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:
Secrets of Adulthood 
The Four Tendencies 

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. 

When we&rsquo;re trying to make a point, it&rsquo;s often more effective to tell a story than to deliver a lecture. Example: an episode from the popular TV show &ldquo;Better Call Saul&rdquo; memorably illustrates the important truth that we&rsquo;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 &amp; links related to this episode:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/books/secrets-of-adulthood/">Secrets of Adulthood&nbsp;</a></li>
<li><a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/four-tendencies/">The Four Tendencies&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>
Get in touch:&nbsp;<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

Little Happier: Easy Answers or Hard Truths: Whom Do You Trust?

Intro & Update

Try This at Home

Elizabeth Reviews Her 25 for '25 List

Gretchen Reviews Her 25 for '25 List

One Huge Gold Star

Resourse

Wrap Up

As part of “Design Your Year,” each of us made a list of 25 things we wanted to accomplish in 2025; here, we report on what we got done—and what we didn’t.

Resources & links related to this episode:
Happier in Hollywood Substack 
Simon Haisell's Footnotes and Tangents
Allie Coyle Photography
The Earth Room created by American artist Walter De Maria
Click here to find everything related to the Design Your Year challenge


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 part of &ldquo;Design Your Year,&rdquo; each of us made a list of 25 things we wanted to accomplish in 2025; here, we report on what we got done&mdash;and what we didn&rsquo;t.
Resources &amp; links related to this episode:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://happierinhollywoodpod.substack.com/">Happier in Hollywood Substack&nbsp;</a></li>
<li>Simon Haisell's <a href="https://footnotesandtangents.substack.com/about">Footnotes and Tangents</a></li>
<li><a href="https://alliecoylephotography.pixieset.com/">Allie Coyle Photography</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.diaart.org/visit/visit-our-locations-sites/walter-de-maria-the-new-york-earth-room-new-york-united-states">The Earth Room created by American artist Walter De Maria</a></li>
<li><a href="http://happiercast.com/designyouryear">Click here to find everything related to the Design Your Year challenge</a></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. 565: Did We Get Everything Done on Our “25 for ’25” Lists? We Review & Reflect

A familiar story about Gandhi is apocryphal, but nevertheless illustrates one of my Secrets of Adulthood: If we’re trying to encourage or enforce a particular behavior, we should be willing to observe that behavior ourselves.

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. 

A familiar story about Gandhi is apocryphal, but nevertheless illustrates&nbsp;one of my Secrets of Adulthood: If we&rsquo;re trying to encourage or enforce a particular behavior, we should be willing to observe that behavior ourselves.
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: Why the Holy Man Didn’t Tell a Boy to Stop Eating Candy

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 life after 50.

Resources & links related to this episode:
"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry (Amazon, Bookshop) 
I read "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens (Amazon, Bookshop) 
I read "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Andersen (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. 

My friend Chip Conley joins the &ldquo;Dan Buettner Podcast&rdquo; to explain why the old idea of a &ldquo;midlife crisis&rdquo; holds us back and how reframing this stage can open the door to purpose, curiosity, and stronger connection in life after 50.
Resources &amp; links related to this episode:
<ul>
<li>"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry (<a href="https://amzn.to/4pvpchd">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15926/9780241597019">Bookshop</a>)&nbsp;</li>
<li>I read "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens (<a href="https://amzn.to/4pLO9W0">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15926/9781936830886">Bookshop</a>)&nbsp;</li>
<li>I read "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Andersen (<a href="https://amzn.to/4rRmJ2m">Amazon,</a> <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15926/9780486781709">Bookshop</a>)</li>
</ul>
Get in touch:&nbsp;<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;<a href="https://thehappierapp.com/">Happier&nbsp;app</a>.&nbsp;

Little Happier: Easy Answers or Hard Truths: Whom Do You Trust?

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