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: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 wee...
Jul 12, 2023•34 min•Ep. 438
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: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 d...
Jul 10, 2023•4 min
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: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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...
Jul 08, 2023•23 min•Ep. 40
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: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Follow on social media: @Gret...
Jul 05, 2023•30 min•Ep. 437
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: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 t...
Jul 03, 2023•4 min
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: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram Get the podcast show ...
Jun 28, 2023•36 min•Ep. 436
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: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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, cr...
Jun 26, 2023•5 min
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: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram Get the podcast sho...
Jun 24, 2023•24 min•Ep. 39
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: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on ...
Jun 21, 2023•27 min•Ep. 435
A man in Timbuktu laughed when he heard that that people think of the place as being very far away. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 senses....
Jun 19, 2023•4 min
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: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagr...
Jun 14, 2023•36 min•Ep. 434
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: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 th...
Jun 12, 2023•4 min
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: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 n...
Jun 10, 2023•21 min•Ep. 38
We discuss a counter-intuitive and creative way to boost our spirits, and talk about a terrific hack for people who need to decide where to move. Also, we share many listener suggestions about how to communicate effectively with a Rebel father who won’t use his wheelchair or his medical-alert device. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram Get the podcast show notes by email eve...
Jun 07, 2023•30 min•Ep. 433
If I’m complaining about a problem and asking other people to help me solve it, I should ask myself: Have I, myself, actually taken the time and energy to focus on the problem, to try to solve it? Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 surpr...
Jun 05, 2023•4 min
Happier Podcast Book Club: We have a conversation about “Life in Five Senses”—abandoned titles, most surprising lessons, material that was cut out, the origin of the “What’s Your Neglected Sense?” quiz, and more. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 the resources and all links related to this episod...
May 31, 2023•39 min•Ep. 432
The famous “Monkey Business Illusion” video and the memoir of magician Darren Brown point to a similar conclusion: When we pay too much attention to something small, we may miss something big. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 surprisin...
May 29, 2023•4 min
We talk about a fun, thought-provoking question to pose when we’re trying to make conversation, we discuss an astonishing fact about where we each live, and share a useful framework to decide whether we’re taking refuge in work when we should be dealing with the challenges of personal life. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram Get the podcast show notes by email every week: h...
May 27, 2023•23 min•Ep. 37
As we do each year, we consider how we plan to design our summer. We also discuss a hack from a food-scientist listener about an easy way to have more fun with the sense of taste, and we talk to Sarah LaFleur, founder and CEO of M.M.LaFleur, about the pleasures of clothes. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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/sho...
May 24, 2023•35 min•Ep. 431
Tens of thousands of people have now taken the “What’s Your Neglected Sense?” quiz. The results are unexpected. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 ...
May 22, 2023•6 min
For this Very Special Episode, we discuss dozens of hacks for entertaining, suggested by listeners and ourselves. We have suggestions and tips for making tasks easier, lowering the bar, doing preparations efficiently, and generally having more fun. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 the resources ...
May 17, 2023•33 min•Ep. 430
During my daily visits to the Metropolitan Museum, I noticed something about staircases that underscored a truth I already knew: the same experience can be drastically changed by design, and even a subtle difference can have a dramatic consequence. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 L...
May 15, 2023•5 min
Elizabeth talks about the experience of being on strike as a Hollywood TV writer (and, relatedly, working on her new novel), and she also reveals her new insight about how she wants to live her life. Plus we discuss people’s enthusiastic responses to the “What’s Your Neglected Sense?” quiz. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram Get the podcast show notes by email every week: h...
May 13, 2023•26 min•Ep. 36
We talk about why and how we should try the Strategy of Unpairing when trying to change a habit. We also discuss an easy way to get more exercise while traveling, and how to know when to accept ourselves—and when to expect more from ourselves. Plus a listener asks for suggestions for dealing more effectively with a Rebel father who resists help. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Ins...
May 10, 2023•32 min•Ep. 429
A conversation with Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor made me realize: it must be very odd to be a historic figure. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 tunin...
May 08, 2023•3 min
As a thank-you to “Happier with Gretchen Rubin” listeners, this bonus episode features an excerpt from the audiobook of Gretchen Rubin’s new book, “Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World.” Narrated by Gretchen Rubin. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 Ge...
May 06, 2023•14 min
We talk about how and why we should try to be a source of opportunity for others. We also discuss listeners’ suggestions for how to deal with family members who won’t control their dogs, as well how we get recommendations for books to read. Plus we suggest new dates for the Calendar of Catalysts which are based on the five senses. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram Get the ...
May 03, 2023•29 min•Ep. 428
An old joke illustrates an important truth: When we’re searching for a solution, it’s often tempting to look where we can see more clearly, rather than to look to look into obscurity—even if it’s more likely that we’ll find our answer there. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 ...
May 01, 2023•4 min
During our recent time together in Los Angeles, we did many things that made us happy: hike, clear Elizabeth’s office, and drink lots of coffee. We also talk about a little-discussed explanation for why “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul,” and “Mad Men” are such enjoyable TV shows, and about the ripple effect of a personal upgrade. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram Get the ...
Apr 29, 2023•24 min•Ep. 35
We talk about why, when we’re encouraging someone else to do something, we should consider doing it ourselves. We also discuss a hack to make networking easier, as well as the helpful know-yourself-better question: “Are you a finisher or an opener?” Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com 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 the resources...
Apr 26, 2023•28 min•Ep. 427
