To celebrate the eighth anniversary of the podcast, we discuss the Try-This-at-Home ideas that have resonated most with listeners over the past year. We also review our favorite Happiness Hacks and some of our favorite moments and biggest milestones. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Get the resources and all li...
Feb 22, 2023•28 min•Ep. 418
When her daughter was feeling dejected about all the things she was missing during the Covid lockdown, a friend was able to find the right words to comfort her. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Leave a voicemail message on: 774-277-9336 For information about advertisers and promo codes, go to happiercast.com/sp...
Feb 20, 2023•3 min
We discuss the fun of reading psychological thrillers as well as the delights of taking a New York City ferry. We also talk about the bittersweet pleasure of passing a family milestone, and (again) why pre-orders are such a source of happiness for authors. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Leave a voicemail mess...
Feb 18, 2023•21 min•Ep. 30
We talk about the fact that while most people have given up their New Year’s resolutions by February 28, we can celebrate that day as “Determination Day” to stay engaged with our aims. A listener explains how to start a “no-homework book club,” and listeners suggest great books to read about the outdoors, as well as ways to make it easier to go #Outside23in23. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get th...
Feb 15, 2023•30 min•Ep. 417
Football player Jaylen Waddle has created a “touchdown celebration” that’s funny, humble, simple, and a clever play on his distinctive name. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Leave a voicemail message on: 774-277-9336 For information about advertisers and promo codes, go to happiercast.com/sponsors Want to be ha...
Feb 13, 2023•3 min
We talk about why it’s useful to identify and work through nagging conflicts (e.g., whether and when to make the bed, load the dishwasher, get off your phone). We also discuss a listener’s hack that makes it easier to say in touch with the people who are important to us, and law professor Kenji Yoshino explains how to “Say the Right Thing” in challenging situations. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft ...
Feb 08, 2023•40 min•Ep. 416
In a striking story from her memoir Just Kids, Patti Smith describes why she decided to cut her own hair and how that decision changed her life. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Leave a voicemail message on: 774-277-9336 For information about advertisers and promo codes, go to happiercast.com/sponsors Want to b...
Feb 06, 2023•4 min
We discuss two questions: whether parenthood has changed us and whether we ask ourselves rhetorical questions. Then we realize we’re not entirely clear on the definition of “rhetorical question.” We also talk about tablescapes and relationships. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Leave a voicemail message on: 774...
Feb 04, 2023•22 min•Ep. 29
We talk about why it’s a good idea to aim to show up, and why it’s helpful to establish a code phrase with your sweetheart to let them know, “Change the subject.” We also talk about how to avoid arguments about who is right and who is wrong. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Get the resources and all links relat...
Feb 01, 2023•32 min•Ep. 415
In an old story, a stone magically makes a soup out of water—but you do have to add carrots, beef, cabbage, onions, milk, salt, pepper, and potatoes. This story reminds me to be wary when someone offers a quick fix to make something desirable happen. Probably I have to do the work myself. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#...
Jan 30, 2023•7 min
We talk about why instead of thinking about our future-selves, we might think about our past-selves. Also, a listener suggests a lovely family Valentine’s Day tradition, and we ask ourselves the question, “Am I an over-estimator or an under-estimator?” Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Get the resources and all ...
Jan 25, 2023•31 min•Ep. 414
Writer Betty MacDonald’s memoir reminds me that even as adults, to be happier, we should seek out experiences that will give us the “wonderful, joyous, childhood feeling of expectancy.” Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Leave a voicemail message on: 774-277-9336 For information about advertisers and promo codes,...
Jan 23, 2023•4 min
For this episode, we have a surprise co-host—an iconic figure who offers her own suggestions and insights for how to be (more) happier. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Leave a voicemail message on: 774-277-9336 For information about advertisers and promo codes, go to happiercast.com/sponsors Want to be happier...
Jan 21, 2023•22 min•Ep. 28
We talk about how and why we should tune in to our five senses. We also share listeners’ practical suggestions for how to “Go Outside 23 in 23” when the weather is bad, and discuss an easy hack for handling the feeling of dread. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Get the resources and all links related to this ep...
Jan 18, 2023•28 min•Ep. 413
For a long time, when I tried to understand the nature of happiness, I was confused by one aspect of its nature. Finally, I figured it out: One of the best ways to make ourselves happy is to make other people happy; one of the best ways to make other people happy is to be happy ourselves. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#...
Jan 16, 2023•4 min
In honor of “Dry January,” we explore why we might want to turn deprivation into indulgence (with alcohol or with anything else). We discuss listeners’ ideas for creative ways to approach the “23 in 23” tool, and share a suggestion from a Rebel about how Rebels can use this approach. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsl...
Jan 11, 2023•30 min•Ep. 412
Fred Rogers observed that when times are bad, we should “look for the helpers.” Is this suggestion appropriate only for children, or is it helpful for adults, too? Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Leave a voicemail message on: 774-277-9336 For information about advertisers and promo codes, go to happiercast.com...
Jan 09, 2023•3 min
We talk about four milestones. We discuss hitting the one-year anniversary of “More Happier” as well as the eighth anniversary of a very happy day. Other milestones: hosting extended family for the holidays, and seeing the premiere of Season Two of “Fantasy Island.” Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Leave a voic...
Jan 07, 2023•28 min•Ep. 27
We reveal our “23 for 23” lists of the 23 things we each want to accomplish in 2023, and talk about why making this kind of list can boost happiness. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Get the resources and all links related to this episode here: http://happiercast.com/411 Leave a voicemail message on: 774-277-93...
Jan 04, 2023•39 min•Ep. 411
Why do so many of us wait until a new calendar year to start setting our goals? Gretchen recently sat down with Chris Duffy, host of How to Be a Better Human, to discuss this goal-obsessed time of year. As she says, “there really is no magic to January 1st”-- and the best time to start a healthy habit is just, well, “now.” In this episode, she shares eye-opening frameworks on the different ways to make and achieve goals, gives tips on how to create habits that actually improve our lives and disc...
Jan 03, 2023•40 min
In the movie “Before Sunrise,” one character says , “I always have this strange feeling that I am this very old woman…that my life is just her memories,” and another character says, “I always think that I'm still this thirteen-year-old boy…who just doesn't really know how to be an adult.” I’ve felt both ways, myself. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week her...
Jan 02, 2023•4 min
For this Very Special Episode, we discuss some of the top tools for habit change. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for making or breaking habits, but some tools are particularly effective and popular. We talk about accountability, “don’t break the chain,” track your total, and more. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#n...
Dec 28, 2022•29 min•Ep. 410
Since childhood, I’ve been reflecting on the depiction of Beatrice d’Este, a duchess from fifteenth century Italy, in E. L. Konisgburg’s novel The Second Mrs. Giaconda . What is the mystery of character? I think about that question all the time, and reading this novel may have been one of the influences that made me want to understand this mystery. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast sh...
Dec 26, 2022•5 min
We talk about how a friend planned in advance about how she would answer a tough question. We also discuss a delicious, healthy snack and our upcoming plans for a happier 2023 with the “23 in 23” list and #Outside23in23. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Leave a voicemail message on: 774-277-9336 For information...
Dec 24, 2022•22 min•Ep. 26
We reveal our yearly challenge for “____23 in 2023,” share listeners’ ideas for post-holidays hacks, and give a suggestion for a TV show for families to watch together. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Get the resources and all links related to this episode here: http://happiercast.com/409 Leave a voicemail mes...
Dec 21, 2022•27 min•Ep. 409
Paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter half of a statement or a phrase has an unexpected ending, which makes the listener reinterpret the first part in a way that is funny or memorable. Finding new examples of paraprosdokian gives me a real burst of pleasure. “Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.” Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email ...
Dec 19, 2022•4 min
We reflect on our one-word themes for 2022 and reveal our themes for 2023. We also share an easy family gift-giving hack, as well as listeners’ answers to the question, “Have you ever had an uncanny experience?” Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Get the resources and all links related to this episode here: http:...
Dec 14, 2022•31 min•Ep. 408
An old nursery rhyme comes in handy for describing a common situation. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Leave a voicemail message on: 774-277-9336 For information about advertisers and promo codes, go to happiercast.com/sponsors Want to be happier in 2022? Order Gretchen Rubin’s book The Happiness Project to se...
Dec 12, 2022•3 min
We discuss how the fun of Corgis is helping to allay anxiety, hear from a listener’s success using a hack for finding lost objects, and consider a popular trend that neither of us has tried. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Leave a voicemail message on: 774-277-9336 For information about advertisers and promo c...
Dec 10, 2022•25 min•Ep. 25
We review our “22 for 2022 lists” to report on which of the 22 items we did--and didn’t—accomplish during the year. We also reflect on 2022’s challenge to “rest” for #Rest22in22 to see what we learned. Plus we share an easy travel hack. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Get the resources and all links related to...
Dec 07, 2022•37 min•Ep. 407
