10% Happier with Dan Harris Gretchen Rubin on: How To Use Your Five Senses To Reduce Anxiety, Increase Creativity, and Improve Your Relationships
Gretchen Rubin, a happiness expert and bestselling author, delves into the transformative power of the five senses in enhancing well-being and creativity. She shares her journey of realizing how often we overlook our senses and their impact on anxiety and relationships. From her 'Audio Apothecary' concept, which highlights music's emotional influences, to exploring the powerful connections between taste and smell, Rubin offers practical insights. Her visits to art museums illustrate how sensory engagement can enrich daily life and boost creativity.
01:07:54
Eye-Opening Doctor Visit
- Gretchen Rubin had an eye doctor appointment that changed her perspective.
- This appointment made her realize she was taking her senses for granted.
Mindfulness Without Meditation
- Gretchen Rubin's book, "Life in Five Senses," focuses on mindfulness without strict meditation.
- It encourages playful exploration of senses instead of disciplined focus.
Order of the Senses
- The traditional five senses are ordered: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
- This order reflects the brain's processing and how we experience the world.
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Intro
00:00 • 4min
Harnessing the Power of the Senses for a Fulfilling Life
03:38 • 2min
The Power of the Senses
05:47 • 5min
Exploring the Five Senses
11:12 • 14min
Exploring the Audio Apothecary and Sensory Connections
25:37 • 3min
Mastering the Art of Listening
28:25 • 9min
The Symphony of Smell and Taste
37:47 • 9min
Exploring the Comfort of Touch and the Link Between Senses and Creativity
46:52 • 2min
The Comfort of Touch
48:42 • 9min
Sensing Transformation: Insights from Ayahuasca to Art
57:28 • 13min
Exploring the Power of the Senses and Upcoming Events
01:10:50 • 3min
Everything Happens for a Reason
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The book offers a poignant reflection on faith, hope, and the unpredictability of life, encouraging readers to embrace the present moment amidst uncertainty.
Rules of civility
George Washington
This book contains a list of 110 rules that George Washington copied from a French etiquette manual written by Jesuits in 1595.
The rules, translated into English by Francis Hawkins in 1640, cover various aspects of social behavior, including respect for others, proper conduct in company, and general courtesies.
These rules were influential in shaping Washington's character and behavior throughout his life, and they remain relevant today as a guide to respectful and considerate behavior.
The Song of Achilles
Madeline Miller
José Miguel Pallarés Sanmiguel
This novel retells the story of the Trojan War from the perspective of Patroclus, a young prince exiled from his homeland after an act of violence.
Patroclus forms an inseparable bond with Achilles, the son of the sea goddess Thetis and King Peleus.
As they grow up together, they are trained by the centaur Chiron and eventually join the war effort when Helen of Sparta is kidnapped.
The story explores their deep love for each other, the pressures of destiny, and the tragic consequences of their choices.
Miller incorporates Greek mythology seamlessly, making the gods and their histories integral to the narrative.
The book is a poignant exploration of love, bravery, and the human cost of war.
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.
How to talk so kids will listen & listen so kids will talk
Adele Faber
Elaine Mazlish
This book by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish provides practical advice on how to communicate more effectively with children.
It covers topics such as acknowledging and addressing a child's feelings, engaging cooperation, resolving conflicts, and offering alternatives to punishments.
The authors emphasize the importance of empathy, providing clear information, and encouraging children to come up with their own solutions.
The book promotes a mindful, respectful, and compassionate approach to the parent-child relationship, helping parents to connect deeply with their children and foster greater mindfulness and communication.
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.
Circe
Madeline Miller
In this novel, Madeline Miller reimagines the life of Circe, the daughter of the Titan sun god Helios and the nymph Perse.
Circe, who is neither as powerful as her father nor as alluring as her mother, finds her own path through the discovery of witchcraft.
After being banished to the island of Aiaia by Zeus, Circe hones her magical abilities and encounters various figures from Greek mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus, Icarus, Medea, and Odysseus.
The story explores themes of identity, love, loss, and female strength in a patriarchal world.
Circe's journey is marked by her transformation from an outcast to a powerful goddess who must choose between her divine heritage and her love for mortals.
Outer Order, Inner Calm
Gretchen Rubin
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Rubin emphasizes the importance of understanding personal habits and emotional attachments to possessions, and provides manageable steps to create a serene and orderly environment.
By getting rid of unnecessary items, readers can free their minds and shelves for what they truly value, leading to a more controlled, calm, and energetic life.
The four tendencies
Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin's "The Four Tendencies" introduces a personality framework categorizing individuals into four tendencies: Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, and Rebels.
Understanding these tendencies helps explain how people respond to inner and outer expectations, impacting their decision-making, habit formation, and relationships.
The book provides self-assessment tools and practical advice for leveraging each tendency's strengths and navigating its challenges.
It offers insights into personal productivity, communication, and conflict resolution.
Ultimately, it promotes self-awareness and improved relationships.
Life in Five Senses
How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World
Gretchen Rubin
In 'Life in Five Senses,' Gretchen Rubin delves into the mysteries and joys of the five senses as a means to achieve a happier, more mindful life.
After realizing she had been overlooking her senses while studying happiness, Rubin embarked on a year-long experiment to heighten her senses and use her powers of perception to live a fuller life.
Drawing on cutting-edge science, philosophy, literature, and personal experiences, she investigates how simple pleasures like appreciating ketchup and favorite songs, as well as more adventurous activities like daily visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, can enhance daily life.
Rubin shows how tuning into the physical world can help individuals cheer up, calm down, and engage more deeply with their surroundings.
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Today’s guest is a happiness expert and devout non-meditator. In her latest book Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World, she describes how a routine visit to her eye doctor made her realize she’d been overlooking a key element of happiness: her five senses.
Gretchen Rubin is the author of many books, including the New York Times bestsellers Outer Order, Inner Calm; The Four Tendencies; Better Than Before; and The Happiness Project. Her books have sold more than 3.5 million copies worldwide, and have been translated in more than thirty languages. She also hosts the top-ranking, award-winning podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin.
In this episode we talk about:
- What led Gretchen to explore the five senses
- How we often take our senses for granted
- How our senses work with the brain to impact our perception
- The relationship between the senses and nostalgia
- The surprising power of ketchup and vanilla when it comes to the sense of taste
- The sense of hearing and what she calls her “Audio Apothecary”
- How to be a better listener
- The interplay between the senses of taste and smell
- The sense of touch and the use of comfort objects
- Why she decided to visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art everyday to explore the five senses
- And how she uses the five senses to boost creativity
Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/gretchen-rubin-588