Happier with Gretchen Rubin

Ep. 605: Why You Should Leave the House, Plus Why Sometimes You Don’t Need to Have an Opinion

September 23, 2026·34 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

We discuss why we should make an effort to leave the house. Plus, a stumbling block related to “having a take,” and a simple hack for reconnecting with people. Episode highlights: Try This At Home—Why leaving the house, even briefly, has a big effect on happiness [06:42] Happiness Hack: a tip for reconnecting with people you haven't talked to in a while [15:30] Happiness Stumbling Block— We don't have to have an opinion on everything [21:00] Demerits and Gold Stars: Gretchen’s Demerit: Leaving her shoe in a cab—Gold Star to the cab company! Elizabeth’s Gold Star: Dinner at the Garland Hotel [23:56] Mentioned in this episode: Plot Twist: Life, Craft, and the Messy First Draft by Harlan Coben — upcoming book club pick  Kate Bowler's "Everything Happens" newsletter  Free 7-Day Email Challenge: Boost Your Energy Through Movement  Blacktail by Scott Hawkins (Amazon, Bookshop)  Connect with Us: Email: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Website: gretchenrubin.com Instagram: @gretchenrubin | @lizcraft Learn more about Gretchen's Four Tendencies personality framework and take the free quiz. Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify — it helps other listeners find the show!Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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