Podcast
Happier with Gretchen Rubin
Hosted by Gretchen Rubin / The Onward Project · EN
Gretchen Rubin is HAPPIER, and she wants you to be happier too. The #1 bestselling author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before gets more personal than ever as she brings her practical, manageable advice about happiness and good habits to this lively, thought-provoking podcast. Gretchen’s cohost and guinea pig is her younger sister, Elizabeth Craft, a TV writer and producer living in Los Angeles, who (lovingly) refers to Gretchen as her happiness bully.
Sales and Distribution by Lemonada Media https://lemonadamedia.com/
276episodes
Episodes
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More Happier: Introduce Whimsy, Schedule a Personal Playdate, and Embrace Fun Plans
Today00:35:00Summary readyWe revisit listener-favorite hacks for cultivating summer fun. If you want to make the most of the weeks ahead, these practical ideas can help you add more fun, adventure, and whimsy to everyday life. Revisited Highlights: Episode 146: Introduce a note of whimsy Episode 178: Schedule a weekly playdate with yourself Episode 98: Give yourself a quest Episode 477: Embrace fun plans Mentioned in This Episode: Share your Summer Recap in the Happier App Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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EP. 597: Celebrate "Dogust," Plus a Special Challenge for Upholders With Little Kids
3d ago00:37:17Summary readyAugust is “Dogust,” so we talk about celebrating the dogs in our lives. Plus, we answer a listener question about our reading habits. Episode Highlights: Try This at Home: Celebrate "Dogust" with five easy ways to celebrate your dog [06:10] Four Tendencies Tip: We share strategies for helping a parent Upholder who is struggling to maintain her habits [15:23] Happiness Hack: Why a backpacking pack might be a better travel alternative to your roller bag [12:48] Listener Question: How do we get so much reading done? [19:57] Demerits & Gold Stars: Gretchen’s demerit: stalling out on family timeline project; Elizabeth’s Gold Star: all the monoculture events this summer [25:00] Mentioned in This Episode: Dog cave bed Patagonia Black Hole Convertible Carry-On Backpack This American Ex-Wife: How I Ended My Marriage and Started My Life by Lyz Lenz (Amazon, Bookshop) Permanence by Sophie Mackintosh (Amazon, Bookshop) Secrets of Adulthood Substack Connect with Us: Email: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Website: gretchenrubin.com Instagram: @gretchenrubin | @lizcraft Take Gretchen's free Four Tendencies quiz Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify—it helps other listeners find the show! Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Little Happier: Have You Ever Felt Like the Little Red Hen?
5d ago00:05:24Summary readyA classic children’s fable is very relevant to the work of adults. Connect with Us: Email: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Website: gretchenrubin.com Instagram: @gretchenrubin | @lizcraft Learn more about Gretchen's Four Tendencies personality framework and take the free quiz. Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify—it helps other listeners find the show! Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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More Happier : Easing Painful Moments with Humor, Plus, Are Coasters Outdated?
1w ago00:24:27Summary readyA viral clip shows two NBA stars turning a painful mistake into a moment of friendship through humor. We also discuss a surprisingly divisive topic: coasters. Episode highlights: Something Making Us Happier: Running a mile in under 12 minutes, and weird soda flavors [00:41] I've Been Meaning to Tell You: How "joshing" and affectionate teasing helped two Knicks teammates reframe a painful playoff moment [03:57] Spotlight on a Tool: Sign up for my free newsletter for "Five Things to Try" [10:31] Are Coasters Still Useful? A listener argues coasters are outdated. [11:21] Mentioned in this episode: Jalen Brunson Trolls Josh Hart Missing Dunk Before OG's Tip-In - Bleacher Report Sign up for Gretchen's free newsletter, "Five Things to Try This Month" Subscribe to Lemonada Premium for ad-free listening Connect with Us: Email: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Website: gretchenrubin.com Instagram: @gretchenrubin | @lizcraft Learn more about Gretchen's Four Tendencies personality framework and take the free quiz. Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify — it helps other listeners find the show! Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Ep. 596: How Do People Learn the Things Everyone Already Knows? Plus a Ladder Warning
1w ago00:35:29Summary readyListeners share the "everyone knows that" facts they learned the hard way and we share an important warning about falls. Episode highlights: Listener Follow-Up: Remember that even a small fall can lead to a big injury. [00:57] Lessons Learned the Hard Way—spare tires, elevator exit stars, gas tank arrows, and more [02:42] Try This at Home: We share listeners' examples of facts everyone else seemed to know--but they didn't. [15:05] Demerits & Gold Stars: Elizabeth’s demerit: late to fill out school health forms; Gretchen’s gold star: to Elizabeth’s family for making the long trip for the 4th of July [27:35] Mentioned in this episode: Food & Wine: What the Color of Your Bread Tag Really Means Gretchen's Reading Retreat guide: happiercast.com/readingretreat Who Needs Friends by Andrew McCarthy (Amazon, Bookshop) Virginia Woolf's Diary, Vol. 3 (Amazon, Bookshop) Connect with Us: Email: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Website: gretchenrubin.com Instagram: @gretchenrubin | @lizcraft Take Gretchen's free Four Tendencies quiz Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify—it helps other listeners find the show! Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Summary
Little Happier: The Challenge of the “Help-Rejecting Complainer”
2w ago00:04:34Summary readyIt’s very draining to deal with someone who complains and rejects any help that’s offered—but effective responses exist. Connect with Us: Email: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Website: gretchenrubin.com Instagram: @gretchenrubin | @lizcraft Learn more about Gretchen's Four Tendencies personality framework and take the free quiz. Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify—it helps other listeners find the show! Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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More Happier: Reading Hacks, Book Recommendations, and Finding Your Perfect Summer Read
2w ago00:34:31Summary readyWe revisit a favorite Try This at Home tip for getting more reading done, share listener hacks for building a happier reading life, and discuss how to discover books you'll love. Plus: recommendations for fascinating books about how things work. Revisited Highlights: Try This at Home: Read More (episode 121) Happiness Hacks: Listener Question: How to Find Good Books to Read (episode 428) Listener Recommendations: Books on How Things Work (episode 481) Mentioned in This Episode: Tips for Reading More from “Better Than Before” Gretchen’s Favorite Children’s and Young-Adult Books The New York Times Book Review Podcast Connect with Us: Email: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Website: gretchenrubin.com Instagram: @gretchenrubin | @lizcraft Take Gretchen's free Four Tendencies quiz → gretchenrubin.com/quiz Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify—it helps other listeners find the show! Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Ep. 595: Always RSVP, & Why We Should Stop Over-delivering
2w ago00:31:17Summary readyGretchen and Elizabeth discuss why we should always RSVP, and how to stop a simple gathering from, over time, becoming too much work. Episode Highlights: Try This at Home: Always RSVP — Why responding promptly (even with a "no") makes us a better guest [05:49] Happiness Hack: Try a bag organizer insert — A simple way to keep a carry-on, tote, or structureless bag tidy and travel-ready. [14:22] Happiness Stumbling Block: Presentation Creep — How over-delivering can gradually turn a casual get-together into something burdensome. [16:00] Listener Update: Hearing Aids — Listeners share how hearing aids changed their lives, plus a practical tip on using Apple AirPods Pro as a starter hearing test. [01:44] Demerits & Gold Stars — Gretchen’s demerit: not enough watercoloring; Elizabeth’s gold star: for the friend who created "Trail and Talk" [21:29] Mentioned in This Episode: Bag organizer insert: [https://amzn.to/4oc1oPO] Five-Senses Journal (20% off with code HAPPIER20): More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen (Amazon, Bookshop) The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout (Amazon, Bookshop) Listen to our Bookclub interview with Elizabeth Strout here! Connect with Us: Email: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Website: gretchenrubin.com Instagram: @gretchenrubin | @lizcraft Take the free Four Tendencies quiz Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify — it helps other listeners find the show! Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Summary
Little Happier: Why the King Paid Just as Much for Three Books as He Would Have Paid for Nine
3w ago00:03:01Summary readyA haunting story from ancient Rome remains relevant to our lives today. Connect with Us: Email: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Website: gretchenrubin.com Instagram: @gretchenrubin | @lizcraft Learn more about Gretchen's Four Tendencies personality framework and take the free quiz. Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify—it helps other listeners find the show! Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Move Happier: Tips for Regular Exercise, How Walking Helps You Think, Plus Can Your Garden Be an Accountability Partner? (Bonus)
3w ago00:36:58Summary readyWe discuss the biggest obstacles to moving more this summer with Sarah Fain from the “Happier in Hollywood” podcast, and share practical strategies for getting regular exercise. This special episode is part of the Move 26 in ‘26 challenge to help all of us find more ways to move every day. Try This at Home: Identify your biggest obstacle to movement — Figure out what's getting in the way of moving more, so you can find a solution that works for you. Deep Dive: Tips for getting regular exercise — we talk about practical strategies for making movement easier: scheduling workouts, lowering the bar, embracing accountability, convenience, and fresh starts. Take a Hike: Take a loop — Elizabeth and Sarah discuss why taking a short walk around the block can help you think more clearly, get unstuck, and return to your work with fresh ideas. Resources & links related to this episode: Join the Move 26 in '26 challenge here Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com. Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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