Podcast Summary: Happier with Gretchen Rubin

Episode 552: Start Your 100-Day Countdown, Try Substack & the Power of Engaging

Date: September 17, 2025
Hosts: Gretchen Rubin and Elizabeth Craft

Overview

In this episode, Gretchen and Elizabeth explore strategies for maximizing happiness and productivity in the final stretch of the year by launching the “100 Day Countdown.” They share personal updates from their “25 for 25” goals, introduce their next book club pick, discuss the value of creative engagement via platforms like Substack, and highlight the restorative power of community activity. Listener stories and feedback provide practical inspiration, rounding out an uplifting, actionable episode.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Book Club Announcement: Elizabeth Gilbert’s “All the Way to the River”

[01:56–05:15]

• Announcement: The next Happier Podcast Book Club pick is Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir All the Way to the River: Love, Loss and Liberation.
• Book Buzz: The memoir, already chosen by Oprah, explores themes of love, loss, addiction, recovery, and liberation. Both hosts found it “impossible to put down.”
  • “It is so compelling. And then you read it I think the next day. And we both have been talking about it ever since.” – Elizabeth, [03:13]
  • Listeners are invited to read along and submit questions for an upcoming interview with Elizabeth Gilbert.

2. Podcast Mention in The New Yorker

[05:15–06:45]

• The hosts celebrate being favorably cited in Joshua Rothman’s New Yorker article on AI and culture:
  • “I rely on song exploder, lens work and happier with Gretchen Rubin. When I have more to do, I listen to Radiolab or the Ezra Klein or Tyler Cowen’s conversations with Tyler. I like the ideas, but also the company. Washing dishes is more fun with Gretchen and her screenwriter sister Elizabeth riding along.” – Joshua Rothman, quoted at [06:01]

3. The Power of Learning from Regret

[06:45–07:44]

• Featured listener letter from Lily, recounted the power of acting on someone else’s regret by recording a video with her mother before she passed away—an act inspired by a friend's story.
  • “This is a beautiful example how one person’s expression of regret can really teach somebody in time to do something in a way that they’re really grateful for.” – Gretchen [07:38]

4. Try This at Home: Start Your 100-Day Countdown

[07:45–15:46]

• Concept: From September 22nd, there are 100 days left in the year—a powerful milestone for reviewing and recommitting to personal goals.
  • “100 days is still a lot of time.” – Gretchen [08:33]
• Personal Examples:
  • Elizabeth aims to attend seven live events (including seeing Elizabeth Gilbert), try a new workout class, organize a photo shoot, and host a game night. Many are ‘one-off’ goals that remain pending.
    • “Sometimes it’s just as hard to get ourselves to do something that’s fun... as it is for something that we actually really do not want to do.” – Gretchen [10:08]
  • Gretchen plans to visit the Earth Room, watch iconic movies, clean up her photo library, and send watercolor postcards—a mix of enjoyable and daunting tasks.
  • Both hosts continue yearlong projects, like reading War and Peace and hitting fitness milestones.

5. Happiness Hack: Try Substack

[18:18–22:18]

• Explanation: Substack is a platform for email newsletters, podcasts, and community posts—directly linking creators and readers.
  • “It’s kind of the evolution of blogging in a way. People often have sort of a free tier... and then a paid tier.” – Gretchen [19:57]
• Each host maintains a Substack (Happier in Hollywood and Secrets of Adulthood) and recommends the platform for discovering niche content otherwise missed in mainstream media.
• “It is a platform that directly connects creators with our audience… There is just a lot there for whatever is interesting to you.” – Gretchen [21:10]

6. Listener Responses: Engaging Over Disengaging

[22:18–28:32]

• On Engagement and Anxiety:
  • Listener Sarah finds that “choosing not to disengage has massively reduced my anxiety,” after switching from eco-anxiety to active engagement by joining an environmental charity. [23:21]
  • “Action is the antidote to anxiety.” – Gretchen [23:27]
• Structuring Social Time:
  • Listener Nora shared a ‘thirds’ model for social adjustment after retirement—balancing alone time, social periphery (like coffee shops), and focused friend time to stave off disengagement.
• Community and Summer of Mahjong:
  • Listener Elizabeth turned logistical obstacles into opportunity by organizing Mahjong activities—a practical model for turning constraints into themed fun. [25:41–28:14]
  • “Having a standing Mahjong date makes it happen.” – Listener Elizabeth [26:25]

7. Demerits & Gold Stars

[30:29–35:03]

• Demerit (Elizabeth): Procrastinated on car maintenance (tire pressure and sensor issue).
  • “I have just been ignoring it and wishing it would go away, which obviously is not gonna happen.” – Elizabeth [31:23]
• Gold Star (Gretchen): Celebrated 20 years of her children’s/YA literature book group, emphasizing the joy of shared passion and community.
  • “I can’t wait to celebrate our anniversary coming up.” – Gretchen [34:08]
• Bonus Gold Star: Sound engineer Chuck received a listener-nominated gold star for consistently excellent podcast audio quality.
  • “This is never true for your show. And I assume that is due to Chuck. Gold star.” – Listener Jenna [34:18]
  • “Chuck, well done, well done, well done.” – Gretchen [35:03]

8. Resource Recommendation

[35:24–36:09]

• “Fall in Love with Your Next Novel Quiz”: Four-question quiz at HappierCast.com/nextnote for tailored book recommendations.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “100 days is still a lot of time.” – Gretchen [08:33]
• “Sometimes it’s just as hard to get ourselves to do something that’s fun... as it is for something that we actually really do not want to do.” – Gretchen [10:08]
• “Action is the antidote to anxiety.” – Gretchen [23:27]
• “Having a standing Mahjong date makes it happen.” – Listener Elizabeth [26:25]
• “Chuck, well done, well done, well done.” – Gretchen [35:03]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Book Club Announcement & “All the Way to the River” | 01:56–05:15 | | Being Mentioned in The New Yorker | 05:15–06:45 | | Listener Regret Story | 06:45–07:44 | | The 100-Day Countdown | 07:45–15:46 | | Happiness Hack: Substack | 18:18–22:18 | | Engagement Listener Feedback | 22:18–28:32 | | Demerits & Gold Stars | 30:29–35:03 | | Resource Rec – Book Quiz | 35:24–36:09 |

Conclusion

This episode is a motivating invitation to use the symbolic power of 100 days to reevaluate, recommit, and engage—whether with personal goals, creative pursuits, or social communities. The practical tips, listener stories, and resource shares provide plenty of accessible ways to boost happiness as the year winds down, all within Gretchen and Elizabeth’s signature conversational, encouraging tone.