Nothing makes me happier than learning a new, useful word. I just learned the word “gimbal”; now I own one, so I can gambol with my gimbal when filming.
I also enjoy improving my understanding of words or terms I already use. In a recent episode of More Happier, I realized that I’d been using the phrase “rhetorical question” my whole life without ever stopping to consider what a “rhetorical question” actually is (it’s exactly what it says it is).
Onward,
5 Things Making Me Happy
Speaking of using words correctly, I was pleased to notice an extremely useful feature on LinkedIn: You can record and display your name pronunciation on your profile. This pronunciation issue often comes up on the Happier podcast, when Elizabeth and I mention the books we’re reading. We want to pronounce a writer’s name correctly, but it’s not always easy to confirm. I look up interviews on YouTube, but often I’m not confident that the introducer is getting the name right! And when people say their own names, they often speak quickly, and it can be hard to hear exactly what they’re saying in order to imitate it. It’s terrific to have this resource for the workplace, so that we can correctly address each other. I just added my pronunciation.
In honor of President’s Day, I decided to look for U.S. presidents during my daily visits to the Met. I found images of several presidents among the galleries. George Washington was the most often depicted, followed by Abraham Lincoln.
I love to take any good self-knowledge quiz, and I love to read, so of course I enjoyed taking the quiz, “What type of reader are you?” I wasn’t surprised to learn that I scored as a “Bookish Personality.”
I had a terrific time visiting the Wonderland Dreams exhibit in midtown. So much color and pattern! Plus, unlike during my daily Met visit, I could touch anything I wanted. I also did some painting myself.
A thoughtful reader told me about “What Makes Me Happy Now,” a series of short essays that The Guardian is running: “Writers consider what happiness means to them after the reckoning of the past few years.” I recently read a memoir by Helen Garner, so I was particularly interested to read her essay.
Whether you want to connect regularly with long-distance relatives or see more of your friends across town, this month's Habit Jump-Start provides seven days of concrete, actionable prompts for staying in touch. The Jump-Start begins Sunday, February 12th. Download the Happier™ app and join for free.
This week on Happier with Gretchen Rubin
PODCAST EPISODE: 416
We talk about why it’s useful to identify and work through nagging conflicts (e.g., whether and when to make the bed, load the dishwasher, get off your phone).