Podcast Episodes

Little Happier: To the Curious and Prepared Mind, Something Dull Becomes Interesting.

A story about the small talk of two brilliant mathematicians reminds me that a curious and well-informed mind can find much of interest in the world. The taxi-cab’s number 1729 turns out to be a very…

Published on 4 years, 4 months ago

Ep. 335: Walk Away from a Bad Mood, a Rebel and an Obliger Offer Tips, and a Great Hack for Giving an Easy Yet Thoughtful Gift

Episode 335

We talk about how we can walk away from a bad mood, suggest an idea for giving very thoughtful gifts (that are easy to do), and discuss excellen suggestions from a Rebel and an Obliger about self-man…

Published on 4 years, 5 months ago

Little Happier: Both My Parents Made the Same Observation about Queen Elizabeth II.

I was surprised when both my parents commented on Queen Elizabeth II’s decision to direct the Royal Family to wear mourning clothes (instead of traditional uniforms) to the funeral of her husband Pri…

Published on 4 years, 5 months ago

Ep. 334: Happier Podcast Book Club: Writer and Musician Michelle Zauner Talks about Family, Identity, and Food in Her Memoir “Crying in H Mart”

Episode 334

We talk to Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast about her compelling memoir “Crying in H Mart.”

Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com

Get in touch on Instagram: @Gre…

Published on 4 years, 5 months ago

Little Happier: Sometimes We Lash Out in Anger When In Fact We’re Feeling a Very Different Emotion

A poignant scene from Meredith Hall’s novel Beneficence, where a husband and father speaks with harsh words to deny his regrets, reminds me to show my love; others can only see my actions.

Get in touc…

Published on 4 years, 5 months ago

Ep. 333: We Review Our One-Word Theme for the Year, Suggest a Hot-Weather Hack, and Discuss the Power of Plants with Michael Pollan

Episode 333

The year 2021 has hit the midway point, so we review our one-word themes to evaluate how we’re doing. We also suggest a hack for dealing with hot summer nights, and talk about Michael Pollan about hi…

Published on 4 years, 5 months ago

Little Happier: Sometimes, When We Understand Someone’s Perspective, Our Anger Fades

Sometimes, understanding someone else’s point of view allows our anger to fade. When writer Julie Lythcott-Haims understood that her mother’s definition of a “visit” differed from her definition of a…

Published on 4 years, 5 months ago

Ep. 332: We Review Our “21 for 2021” Lists to Consider What We’ve Done (or Not) and Discuss a Happiness Hack for Managing Anxiety.

Episode 332

The year is hitting the half-way mark, so we review our “21 for 2021” lists to mark our progress (and lack of progress). We also review a hack for clearing the mind, and Elizabeth gets both a demerit…

Published on 4 years, 5 months ago

Little Happier: Novelist Amy Tan Didn’t Ask Her Unnamed Goddess for Good Reviews, But for Something Else.

Novelist Amy Tan recounts that as she was writing her second book, she prayed to unnamed goddess that she “be able to write the best book I could, and that no matter what happened to it, I would have…

Published on 4 years, 5 months ago

Ep. 331: Give Yourself a Prop to Hold, Ways to Maintain Healthy Habits as Ordinary Routines Resume, and Hack for Little Kids and Chores

Episode 331

We talk about why you might give yourself a prop to hold, discuss a friend’s hack for helping little kids to be independent, and explore a listener question about the common post-pandemic stumbling b…

Published on 4 years, 5 months ago