Happier with Gretchen Rubin
Episodes
Ep. 452: Tackle Hard Social Situations, Do Questioners Ever Rebel, and Is Your Birthday Important?
18 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We suggest several practical solutions to common, but challenging, socialsituations. We also address a listener’s question, “Do Questioners ever e...
Little Happier: Why Did Charles Darwin Write “I Think” on One of the Most Significant Notebook Pages?
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
At the top of one of the most significant pages of his notebooks, Charles Darwin wrote “I think.” There are three good reasons to explain why he m...
More Happier: Great Accountability for Obligers, the Important vs. the Urgent, and How to Spark Creativity
14 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about how Elizabeth’s novel-writing is going, now that the Hollywood writers’ strike is over. Inspired by a recent wedding, we discuss the...
Ep. 451: Visually Represent Your Challenge, Ideas for Improving Routines, and Elizabeth Reveals the Great Shoe Brand
11 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why making a visual representation of a challenge can help usmake tough decisions. We also share listeners’ suggestions about improvem...
Little Happier: The Helper Gets More Help Than the Helped
09 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
My daughter’s experience helping with little kids at school illustrates the same principle as the sponsorship program in A.A.: by giving support, we...
Ep. 450: Very Special Episode: Hacks for Performance (Stage Fright, Preparation, Mistakes, and More)
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this Very Special Episode, we discuss ideas, hacks, and habits related to the challengeof performance. We all have to perform—give a wedding toas...
Little Happier: A Mystery: How Possessions Change When Their Owner Dies
02 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After people die, their possessions often seem transformed, because they’re no longer animated by the animating force of their owner. It’s startli...
More Happier: Our Favorite Easy Way to Make Ourselves Happier, Healthier, Smarter, and More Productive
30 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In honor of International Podcast Day, we talk about all the ways that listening to podcasts boosts our happiness—by making it easier and more fun t...
Ep. 449: Make a Mindful Investment in Yourself, a Hack for Falling Asleep, and Fun with Pop-Tarts
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss why making a mindful investment in ourselves is a good way to spendour time, energy, and money. We also suggest a hack for falling asleep m...
Little Happier: What’s the Real Lesson from the Tortoise and the Hare? It’s Not What You Think
25 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The familiar fable of “The Tortoise and the Hare” offers many possible lessons, and the most common moral—“Slow and steady wins the race”--a...
Ep. 448: Start Your 100 Day Countdown, Try the Library, and a Deep Dive into Issues for Rebels and School: ADHD & College
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There are 100 days left until the end of the year, so if something needs to getdone, start the countdown! We also read a listener’s suggestion for a...
Little Happier: Do You Like the Idea of a “Happiness Project”—or Does It Remind You of Homework?
18 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our attitude toward a habit or an activity can be dramatically changed by the words we use to describe it. I love the idea of a “happiness project,”...
More Happier: A Case of Obliger-Rebellion, Advice About Waking Up a Child, and Do Spoilers Spoil Stories?
16 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A Case of Obliger-Rebellion, Advice About Waking Up a Child, and Do Spoilers Spoil Stories?We talk about Elizabeth’s rare episode of Obliger-rebelli...
Ep. 447: Give a Meaningful Compliment, Protect Your Privacy, and What’s the Least-You Thing You Do?
13 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why we should pay someone a meaningful complement, and weshare many wonderful, moving compliments received by listeners. We alsohighligh...
Little Happier: Opportunity Cost and Abstainers: A New Term Can Help Us See the World in a New Way
11 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
New terms allow us to understand the world in a deeper way. Opportunity cost, abstainers vs. moderators, finishers vs. openers—sometimes, having the...
Ep. 446: Re-Think Our Daily Routine, Recognize the Warning Signs of Obliger-Rebellion, and a Back-to-School Demerit
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why it’s a good idea to re-examine our personal, work, and familyroutines to look for opportunities to improve. We also discuss how Ob...
Little Happier: As an Upholder, I Needed an Obliger Friend to Tell Me the Right Thing to Do
04 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
During the covid period, my daughter Eliza returned to live on campus for her final semester of college. She was told to pack lightly, and as an Uphol...
More Happier: The Anniversary of a Favorite Book, a Lesson in Standing Up, and the Joy of Clearing Clutter
02 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about the eleventh anniversary of “Happier at Home,” which is Elizabeth’s favorite book written by Gretchen. We also discuss a lesson in...
Ep. 445: Have a Happier Labor Day, Nominate Someone, and Manage the Line Between Work and Leisure
30 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We reflect on two questions that can help us make our work lives happier, moreproductive, and more creative. We also talk about why it’s a good idea...
Little Happier: When Do We Say “I’m Finished” and When Do We Say “I Can Still Make It Better?”
28 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A story from the life of writer Shirley Hazzard illustrates the conundrum: When do we think, “It can still be better,” and when do we decide, “I...
Ep. 444: Benefit from Tools You Already Use, a Gift Idea, and Traditions for the Other “New Year”
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why and how we might try to get more benefit from a tool wealready use, and share an idea for a gift that’ very valuable to the recipi...
Little Happier: A Story About a Man Who Couldn’t Resist Tempting Food—Until He Could
21 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I never forgot a story I read about a man and his eating habits, and how it illustrated an essential lesson: What we think is not possible may be poss...
More Happier: A Surprising Benefit of Daily Visits to the Met, a Funny Sign from the Hollywood Picket Line, and a Same-Day Book
19 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about how making daily visits to the Metropolitan Museum have had unintended consequences. We also discuss a funny sign from the Hollywood pi...
Ep. 443: Clear the Decks! We Try Something New to Get Ready for September, the Other New Year
16 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’re trying something new for this episode: a fun “Clear the Decks” exercise.This time, e’re using it to help prepare to return to the usual ...
Little Happier: Have You Ever Walked Along a Desire Path?
14 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As we go through our days, we can look for “desire paths”—the natural paths that emerge as we try to find the quickest and easiest way to get wh...
Ep. 442: Take Over a Disliked Task, Check Your Passport, and When Not to Do Something for the First Time
09 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why we might take over a task that someone else particularlydislikes. We also mention that it’s a good idea to check passport expirati...
Little Happier: You’re a Jerk, and I’m a Responsible Parent
07 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Listening to the “Office Ladies” podcast reminds me of the psychological phenomenon of the fundamental attribution error. Both of which are good r...
More Happier: How to Create Connections (Or, Butter People Up), Great TV, and Fun with the Five Senses
05 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about research into how people successfully flatter others, and how those insights can help us to build strong connections in our own relation...
Ep. 441: Escape Your Taste, an Easy Way to Remember Hard Names, and New Metaphors for “Empty Nest”
02 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about how we can boost our happiness by escaping from our own taste.We also suggest an easy way to make it easier to remember challenging name...
Little Happier: I’m Going to Take This Thing Home, Because Otherwise Someone Else Might Steal It
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Idaho ghost towns have a problem with vandalism, because people think, “I’ll take this home so someone else doesn't steal it." I felt the same imp...
Ep. 440: Very Special Episode: We Talk About Regret—Our Own Regrets and Listeners’ Regrets
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this Very Special Episode, we explore the subject of regret. We talk about themost common categories of regrets and why reflecting on regret can he...
Little Happier: Would You Pay $500,000 for a Steve Jobs Paradox?
24 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
An amusing paradox arose in real life: Steve Jobs put his autograph on a letter to tell someone that he didn’t sign autographs. Sometimes, in the pr...
More Happier: The Silver Lining of Summer Camp, a Happiness Bully for Writing, and Not Getting Choked Up
22 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about the silver lining of having a child away at summer camp. We also discuss how a happiness bully might “encourage” someone to work on ...
Ep. 439: Suggest the Default Option, Skip a Year of an Activity You Enjoy, and More Everyday Luxuries
19 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about how we can make planning easier by suggesting the default optionof time and place when coordinating with other people. We also discuss t...
Little Happier: Something Brilliant Came Out of My Mouth—Something I Didn’t Know I Knew
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Looking at a ‘zine made by some friends decades ago made me realize an important truth—a truth I didn’t know that I knew.Get in touch: podcast@g...
“Bonus: Commencement Address Given by Gretchen Rubin: Five Essential Paradoxes for a Happy Life”
15 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus episode, listen to the commencement address I gave at my daughter’s Eleanor’s high-school graduation. To help the new graduates make...
Ep. 438: Act Like a Teenager, Pick Up Your Food in Person, and “Ask Us Anything” About Writing
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about how we can boost our happiness by acting like teenagers (the good aspects of being a teenager). We also share a suggestion from a l...
Little Happier: Journalist Connie Chung Influenced a Generation—Without Realizing It
10 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the New York Times, Connie Wang wrote about why so many families had named their daughters “Connie”: In the journalist Connie Chung, they saw ...
More Happier: More Strength and Stamina, a New Metaphor for “Empty Nest,” and an Easy Way to Keep a Journal
08 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why and how we’re redoubling our efforts to work on our strength and stamina. We also try to figure out a better metaphor for the “e...
Ep. 437: To Make a Good Connection, Talk More; Learn the Lesson of the Enron Corpus; and a Collection of Positive Trends
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about the fact that despite the widespread “reticence bias,” research suggests that we appear more likeable and interesting to a strang...
Little Happier: The IKEA Effect, or How We Value Things According to What They Cost Us
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As IKEA, instant cake mixes, and meal-kit delivery services demonstrate, we often value things according to how much they cost us—whether that’s i...
Ep. 436: We Use Halfway Day to Report on How We’re Doing on Our Aims for 2023: the “Happier Trifecta”
28 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We use Halfway Day as a catalyst to reflect on how we’re doing with our aims for2023. Each year, we choose a one-word theme, make a list of “23 in...
Little Happier: It Might Be Boring to Read About the “Land of Happy,” But It’s Probably a Nice Place to Live
26 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
People sometimes assume that happiness is boring—but as philosopher Simone Weil points out, while that may be true in literature, it’s not true in...
More Happier: Two Pleasures of Summer, Breaking in My Feet (Not My Shoes), and Benefits of Going “On Pause”
24 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We each explain a reason why summer is making us happier, why it’s important to break in our feet as well as our shoes, and why going “on pause”...
Ep. 435: Start a New Habit on Vacation, Cultivate Everyday Luxuries, and Memorize Street Names
21 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss why it’s helpful to start a new habit while on vacation, and why takinga few minutes to memorize key street names can make life easier fo...
Little Happier: Where Is Timbuktu?
19 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A man in Timbuktu laughed when he heard that that people think of the place as being very far away.Get in touch: [email protected] on so...
Ep. 434: Ways to Understand a Child Better, a Hack for Showing Love, & Eleanor Gives High-School Advice
14 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss ways to use the “Four Tendencies” personality profiles to communicate more effectively to the children in your life, whether as a paren...
Little Happier: Why Would a Sailor Decide Never to Learn to Swim?
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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@gretchenr...
More Happier: The Happiness of Grabbing a Dishtowel, a Clutter-Clearing Triumph, and Getting Quality Screen Time
10 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 q...
Ep. 433: A Surprising Way to Lift Your Mood, How to Decide Where to Move & Ideas for a Rebel Father
07 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss a counter-intuitive and creative way to boost our spirits, and talkabout a terrific hack for people who need to decide where to move. Also,...
Little Happier: A Jammed Zipper Teaches an Important Happiness Lesson I learned a very useful lesson from a very ordinary situation.
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ene...
Ep. 432: Happier Podcast Book Club: Surprise! We Talk About How “Life in Five Senses” Makes Us Happier
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Happier Podcast Book Club: We have a conversation about “Life in Five Senses”—abandoned titles, mostsurprising lessons, material that was cut ou...
Little Happier: An Important Lesson from a Famous Illusionist and a Fake Gorilla
29 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The famous “Monkey Business Illusion” video and the memoir of magician Darren Brown point to a similar conclusion: When we pay too much attention ...
More Happier: A Great Icebreaker Question, a Startling Realization About Where We Live, and How to Know When Work Is an Escape
27 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 l...
Ep. 431: Design Your Summer, an Easy Hack to Have More Fun with Food, and a Talk on the Joy of Dressing
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As we do each year, we consider how we plan to design our summer. We alsodiscuss a hack from a food-scientist listener about an easy way to have more ...
Little Happier: Which of the Five Senses Do People Most Often Neglect? The Answer Is Surprising.
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tens of thousands of people have now taken the “What’s Your Neglected Sense?” quiz. The results are unexpected.Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrub...
Ep. 430: Very Special Episode: Hacks, Hacks, and More Hacks for Making Entertaining Easier and More Fun
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For this Very Special Episode, we discuss dozens of hacks for entertaining,suggested by listeners and ourselves. We have suggestions and tips for maki...
Little Happier: Two Staircases in the Metropolitan Museum Illustrate a Profound Truth
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
During my daily visits to the Metropolitan Museum, I noticed something about staircases that underscored a truth I already knew: the same experience c...
More Happier: Elizabeth Talks About Being on Strike as a TV Writer and Reveals Her New Philosophy of Life
13 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Elizabeth talks about the experience of being on strike as a Hollywood TV writer (and, relatedly, working on her new novel), and she also reveals her ...
Ep. 429: Try the Strategy of Unpairing, an Easy Travel/Exercise Hack, and When to Push Out of a Comfort Zone
10 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why and how we should try the Strategy of Unpairing when trying to change a habit. We also discuss an easy way to get more exercise whil...
Little Happier: “What Famous Person Was Born on My Birthday?” “You Were.”
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A conversation with Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor made me realize: it must be very odd to be a historic figure.Get in touch: podcast@gre...
Bonus! Hear an Excerpt from Gretchen Rubin’s New Book “Life in Five Senses.”
06 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As a thank-you to “Happier with Gretchen Rubin” listeners, this bonus episode features an excerpt from the audiobook of Gretchen Rubin’s new boo...
Ep. 428: Be a Source of Opportunity, Find Good Books to Read, and How to Cope with Difficult Family Dogs
03 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about how and why we should try to be a source of opportunity forothers. We also discuss listeners’ suggestions for how to deal with familym...
Little Happier: Am I Looking for My Wallet Where the Light Is Good, or Where I Dropped It?
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
An old joke illustrates an important truth: When we’re searching for a solution, it’s often tempting to look where we can see more clearly, rather...
More Happier: Hiking and Clutter-Clearing in L.A., a Secret of Great TV, and Personal Upgrades.
29 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
During our recent time together in Los Angeles, we did many things that made us happy: hike, clear Elizabeth’s office, and drink lots of coffee. We ...
Ep. 427: Do the Thing You’re Encouraging Someone Else to Do, a Networking Hack, and Finisher vs. Opener
26 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why, when we’re encouraging someone else to do something, we should consider doing it ourselves. We also discuss a hack to make networ...
Little Happier: Queen Elizabeth II and Her Corgis Show That We Can Interpret the Same Situation in Different Ways
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A story about Queen Elizabeth II and her offer to feed her corgis illustrates how the same situation can be interpreted in different ways.Get in touch...
Ep. 426: Tackle a Project by Considering the Five Senses, Enjoy More Luxury, and Hold Better Meetings
19 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why it’s useful to consider the five senses as we’re tackling a project or challenge—it’s a way to boost creativity and unlock i...
Little Happier: A Place from Childhood Haunts Stephen King’s Imagination
17 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In his terrific book On Writing, Stephen King recounts how a certain place from his childhood recurs repeatedly in his fiction, under different names...
More Happier: How to Manage the Stress of Having a Book About to Hit the Shelves: Personal Mantras & Hacks
15 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Because the book “Life in Five Senses” is just a few days away from being published, we talk about ways to deal with the anxiety of putting a big ...
Ep: 425: Use Touch When Talk Is Tough, Close Your Eyes in a Dressing Room, and Answers for Questioners
12 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss why it’s helpful to touch someone during a tough conversation (ifappropriate, of course). We mention why closing your eyes in a store dre...
Little Happier: How Teachers Changed the Lives of Steve Carrell and Adrienne Kennedy
10 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For actor Steve Carrell (Michael from “The Office) and playwright Adrienne Kennedy, the influence of a childhood teacher shaped their lives.Get in t...
Ep. 424: "Taste It by 25," Ways to Make Networking Easier, and Why 4/10 Is a Day to Consider Your Tendency
05 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why it’s a good idea to taste a new food, or listen to a new kind ofmusic, before the age of 25. We also discuss why the date of April...
Little Happier: Why Did a Neighbor Object to a Brownstone’s Bright Yellow Door?
03 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A neighbor asked, “Why would you paint your door such an ugly color?” as if everyone would agree that a particular color was objectively ugly. It ...
More Happier: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes Makes Us Happier, Good Tools Make Spring Cleaning Fun—Plus, Quiz
01 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why Patrick Mahomes, the star quarterback from our hometown football team, is making us happier with his initiative to encourage childre...
Ep. 423: Indulge in a Nostalgia Smell, Try One of These April Fool’s Day Pranks, and an Easy Way to Stop Snacking
29 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why you might indulge in a “nostalgia smell,” share listeners’suggestions for simple, fun April Fool’s Day pranks, and discuss a...
Little Happier: The Same People Are Always Late, and the Same People Are Always on Time
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
My weight-training instructor observed, “The same people are always late, and others are always on time.” Even though they’re experiencing the s...
Ep. 422: Create an Audio Apothecary, Questioners Don’t Like to Answer Questions—and a Terrific New Quiz!
22 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why and how we might create our own “Audio Apothecary” to helpus evoke certain moods. We also discuss a handy pronunciation hack, an...
Little Happier: Why I Call My Sister Elizabeth “My Sister the Sage”
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
TV writer and producer Elizabeth Craft, “my sister the sage,” has given me more than a dozen brilliant observations about the workplace and creati...
More Happier: What It’s Like to Uncover a Family Secret, the Value of Refurbishing Your Office, and Maj-Jongg
18 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With author and friend Dani Shapiro as our guest host, we talk about her experience of uncovering an old family secret, as well as the value of writin...
Ep. 421: Ways to Look Around a Museum, Advice For Obligers Resisting Accountability, and a Health Hack
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why it’s useful to find our own way to look around a museum—and we offer some unusual suggestions. We also discuss a useful health h...
Little Happier: One Thing That Surprised Me in My Study of the Five Senses
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Each of us inhabits our own individual, idiosyncratic sensory worlds. One example: I love the fragrance of paperwhite narcissus flowers; my daughter...
Ep. 420: Very Special Episode: A Bonanza of Hacks for Using Our Five Senses for Happier Lives
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the Very Special Episode, we discuss hacks for tapping in to the five sense to help make our lives happier, healthier, more productive, and more cr...
Little Happier: Through the Eyes of Love, We Are Ageless and Untouched by Time.
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Authors Alix Kates Schulman and Joan Didion make the same observation from their very different experiences: during their long marriages, they and the...
More Happier: The Thrill of a Creative Spark, the Anticipation of Tickets to a Show, and We Enter the Debate on Thank-You Notes
04 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the fun of “March Fourth” (March 4th) and the anticipation of going Isaac Mizrahi’s cabaret show. We also talk about getting a creati...
Ep. 419: Easy Ways to Boost Focus, a New Kind of Birthday Celebration, and Building Unlikely Friendships
01 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss several ways we can tap in to our five senses to boost productivity and focus, and we share a listener’s idea for a new way to celebrate ...
Little Happier: A Writer Gives Me an Easy Hack for Evoking Memories
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A writer friend told me her strategy for evoking memories, by making a “memory visit.”Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretc...
Ep. 418: Eighth Anniversary: Our Favorite Try-This At Home Ideas, Happiness Hacks & Highlights
22 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate the eighth anniversary of the podcast, we discuss the Try-This-at-Home ideas that have resonated most with listeners over the past year. ...
Little Happier: During the Covid Lockdown, a Mother Found the Right Thing to Say
20 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When her daughter was feeling dejected about all the things she was missing during the Covid lockdown, a friend was able to find the right words to co...
More Happier - The Joy of Ferry Rides, the Fun of Thrillers, and the Bittersweet Feeling of Family Milestones
18 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the fun of reading psychological thrillers as well as the delights of taking a New York City ferry. We also talk about the bittersweet plea...
Ep. 417: Celebrate “Determination Day,” Start a No-Homework Book Club, and Go Outside--or Read About It
15 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about the fact that while most people have given up their New Year’sresolutions by February 28, we can celebrate that day as “Determinatio...
Little Happier: It Makes Me Happy to Watch This Football Player’s Touchdown Celebration
13 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Football player Jaylen Waddle has created a “touchdown celebration” that’s funny, humble, simple, and a clever play on his distinctive name.Get ...
Ep. 416: Identify and Work Through Small Conflicts, Stay in Closer Touch, and How to Say the Right Thing
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 yo...
Little Happier: Patti Smith and the Haircut that Changed Her Life
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
More Happier: We Discuss How Parenthood Has Changed Us and the TV Show “Better Call Saul,” and We Both Learn Something New
04 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss two questions: whether parenthood has changed us and whether we ask ourselves rhetorical questions. Then we realize we’re not entirely cl...
Ep. 415: Aim to Show Up, Agree on a Code Phrase for “Change the Subject,” and Why No One’s Right or Wrong
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about why it’s a good idea to aim to show up, and why it’s helpful toestablish a code phrase with your sweetheart to let them know, “Cha...
Little Happier: The Old Story of Stone Soup Reminds Me that Magic Solutions Usually Don’t Exist
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Ep. 414: Think About Your Past-Self. Plus a Valentine’s Hack, and Are You and Over- or Under-Estimator?
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 Valenti...
Little Happier: When Do I Feel the Joyous, Childhood Feeling of Expectancy?
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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, jo...
More Happier: Guest Co-Host! The Iconic Heather Dubrow of “Real Housewives” Fame
21 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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:...