of the Cadence13 Network.

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Episodes

Little Happier: Three Passers-by Stop to Comfort a Stranger, and Instead Share a Moment of Joy

October 23, 2023 07:00 - 2 minutes

In South Carolina, three thoughtful passers-by stopped to comfort a weeping stranger—and had the opportunity to share a joyful moment with author Hernan Diaz, who had just learned that he’d won the Pulitzer Prize. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram @GretchenRubin on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in...

Ep. 452: Tackle Hard Social Situations, Do Questioners Ever Rebel, and Is Your Birthday Important?

October 18, 2023 07:00 - 30 minutes

We suggest several practical solutions to common, but challenging, social situations. We also address a listener’s question, “Do Questioners ever experience Questioner-rebellion?” and discuss the know-yourself-better question of “Is your birthday important to you?” Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin on TikTok and YouTube Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get the resource...

Little Happier: Why Did Charles Darwin Write “I Think” on One of the Most Significant Notebook Pages?

October 16, 2023 07:00 - 3 minutes

At the top of one of the most significant pages of his notebooks, Charles Darwin wrote “I think.” There are three good reasons to explain why he might have done so. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram @GretchenRubin on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how she discovered a surprisi...

More Happier: Great Accountability for Obligers, the Important vs. the Urgent, and How to Spark Creativity

October 14, 2023 07:00 - 25 minutes

We talk about how Elizabeth’s novel-writing is going, now that the Hollywood writers’ strike is over. Inspired by a recent wedding, we discuss the huge contribution that old friends can make to our happiness. Plus we highlight a great suggestion from a listener about how Obligers (and people around Obligers) can create useful accountability. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin on TikTok and YouTube Get the podc...

Ep. 451: Visually Represent Your Challenge, Ideas for Improving Routines, and Elizabeth Reveals the Great Shoe Brand

October 11, 2023 07:00 - 31 minutes

We talk about why making a visual representation of a challenge can help us make tough decisions. We also share listeners’ suggestions about improvements they’ve made to their daily routines, and Elizabeth reveals the brand of running shoe that cured her foot pain. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin on TikTok and YouTube Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get the resource...

Little Happier: The Helper Gets More Help Than the Helped

October 09, 2023 07:00 - 6 minutes

My daughter’s experience helping with little kids at school illustrates the same principle as the sponsorship program in A.A.: by giving support, we gain. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram @GretchenRubin on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how she discovered a surprising path to...

Ep. 450: Very Special Episode: Hacks for Performance (Stage Fright, Preparation, Mistakes, and More)

October 04, 2023 07:00 - 36 minutes

In this Very Special Episode, we discuss ideas, hacks, and habits related to the challenge of performance. We all have to perform—give a wedding toast, make a presentation to co- workers, give an announcement to a group, or make a formal speech to a large crowd. We share tips from our own experiences, as well as many suggestions from listeners, for dealing with stage fright, memorization, mistakes, mishaps, and audience engagement. Plus, we have new merch! Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin....

Little Happier: A Mystery: How Possessions Change When Their Owner Dies

October 02, 2023 07:00 - 2 minutes

After people die, their possessions often seem transformed, because they’re no longer animated by the animating force of their owner. It’s startling and transcendent to experience this change. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram @GretchenRubin on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see h...

More Happier: Our Favorite Easy Way to Make Ourselves Happier, Healthier, Smarter, and More Productive

September 30, 2023 07:00 - 20 minutes

In honor of International Podcast Day, we talk about all the ways that listening to podcasts boosts our happiness—by making it easier and more fun to exercise, fall asleep, learn information, do chores, relieve anxiety, commute, and stay connected to others. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin on TikTok and YouTube Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s ne...

Ep. 449: Make a Mindful Investment in Yourself, a Hack for Falling Asleep, and Fun with Pop-Tarts

September 27, 2023 07:00 - 35 minutes

We discuss why making a mindful investment in ourselves is a good way to spend our time, energy, and money. We also suggest a hack for falling asleep more easily, and we tackle a listener’s question about a messy adult son who has moved back home. Plus, we talk about the nostalgia we felt when we shared a frosted cherry Pop-Tart—fun with the five senses! Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin on TikTok and YouTube...

Little Happier: What’s the Real Lesson from the Tortoise and the Hare? It’s Not What You Think

September 25, 2023 07:00 - 3 minutes

The familiar fable of “The Tortoise and the Hare” offers many possible lessons, and the most common moral—“Slow and steady wins the race”--actually isn’t the most apt. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram @GretchenRubin on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how she discovered a surpr...

Ep. 448: Start Your 100 Day Countdown, Try the Library, and a Deep Dive into Issues for Rebels and School: ADHD & College

September 20, 2023 07:00 - 32 minutes

There are 100 days left until the end of the year, so if something needs to get done, start the countdown! We also read a listener’s suggestion for another reason to visit your local library, and we take a deep dive into listeners’ responses to two listener questions related to Rebels and school: How to help a Rebel child with ADHD, and how to help a Rebel child succeed when starting college. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRu...

Little Happier: Do You Like the Idea of a “Happiness Project”—or Does It Remind You of Homework?

September 18, 2023 07:00 - 2 minutes

Our attitude toward a habit or an activity can be dramatically changed by the words we use to describe it. I love the idea of a “happiness project,” but to some people, that sounds too much like homework. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram @GretchenRubin on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Sen...

More Happier: A Case of Obliger-Rebellion, Advice About Waking Up a Child, and Do Spoilers Spoil Stories?

September 16, 2023 07:00 - 28 minutes

A Case of Obliger-Rebellion, Advice About Waking Up a Child, and Do Spoilers Spoil Stories? We talk about Elizabeth’s rare episode of Obliger-rebellion (spoiler: it involved a box of chocolates) and about advice for helping children get themselves out of bed in the morning. Speaking of spoilers, we discuss surprising research, and our own views, about whether spoilers spoil stories. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on Tik...

Ep. 447: Give a Meaningful Compliment, Protect Your Privacy, and What’s the Least-You Thing You Do?

September 13, 2023 07:00 - 31 minutes

We talk about why we should pay someone a meaningful complement, and we share many wonderful, moving compliments received by listeners. We also highlight a quick, easy hack that can protect your digital privacy and discuss an amusing (and also enlightening) know-yourself-better question. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Threads Get the podcast...

Little Happier: Opportunity Cost and Abstainers: A New Term Can Help Us See the World in a New Way

September 11, 2023 07:00 - 3 minutes

New terms allow us to understand the world in a deeper way. Opportunity cost, abstainers vs. moderators, finishers vs. openers—sometimes, having the right vocabulary helps us see more clearly. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram @GretchenRubin on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see h...

Ep. 446: Re-Think Our Daily Routine, Recognize the Warning Signs of Obliger-Rebellion, and a Back-to-School Demerit

September 06, 2023 07:00 - 33 minutes

We talk about why it’s a good idea to re-examine our personal, work, and family routines to look for opportunities to improve. We also discuss how Obligers can recognize when they’re entering the state of Obliger-rebellion, and we answer a listener question about our reading habits. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Threads Get the podcast show...

Little Happier: As an Upholder, I Needed an Obliger Friend to Tell Me the Right Thing to Do

September 04, 2023 07:00 - 6 minutes

During the covid period, my daughter Eliza returned to live on campus for her final semester of college. She was told to pack lightly, and as an Upholder, I took that to mean that she should pack very, very lightly. But an Obliger friend had a wiser approach. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram @GretchenRubin on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/show...

More Happier: The Anniversary of a Favorite Book, a Lesson in Standing Up, and the Joy of Clearing Clutter

September 02, 2023 07:00 - 24 minutes

We talk about the eleventh anniversary of “Happier at Home,” which is Elizabeth’s favorite book written by Gretchen. We also discuss a lesson in standing up for yourself, and about the energy that comes from getting rid of clutter. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownote...

Ep. 445: Have a Happier Labor Day, Nominate Someone, and Manage the Line Between Work and Leisure

August 30, 2023 07:00 - 35 minutes

We reflect on two questions that can help us make our work lives happier, more productive, and more creative. We also talk about why it’s a good idea to nominate people for awards, and how to manage the breakdown of the line between work time and leisure time. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every w...

Little Happier: When Do We Say “I’m Finished” and When Do We Say “I Can Still Make It Better?”

August 28, 2023 07:00 - 5 minutes

A story from the life of writer Shirley Hazzard illustrates the conundrum: When do we think, “It can still be better,” and when do we decide, “It’s finished?” Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram @GretchenRubin on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how she discovered a surprising pat...

Ep. 444: Benefit from Tools You Already Use, a Gift Idea, and Traditions for the Other “New Year”

August 23, 2023 07:00 - 25 minutes

We talk about why and how we might try to get more benefit from a tool we already use, and share an idea for a gift that’ very valuable to the recipient, but doesn’t cost any money. We also share listeners’ traditions to prepare for the other “new year” of September. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email ...

Little Happier: A Story About a Man Who Couldn’t Resist Tempting Food—Until He Could

August 21, 2023 07:00 - 4 minutes

I never forgot a story I read about a man and his eating habits, and how it illustrated an essential lesson: What we think is not possible may be possible, through the power of an idea. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram @GretchenRubin on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how she ...

More Happier: A Surprising Benefit of Daily Visits to the Met, a Funny Sign from the Hollywood Picket Line, and a Same-Day Book

August 19, 2023 07:00 - 22 minutes

We talk about how making daily visits to the Metropolitan Museum have had unintended consequences. We also discuss a funny sign from the Hollywood picket line that plays on a famous scene from “Mad Men,” and how there’s a special pleasure in starting and finishing a book in a single day. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Threads Get the podcast...

Ep. 443: Clear the Decks! We Try Something New to Get Ready for September, the Other New Year

August 16, 2023 07:00 - 31 minutes

We’re trying something new for this episode: a fun “Clear the Decks” exercise. This time, e’re using it to help prepare to return to the usual routines after the summer, but it can be used any time we need to gear up for a change or challenge. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast....

Little Happier: Have You Ever Walked Along a Desire Path?

August 14, 2023 07:00 - 3 minutes

As we go through our days, we can look for “desire paths”—the natural paths that emerge as we try to find the quickest and easiest way to get where we’re going. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram @GretchenRubin on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how she discovered a surprising p...

Ep. 442: Take Over a Disliked Task, Check Your Passport, and When Not to Do Something for the First Time

August 09, 2023 07:00 - 25 minutes

We talk about why we might take over a task that someone else particularly dislikes. We also mention that it’s a good idea to check passport expiration dates, and when it’s a bad idea to do or try something for the first time Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get ...

Little Happier: You’re a Jerk, and I’m a Responsible Parent

August 07, 2023 07:00 - 3 minutes

Listening to the “Office Ladies” podcast reminds me of the psychological phenomenon of the fundamental attribution error. Both of which are good reminders not to judge others too quickly. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram @GretchenRubin on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how sh...

More Happier: How to Create Connections (Or, Butter People Up), Great TV, and Fun with the Five Senses

August 05, 2023 07:00 - 23 minutes

We talk about research into how people successfully flatter others, and how those insights can help us to build strong connections in our own relationships. We also talk about the fun TV show “Claim to Fame” and insights from the fun “What’s Your Neglected Sense?” quiz. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Threads Get the podcast show notes by ema...

Ep. 441: Escape Your Taste, an Easy Way to Remember Hard Names, and New Metaphors for “Empty Nest”

August 02, 2023 07:00 - 27 minutes

We talk about how we can boost our happiness by escaping from our own taste. We also suggest an easy way to make it easier to remember challenging names, and share the many terrific metaphors that listeners suggested as alternatives to the “empty nest.” Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: ha...

Little Happier: I’m Going to Take This Thing Home, Because Otherwise Someone Else Might Steal It

July 31, 2023 07:00 - 3 minutes

Idaho ghost towns have a problem with vandalism, because people think, “I’ll take this home so someone else doesn't steal it." I felt the same impulse when I visited a little unsupervised library during college. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how she ...

Ep. 440: Very Special Episode: We Talk About Regret—Our Own Regrets and Listeners’ Regrets

July 26, 2023 07:00 - 35 minutes

In this Very Special Episode, we explore the subject of regret. We talk about the most common categories of regrets and why reflecting on regret can help us make our lives happier. We share some of our own regrets, and also listeners’ regrets. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast....

Little Happier: Would You Pay $500,000 for a Steve Jobs Paradox?

July 24, 2023 07:00 - 2 minutes

An amusing paradox arose in real life: Steve Jobs put his autograph on a letter to tell someone that he didn’t sign autographs. Sometimes, in the process of saying we won’t do something, we do it. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how she discovered a su...

More Happier: The Silver Lining of Summer Camp, a Happiness Bully for Writing, and Not Getting Choked Up

July 22, 2023 07:00 - 24 minutes

We talk about the silver lining of having a child away at summer camp. We also discuss how a happiness bully might “encourage” someone to work on their novel, and how to avoid choking up while giving a commencement address.  Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get G...

Ep. 439: Suggest the Default Option, Skip a Year of an Activity You Enjoy, and More Everyday Luxuries

July 19, 2023 07:00 - 33 minutes

We talk about how we can make planning easier by suggesting the default option of time and place when coordinating with other people. We also discuss the suggestion to skip a year of an enjoyable activity, if it starts to feel onerous, as a way to keep it fun. Plus we review even more everyday luxuries suggested by listeners. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubin...

Little Happier: Something Brilliant Came Out of My Mouth—Something I Didn’t Know I Knew

July 17, 2023 07:00 - 2 minutes

Looking at a ‘zine made by some friends decades ago made me realize an important truth—a truth I didn’t know that I knew. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how she discovered a surprising path to a life of more energy, creativity, luck, and love: by tuni...

“Bonus: Commencement Address Given by Gretchen Rubin: Five Essential Paradoxes for a Happy Life”

July 15, 2023 07:00 - 17 minutes

In this bonus episode, listen to the commencement address I gave at my daughter’s Eleanor’s high-school graduation. To help the new graduates make sense of their experiences—both what they’ve experienced in the past and what they’ll experience in the future—I explore five essential paradoxes. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram Get the podcast show notes by email every week: ...

Ep. 438: Act Like a Teenager, Pick Up Your Food in Person, and “Ask Us Anything” About Writing

July 12, 2023 07:00 - 35 minutes

We talk about how we can boost our happiness by acting like teenagers (the good aspects of being a teenager). We also share a suggestion from a listener about how to cut down on using meal-delivery apps, and we answer listeners’ questions about writing. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @gretchenrubin & @lizcraft on Threads Get the podcast show notes by email every week: ha...

Little Happier: Journalist Connie Chung Influenced a Generation—Without Realizing It

July 10, 2023 07:00 - 3 minutes

In the New York Times, Connie Wang wrote about why so many families had named their daughters “Connie”: In the journalist Connie Chung, they saw the qualities and opportunities they wanted for their own children. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how she...

More Happier: More Strength and Stamina, a New Metaphor for “Empty Nest,” and an Easy Way to Keep a Journal

July 08, 2023 07:00 - 22 minutes

We talk about why and how we’re redoubling our efforts to work on our strength and stamina. We also try to figure out a better metaphor for the “empty nest,” and talk about a fun, easy way to keep a journal. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see ...

Ep. 437: To Make a Good Connection, Talk More; Learn the Lesson of the Enron Corpus; and a Collection of Positive Trends

July 05, 2023 10:00 - 31 minutes

We talk about the fact that despite the widespread “reticence bias,” research suggests that we appear more likeable and interesting to a stranger when we talk more than half the time. We also discuss why it’s so important never to put anything in a text or email that we wouldn’t want to be made public, why it’s useful to eat before an important meeting, and share a terrific list of positive trends for which we can be grateful. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @G...

Little Happier: The IKEA Effect, or How We Value Things According to What They Cost Us

July 03, 2023 07:00 - 3 minutes

As IKEA, instant cake mixes, and meal-kit delivery services demonstrate, we often value things according to how much they cost us—whether that’s in time, money, energy, or imagination. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how she discovered a surprising pat...

Ep. 436: We Use Halfway Day to Report on How We’re Doing on Our Aims for 2023: the “Happier Trifecta”

June 28, 2023 07:00 - 37 minutes

We use Halfway Day as a catalyst to reflect on how we’re doing with our aims for 2023. Each year, we choose a one-word theme, make a list of “23 in 2023” things we want to accomplish, and give ourselves an annual challenge, such as “Go Outside 23 in ’23”—a trifold approach that we’ve now dubbed the “Happier Trifecta.” Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram Get the podcast show n...

Little Happier: It Might Be Boring to Read About the “Land of Happy,” But It’s Probably a Nice Place to Live

June 26, 2023 07:00 - 4 minutes

People sometimes assume that happiness is boring—but as philosopher Simone Weil points out, while that may be true in literature, it’s not true in real life.  Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how she discovered a surprising path to a life of more energy...

More Happier: Two Pleasures of Summer, Breaking in My Feet (Not My Shoes), and Benefits of Going “On Pause”

June 24, 2023 07:00 - 23 minutes

We each explain a reason why summer is making us happier, why it’s important to break in our feet as well as our shoes, and why going “on pause” might be better than “stopping.” We also discuss the new “Five-Senses Journal” and how its design can to help us to become more mindful, more creative, more loving—and happier. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram Get the podcast show...

Ep. 435: Start a New Habit on Vacation, Cultivate Everyday Luxuries, and Memorize Street Names

June 21, 2023 07:00 - 28 minutes

We discuss why it’s helpful to start a new habit while on vacation, and why taking a few minutes to memorize key street names can make life easier for years to come. We also talk about why cultivating everyday luxuries can help us become happier and healthier, and we take a deep dive into listeners’ terrific examples of their own everyday luxuries. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on I...

Little Happier: Where Is Timbuktu?

June 19, 2023 07:00 - 3 minutes

A man in Timbuktu laughed when he heard that that people think of the place as being very far away. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how she discovered a surprising path to a life of more energy, creativity, luck, and love: by tuning in to the five sens...

Ep. 434: Ways to Understand a Child Better, a Hack for Showing Love, & Eleanor Gives High-School Advice

June 14, 2023 07:00 - 37 minutes

We discuss ways to use the “Four Tendencies” personality profiles to communicate more effectively to the children in your life, whether as a parent, teacher, or coach. We talk about an easy hack to show our loving concern for someone, and we interview graduating senior Eleanor Rubin about her advice for other students navigating high school. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagra...

Little Happier: Why Would a Sailor Decide Never to Learn to Swim?

June 12, 2023 07:00 - 3 minutes

A yachtsman refused to learn to swim, so that if ever found himself in the water, he’d cling to the wreckage—why?  Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s newest book Life in Five Senses to see how she discovered a surprising path to a life of more energy, creativity, luck, and love: by tuning in t...

More Happier: The Happiness of Grabbing a Dishtowel, a Clutter-Clearing Triumph, and Getting Quality Screen Time

June 10, 2023 07:00 - 20 minutes

We talk about why having a dishtowel at the right moment brought me an irrational boost in happiness. We also discuss a suggestion for enjoying some quality screen time, and I share a moment when outer order gave me some much-needed inner calm. Get in touch: [email protected] Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram Get the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get Gretchen Rubin’s ne...

Guests

Melissa Hartwig
2 Episodes
Abby Ellin
1 Episode
A.J. Jacobs
1 Episode
Arianna Huffington
1 Episode
Chris Guillebeau
1 Episode
Isaac Mizrahi
1 Episode
Jordan Harbinger
1 Episode
Kate Bowler
1 Episode
Kelly McGonigal
1 Episode
Kim Scott
1 Episode
Malcolm Gladwell
1 Episode
Marie Forleo
1 Episode
Mark Duplass
1 Episode
Pete Holmes
1 Episode
Rachel Hollis
1 Episode
Rosanne Cash
1 Episode
Ryan Holiday
1 Episode
Sheri Salata
1 Episode
Simon Sinek
1 Episode
Susan Cain
1 Episode

Books

A Christmas Carol
1 Episode
The Cat in the Hat
1 Episode

Twitter Mentions

@chrisguillebeau 1 Episode