Happier with Gretchen Rubin

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**Happier with Gretchen Rubin**

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/

Latest Episodes:

Little Happier: Why People Don't Ride Horses If They Can Take a Bus Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

George Orwell’s observation about work performed by machines is very relevant to our discussions of AI.

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

More Happier: Introduce Whimsy, Schedule a Personal Playdate, and Embrace Fun Plans Aug 01, 2026

Show notes

We 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:

Mentioned in This Episode:

Share your Summer Recap in the Happier App

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

EP. 597: Celebrate "Dogust," Plus a Special Challenge for Upholders With Little Kids Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

August 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

Little Happier: Have You Ever Felt Like the Little Red Hen? Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

A 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

More Happier : Easing Painful Moments with Humor, Plus, Are Coasters Outdated? Jul 25, 2026

Show notes

A 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

Ep. 596: How Do People Learn the Things Everyone Already Knows? Plus a Ladder Warning Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

Listeners 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

Little Happier: The Challenge of the “Help-Rejecting Complainer” Jul 20, 2026

Show notes

It’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

More Happier: Reading Hacks, Book Recommendations, and Finding Your Perfect Summer Read Jul 18, 2026

Show notes

We 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:

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

Ep. 595: Always RSVP, & Why We Should Stop Over-delivering Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

Gretchen 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

Little Happier: Why the King Paid Just as Much for Three Books as He Would Have Paid for Nine Jul 13, 2026

Show notes

A 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