Happier with Gretchen Rubin

Latest Episodes:

Little Happier: When the Words of Ritual Give Me My “America Feeling” Apr 28, 2025

Show notes

Certain moments inspire my "America feeling"—a profound connection to the ideals of the United States. For instance, the formal words of the opening ritual for a session of the United States Supreme Court reminds me of the value of justice.

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.

Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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More Happier: Puppy! Taffy Has Arrived Apr 26, 2025

Show notes

We talk about the happiness, rewards, and challenges of having a new dog.

Resources & links related to this episode:

Support your favorite indie booksellers and enjoy a fun perk from Bookshop
Follow me on Instagram for photos and videos of Taffy
Read Secrets of Adulthood

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.

Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Introducing: Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan Apr 24, 2025

Show notes

We’re excited to introduce you to Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan, a new show from Lemonada Media.

As Meghan, Duchess of Sussex builds out a business of her own, she’s getting advice and insights from a handful of amazing women who have scaled small ideas into successful companies. These fly-on-the-wall conversations will no doubt inspire anyone who’s interested in turning their own entrepreneurial dreams into a reality and anyone else who just wants to hear what really happens behind the scenes.

In this episode, you’ll hear Meghan in conversation with Reshma Saujani, the founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First—and a recent guest on our friendship roundtable. The two reunite to talk about redesigning workplaces for women and how to make the hard choice to put your health (and yourself) before your work.

After you listen, be sure to follow Confessions of a Female Founder wherever you get your podcasts, or head to: https://lemonada.lnk.to/confessionsofafemalefounderfd

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Ep. 531: Arrive Right on Time, Benefits of Pill Organizers & the Strongest Way to Make Friends Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

We discuss why arriving right on time for events makes it easier to have fun and to network (especially for introverts or newcomers). We also share the benefits of using an ordinary weekly pill organizer, and explore research supporting the Secret of Adulthood: “One of the best ways to find friends is to make friends with the friends of our friends.” Plus, a listener asks for suggestions about how to request support from family and friends after her recent diabetes diagnosis.

Resources & links related to this episode:

Order your copy of Secrets of Adulthood
Happier in Hollywood Substack newsletter
More discussion of networking in Happier in Hollywood episode 413
Elizabeth is reading: After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Amazon, Bookshop)
Gretchen is reading: An Accidental Man by Iris Murdoch (Amazon, Bookshop)

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.

Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Little Happier: Easy Answers or Hard Truths: Whom Do You Trust? Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

When we’re trying to make a point, it’s often more effective to tell a story than to deliver a lecture. Example: an episode from the popular TV show “Better Call Saul” memorably illustrates the important truth that we’re probably better off assigning a complex problem to the person who acknowledges the difficulties rather than to the person who offers suspiciously easy answers.

Resources & links related to this episode:

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.

Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More Happier: Gretchen’s & Elizabeth’s Dog Decisions Apr 19, 2025

Show notes

In honor of the arrival of a new dog, we take a flashback to previous discussions of our lives with Barnaby, Daisy, and Nacho. We each decided to “Choose the bigger life,” and we’re very happy we did. Bonus: One of the all-time best episode of “A Little Happier,” all about Barnaby.

Resources & links related to this episode:

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.

Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 530: Very Special Episode: Hacks, Products, and Tips for Spring Clearing & Organizing Apr 16, 2025

Show notes

To get ready for spring, we share some of our favorite habits, hacks, and resources for clearing clutter and getting organized.

Resources & Links Related to this episode:

Order your copy of Secrets of Adulthood
Join me on book tour starting April 1, 2025
Tools for getting organized this spring
Outer Order, Inner Calm
3-Tier Organizing Cart
Magic Erasers
Command Hooks
Packing Cubes
Shelf spinner
Swedish dishclothes
Label Maker
Wall Pops
Guardsman Reusable Watermark Remover cloth
Chalk labels + markers
Small digital scale
Apothecary Jars
Bank Box
Memento Keepsake Journal
One-minute rule
Ep. 10: Clearing Elizabeth’s closet
Ep. 160: Clearing Elizabeth’s office
Ep. 210: Favorite hacks from Outer Order, Inner Calm
Ep. 443: Clear the Decks
Sweep the Deck

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.

Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Little Happier: When One Proverb Sparks Dozens: the Inspiration of “No Receiver, No Thief” Apr 14, 2025

Show notes

While writing my book "Secrets of Adulthood," I discovered how the structure of a single traditional proverb could spark dozens of new insights. The elegant formula "No X, no Y" began with the traditional wisdom "No receiver, no thief," but soon expanded into observations ranging from the paradoxical ("No expectations, no disappointment") to the historical ("No Plato, No Socrates ") to the practical ("More highways, more traffic").

Resources & links related to this episode:

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.

Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More Happier: Listen In! Recordings from a Visit in Los Angeles Apr 12, 2025

Show notes

During the book tour for “Secrets of Adulthood,” we had the chance to spend the day together in Los Angeles. Listen in and follow along as we hush the Corgis, clear office clutter, and learn some happy book-related news.

Resources & links related to this episode:

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.

Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 529: Cutting Back on Cussing, Easier Traveling & Do Possessions Have Feelings? Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

We explore the surprising benefits of swearing—from pain tolerance to social bonding—while also discussing why cutting back on cussing might still improve conversation quality and emotional climate. We share a listener hack for making a long, frequent car trip easier. We also consider a Know-Yourself- Better question about possessions, and we tackle a poignant listener question about maintaining family connections with adult children who seem to be creating unexpected distance after marriage.

Resources & links related to this episode:

Order your copy of Secrets of Adulthood
Join me on book tour starting April 1, 2025
Profane Waste by Gretchen Rubin and Dana Hoey (Amazon, Bookshop)
Four Tendencies quiz
Sign-up for my newsletter
Elizabeth is reading: Ready for Absolutely Nothing by Susannah Constantine (Amazon, Bookshop)
Gretchen is reading: How It Feels When a Parent Dies by Jill Krementz (Amazon, Bookshop)