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Gretchen Rubin Wants to Make You Happy/ish

Jan 7, 2025

Guest

Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen Rubin, a New York Times bestselling author and happiness expert, dives into the essence of happiness and its profound impacts on our lives. She discusses her journey from a successful lawyer to a writer, emphasizing the importance of embracing failure as a part of creative growth. They explore how community connections and small gestures can elevate happiness, while also examining the roles of genetics and personal choices. Rubin shares actionable strategies for navigating life transitions and finding joy in work and personal passions.

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Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 4min

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Exploring the Essence of Happiness

03:31 • 16min

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Unlocking Happiness: Genetics and Choices

19:55 • 7min

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Embracing Change: From Law to Literature

26:50 • 9min

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Embracing Change: The Journey from Stability to Passion

36:17 • 6min

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Navigating Change and Self-Discovery

42:11 • 13min

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Finding Joy in Work and Community Engagement

54:53 • 6min

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#9889

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

The Official Preppy Handbook

Published in 1980, 'The Official Preppy Handbook' is a satirical guide that explores the preppy culture, including fashion, manners, and social behaviors. The book became a New York Times bestseller and is known for its humorous and insightful look at the upper crust of American society. It covers various aspects such as preppy schools, fashion, drinking culture, and social events like debutante balls. The book's success was unexpected but widespread, especially in the Southern United States, where preppy style was particularly prevalent.

Forty Ways to Look at JFK

Gretchen Rubin

This biography illuminates Kennedy’s provocative character and explains the source of his enduring magic. Rubin’s ‘forty ways’ approach highlights Kennedy’s high ideals, trenchant wit, winning family, and unforgettable charisma, as well as his astonishing sexual appetite, his lies to the public, his shrewd manipulation of the press, and his exploitation of imagery. The book aims to understand what made Kennedy such a dazzling and unforgettable figure, a puzzle that even the most exhaustive JFK studies have not fully addressed.

Power Money Fame Sex

Gretchen Rubin

#30091

Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill

Gretchen Rubin

This book is a unique portrayal of Winston Churchill, presenting him through multiple lenses to highlight the complexities and contradictions of his life. Gretchen Rubin avoids the traditional biographical approach, instead focusing on essential questions about Churchill’s character, strengths, and controversies. The book explores whether Churchill was an alcoholic, a visionary, a racist, or a humanitarian, and how these different views shape our understanding of him. It also delves into the nature of biography itself, showing how different biographers can draw different conclusions from the same facts.

#603

• Mentioned in 33 episodes

The Happiness Project

Gretchen Rubin

In 'The Happiness Project', Gretchen Rubin chronicles her year-long journey to enhance her happiness. Despite having a fulfilling life, Rubin realized she wasn’t focusing enough on her own happiness. She divided her project into twelve months, each with a different area of focus and specific goals. From boosting energy and improving her marriage to enhancing her work life and leisure activities, Rubin tested various strategies, including those from Epicurus, Thoreau, and modern scientists. The book combines historical wisdom, scientific research, and personal anecdotes to provide practical advice on how to make life happier and more fulfilling.

#1296

• Mentioned in 19 episodes

The principles of psychology

William James

Published in 1890, 'The Principles of Psychology' is a two-volume work that lays the groundwork for understanding psychological phenomena through a scientific lens. William James discusses the relationship between mental processes and their underlying physical conditions, introducing key concepts such as the 'stream of consciousness,' the James–Lange theory of emotion, the importance of habit, and the concept of will. The book is based on James's classroom lessons and avoids metaphysical explanations, focusing instead on empirical observations and physiological processes. It has been influential in shaping the field of psychology and continues to be relevant today.

#764

• Mentioned in 28 episodes

Better Than Before

Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives

Gretchen Rubin

In 'Better Than Before', Gretchen Rubin explores the science and practice of habit formation. She identifies 21 strategies for making and breaking habits, emphasizing the importance of self-knowledge and tailoring habits to individual personalities. Rubin categorizes people into four tendencies—Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, and Rebels—and explains how these tendencies influence habit formation. The book is filled with practical advice, personal anecdotes, and rigorous research, making it a comprehensive and engaging guide to building happier, stronger, and more productive lives.

#1058

• Mentioned in 22 episodes

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a classic and influential work that covers various periods of Franklin's life. It is divided into four parts, written at different times, and includes his childhood, apprenticeship to his brother James, his early methodical plans for 'arriving at moral perfection,' his experiments with electricity, and his political career. The autobiography provides an intimate and honest account of Franklin's life, reflecting his determination, work ethic, and practical wisdom. Despite its tortuous publication history, it remains one of the most famous autobiographies ever written.

I’m no self-help guru. And while I don’t think Gretchen Rubin would identify as one, she’s dedicated her work to figuring out just what the hell it means to live a full life. As a writer and former lawyer, Gretchen has spent years trying to understand happiness, the ways she can access it herself, and how to bring others in on the wisdom she’s gained. We talk action-led thoughts and aphorisms — anything in pursuit of leaving a conversation feeling happy (or at least, as Gretchen would say, happier).

Gretchen’s podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, is now part of the Lemonada Media network and can be found wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

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