Happier with Gretchen Rubin

We talk about why it can be helpful to set a tripwire for making a decision or moving forward. We also discuss a Secret of Adulthood that’s very relevant to the practice of keeping a storage unit (even one that’s not really needed), and a know-yourself-better question related to the use of gadgets and gizmos.

Resources & links related to this episode:

• The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells (Amazon, Bookshop)
• Ord...

Becoming a parent can be one of the most transformative, and instructive, experiences of our lives. These four “Secrets of Adulthood” examine some of the most important lessons parenthood can teach us.

Resources & links related to this episode:

• Open-door stage
• Secrets of Adulthood
• A version of this piece was originally published on the CNBC site.

Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com

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James Taylor and a new puppy are making us happier. We also explore the question of whether it’s common these days to have perhaps unrealistically high expectations from the people and organizations in our lives, from marriage to work to friendship. Plus we discuss an intriguing question: Do you love to "provision,” to stock up on essential items?

Resources & links related to this episode:

• Insight...

We discuss the idea of the  “familect” and why it might be fun to create a  dictionary for our own familect. We also talk about a hack that makes it easier to use a smartphone, and we share dozens of listeners’ thought-provoking  “Secrets of Adulthood.”

Resources & links related to this episode:

• Order your copy of Secrets of Adulthood
• Join Secrets of Adulthood on SubStack
• Look B...

Winston Churchill was an extraordinary presence on the world stage, and among his strengths, he had a tremendous gift with words. Here are just a few of the powerful, insightful, or hilarious observations he made.

Resources & links related to this episode:

• Secrets of Adulthood
•  Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill
• Episode of “A Little Happier on one of Winston Churchill's most famous lines
• Painting as a Pasti...

The Roundtable Series tackles the subject of parenthood. With parenting expert Dr. Becky Kennedy and comedian Samantha Bee, we discuss the most helpful lessons we’ve learned, big challenges we’ve faced, the anxieties that we sometimes feel as parents, and more.

Resources & links related to this episode:

• Dr. Becky Kennedy 
• Samantha Bee

Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com

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We discuss how creating before-and-after photo books of renovations or improvements can bring satisfaction and preserve memories. Our happiness hack suggests visiting your local library (or museum) for the first time; that first visit can be surprising to make. We also share listeners’ strategies for handling a spouse who asks too many questions at inopportune times.

Resources & links related to this episode:

• Order y...

I love book titles, and when I finally tracked down the book attached to one of my favorite titles, I was astonished to learn where I heard about it.

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 App...

We discuss why it’s interesting to consider our longest continuous non-family relationships. We spotlight a tool for spring: the Five-Senses Quiz that helps you discover which of our senses might be neglected. Plus, we explore how authors like Stephen King shape their creative landscapes from personal memories, and how viewing the own past through different literary lenses—Jane Austen, Judy Blume, Tolstoy—can reve...

We discuss a fun summer challenge of focusing on a specific theme or goal. We also include a few helpful, fun hacks, and we share some of listeners’ favorite words—a delightful collection of language.

Resources & links related to this episode:

• Order your copy of Secrets of Adulthood
• Read 25 in 25
• Design Your Summer Reading List in the Happier app
• Elizabeth is reading: When Stars Align by Melissa de la Cruz (Ama...

Our perception of smells depends on context—the same scent is experienced as delightful when labeled "Parmesan cheese" but revolting when called "vomit." Our interpretation of our circumstances often matters just as much as the circumstances themselves.

Resources & links related to this episode:

• Life in Five Senses 

Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com

Visit Gretchen's website to learn more ab...

We bring you my interview with NPR's Life Kit where I discuss that the key to happiness is actually to know yourself better and what questions to ask yourself.  We also discuss my Four Tendencies framework and one of my favorite "try this at home" hacks: the one minute rule. 

Resources & links related to this episode:

• Four Tendencies Quiz

We discuss why it's valuable to identify your "exceptional advantages" in both work and personal life—those unique blessings or abilities you might take for granted but actually set you apart. We also share a hack that can save you time and frustration when going somewhere, and a simple, revealing question that can help you know yourself (and other people) better. Plus, we consider a different interpretation of Secret of Adul...

Drift—the powerful force of making decisions by not deciding—can shape our lives without our conscious participation.

Resources & links related to this episode:

• Secrets of Adulthood
• If you’re wondering if you’re drifting, I created a checklist

Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com

Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happines...

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 q...

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.

Resourc...

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...

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...

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 o...