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 visions of her long history—passing back through decades of memories in a poignant, poetic cascade that captures both the end of a life and the end of an era.

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. 

As a writer, I'm particularly drawn to great endings, and I read the extraordinary closing paragraphs of Lytton Strachey&rsquo;s biography&nbsp;Queen Victoria. Strachey imagines Victoria's fading mind retracing the vanished visions of her long history&mdash;passing back through decades of memories in a poignant, poetic cascade that captures both the end of a life and the end of an era.
Get in touch: <a href="mailto:podcast@gretchenrubin.com">podcast@gretchenrubin.com</a>
Visit<a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/">&nbsp;Gretchen's website</a>&nbsp;to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the&nbsp;Happier&nbsp;app.
Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app.&nbsp;

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/  

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&rsquo;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.&nbsp;
Sales and Distribution by Lemonada Media <a href="https://lemonadamedia.com/" data-stringify-link="https://lemonadamedia.com/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://lemonadamedia.com/</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

How to Build Happier Habits into Your Daily Life

Happier with Gretchen Rubin

A Little Happier: A Beautiful Ending & the Final Passage of Queen Victoria

Intro & Update

Try This at Home: Choose Your One-Word Theme

Elizabeth Reveals Her One-Word Theme

Gretchen Reveals Her One-Word Theme

Shutterfly Segment

Side Note!: Celebration of States

Visual Theme Idea

Team Themes

Happiness Hack

Demerits & Gold Stars

Resourse

What Are We Reading?

Wrap Up

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 reason to have a party.

Resources & links related to this episode:
Amazing scene in Mad Men
Work through my new Gift Idea Generator worksheet
Elizabeth is reading: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (Amazon, Bookshop) 
Gretchen is reading: Couples by John Updike (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. 

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 reason to have a party.
Resources &amp; links related to this episode:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSb2ui_V1Fg">Amazing scene in Mad Men</a></li>
<li><a href="http://happiercast.com/giftgiving">Work through my new Gift Idea Generator worksheet</a></li>
<li>Elizabeth is reading: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy&nbsp;(<a href="https://amzn.to/3KmTLXf">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15926/9781400079988">Bookshop</a>)&nbsp;</li>
<li>Gretchen is reading: Couples by John Updike&nbsp;(<a href="https://amzn.to/3XzRriy">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15926/9780449911907">Bookshop</a>)&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
 Get in touch: <a href="mailto:podcast@gretchenrubin.com">podcast@gretchenrubin.com</a>
Visit<a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/">&nbsp;Gretchen's website</a>&nbsp;to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the&nbsp;Happier&nbsp;app.
Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app.&nbsp;

Ep. 563: Need a One-Word Theme for Next Year? We Review and Reveal Our Words

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. Sometimes adjusting expectations—rather than changing reality—is the key to happiness.

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. 

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. Sometimes adjusting expectations&mdash;rather than changing reality&mdash;is the key to happiness.
Resources &amp; links related to this episode:
<ul>
<li></li>
</ul>
 Get in touch: <a href="mailto:podcast@gretchenrubin.com">podcast@gretchenrubin.com</a>
Visit<a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/">&nbsp;Gretchen's website</a>&nbsp;to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the&nbsp;Happier&nbsp;app.
Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app.&nbsp;

A Little Happier: Do You Suffer from “Paris Syndrome?”

We revisit our long list of hacks to make the holidays a happier time. 

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. 

We revisit our long list of hacks to make the holidays a happier time. 
Resources &amp; links related to this episode:
<ul>
<li></li>
</ul>
 Get in touch: <a href="mailto:podcast@gretchenrubin.com">podcast@gretchenrubin.com</a>
Visit<a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/">&nbsp;Gretchen's website</a>&nbsp;to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the&nbsp;Happier&nbsp;app.
Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app.&nbsp;

A Little Happier: A Beautiful Ending & the Final Passage of Queen Victoria

Happier with Gretchen Rubin

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Happier with Gretchen Rubin

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