Try This at Home
Choose your TV theme song—a fun, easy try-this-at-home for summer. You can pick a phrase; you can choose an entire theme song; you can pick a song that has no lyrics, just music.
I mention the book Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted: And All the Brilliant Minds Who Made The Mary Tyler Moore Show a Classic.
All the talk about The Mary Tyler Moore Show led me to choose the theme “Love is all around, no need to waste it” from the TV’s theme song. (I have to admit, I tear up every time I hear that song.)
Elizabeth’s theme is theme song to The Oprah Winfrey Show, Run On—Oprah herself sings it:
I believe I’ll run on See what the end will be I believe I’ll work on Find out what waits for me.
I really like the Bob’s Burger’s theme song. It’s so catchy and happy.
I love a song from Barney & Friends—my children didn’t even watch Barney, but I sang this song to them all the time when they were little. It brings back so many happy memories.
I love you You love me We’re a happy family With a great big hug and a kiss from me to you Won’t you say you love me too?
Words make it much easier to call up a song in our minds. As many times as I’ve watched my favorite TV show The Office, it’s hard for me to conjure the theme song in my mind, without the framework of lyrics.
Happiness Hack
Wear something right way.
Listener Answers
In episode 228, we read a question from Tanya, who was in a tough situation at work. She’d been let go, but still had two months to work there.
Listeners had many great suggestions for her. One thing is clear: many people have faced a situation like this.
I allude to a story that I told in an episode of A Little Happier about Rob Lowe’s observation that “Sometimes you have to get fired to get hired.” The anonymous listener mentions Chris Guillebeau’s terrific podcast Side Hustle School.
Gretchen’s Demerit
I swung into action when my daughter got called for jury duty—but then I realized that it’s not my place to manage this. I was reminded of my father’s observation, that at a certain point, as parents, we go from being advisor to cheerleader.
Elizabeth’s Gold Star
Kansas City summer—some people don’t like humidity, but to Elizabeth (and me), it feels like home!
Resources:
- If you’d like to read an excerpt of my book Outer Order, Inner Calm, you can download a free PDF excerpt at GretchenRubin.com/resources. You can also listen to an excerpt of the audiobook there.
- If you want to connect with other Happier podcast listeners or readers who enjoy my books, join my free app, Better. You can also create or join an online accountability group. You can join the community on any computer at betterapp.us or search your app store for “Better Gretchen Rubin.” It’s free!
- Happier with Gretchen Rubin is part of The Onward Project, a family of podcasts all about how to make our lives better. If you like this podcast, you’ll probably enjoy Happier in Hollywood, Elizabeth’s other podcast with her writing partner Sarah Fain; Chris Guillebeau’s Side Hustle School; and Melissa Hartwig Urban’s terrific new podcast Do the Thing.