Podcast Episodes

Ep. 435: Start a New Habit on Vacation, Cultivate Everyday Luxuries, and Memorize Street Names

Episode 435

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 …

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Little Happier: Where Is Timbuktu?

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

@GretchenRubi…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Ep. 434: Ways to Understand a Child Better, a Hack for Showing Love, & Eleanor Gives High-School Advice

Episode 434

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 sh…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Little Happier: Why Would a Sailor Decide Never to Learn to Swim?

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 YouTu…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

More Happier: The Happiness of Grabbing a Dishtowel, a Clutter-Clearing Triumph, and Getting Quality Screen Time

Episode 38

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 out…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Ep. 433: A Surprising Way to Lift Your Mood, How to Decide Where to Move & Ideas for a Rebel Father

Episode 433

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 c…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Little Happier: A Jammed Zipper Teaches an Important Happiness Lesson I learned a very useful lesson from a very ordinary situation.

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…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Ep. 432: Happier Podcast Book Club: Surprise! We Talk About How “Life in Five Senses” Makes Us Happier

Episode 432

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?” qui…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Little Happier: An Important Lesson from a Famous Illusionist and a Fake Gorilla

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 …

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

More Happier: A Great Icebreaker Question, a Startling Realization About Where We Live, and How to Know When Work Is an Escape

Episode 37

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…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago