Make Your Life Happier: Small Habits for Big Joy with Gretchen Rubin (Ep 269)
About the episode
Happiness starts at home and Gretchen Rubin’s here to prove it. The 7x best-selling author joins Deanna Yates to explore the connection between clutter and happiness, building habits that stick, and how knowing your personality can help you create a home that supports your well-being. It’s a practical and uplifting conversation for anyone ready to live lighter and happier.
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Your home holds the key to your happiness and 7x best-selling author, Gretchen Rubin, is here to show us why.
In this episode, host Deanna Yates talks with happiness expert Gretchen Rubin for a down-to-earth conversation about how the things in our homes affect how we feel, think, and live.
They dive into the deeper connection between outer order and inner calm, why it’s not about having a perfect home but a supportive one, and how to create better habits using your own personality type, not someone else’s system.
You’ll also hear about Gretchen’s Secrets of Adulthood, her fresh take on small wins, sensory delight, emotional clutter, and her favorite tip for dealing with all the little things kids bring home.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your stuff or unsure where to start, this episode will help you rethink how to create a home that truly supports your happiness.
Key Takeaways:
1. Why small shifts can have a big impact on your joy
2. The link between clutter, clarity, and calm
3. How to design habits that stick (based on your personality)
4. Simple ways to make decluttering more doable
5. How rediscovering yourself helps you create a space that feels like home
About Gretchen Rubin:
Gretchen Rubin is one of today’s most influential and thought-provoking observers of happiness and human nature. She’s known for her ability to convey complex ideas—from science to literature to stories from her own life—with levity and clarity.
She’s the author of many bestselling books, such as The Happiness Project, Better Than Before, The Four Tendencies, and Life in Five Senses which have sold millions of copies in more than thirty languages. Her most recent book is Secrets of Adulthood.
She’s also host of the popular podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and founder of award-winning Happier app, which helps people track their happiness-boosting habits.
Gretchen Rubin has been interviewed by Oprah, eaten dinner with Nobel Prize-winner Daniel Kahneman, walked arm-in-arm with the Dalai Lama, had her work reported on in a medical journal, been written up in the New Yorker, and been an answer on Jeopardy! After starting her career in law, she realized she wanted to be a writer while she was clerking for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Raised in Kansas City, she lives in New York City with her family.
Time Stamps:
00:00 Welcome + Guest Overview
02:54 Gretchen shares what she’s currently learning about herself
04:38 How clutter influences happiness
08:47 Simple ways to create outer order
22:09 The Four Tendencies explained
31:49 Designing your space to support habits
33:00 Why convenience beats willpower
36:31 What are “Secrets of Adulthood”?
37:38 Emotional side of decluttering
46:48 Rediscovering joy in your quirks
56:54 Lightning round: habits, happiness, and favorite tips
59:29 Final takeaways + what to do next
Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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About Deanna Yates
Based in San Diego, CA, Deanna helps high-achieving moms clear the clutter from their homes and lives.
Through coaching, courses, summits, and her top-ranked Wannabe Clutter Free podcast, she supports modern women in building organized, peaceful homes where they can thrive.
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