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Gretch, we talk all the time about how important sleep is.
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Hello and welcome to Happier, a podcast where we talk about how to be happier.
This week we'll talk about why we should invest in tools in a mindful way and why we might have less time than we think for something very important.
I'm Gretchen Rubin, a writer who studies happiness, good habits, human nature, secrets of adulthood.
I'm in my little home office in New York City, and joining me today is my sister, Elizabeth Kraft, who's a TV writer.
And Elizabeth, I was thinking of you because episode 555 this is episode 555 feels lucky and it also makes me think of Hollywood.
That's me, elizabeth craft, a tv writer and producer living in la.
And yes gretchen, 555 is the standard number we use in television and movies, because it's not something anybody actually has as a telephone number.
So you don't risk giving out a number on a tv show and people calling it and bothering someone.
Yes, you could imagine someone's distress in finding out that their home phone number was, you know, in an episode of The Office or something like that, and everybody tried calling it.
So it was so clever of them to set aside a whole bunch of numbers for that use.
I love that.
Yeah, do you remember that song that was, Jenny, Jenny, who can I turn to?
I think it was 867-5309.
Yes.
That was always a story.
Right, right, right, right.
Well, before we jump in, we have an update from Danette, who has a travel hack that seems very useful.
Yes.
She says, "...we travel with our two now 20-something children and my parents who are in their 80s.
So over the years we've had a lot of experience with mishaps and inconveniences, particularly with air travel.
We have fine-tuned our departure protocol to my husband and I acting as gate agent and luggage handler.
I love it.
They have to show me their passport or photo ID, whichever is appropriate.
They have to show me as they secure it properly in whatever carrier they are using.
They show me their phone.
We do a quick questionnaire as I ask them to tell me something about what I know they need.
I ask them about sunglasses, prescription glasses, contact lens care, CPAP retainers sunscreen swimsuits, snorkels and anything else particular to that person and this trip.
Once they have passed me, they proceed to the car, where they hand everything to my husband, except what they're wearing.
Everything goes in the back of the car.
Bags, purses, backpacks, everything.
He makes a bag count.
No one is allowed out of the car at this point.
My husband and I do a house walkthrough and lock up.
Once we get to the airport, everyone gets out of the car and lines up.
So my husband gives every person their bags and items.
We count the bags and the people.
Then we proceed in a line into the airport.
My husband acts as the engine and I am the caboose.
We have found that, other than forgotten documents and dropped items, getting separated causes the biggest disruption.
So if someone decides to dash to the bathroom, stop to read a text or look around a little bit for any reason at all, I call halts.
The train stops and whoever is separating themselves or pausing gets themselves together, and then we proceed again.
At the gate, we do another bag count if we check bags.
There are lots of other things we are doing to be organized and on time, but the actual movement out of the house and to the gate can be orchestrated to minimize chaos.
What I love about this is that it clearly arises from experience.
Yes.
You may not need this with your family, but you may need this with your family.
And this is a family that's like, this is how we need to do if we are going to take the trip.
Because that was our, tried this at home last week.
It was to take the trip.
And sometimes you just really have to be organized if you're going to get there all together without leaving your passport behind.
So I love that they really brought the level of organization to their traveling.
Yes.
And this is definitely, you have to have the right people to make this work.
My husband and son would not go for this.
I would love to do it.
They would not go for it.
Yes, exactly.
And also, before we jump in, remember we are going to be talking about Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir All the Way to the River in an upcoming episode.
We will be talking to Liz Gilbert herself.
So send us your questions and insights, and we cannot wait for that conversation.
Yes.
So this week, our Try This at Home tip is to invest in tools.
Yes.
And Gretchen, this is a bit of a follow up.
Try this at home.
Yes.
In episode 548, our try this at home suggestion was to put your money where your mouth is.
And one of the ways that you can put your money where your mouth is is you can invest in good tools.
But the thing about investing in tools is that this is a little bit difficult. tricky.
You have to be honest with yourself because the fact is, some people and sometimes it can be really fun to do the spending and the buying and the choosing and the accumulating, but then you don't use something.
And then it's just a waste.
So it's really fun maybe to go out and buy yourself a really expensive set of fancy kitchen knives.
But if you're not cooking, then that's a waste.
You can't think that owning the tools, buying the tools is enough to drive your behavior.
Buying a fancy tennis racket does not mean that you are going to actually play tennis.
But what is also true is that beautiful tools make work a joy, and beautiful tools can change performance.
Yes.
What I like Gretchen, is the idea of getting the tools once you've shown yourself that you are committed to something, that it is a priority.
Right, that this is something you really value.
Sometimes I think it's easy to say something like well, if I'm really committed to something or I really want to learn how to do something, it really doesn't matter how the tools are.
I'll just work with whatever's there.
But the fact is that tools can really make a difference.
I had a funny conversation with our father, who loves to golf, and he was talking to me about golfing.
And I knew from my husband Jamie, who loves to golf, that there'd been all of these exciting new advancements in golf club technology.
And it turned out he'd had the same golf clubs for like 25 or 30 years.
And I said, oh, my gosh, I think you would love to have new golf clubs.
And he said, oh, darling, it's not the clubs.
It's the golfer.
Meaning my golf game is my golf game because of me.
I'm not blaming it on my clubs.
But the fact is, new clubs really can make a difference.
Elizabeth, you talk about this in technology.
Like the tools that you use can really make a difference in working.
Yes, in all sorts of ways.
Everything from using Final Draft to write scripts to having a stand.
You gave me a stand for my iPad that's like incredibly helpful to me.
I mean, the right lights, all of it matters.
And the right microphone, all of it really enhances my experience with work.
And the thing is a lot of times, if you've got a tool that's not really suitable or isn't working properly or whatever, it's a distraction from whatever your real work is.
Weren't you having a lot of trouble with your printer, Elizabeth?
Do I remember that correctly?
At times, I have.
Sarah is the one who's really having printer issues.
So we were talking about it on Happier in Hollywood.
Yes.
Well, that's a distraction.
Instead of being focused on the work that she's really trying to do, she's spending all this time.
And it's not good time.
It's frustrated time.
It's wasted time.
If you've got a really uncomfortable chair, it's hard to keep your rear in the seat.
Even apart from the hard work of writing, it's just you're uncomfortable.
But a better chair makes it easier.
And I found this with watercoloring.
So when I started getting into watercoloring for this year, I really knew nothing about watercolors.
So I had to read up on it and everything.
And one of the things they say with watercolor is the tools really make a difference in how your painting will look.
And then if you're not using the right paper that's meant for watercolor, or if you're using really inferior quality paints, you're really not going to get the result that you want.
Not because your technique isn't good, but just because the materials need to be of a specific kind in order to get the qualities of watercolor that you're aiming for.
And so, over and over, they're like you really need to invest in sort of this level if you want to have a good result.
Yeah, and I think you can tell what people are really into by what tools they buy over and over again, like the person who has eight guitars.
It's pretty safe to say a priority for them is playing guitar.
Right, and for them, buying a really great guitar could make a difference.
Yes and Gretchen connected to both investing in tools and putting your money where your mouth is.
As you discussed putting your money where your mouth is, I had some thoughts as a music teacher, dealing with parents who aren't sure what to invest in for this child and their instrument.
This is my advice.
Practicing a new music instrument at home between lessons is essential to learning, improving and maintaining motivation for the student.
That's number one.
But buying instruments is expensive.
Even vocal students want to practice with a microphone and amp.
You will know after year one if your child will continue with this particular instrument.
So for that year, rent, borrow, or buy the cheapest version possible.
The instrument cannot be broken or out of tune piano, or there can be no real learning.
But cheap is just fine.
If they continue for a second year, please upgrade their instrument.
Often it is an inadequate tool that discourages from practicing more or limits the enjoyment.
For band and orchestra.
Ask the teacher if there are better versions at the school or recommendations on where to buy used but quality instruments.
This is true for private lessons on guitar or piano as well.
Check online marketplaces or reach out to family and friends.
Often someone is happy to part with a quality instrument if it's going to a good home.
For piano, it is necessary to upgrade to an electronic keyboard with weighted keys or a real piano at this point.
Otherwise, they will never learn how to play well.
Used is perfect.
If your child has continued for at least five years on an instrument and plans to continue, they are ready to spend the money on high quality to last a lifetime of enjoyment and learning.
It will not go to waste.
This will be a beloved gift that will be used throughout their life, even if not continuously.
I have students restart private lessons as adults all the time.
The more we learn about the brain memory, mental health and community building, the more music is found to rise to the top of importance.
Music classes and lessons are an investment that always gives the best returns.
This is so wise about how to invest at different stages that you don't have to decide it all at once, but that you should be mindful about what stage you're in.
Yes, that is so clarifying, Gretchen.
I never considered that.
Yeah, yeah.
It was a very helpful way to think about it.
And the final observation that I would make is, if you're thinking about whether or not you should invest in good tools, if it's worth the investment, listen to people who are in the same situation.
If somebody who knows you and knows the kind of work that you do or what the pursuit that you're trying to follow, if they keep recommending that you invest in a tool, you should listen to them, because everybody around you is like wow, you really need to upgrade your phone.
Your screen is cracked.
It's going to die on you at any moment.
And people are like, no, no, no, I'm not going to do it.
And then the phone dies at always the most inconvenient time.
Or like, I always think of you and the Google Docs saga.
Right.
Right.
When Sarah and I were so resistant to Google Docs and our assistant kept saying you must use Google Docs.
You must use Google Docs.
In that case, that didn't even cost anything.
Right.
That was just investing time to learn how to use a new tool.
And it's a tool that absolutely changed our lives.
But that's an excellent point that by investment, it doesn't just mean investing financially.
It means investing time and energy, because sometimes, even if a tool is free, it costs you something to learn how to use it.
But that investment is wise if it's something that you're really going to use.
So I think sometimes the people around us, because they don't have to go through the painful change, they give us good advice.
So I was trying to listen.
I used a paper file effects for years and everybody kept saying you got to switch to a digital calendar.
And I resisted.
And the minute I switched, I was like...
Oh, man, they were right.
I was wrong.
I love my paper file of facts, but this is much better.
So let us know if you do try this at home and how investing in tools works for you.
Let us know on Instagram threads, TikTok, Facebook.
Drop us an email at podcast at GretchenRubin.com.
Or as always, go to the show notes.
This is happiercast.com slash 555 for everything related to this episode.
Coming up, we've got a happiness hack inspired by my love of Orange Theory Fitness.
But first, this break.
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Okay, Elizabeth, we're back for a happiness hack.
And you were telling me about a hack that you discovered in your race toward 100 sessions of Orange Theory in 2025.
You'd found something that was really helping you stay the course.
Yes, this is what I use for Orange Theory.
And I'm sure there are versions of this for many things out there that will help whatever the listener is doing.
So I do this Orange Theory Fitness, which is a fitness class.
And every day it's a little bit different.
But all of the Orange Theories in the country do the same classes each day.
So everyone's synced.
So there's a trainer named Austin Hendrickson.
He goes by at training tall on Instagram.
And most days he does videos where he shows you how to do movements that are in the class that day, that people often do wrong.
So he'll say if you're doing a lunge and your knees are hurting, here's how you need to adjust yourself.
Because if your knee's not going all the way to the ground, that means you're not getting the maximum benefit.
And if you're doing, you know, a pushup, here's the proper way to do it.
And here's how you're likely doing it wrong.
So what I like is he anticipates how people are doing it incorrectly and and shows the correct way.
And then when I go to the class, I can keep all that in mind.
I mean there are coaches there to come over and correct you, but you know there's a lot of people in the class.
Anything you can do to enhance how well you know how to do an exercise helps.
And I think that there are people like Austin, I'm sure, for all sorts of other exercise classes.
And do you think that following Training Tall on Instagram has helped you stick to this very ambitious goal?
Oh, yes, for sure.
Because when I see him pop up, it puts in my mind, oh boy, I should go to Orange Theory today.
Absolutely.
It's almost like someone, yeah, watching me, even though he has no idea he's serving that purpose.
I do feel like he keeps me honest, for sure.
It's interesting because you're an obliger and it is a form of I wouldn't call it imaginary accountability, but it does create an atmosphere of accountability.
Also, I think it's really good for identity.
You know, when I wrote, Better Than Before, about the 21 strategies to make or break habits, one of the hardest strategies to understand was the strategy of identity, which is that when we identify with something, we're more likely to follow through on it, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse.
But by following this, this is really part of your identity.
I don't follow people who talk about Orange Theory because I don't do Orange Theory.
Right.
You've put yourself in the company of people who do Orange Theory and you're learning about Orange Theory and you're part of that coordination.
Yes.
And I think that that helps.
Being part of that helps.
Solidify.
Yes.
Yeah, it helps solidify it.
Exactly.
And it keeps it uppermost in your mind, because what is bonkers to me is how often you'll really want to do something and then just kind of like utterly forget it.
Like I just forgot about the fact that people are supposed to be flossing, you know, or whatever it is.
Yeah.
So I think that this is a great idea.
How did you find it?
You know, it just popped up one day, and then I kept harding it, and then I followed Austin.
Now what I will say is it also goes with Sarah and I this month issued a Control Your Algorithm October Challenge.
And this sort of goes with that of like okay, if I'm interested in Orange Theory, let me seek out this kind of material, make sure that I watch it and like it, and then I will get more of it.
Yes.
And less of things that are not helpful or positive for me.
That's a great suggestion.
Well, onward to the end of 2025, Elizabeth.
I know you've been working hard to meet your number.
I'm trying.
That's good.
That's good.
And now let's talk about Read 25 in 25.
So in 2025, our yearly challenge is to read for 25 minutes every day.
Such a fun challenge.
And I had a recent epiphany about reading, Elizabeth.
What is it?
You've had so many epiphanies about reading in your life.
I can't believe there's still one out there.
No, this is one that has already had a huge impact on me.
Okay, so I was with my friend Laura Vanderkam, and Laura Vanderkam is a time use expert.
So she writes and researches about how we can make the best use of our time.
She's written several great books, like 168 Hours You Have More Time Than You Think and Tranquility by Tuesday.
Nine Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters.
So that's what she writes about.
It's like, how do you use your time in a way that is really getting you the life that you want.
So of course I'm so interested in that.
And the thing about Laura is like, she works full time.
She has five children.
She runs regularly.
She sings in a choir.
She loves to read.
So she's somebody who like is really living it.
You know, she doesn't just talk about it.
So I take what she says very seriously.
So we go to this bookstore together.
We're walking around, we're like analyzing the book jackets and we're swapping recommendations and everything.
And I made some comment like, there's so many books to read in the world.
It's so great.
And she said something like, yeah, and we only have 2,600 books left.
And I was like, wait, what are you talking about?
That is not nearly enough for me.
2,600 is not enough.
And she goes, well, if you read a book a week for 50 years, that would be 2,600 books.
Wow.
And I thought, well, to be clear, I don't think that I have 50 years left.
Right.
But there's something about the 2600 books, And this ties into my summer of Sundoku when I was trying to like weed through my piles.
Often with a book, I'll always think well, maybe this is the book that no one ever talks about, but I'll read it and it will just become one of my favorite books, because that has happened to me.
There are many books that I love love, love that nobody in the world ever, as far as I can tell, has ever heard of.
Mm-hmm.
And then there's also a book where the whole book wasn't that good but there was one germ of an idea or there was one metaphor or there was one vocabulary word where I'm like I'm really glad I read that book because I really did gain this one thing.
Now, I'm always trying to stop reading a book if I don't like it, but I always want to stretch for a book that maybe isn't front and center of my most desirable stack.
Mm-hmm.
But if I'm spending all my time on these books that are like well, maybe there's a germ of an idea in here.
Oh, you know, maybe there'll be one line that I'll write down in my quotations notebook.
That maybe isn't good enough.
Not with just 2,600 left.
There's just 2,600 left.
So I went through my shelves because you know I've been trying to weed them and trying to weed them.
And I took out a whole other big stack.
They just don't make it into 2,600.
Right.
Well, and it definitely helps with what you just mentioned also of not finishing a book that you're not interested in.
So don't start a book you're not interested in.
Don't finish a book you're not interested in.
Move on to the next one, and then you don't have to count that as one of your 2,600.
Now, lucky for you, Gretch, you can sometimes read five books in a week.
So at least you'll make up some ground there, even if you don't have the full 50 years left.
But I hear what you're saying.
What you said, though, Elizabeth, is a very helpful reframing.
Because with me, if I read half of it, I know that part of the reasons that it's hard for me not to finish it, even if I don't 100 enjoy it, is that I want the credit for it.
Like, I just want the psychological credit of like, I finished it.
At the end of the month, when I take my picture of my book stacks, I get credit for it.
Whereas if I put it down without finishing it, I don't get credit for it.
I'm reading a book right now.
I won't name names.
But I'm like, it was perfectly enjoyable, but I have no desire to finish it.
It was good.
I'm glad I read half of it, but there's just going to be more of the same, I think.
But maybe not.
But I don't feel like keeping reading it.
I'm not interested in it anymore.
But now, see, you've reframed it, so I get credit for that.
Because if I don't read it, then it doesn't go off my 2600.
Yes.
It's like a freebie.
Yes.
I've kept that slot open.
Of course it's completely irrational, but I can see that that will help my mind, where I'll be like okay, let me keep that for a book that I really want to finish.
And you know, I love to reread.
So I don't even have 2,600 new books because I love to reread.
I love to read and I think about reading, but I always thought of it as something like an inexhaustible resource, because you'll never come to the end of the books that you want to read, but I will come the end of my time.
And so I just need to make better decisions.
Well, I feel confident you'll get to more than 2,600, but nonetheless, it's a finite number.
I can read the mediocre books at the end.
Yeah, there you go.
It's like, okay, this is the stack that I'll read when I get down to 100 left.
Yes, absolutely.
Good idea.
Yeah.
So anyway, thank you, Laura Vanderkam, for giving me a startling revelation about mortality.
Love it.
All right, Gretch, coming up, you mentioned flossing.
You have a flossing demerit.
But first, this break.
We'll see you next time.
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I cannot wait to start listening.
Yeah, that's the great thing about Audible.
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Okay.
We are back with demerits and gold stars.
And this week, Gretchen, you are up with a happiness demerit.
Yes.
So flossing.
So clearly flossing is on my mind because something mysterious happened to me with flossing.
You don't often think of mystery in flossing, but you'd been talking about how you were trying to floss more, because you need to floss twice a day.
And, as you were talking about it, it occurred to me and this was a while back, maybe it was that on your 25 for 25 list that we were talking about.
I think it might've been last year.
It's been a while.
Yeah.
Okay.
Well, whenever you started talking about it, it occurred to me like, oh, I forgot about flossing.
I use those picks, but it's a good idea to floss too.
So I just started flossing.
And it was kind of a magical thing where just the idea that you had not even saying it to me, just talking about it for yourself, got me back in the habit of flossing.
And it came back very easily because flossing Flossing is a tough habit, I think, for a lot of people.
But all of a sudden, I was just flossing.
Floss, floss, floss.
So this goes on.
And then what happened?
I don't know.
I just stopped flossing.
I didn't notice.
It has been a long time now since I was flossing.
My eye finally caught on it in the bathroom and I thought oh my gosh, I just forgot about flossing.
And this is what is mysterious to me is you can do something faithfully for such a long time and then you just forget about it.
I mean, it wasn't even like I was like, oh, I've been so good about flossing.
I need to give myself a break or I'll be so good starting next month.
I'll start then.
Or, you know, life's too short to spend my life flossing away.
I just forgot about flossing.
My guess is it happened when you had a cold.
You had a cold a while back.
And I bet during that time, you know you were either too tired or the idea of flossing just seemed gross when you're sick sometimes.
And I bet you just stopped doing it and forgot about it while you were sick.
Because that was at least a week.
Yes.
I bet that is a really good hypothesis, because very often when habits are broken it's because there has been some change that's thrown you out of that habit.
It could be something like your commute changes, which is very obvious.
But it can even be something like you rearrange your living room furniture.
Or even like this, like you get a really bad cold.
And somehow...
It interferes with it and it somehow just trips the switch and something that had been going on is now off.
Oh, I bet you're right, Elizabeth.
So now I've started flossing again, and I think that now that I've sort of gone through this, next time I'll be more attentive.
Aware, yeah.
Or at least keep the flossing container more front and center.
I have it tucked in a thing where it's not visible.
I can easily get to it, but I don't see it.
I can keep it in a visible place so I have a little bit of a visual cue.
Though you can often just start ignoring visual cues, too.
They just become wallpaper and you don't even notice it.
Very true.
But it can help.
But, Elizabeth, what is your gold star?
Take us up.
Well Gretch, I want to give a gold star to the people who are organizing the class trip that my son is about to go on.
Jack's about to go on.
It's a camping trip, and it's four nights, no running water.
And they sent a very specific packing list.
And that's my gold star is for this very specific packing list.
Now, I must say, it is a very daunting list.
Mm-hmm.
For those of us who aren't campers and sort of don't have a lot of things that one needs for camping.
I'm not saying it's like stoves or anything, but it's long underwear and utensils, things like that.
But having this very specific list is like a security blanket, because I would have no idea what to send him with if I did not have this list.
But as a result...
I can be very methodical in prepping for this camping trip.
So I'm very grateful for it.
And it's saving me from having to survey everyone I know for what they think we should bring.
This way, I just know what I need and I can go about assembling the list.
Right.
Like you'd call somebody like, oh, I know you had a kid who did it two years ago.
What do you wish you had?
Do you remember?
Oh, let me look it up in my notes on my phone.
And yeah.
Well, I think you need to channel a little bit of Danette's energy going through the list and checking it and not letting Jack leave the car.
Yeah, exactly.
We're putting everything in the trunk.
Don't remove the headlamp from the duffel bag.
Right.
Like somebody, like oh, I was just looking in there to see if my extra set of headphones and I guess I just left everything on the floor.
Yeah.
No, you can imagine how that happens.
Yeah.
So gold star.
It's a lot of trouble to make a list like that.
But if one person does the work, then they save so many people the effort.
Of course it reminds me of the list we got for our walking trip in England last summer, which we were very studious about making sure we had every single item Gretch.
We are students who want to get an A on whatever we're doing.
So we had our complete list, and Jack will have the complete list as well.
Remind me how many times you went back to check your hiking boots.
Three times I went back to REI.
And they did work in the end.
I wore them without getting any blisters.
I know.
You and I were blister-phobic.
We had so much anti-blister stuff.
I mean, we were very intent on no blisters.
Yes, if Jack can use all of your foot balms and all of that stuff.
So this week our resource is.
I wanted to remind people that on my Secrets of Adulthood sub stack, which I love doing, I recently talked with bestselling author Jen Hatmaker, whose book Awake is causing immense amount of buzz.
It's a huge bestseller.
And Jen shared terrific advice for anyone who is navigating a big life change.
That's what her memoir is about, navigating a big life change.
And she described two questions that guided her through a very hard time in her own life.
And I thought that they were so... thought-provoking and useful.
So if you would be interested in hearing our conversation, you can visit secretsofadulthoodsubstackcom.
And if you want to hear more conversations like that, you can subscribe there.
Also, Elizabeth has her Substack, Happier in Hollywood.
So subscribe away.
There's so much fun content there.
And Alicia, speaking of fun content, though I hate to talk about books as content.
That's so yuck.
What are we reading?
What are you reading?
I am rereading All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert.
Okay, I know why you're doing that.
And I am reading All Passions Spent by Vita Sackville-West.
I guess that's my book 2600.
The count is on.
Yeah.
And that's it for this episode of Happier.
Remember to try this at home.
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Thank you to our executive producer, Chuck Reed, and everyone at Lemonada.
If you haven't subscribed to Lemonada Premium yet, now is the perfect time.
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Indeed.
Until next week, I'm Elizabeth Kraft.
And I'm Gretchen Rubin.
Thanks for joining us Onward and Upward.
So, Elizabeth, what is the oddest thing that was on the packing list?
Because, like, I get a plastic bowl.
Was there anything where you're like, huh, I didn't know he'd need that?
No, but the most confounding thing is that he needs a sleeping bag that goes is as low as 20 degrees.
And I am trying to figure out what his two sleeping bags are rated for.
So that's the confounding item.
Right, right, right, right.
When you're like, what do we already have?
Yes, I don't want to buy another sleeping bag if I don't need to.
From the Onward Project.
Hi, Gretchen, Craig Robinson, and my little sister Michelle here.
We host a new podcast called IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson.
We know you're the queen of giving advice, so we wanted to get a few tips from you.
Gretchen, a lot of our listeners are going through some major life changes.
What advice do you have for folks who are trying to stay grounded in the midst of major life transitions?
Craig and Michelle, I am so happy to be talking to you.
Here are a few questions that might help us gain perspective.
So consider questions like this.
What activities take up my time but are not particularly useful or stimulating for me?
Do I spend a lot of time on something that's important to someone else but is not very important to me?
If I could magically change one habit in my life, what would I choose?
And here's a question.
Would I like to have more time in solitude restorative solitude or would I like to have more time with friends?
You know, just thinking about questions like this can help us start to figure out how we might make our lives happier.
With greater self-knowledge, we're better able to make hard decisions that reflect ourselves, our own nature, our own interests, our own values.
In my own case, I have found that the more my life reflects my nature, the happier I get and the more grounded I feel when I'm going through a period of major change or transition.
For more great advice, search for IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson wherever you get podcasts.
You can listen to Issa Rae on letting go of certain friendships, Kiki Palmer on why disappointment is actually the key to career success, Seth and Lauren Rogan on caring for aging parents, and so many more.
