Buzz
Gretchen Rubin is a pioneer in the realm of happiness hacking. Through her blog and later in her bestseller, The Happiness Project, she has spent years exploring ways to discover and sustain joy in our unpredictable world.
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This Week’s Discussion
Gretchen Rubin, the author of Better Than Before and Happier at Home, is also the host of the podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin, where she shares insights on creating habits for happiness with her sister Elizabeth. Today, she’s here to discuss how to cultivate lasting happiness.
She offers some thoughtful suggestions on how we can uncover what truly brings us happiness. For example, ask yourself this simple question: What did you enjoy doing when you were ten years old? While it might sound trivial—like playing Nintendo 64 isn't crucial to adult happiness—it strikes at the essence of who you were before life’s busyness took over.
Another uncomfortable question you might ask yourself is: Who do you envy? Whose life do you think is better than yours? It might feel awkward to admit, but this can reveal what’s missing from your own life and help clarify what you truly desire. Listen to our conversation with Gretchen for more tips on finding joy in your life.
Our Upgrades of the Week
Each week, we like to share the small upgrades we've made in our lives. This time, we're focusing on ‘The Annoying Bag’ and getting rid of clutter.
Melissa: Melissa is clearing out the clutter in her life. A couple of times each year, she grabs what she calls 'the annoying bag' and throws out things that have been bothering her—like shoes that need fixing or knick-knacks that only take up space. It’s time to overcome the sunk cost fallacy and toss out the old, unnecessary items.
Gretchen: Following a similar thought process, Gretchen is parting with all the worn-out white t-shirts she's accumulated and replacing them with higher-quality ones. White shirts tend to look worn out quickly, but we often feel guilty getting rid of things that are 'almost' usable. So long to those beloved, shabby shirts—Gretchen’s sending them to the annoying bag.
Andy: By pleasant seasonal luck, the sun has been streaming into my bedroom every morning, and I've been enjoying waking up gradually to the natural light, no annoying alarm clock required. This doesn't happen year-round, but during this time of year, with the right weather, everything aligns perfectly.
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