365: Go Exploring in Your Own House. What Food Texture Do You Prefer? And Elizabeth Has a New Dog

UPDATES

The podcast is on YouTube! If you’re watching on YouTube, please subscribe to the channel. We just passed “Discouragement Day” –which we are re-framing as “Determination Day.” Keep up your determination! We mention the Happier app and the One-Sentence Journal

Try This at Home

Go exploring in your own house or office. Don’t worry about clearing clutter or organizing – instead, this Try-This-at-Home is about knowing exactly what items are stored in various places throughout your surroundings. We mention my book Outer Order, Inner Calm

Happiness Hacks

Two hacks this week –

  • To make it more fun to tackle some quick tasks, turn on a short podcast – such as “A Little Happier” – and race to finish before the end.
  • To get yourself to go to an exercise class while traveling, sign up and pay in advance.


Know Yourself Better

 When eating, what’s your texture preference? One group of product researchers argue that, when it comes to texture preferences, people fall into four groups.

  • Chewers prefer foods that can be chewed longer and don’t fracture when bitten—soft oatmeal cookies, sausage, gummy candy.
  • Crunchers prefer foods that break up when bitten—potato chips, a crisp apple, raw broccoli.
  • Suckers prefer hard foods that they hold in their mouths to dissolve slowly—hard candies or orange slices.
  • Smooshers prefer soft foods that spread in their mouths—ripe bananas, oatmeal, goat cheese, or custard.

Elizabeth is a Cruncher; I’m a Smoosher. I mention the Life Savers “Sweet Storybook” that Jamie got in his Christmas stocking. 

Listener Answers

Many listeners responded to Elizabeth’s question about whether she should get another dog. Well…she did! She has a new Corgi puppy, Daisy.   

Elizabeth's new puppy

Screenshot of Liz showing off her new puppy

Demerits & Gold Stars

Gretchen’s Demerit: I’m happier when I keep my emails under 100, and I’ve let it go much higher lately. Elizabeth’s Gold Star: She loves her new French press for making coffee.

Resources

  • If you’d like to get the Happier show notes by email, sign up here. (The show notes cover Little Happier, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and More Happier.) I include photos, behind-the-scenes content related to the episode, links, resources, and special offers just for Happier listeners.
  • If you’re working on moving more in 2022, you may find my free, 7-day SMS challenge useful. For 7 days, you’ll get a prompt to remind you to move and to reflect on ways to build movement into your daily routine. Text MOVE to +1 (844) 934-1913.


What we’re reading

  • Elizabeth: The Replacement Wife by Darby Kane (AmazonBookshop)
  • Gretchen: Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, ad How to Be an Ally by Emily Ladau (AmazonBookshop)

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Every Friday, Gretchen Rubin shares 5 things that are making her happier, asks readers and listeners questions, and includes exclusive updates and behind-the-scenes material.