Happier with Gretchen Rubin

By Gretchen Rubin / The Onward Project

Education

What's Happier with Gretchen Rubin about?

Gretchen Rubin is HAPPIER, and she wants you to be happier too. The #1 bestselling author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before gets more personal than ever as she brings her practical, manageable advice about happiness and good habits to this lively, thought-provoking podcast. Gretchen’s cohost and guinea pig is her younger sister, Elizabeth Craft, a TV writer and producer living in Los Angeles, who (lovingly) refers to Gretchen as her happiness bully. Part of the Cadence13 Network.

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Ep. 416: Identify and Work ...

02.08.2023

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 ...

Happier with Gretchen Rubin episodes:

02.08.2023 Ep. 416: Identify and Work Through Small Conflicts, Stay in Closer Touch, and How to Say the Right Thing 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 ...
02.06.2023 Little Happier: Patti Smith and the Haircut that Changed Her Life 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; [email protected] Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & ...
02.04.2023 More Happier: We Discuss How Parenthood Has Changed Us and the TV Show “Better Call Saul,” and We Both Learn Something New 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; ...
02.01.2023 Ep. 415: Aim to Show Up, Agree on a Code Phrase for “Change the Subject,” and Why No One’s Right or Wrong 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 ...
01.30.2023 Little Happier: The Old Story of Stone Soup Reminds Me that Magic Solutions Usually Don’t Exist 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 ...
01.25.2023 Ep. 414: Think About Your Past-Self. Plus a Valentine’s Hack, and Are You and Over- or Under-Estimator? 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 ...
01.23.2023 Little Happier: When Do I Feel the Joyous, Childhood Feeling of Expectancy? 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; [email protected] Get in touch on Instagram: ...
01.21.2023 More Happier: Guest Co-Host! The Iconic Heather Dubrow of “Real Housewives” Fame 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; [email protected] Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast ...
01.18.2023 Happier - Ep. 413: Tune in to Your Five Senses, “Go Outside 23 in 23” Even in Bad Weather, and a Hack About Dread 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 ...
01.16.2023 Little Happier: A Truth About Happiness That Confused Me for a Long Time 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 ...
01.11.2023 Ep. 412: Turn Deprivation into Indulgence, Creative Ways to Make a “23 in 23” List, and a Fun Tradition 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 ...
01.09.2023 Little Happier: Advice from Mr. Rogers that’s Useful to Both Children and Adults. 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; [email protected] Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin ...
01.07.2023 More Happier: We Celebrate Four Big Milestones: in Hollywood, Health, Holidays, and More Happier. 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 ...
01.04.2023 Ep. 411: Revealed! Our “23 for 23” Lists of What We Want to Accomplish in 2023 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; [email protected] Get in touch on ...
01.03.2023 You can do better than a New Year’s resolution \| How to Be a Better Human 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 ...
01.02.2023 Little Happier: In the Movie “Before Sunrise,” with Which Character Do You Identify? 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 ...
12.28.2022 Happier - Ep. 410: Top Tools for Habit Change! New Year, Same You--Better Tools for Sticking to Our Good Habits 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,” ...
12.26.2022 Little Happier: Why Does One Person Possess a Certain Kind of Magic? 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, ...
12.24.2022 More Happier: Deciding How to Answer a Tough Question, a Great Snack, Plans for 2023, and More 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. ...
12.21.2022 Happier - Ep. 409: We Reveal Our Yearly Challenge for 2023, Plus Post-Holiday Hacks and a Suggestion for Family TV 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; [email protected] Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin ...
12.19.2022 Little Happier: Paraprosdokian is Much Funnier Than It Sounds 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 ...
12.14.2022 Happier - Ep. 408: We Reveal Our One-Word Themes, a Gift-Giving Hack, and Have You Ever Had an Uncanny Experience? 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: ...
12.12.2022 Little Happier: Why I Often Find Myself Reciting This Nursery Rhyme. Is It Well-Known, or Not? An old nursery rhyme comes in handy for describing a common situation. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; [email protected] Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every week here: http://gretchenrubin.com/#newsletter Leave a voicemail ...
12.10.2022 More Happier: More Corgi Fun, a Secret for Finding Lost Objects, and the Trend That’s Sweeping the Nation 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; ...
12.07.2022 Happier - Ep. 407: We Review our “22 for 22 Lists,” Reflect on Getting “Rest” in 2022, and Share a Travel Hack 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 ...
12.05.2022 Little Happier: The Things That Go Wrong Often Make the Best Memories—Like My Daughter’s Tough Train Trip A visit to the train station reminded me of a morning, years ago, when my daughter Eliza had a tough time boarding the train. It wasn’t much fun at the time, but looking back, it’s a happy memory. Get in ...
11.30.2022 Happier - Ep. 406: Why We Might Upgrade the Makeshift, Gift Ideas for Teachers, and a Great Way to Use Photographs We talk about why we might upgrade the makeshift—that is, address with any temporary situations that have become permanent. We also share listeners’suggestions for gifts for teachers and school staff, as well as a great photo-related gift that deepens relationships. ...
11.28.2022 Little Happier: How Do We Stay Open to Constructive Criticism, Yet Also Committed to Our Creative Vision? A passage from poet Stephen Spender’s autobiography is an example of a familiar tension: How do we stay open to constructive criticism and direction, yet also hold fast to our own creative vision? Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; [email protected] Get ...
11.26.2022 More Happier - Hosting a Holiday, Reducing Food Waste, Embracing Audiobooks, and Tech That Actually Helps We talk about technology; it can help a person who lacks a sense of direction and also help to reduce food waste. We also discuss how we can elevate an event by giving it an official name. Get in touch: ...
11.23.2022 Happier - Ep. 405: Kevin Hart! Plus Ways to Enhance Holiday Decorating and How to Save Someone’s Life (or Your Own) Hollywood legend Kevin Hart shares his insights and stories about how to deal with the “monsters” that lurk inside each of us. We also share listeners’ imaginative ideas for better holiday decorating, and we review the steps for helping to ...
11.21.2022 Little Happier: Sometimes, When We’re the Most Thankful, We Find It Hardest to Express Gratitude. In Elizabeth Strout’s novel “Oh, William!” a character recalls the loving help she was given, and how she never forgot it. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; [email protected] Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes ...
11.16.2022 Happier - Ep. 404: Holiday Gift Guide, Save Time in a Long Line, and Temple Grandin Talks About “Visual Thinking” We offer many suggestions for holiday gifts, of all kinds: substantial gifts, stock- stuffers, experiences-as-gifts, and handmade. We also share a hack for helping a long line to move more quickly, and we talk to scientist and writer Temple Grandin ...
11.14.2022 Little Happier: A Strategy That Works with Children Often Works with Adults, and Vice Versa Reflecting back on the ritual of dismissal from my daughter’s day camp, I’m reminded of the importance of moments of transitions—for children and for adults. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; [email protected] Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get ...
11.12.2022 More Happier - The Secret of a Successful “Summer of Health,” Hacks for Easier Holiday Prep, and How to Read More We talk about why Elizabeth managed to make so much progress on her “Summer of Health” and a new hack for getting more reading done—plus we discuss a way to make the holidays easier and more fun. Get in touch: ...
11.09.2022 Happier - Ep. 403: Save Someone’s Life, Preserve Friendships, Try Packing Cubes, and Does It Matter If You’re Late? We talk about the question, “Have you ever saved someone’s life?” and ways that we might save a life. We also discuss readers’ suggestions about ways to use packing cubes, time capsules, and how to encourage a student to show ...
11.07.2022 Little Happier: It’s Okay that My Husband Doesn’t Read My Writing When a friend told me that she felt hurt that her husband didn’t want to read the draft of her memoir, I was reminded of a line from ancient philosophy. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; [email protected] Get in touch on ...
11.02.2022 Happier - Ep. 402: Why We Might Buy Ourselves Flowers, How to Find an Extra Hour, and Writing a Personal Manifesto Inspired by listeners, we discuss the suggestion to buy ourselves flowers. We also discuss an easy way to carve out an extra hour each day and talk about why writing a manifesto is a great creative tool for making our ...
10.31.2022 Little Happier: Why I Don’t Have to Outrun the Bear The old story about “The Bear and the Two Hikers” is funny, and it also conveys a helpful truth: Sometimes, to succeed, we don’t have to be perfect, we just need to do a little better than someone else. Get ...
10.29.2022 More Happier: Family Tradition, Using a Shared Enthusiasm to Make Friends, and the Fun of Helping We talk about the satisfaction of creating an easy and fun family tradition, and why it’s so satisfying to use your strengths to help someone else. We also talk about why sharing an enthusiasm is a great way to cultivate ...
10.26.2022 Happier - Ep. 401: Create a Time Capsule, Give Crackers to Your Guests, and How to Help a Rebel Arrive on Time We talk about why you might create a time capsule as a way to hold on to memories. We also discuss an easy way to make a party more fun, and consider a listener’s question about how to help a ...
10.24.2022 Little Happier: From Two Centuries Ago, 19 Tips for Happiness In 1820, English writer and cleric Sydney Smith wrote a letter to an unhappy friend with suggestions for how to cheer up. Most of the 19 items on his list would still work today. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; [email protected] ...
10.19.2022 Happier - Ep. 400: 400 Episodes! Listeners Share the Podcast Ideas That Have Done the Most to Make Them Happier To celebrate our 400 th episode, we share listeners’ answers to the question, “From the previous 400 episodes, what favorite ideas or hacks have helped you to become happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative?” Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; ...
10.17.2022 Little Happier: One Strategy to Take the Sting Out of Painful Words Laughing about the fact that something I wrote was “boring and confusing” helped me stay open to criticism. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; [email protected] Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show notes by email every ...
10.15.2022 More Happier - Dealing with Doctors’ Appointments, Easy Travel Hacks, and Why We Might Put Someone on Mute We talk about the satisfaction of dealing with doctors’ appointment, share some great travel hacks, and explore how the terminology of devices has seeped into everyday conversation. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; [email protected] Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & ...
10.12.2022 Happier - Ep. 399: Give a Holiday Gift to Your Future-Self, an Easy Photo Hack, and How to Keep Healthy Boundaries We talk about how we can give a gift to our future-selves by starting to prepare for the holidays early. We also share a listener’s hack about getting great photos, and we talk to Whole30’s Melissa Urban about practical strategies ...
10.10.2022 Little Happier: “If You’re Going to Say That, You’d Better Be Holding My Hand.” The touch of another person can be powerful. In Kate Bowler’s thought-provoking memoir, “Everything Happens for a Reason,” she tells a doctor that if he’s going to deliver bad news, he needs to be holding her hand. Get in touch: ...
10.05.2022 Happier - Ep. 398: Rest Your Senses, Give People Time to Themselves, and Find Tranquility by Tuesday We talk about how and why we might rest our senses, discuss an easy hack for making family vacation time more pleasant, and talk to author Laura Vanderkam about concrete strategies for getting more done—including getting more fun. Get in ...
10.03.2022 Little Happier: Paul McCartney Is Now a Fan of the Beatles Paul McCartney describes himself as a “Beatles fan.” Perhaps, after so many years, he’s experiencing the band from the outside as well as from the inside. It’s interesting to consider that perhaps we, as devoted fans, experience some piece of ...
10.01.2022 More Happier - Happier in Hometown Kansas City, Friday Flowers, and Do You Want to Wear Shoes? We talk about the happiness of spending the weekend with our parents in our hometown of Kansas City, reminisce about “Flower Fridays,” and discuss the question whether we want to wear shoes. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; [email protected] Get in ...
09.28.2022 Happier - Ep. 397: Stop “Phubbing” People, Plus Hacks to Get Organized, Clear Clutter, and Take Medications We talk about why we should stop “phubbing” (phone snubbing) people during conversations. We also share suggestions from listeners about simple ways to get more organized, clear clutter, and take medication consistently. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; [email protected] Get in ...

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