We debate how to decide if a movie counts as a “holiday” movie. We also discuss how the holiday season seems to be morphing into one long celebration, with Halloween flowing directly into Christmas. Plus, we share what's making us happier: the anticipation of hosting a holiday gathering and the special joy of having a child home from college for a long visit.

Resources and links related to this episode:
#TheHappinessProjectCollection
Bob Dylan, Chronicles: Volume One (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 debate how to decide if a movie counts as a &ldquo;holiday&rdquo; movie. We also discuss how the holiday season seems to be morphing into one long celebration, with Halloween flowing directly into Christmas. Plus, we share what's making us happier: the anticipation of hosting a holiday gathering and the special joy of having a child home from college for a long visit.
Resources and links related to this episode:
<ul>
<li>#<a href="https://the-happiness-project.com/">TheHappinessProjectCollection</a></li>
<li>Bob Dylan,&nbsp;Chronicles: Volume One&nbsp;(<a href="https://amzn.to/3ZlpY4X">Amazon</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15926/9780743244589">Bookshop</a>)&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
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;
Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app.&nbsp;
&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

More Happier: What Makes a Holiday Movie? Plus Holiday Creep & the Joy of a Long Vacation

By reading a novel, I learned to appreciate a celebrated piece of music.

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. 

By reading a novel, I learned to appreciate a celebrated piece of music.
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: How I Found My Way to a Beautiful Piece of Music

The One-Minute Rule is one of the most popular organization hacks ideas we've ever shared—and if you've used it, you know why. But over the years it's inspired a few other additional rules that are just as useful, including one that kept Elizabeth's closet floor clean for the first time in years. In this episode we bring them all together.

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 One-Minute Rule is one of the most popular organization hacks ideas we've ever shared&mdash;and if you've used it, you know why. But over the years it's inspired a few other additional rules that are just as useful, including one that kept Elizabeth's closet floor clean for the first time in years. In this episode we bring them all together.
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;
&nbsp;

Stop Clutter from Coming Back with the One-Minute Rule

We talk about why it’s a good idea to avoid self-diagnosis. We also suggest an easy hack for people prone to worry, and share our progress on “Design Your Year” aims now that we’ve reached Day 100 of the year.

Resources & links related to this episode:
Visit the Design Your Year hub 
26 for 2026 list
Choose your One Word Theme
Join the Move 26 Challenge 
Take the Four Tendencies Quiz 
Check out my book Forty Ways to Look at JFK here
Elizabeth: The Client by John Grisham (Amazon, Bookshop) 
Gretchen: Joyful Anyway by Kate Bowler (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 it&rsquo;s a good idea to avoid self-diagnosis. We also suggest an easy hack for people prone to worry, and share our progress on &ldquo;Design Your Year&rdquo; aims now that we&rsquo;ve reached Day 100 of the year.
Resources &amp; links related to this episode:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/design-your-year/">Visit the Design Your Year hub</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/design-your-year-2026-tools/#List">26 for 2026 list</a></li>
<li><a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/design-your-year-2026-tools/#Word">Choose your One Word Theme</a></li>
<li><a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/design-your-year-2026-tools/#Challenge">Join the Move 26 Challenge&nbsp;</a></li>
<li><a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/quiz/the-four-tendencies-quiz/">Take the Four Tendencies Quiz&nbsp;</a></li>
<li>Check out my book<a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/books/forty-ways-to-look-at-jfk/"> Forty Ways to Look at JFK </a>here</li>
<li>Elizabeth: The Client by John Grisham (<a href="https://amzn.to/41Q0cqU">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15926/9780385339087">Bookshop</a>)&nbsp;</li>
<li>Gretchen: Joyful Anyway by Kate Bowler (<a href="https://amzn.to/4sT6BNQ">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15926/9780593734193">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;

More Happier: What Makes a Holiday Movie? Plus Holiday Creep & the Joy of a Long Vacation

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