The lives of Paul McCartney and Trevor Noah suggest the same truth: with our love, we can shape someone else’s experience of the world.

Nebraska’s hilarious tourist slogan demonstrates that it’s often most effective to admit the truth, even when that truth might not be terribly flattering or impressive. Have a sense of humor, be willing to poke fun at yourself or the situation, and admit the facts.

When the young son of actor and writer Andrew McCarthy raised a tough issue, his father found the right words to respond.

Inspired by “Garbage Eve,” we discuss about why we might find something unconventional to celebrate, we talk about listeners’ suggestions for dealing with a co-worker who interrupts constantly, and listener asks about how to deal with the regret of not having started her Happiness Project sooner.

Musician and writer Rosanne Cash tells the story of a conversation she had with her husband, which was a terrific illustration of a paradox of love.

We talk about why, when under pressure, you might consider giving yourself less time, we suggest a hack that makes podcast-listening more convenient, and Ramit Sethi discusses his new podcast about the role that money can play in our romantic relationships.

We discuss why it’s a good idea to allow others to share your enthusiasm, we review the props used by listeners to help manage anxiety, take a look at listeners’ one-word themes for 2021, and share a hack for asking a tough question. 

A poignant scene from Meredith Hall’s novel Beneficence, where a husband and father speaks with harsh words to deny his regrets, reminds me to show my love; others can only see my actions.

Sometimes, understanding someone else’s point of view allows our anger to fade. When writer Julie Lythcott-Haims understood that her mother’s definition of a “visit” differed from her definition of a “visit,” her resentment faded and her empathy grew.

We talk about why it’s helpful to remember that the things that go wrong often make the best memories—for example, I passed out on live TV! Plus a hack about holding hands, and we ask the know-yourself-better question, “Are you in an age of expansion, or an age of concentration?”