Podcast Episodes

Little Happier: A Friend Told Me, “I Can Find My Way Anywhere in Westchester, But I Have to Start from Scarsdale.”

A friend’s remark about growing up in the New York City suburbs reminded me of how valuable it is to have a strong home base.

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

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Published on 4 years, 8 months ago

Ep. 321: Ask for a Favor in the Right Way, an Easy Clutter-Clearing Hack, and Julie Lythcott-Haims Talks about How to Be an Adult

Episode 321

We discuss the advice from legendary women’s gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos Field about how to ask for a favor or an opportunity in the right way, a listener offers a practical suggestion for using …

Published on 4 years, 8 months ago

Little Happier: Happiness Lessons from a Friend and His Messy Wife

During a funny conversation with a friend about his messy wife, he realized how he could have a more orderly house, without necessarily winning her cooperation.

Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; podcast@g…

Published on 4 years, 8 months ago

Ep. 320: For Our 6th Anniversary, a Roundup of Favorite Try-This-at-Homes, Hacks, Strategies, and Solutions from Listeners—and From Us.

Episode 320

For this Very Special Episode, and in honor of our sixth anniversary, we asked listeners to send us their favorite moments, hacks, solutions, try-this-at-home suggestions and know-yourself-better que…

Published on 4 years, 8 months ago

Little Happier: A Character from “K-Pop Confidential” and My Second-Grade Daughter Remind Me: We Want to Accept Ourselves, and Expect More From Ourselves

In Stephan Lee’s terrific young-adult novel K-Pop Confidential, the character Candace’s performance illustrates the same lesson that I saw in my daughter Eleanor’s second-grade show on the monkey bar…

Published on 4 years, 8 months ago

Ep. 319: Ask Yourself, “Do I Use It, Need It, Love It?”, Using the Return to Work as a “Clean Slate” for Habits, and Rebels Give Advice about the Rebel Who Won’t Read Emails

Episode 319

For those in the mood for spring cleaning, we suggest clearing clutter by asking “Do I use it, need it, love it?” We talk about April Fool’s Day pranks, ideas for using the return to the workplace as…

Published on 4 years, 8 months ago

Little Happier: Why Did I Insist on Taking My Little Girl to Pre-school in the Freezing Cold and Snow?

Understanding my Four Tendencies personality framework, and my own Tendency as an Upholder, revealed to me why I’d behaved inexplicably years ago, when I took my daughter to school in a snowstorm.

Get…

Published on 4 years, 8 months ago

Ep. 318: Look at Your Home with the Eyes of a Stranger, Some Terrific Before-and-After Clutter Stories, and Valuable Lessons from the Pandemic

Episode 318

We discuss why you might look at your home through the eyes of a stranger, why a simple hook can be so useful , share some excellent before-and-after clutter-clearing triumphs, and discuss listeners’…

Published on 4 years, 8 months ago

Little Happier: We Can Learn from the Monkey Who Wouldn’t Let Go of the Bananas.

The old teaching story of the greedy monkey and the bananas illustrates many notions, including the idea that sometimes we have to let go of a desire in order to free ourselves.

Get in touch: @gretche…

Published on 4 years, 9 months ago

Ep. 317: Do You Thrive with a “Sense of Urgency,” a Hack for Drinking Less Alcohol, and a Conversation about Just Work with Kim Scott and Trier Bryant

Episode 317

We discuss whether we thrive in an atmosphere with a sense of urgency, share a listener’s happiness hack for drinking less alcohol (without giving it up altogether), and have a conversation with Kim …

Published on 4 years, 9 months ago