Welcome to Episode 34 of The Madhappy Podcast. This week we are excited to welcome writer & podcaster Gretchen Rubin onto the show to learn more about her experiences exploring happiness and human nature. We kick off the episode as Gretchen shares what first intrigued her to better understand and research happiness (4:27). Gretchen opens up about how she finds personal happiness (9:03), moving us into a conversation about the importance of fostering and maintaining interpersonal relationships (12:26). Peiman and Gretchen talk about the difference between loneliness and solitude (17:23) before Gretchen speaks on the 21 strategies she utilizes to change and form habits (21:06). The duo discusses how a person’s desire for control plays a role in their happiness (27:58) prior to talking about the importance of perspective-taking (34:09). We get into a conversation about how mental health conversations are evolving throughout our society (39:24) as we wrap up by hearing what’s next for Gretchen (43:28). Check out Gretchen’s podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin here! We talk about some serious topics on this show. We are not professionals and are not giving advice. If you or someone you know needs help, please text start to 741741 and for additional resources please visit LocalOptimist.com/Get-Help The Madhappy Podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Follow us: @Madhappy | @LocalOptimist Visit us: Madhappy.com | LocalOptimist.com