Gretchen Rubin is an expert on happiness, and she's spent her career helping people build the habits to achieve it. But she assumed that if something works for her, it should work for just about anyone. A series of chance encounters, and a healthy helping of curiosity, makes Gretchen realize that maybe there isn't one path to happiness after all. That there' ... Show More
Apr 14
How the bees saved me, by Dr. Marla Spivak
Before becoming a MacArthur award–winning entomologist, Dr. Marla Spivak is adrift – first as a young woman in search of direction, then deep in the Amazon, severely ill and fearing death. Time and again, it’s the hum of bees that shows her a path forward. Apiculture doesn’t just ... Show More
30m 7s
Apr 7
Forging my own path, by Isha Sesay
Writer Isha Sesay is happiest when she is caring for others; it’s a lesson she learns from her mother while growing up in Sierra Leone. But as an adult, there’s another lesson her mother teaches her, in quite another way: that even the most caring and giving among us must learn t ... Show More
33m 1s
Mar 31
Dancing on my own, by Alex Morris
Just out of school, writer Alex Morris gets a job performing and teaching improv comedy in London, playing absurd characters night after night. But his knack for hiding his true self starts long before he ever steps onstage. Alex is hiding a secret — one that only his family and ... Show More
35m 14s
May 2020
Small Ways to Improve Your Everyday Life Right Now | Gretchen Rubin
I call Gretchen Rubin the "Swiss Army Knife for Happiness." Present her with a problem, and she will flood you with practical, customized solutions. I love having Gretchen on this show not only because she's smart and funny and we're friends, but also because she provides some co ... Show More
53m 16s
Aug 2022
Little Happier: Why I Remind Myself, “Get a Hold of Yourself, Meredith.”
I’ve always remembered a story that I heard fourth hand—from my roommate’s friend’s sister—and use it to remind myself to buck up. “Get a hold of yourself, Meredith!” Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubi ... Show More
2m 1s
Mar 2022
Little Happier - The Danger of Finish Lines, According to Kurt Vonnegut
Setting a finish line can help people reach a goal, but it can actually can undermine the process of forming a habit. In a letter to his son, renowned author Kurt Vonnegut explains why finish lines can be risky for writers. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@g ... Show More
2m 41s
May 2022
Little Happier: How a Writer Turned Her Dislike for the Movie “Entourage” into Support for a Cause She Believed In
Writer Wendy Molyneux found a way to use her own quirky tastes, and her hilarious writing, to make a contribution in her own way. Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; @elizabethcraft; podcast@gretchenrubin.com Get in touch on Instagram: @GretchenRubin & @LizCraft Get the podcast show no ... Show More
4m 40s
Jan 2022
Happier - Ep. 361: Cultivate a Rest Ritual. Celebrate “Twos-Day.” How to Stop Reading and Begin a Habit.
We discuss why you might cultivate a rest ritual, especially if you’re joining us for #Rest22in22. We also talk about celebrating the minor holiday of Tuesday, 2/2/2022, and a listener asks about how to stop reading and starting acting on a desired health habit. Get in touch: @gr ... Show More
27m 53s