We talk to the brilliant Suzy Welch about her new book, “Becoming You,” and her Values Bridge quiz which can tells us how we rank fifteen core values—and we explore why knowing our values is such a key element to creating happier lives. Resources & links related to this episode: Becoming You by Suzy Welch ( Amazon , Bookshop ) " The Summer Day " by Mary Oliver The Values Bridge quiz The Four Tendencies quiz List of some of my favorite graduation books Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com ...
May 10, 2025•38 min
We discuss why it’s useful to dust off unused items--and either start using them or give them away. We also share a happiness hack from a listener who explains why it can be very valuable to give physical therapy another chance. Finally, we explore the Secret of Adulthood about cultivating friendship, and we answer a listener's question about how and why fictional characters often embody the Four Tendencies framework. Resources & Links Related to this episode: Order your copy of Secrets of A...
May 07, 2025•30 min•Ep. 533
Distinguishing helpful from unhelpful criticism is a challenge that every creative person faces. No formula exists for knowing which criticism to heed; we must each develop our own discernment. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app. Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. See omnystudio.com/listener f...
May 05, 2025•5 min
We discuss how regret and reflection can help us make better decisions in the future, and increase our happiness. Regret can be a hard thing to talk about. Many people who actually prefer to avoid using the word. By anticipating future regret, we can make better choices in the present, and by reflecting on past regret, we can think about how to do better moving forward. Resources & links related to this episode: How Regret Can Make Us Happier Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gre...
May 03, 2025•36 min
We explore why making a list of your favorite words ("whimsy," "crackle," "latibulate") and using them can boost happiness. We share a simple hack that makes packing easier, and we reflect on a dog-related Secret of Adulthood. We also tackle a listener question about how to manage Obliger-rebellion when facing increased workload after coworker layoffs. Resources & links related to this episode: Order your copy of Secrets of Adulthood Sign up for the Happier in Hollywood Substack newsletter H...
Apr 30, 2025•37 min•Ep. 532
Certain moments inspire my "America feeling"—a profound connection to the ideals of the United States. For instance, the formal words of the opening ritual for a session of the United States Supreme Court reminds me of the value of justice. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app. Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Ap...
Apr 28, 2025•4 min
We talk about the happiness, rewards, and challenges of having a new dog. Resources & links related to this episode: Support your favorite indie booksellers and enjoy a fun perk from Bookshop Follow me on Instagram for photos and videos of Taffy Read Secrets of Adulthood Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app. Find the transcript for this episode on...
Apr 26, 2025•29 min
We’re excited to introduce you to Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan , a new show from Lemonada Media. As Meghan, Duchess of Sussex builds out a business of her own, she’s getting advice and insights from a handful of amazing women who have scaled small ideas into successful companies. These fly-on-the-wall conversations will no doubt inspire anyone who’s interested in turning their own entrepreneurial dreams into a reality and anyone else who just wants to hear what really happens behi...
Apr 24, 2025•44 min
We discuss why arriving right on time for events makes it easier to have fun and to network (especially for introverts or newcomers). We also share the benefits of using an ordinary weekly pill organizer, and explore research supporting the Secret of Adulthood: “One of the best ways to find friends is to make friends with the friends of our friends.” Plus, a listener asks for suggestions about how to request support from family and friends after her recent diabetes diagnosis. Resources & lin...
Apr 23, 2025•29 min•Ep. 531
When we’re trying to make a point, it’s often more effective to tell a story than to deliver a lecture. Example: an episode from the popular TV show “Better Call Saul” memorably illustrates the important truth that we’re probably better off assigning a complex problem to the person who acknowledges the difficulties rather than to the person who offers suspiciously easy answers. Resources & links related to this episode: Secrets of Adulthood The Four Tendencies Get in touch: podcast@gretchenr...
Apr 21, 2025•10 min
In honor of the arrival of a new dog, we take a flashback to previous discussions of our lives with Barnaby, Daisy, and Nacho. We each decided to “Choose the bigger life,” and we’re very happy we did. Bonus: One of the all-time best episode of “A Little Happier,” all about Barnaby. Resources & links related to this episode: A Little Happier: We’ve Had Our Dog Barnaby Always. Podcast 27: Choose the Bigger Life, Identify Your “Tell”–and I Reveal Whether I’ll Get a Dog. Podcast 24: Take Photos ...
Apr 19, 2025•29 min
To get ready for spring, we share some of our favorite habits, hacks, and resources for clearing clutter and getting organized. Resources & Links Related to this episode: Order your copy of Secrets of Adulthood Join me on book tour starting April 1, 2025 Tools for getting organized this spring Outer Order, Inner Calm 3-Tier Organizing Cart Magic Erasers Command Hooks Packing Cubes Shelf spinner Swedish dishclothes Label Maker Wall Pops Guardsman Reusable Watermark Remover cloth Chalk labels ...
Apr 16, 2025•34 min•Ep. 530
While writing my book "Secrets of Adulthood," I discovered how the structure of a single traditional proverb could spark dozens of new insights. The elegant formula "No X, no Y" began with the traditional wisdom "No receiver, no thief," but soon expanded into observations ranging from the paradoxical ("No expectations, no disappointment") to the historical ("No Plato, No Socrates ") to the practical ("More highways, more traffic"). Resources & links related to this episode: Secrets of Adulth...
Apr 14, 2025•7 min
During the book tour for “Secrets of Adulthood,” we had the chance to spend the day together in Los Angeles. Listen in and follow along as we hush the Corgis, clear office clutter, and learn some happy book-related news. Resources & links related to this episode: Secrets of Adulthood Organization hub Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app. Find the ...
Apr 12, 2025•30 min
We explore the surprising benefits of swearing—from pain tolerance to social bonding—while also discussing why cutting back on cussing might still improve conversation quality and emotional climate. We share a listener hack for making a long, frequent car trip easier. We also consider a Know-Yourself- Better question about possessions, and we tackle a poignant listener question about maintaining family connections with adult children who seem to be creating unexpected distance after marriage. Re...
Apr 09, 2025•37 min•Ep. 529
Through my "Operation Knicks Knowledge" experiment, I was astonished to learn that some professional basketball players have the number zero for their jersey number. Sometimes, a newcomer notices things that people with more knowledge take for granted. Resources & links related to this episode: Secrets of Adulthood Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier...
Apr 07, 2025•5 min
In honor of #read25in25, we're revisiting one of our Very Special Episodes about how to get more reading done. We share hacks, strategies, and tools from listeners—and our own experience. Resources & Links Related to this episode: Join our annual challenge: #read25in25 #read25in25 PDF tracker Don’t Break the Chain Resolution Chart Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection,...
Apr 05, 2025•35 min
Sharing a new show from my friends at Higher Ground, called IMO. You know on Happier, Gretchen gives practical advice meant to uplift you, help you reach goals, and leave you feeling fulfilled. Similarly on IMO, Michelle Obama and her big brother Craig Robinson tackle real questions from real folks just like you offering practical advice, personal storytelling, and plenty of laughs. Each week, they’re joined by a guest, bringing candid perspectives to the everyday questions shaping our lives, re...
Apr 03, 2025•44 min
We explore the science of "hedonic forecasting"—our often-flawed ability to predict future happiness—and share strategies to make better life decisions. We debate the right approach to a “task cascade.” Plus, as part of #Read25in25, we discuss hacks for doing more reading. Finally, an answer to the burning question: What will my family name our new dog? Resources & Links Related to this episode: Order your copy of Secrets of Adulthood Join me on book tour starting April 1, 2025 Read 25 in 25...
Apr 02, 2025•36 min•Ep. 528
During my daily Metropolitan Museum visits, an ancient marble sculpture connected to the Eleusinian Mysteries—one of history's best-kept secrets—inspired me to start a major creative project, “Secrets of Adulthood.” Resources & links related to this episode: Life in Five Senses Outer Order, Inner Calm Secrets of Adulthood Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the ...
Mar 31, 2025•5 min
We dive behind-the-scenes about the making of Gretchen’s new book, “Secrets of Adulthood,” discussing everything from cover design to audiobook creation. Plus we raise a new question in our continuing discussions about quirky eating. Resources & Links Related to this episode: Pre-order my new book Secrets of Adulthood Tools for getting organized this spring Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Ha...
Mar 29, 2025•28 min
We discuss how paying attention to the books, movies, or TV shows someone loves can provide profound insights into their character and inner life. Our happiness hack shares surprising research that shows we're actually terrible at choosing our own most flattering photos; strangers select better images of us than we do ourselves. Plus we talk to Rich Benjamin about his compelling new memoir, Talk to Me , in which he explores the history and secrets that have haunted his family. Resources & Li...
Mar 26, 2025•40 min•Ep. 527
Sometimes, the title of a movie manages to become shorthand for entire life situations—think "The Matrix," "Gaslight," and “The Devil Wears Prada.” Also, this collection illustrates my deep appreciation for the pleasure of examples. Resources & links related to this episode: More Happier episode My “ 24 for 24 ” list Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happi...
Mar 24, 2025•4 min
First in a new discussion series on happiness: Friendship Roundtable. Joining me is a longtime friend, Laurie Santos, and a new friend, Reshma Saujani. We talk about how our friendships have changed over time, how to handle conflict, and how to make new friends in adulthood. Yale professor Laurie Santos is host of “The Happiness Lab” podcast. Reshma Saujani is founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First and host of the “My So-Called Midlife” podcast. Resources & Links Related to this episode: F...
Mar 22, 2025•40 min
We explore the powerful “Rule of More” that we can make our lives happier—or less happy. We share an easy yet highly effective hack for prompting the entire family to help clear clutter. Plus we share listeners’ excellent Secrets of Adulthood. Resources & Links Related to this episode: Pre-order your copy of Secrets of Adulthood Join me on book tour starting April 1, 2025 "Read 25 in 25" Here are my favorite products to get organized Elizabeth is reading: Say Everything: A Memoir by Ione Sky...
Mar 19, 2025•34 min•Ep. 526
In my version of a traditional teaching story, a village is terrorized by a crocodile. This story explores the dangers of dismissing threats to others while hoping that we’ll be spared. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app. Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...
Mar 17, 2025•8 min
In a conversation with the brilliant and hilarious Ramit Sethi, we talk about “money for couples.” We discuss issues such as the four money types, how to handle conflict within a relationship, when to start talking about money when dating, red flags, and more. Resources & Links Related to this episode: Become a Super-Fan ! Money for Couples by Ramit Sethi ( Amazon , Bookshop ) Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, ...
Mar 15, 2025•39 min
We explore the big question of whether to get a dog, sharing results from our listener poll, research on how pets boost happiness, and hilarious "worst-case scenarios.” We share a hack for getting tasks done more quickly and pleasantly. Plus we feature a rich collection of listener insights on restaurant plate-rotating secrets, balance-building while tooth-brushing, how grief can lead to new friendships, and more. Resources & Links Related to this episode: Pre-order your copy of Secrets of A...
Mar 12, 2025•34 min•Ep. 525
Through my "Operation Knicks Knowledge" experiment, I've discovered that basketball rules evolve constantly—and one particular change reveals a profound truth about human nature. We manage what we monitor, and we encourage what we reward. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app. Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Appl...
Mar 10, 2025•4 min
In honor of our tenth anniversary, we revisit a fan-favorite episode: The one where Elizabeth talks about giving a Ped Egg to her mother-in-law. Many listeners cited this segment as one of the all-time funniest discussions on the show. We also discuss Gretchen’s travel hack, the “Bowl of Requirement,” and our favorite wedding readings. Resources & Links Related to this episode: Collection of Wedding Readings Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about...
Mar 08, 2025•40 min
