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: 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 b...
Aug 05, 2023•24 min•Ep. 42
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: 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...
Aug 02, 2023•27 min•Ep. 441
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: 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 dis...
Jul 31, 2023•4 min
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: 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 week: happier...
Jul 26, 2023•34 min•Ep. 440
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: 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...
Jul 24, 2023•3 min
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: 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 week: happiercast.com/shownotes G...
Jul 22, 2023•25 min•Ep. 41
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: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft on Instagram @GretchenRubi...
Jul 19, 2023•32 min•Ep. 439
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: 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 ...
Jul 17, 2023•3 min
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: 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:...
Jul 15, 2023•18 min
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
