Happier with Gretchen Rubin

My friend Chip Conley joins the “Dan Buettner Podcast” to explain why the old idea of a “midlife crisis” holds us back and how reframing this stage can open the door to purpose, curiosity, and stronger connection in...

As part of our Happier Podcast Book Club, we revisit our conversation with Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast about her compelling bestselling memoir “Crying in H Mart.” Resources & links related to this episode...

We report on our experience with the “Design Your Year” exercise of the annual challenge: Read 25 in ’25. We also reveal the annual challenge for 2026—join us. Resources & links related to this episode: Move 26 in 2026...

Do You Feel Like an Employee of Your Former Self? Renowned novelist Ian McEwan makes a funny observation about book tours that’s applicable to many familiar situations. Resources & links related to this episode: Get in...

Make entertaining easier. These simple hacks take the stress out of hosting and help you focus on what really matters: enjoying the people you’re with. Resources & links related to this episode: Get in touch...

We talk about why choosing a one-word theme for the year can be such a creative, constructive, and satisfying exercise. We review our words for 2025 and reveal our words for 2026. Plus we share an original and fun...

The gap between expectations and reality determines whether we feel happy or disappointed. From empty-nest parents hoping for daily texts to tourists experiencing "Paris syndrome," our expectations shape our emotions...

We revisit our long list of hacks to make the holidays a happier time. Resources & links related to this episode: Get in touch: [email protected] Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's...

We discuss a know-yourself-better question related to how we conceive of ourselves at different ages. Plus we talk about a way to find excellent book recommendations. Resources & links related to this episode: Join the...

We talk about why it’s such a happiness-booster to raise your hand to organize an event or undertaking—to realize that if you don’t do it, no one will. We also share a hack for making it easier to take medication, and...

The awe-inspiring true story of “Mountain Man” Dashrath Manjhi is an example of how we can transform pain into action that can help others. After his wife died for lack of medical care, Dashrath Manjhi spent more than...

I joined Kim and Penn Holderness on their podcast "Laugh Lines" for a funny, thoughtful talk about parenting after the kids move out—a great listen as families come back together for the holidays. Get in touch...

It’s easy to get swept up in a cycle of holidays that feels more like a relentless to-do list than a source of joy. In this Celebration Roundtable, we talk about how to embrace the holidays as opportunities for...

It can be a real challenge to find new, useful ideas for gifts. We suggest many of our own recommendations, plus we include dozens of ideas from listeners. Resources & links related to this episode: Request bookplates...

As a writer, I'm particularly drawn to great endings, and I read the extraordinary closing paragraphs of Lytton Strachey’s biography Queen Victoria. Strachey imagines Victoria's fading mind retracing the vanished...

We talk about the challenge of choosing a one-word theme for the upcoming year, as well as the surprising value of gossip. Plus we talk about a fun reason to have a party. Resources & links related to this episode: Send...

We talk to Lori Gottlieb—psychotherapist, bestselling author, and co-host of the “Since You Asked” advice podcast—about what she wishes she could tell her patients. We discuss questions like why patients lie to their...

Sometimes a teaching story has such a great lesson that it doesn’t even matter if it’s not true. While the famous story of the sardines and the catfish turns out to be apocryphal, it illustrates a useful truth: Being in...

A twist on our “Clear the Decks” strategy—this episode guides you through a series of quick, one-minute tasks to help you get organized for the holidays. Resources & links related to this episode: Sign up to be an organ...

We talk about the value of having a party (a party that’s not family- or child-centric). We share an easy hack for assembling furniture. Plus listeners give their examples of how they feel the pressure to “use up”—the...

Despite its bad reputation, gossip is actually a ubiquitous and important feature of human communication. Get in touch: [email protected] Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling...

We talk about why immersive experiences are so energizing and interesting. We also explore how we can know ourselves better by considering what the algorithm reflects back to us about our interests, and we talk about...

We discuss why making space to put things away can free up your time, energy, and space—also, buying duplicates of necessary items can make life easier. Plus listeners give their answers about the “one big thing” they...

Sometimes, helping can hurt. When people are struggling, our impulse is to try to pull them back on their feet, when what they really need is for someone to sit beside them and ask, "What do you need? What can I do?"...

Sometimes, looking at what unsettles us gives us a clearer view of what matters most. In this Halloween episode, we revisit a collection of Little Happier stories about fate, superstition, loss, and the mysterious...