It’s time for the next installment of  Happier with Gretchen Rubin. It’s our second anniversary! Hard to believe. 

Try-This-at-Home

• Practice “mise-en place” from episode 95 (“everything in its place” in French)
• Do something for your future self from episode 101 — particularly useful for Obligers. 
• Become a minor expert from episode 75 — because I’m obsessed with my Four Tendencies framework, I was very pleased to her with her choice of expertise! If you want to pre-order The Four Tendencies, it’s here (never fear, that’s not the real cover). Check out the Better app — all about the Four Tendencies — here or search “Better Gretchen Rubin” in the app store.
• Pick your moment from episode 103
• Be on time from episode 68 — especially if it’s a situation that might be challenging.
• Identify a signature color from episode 71 — we even did a Deep Dive in episode 75 into signature color. I’m now obsessed with the subject of color. What a gorgeous, fascinating subject.
• Celebrate minor holidays from episode 88. Many listeners sent and posted photos of their holiday breakfasts; it was so fun to see those.
• Think about The Five Love Languages from the Very Special Episode 80.

Our listener Ashley had some questions and reservations about how we do Demerits and Gold Stars. So we explain our theory and pattern.

Before-and-After

So fascinating!

• The conversation with Gary Taubes in episode 98 about sugar helped Katy to quit sugar. To get the longer interview with Gary Taubes, email me here or check out his book The Case Against Sugar.
• Episode 77’s discussion of dealing with the nasty areas of your home struck a chord. For more on that subject, I write a lot about it in Happier at Home.
• Many people followed Elizabeth’s example and deleted a soul-destroying app as we discussed in episode 91. It has been an ongoing battle, but for now, Elizabeth is staying off Candy Crush.
  
  

Favorite moments

• Our listener Carmelita chose episode 87, our live event in Seattle. If you want to check out our guest Chris Guillebeau’s terrific new podcast, Side Hustle School, it’s here.
• Speaking of the live show, during that show we talked about manifestos, and one of Elizabeth’s favorite moments was the note in Jenn’s “new season” manifesto: Don’t treat a gift like a burden.
• She also loved the great “thank-you note debate” that we first discussed in episode 63 and then turned into a Deep Dive in episode 67.
• Elizabeth also appreciated me giving myself a gold star for staying out late at a bar in Havana, Cuba. It wouldn’t be a gold star for everyone, but definitely qualifies for me!
• My favorite moment, no question, is Elizabeth talking about the electric Ped Egg that she bought for her mother-in-law in episode 85, as part of the question, “Have you ever been upset by a well-intentioned gift?” Rarely have I laughed so hard.
• And it was terrific that so many listeners contacted us with ideas to help Elizabeth deal with her “athleisure” challenge that she mentioned in episode 97.
• I loved putting together the readings for weddings, and also, more recently, the readers for funerals and memorial services. If you’d like to request either collection, just email me.
  
  

Gold Star

For everyone! Listeners, thanks for listening, writing in, calling in, and gold star for us, too, for our second year.