In honor of National Card and Letter Writing Month, we suggest writing cards or letters to boost...
26:04
Little Happier: What Seems Important Isn’t Always What’s Actually Important
What seems important when events are unfolding isn’t always what turns out to be most...
02:00
We talk about why it’s helpful to pay attention to how much time we spend venting, versus not...
30:24
Little Happier: Dangers Don’t Always Feel Dangerous
When an activity feels ordinary—such as texting while walking—it doesn’t feel dangerous, and that...
01:29
We talk about two shows that we’re enjoying: the YouTube Channel “Financial Audit” and the...
21:32
Ep. 473: Schedule a “Loose-Ends Day,” Have an Adventurous Milestone Birthday, and Happier Parenting
We talk about why it can be helpful to schedule a “loose-ends day,” and we share a hack about an...
31:08
Little Happier: A Teacher Found a Simple Way to Entertain and Occupy Her Kindergartners
An imaginative teacher devised a simple task that was deeply satisfying to the children in her...
02:04
Ep. 472: ”No-Spend February,” Have a Hard Conversation While Walking, and Use Your Non-Dominant Hand
We report on our experiences with doing “No-Spend February.” We also discuss the suggestion to...
32:32
Little Happier: Why Did This Couple Break Up as Soon as They Decided to Get Married?
What is the lesson of an incident I remember from law school, when a friend and his girlfriend...
03:06
More Happier: Happiness on the Subway, the Fun of Watching Old Movies, and More on Clearing Clutter
We talk about a happiness-boosting observation from the New York City subway. We also talk about...
26:29
Ep. 471: Allow a Tradition to Evolve, Easy Ways to Block Annoying Lights, and a Funny Look at Work
We explore why and how to allow an important tradition to evolve. We also share listeners’...
32:27
Little Happier: Are You an Obliger Who Needs Accountability? Here’s a Surprising Solution.
In ancient Greece, early in his career, the statesman Demosthenes came up with an ingenious yet...
03:43
Ep. 470: Ninth Anniversary! Best Try-This-At-Home Ideas, Happiness Hacks, and Highlights
To celebrate the ninth anniversary of the podcast, we discuss the Try-This-at-Home ideas that...
29:05
Little Happier: What I Have in Common with a Bronze Age Parent
Parents today, and parents in the Bronze Age, gave their children sippy cups—and they even use...
02:17
We talk about the final season of the excellent television show “Succession.” We also discuss a...
24:57
We talk about why we’re reengaging with our habits on “Determination Day” on February 28. We...
31:24
Little Happier: A Friend Found the Right Thing to Say Before My Important Job Interview
When I was nervous before interviewing for a clerkship with Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day...
02:42
Bonus: Gretchen Rubin and Kelly Corrigan Talk About Happiness, Relationships, and More
As a bonus for “Happier” listeners, we’re posting the episode of the podcast “Kelly Corrigan...
53:25
Ep. 468: Treat Yourself Like a Professor, Subscribe to Newsletters, and Ideas for the “Write Way”
We talk about why you might treat yourself like a professor, and why you might subscribe to...
30:57
Little Happier: I Want Whatever He Wants
My friend’s choice of a childhood bedroom reminds me of an important truth: It’s easy to want...
01:27