Podcast 14: Cultivate a Shrine, Know What's Different about You, and Fight Hostess Neurosis. | Gretchen Rubin                                [Skip to content](#content)   [ ![](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/gretchenrubin-logo-768x344.png) ](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com)

    - May 27, 2015

# Podcast 14: Cultivate a Shrine, Know What’s Different about You, and Fight Hostess Neurosis.

   Happier with Gretchen Rubin

[Listen OnSpotify](https://open.spotify.com/episode/6e4nB0aOy1UT7oeQzQnipd)[Listen OnSOUNDCLOUD](https://soundcloud.com/panoply/happier-with-gretchen-rubin-shrines-chronotypes-and-hostess-neurosis/s-9uKGx%20)[Listen OnPandora](http://www.stitcher.com/s?eid=38231921)

Happier with Gretchen Rubin: Shrines, Chronotypes, and Hostess Neurosis

![Happier with Gretchen Rubin: Shrines, Chronotypes, and Hostess Neurosis](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/4da490fe-34f7-11f1-8af6-07b87929daa3/image/f255fc2790d879c623f0beb2f1ec2fbc.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress)

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        <a class="elementor-toggle-title" tabindex="0">EPISODE NOTES</a>

It’s Wednesday– time for the next installment of “[**Happier with Gretchen Rubin**](https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/happier-with-gretchen-rubin/id969519520?mt=2&ls=1)[**.**](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/happier-with-gretchen-rubin/id969519520?mt=2)“

#### **Updates**

We have listeners in *192 countries*! Zoikes. And we’ve heard from a lot of people who have successfully used the **“one-minute rule”** that we discussed in the [**first episode**](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/1-welcome-to-the-happier-podcast/). Great to hear that it’s working for people.

#### **Try This at Home**

Cultivate a shrine. As promised, here are photos of Elizabeth’s Shrine to Mugs and my Shrine to Smell.

![podcast Mug Shrine](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/podcastMugShrine-e1662998612251-225x300.jpg)![shrine to smell](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/shrinetosmell.jpg?resize=300,200)

 If you’d like to read more about shrines, check out [**Happier at Home**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307886794/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307886794&linkCode=as2&tag=thehappproj-20&linkId=57FOPC3634VXAVIE).

#### **[Better Than Before](http://staging.gretchenrubin.com/books/before-after/before-after/) Habit Strategy/Know Yourself Better**

**Use the “[Strategy of Distinctions](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/articles/video-for-habits-the-strategy-of-self-knowledge/)” to figure out the habits that will work for *you***. Which might be *very different* from what works for other people. The book I mention is [**Internal Time: Chronotypes, Social Jet Lag, and Why You’re So Tired**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0674065859/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0674065859&linkCode=as2&tag=thehappproj-20&linkId=D27RNOP43PHQ4MZZ) by Till Roenneberg.

#### **Listener Question**

“How do you stick to your habits for the long run?”

#### **Gretchen’s Demerit**

Gretchen confesses to **“hostess neurosis,”** which is our family term for the irritable, demanding frame of mind that descends when it’s time to act as a hostess.

#### **Elizabeth’s Gold Star**

Elizabeth gives a gold star to **Jeff and to the website [CaringBridge](http://www.caringbridge.org/?gclid=COC_38PB4sUCFVMXHwodqW4Agg).** Elizabeth’s longtime friend Suzanne is dealing with cancer, and her husband Jeff is doing a great job of keeping everyone updated on CaringBridge.

How do you like the photo? That’s Elizabeth’s back yard in Encino. Orange trees!

   #### RESOURCES

    The Happier app is on Twitter!

Follow @thehappierapp for Know Yourself Better questions, ideas for aims, and more. And if youu2019re usingu0003the app, be sure to tag us in your Tweets u2014 weu2019d love to hear what youu2019re working on and how youu2019re usingu0003the app. For 30% off select items from the Happiness Project collection, use code HAPPIERSUMMER30u0003at checkout. You'll get 30% off on purchases of t-shirts, travels mugs, water bottles, and pouches.

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   #### LATEST PODCASTS

    [  ](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/little-happier-why-winston-churchill-used-courteous-speech-in-a-letter-about-war/)

[Little Happier: Why Winston Churchill Used Courteous Speech in a Letter About War](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/little-happier-why-winston-churchill-used-courteous-speech-in-a-letter-about-war/)

- June 29, 2026

   [  ](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/more-happier-get-better-at-socializing-make-the-most-of-halfway-day/)

[More Happier: Get Better at Socializing &amp; Make the Most of “Halfway Day”](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/more-happier-get-better-at-socializing-make-the-most-of-halfway-day/)

- June 27, 2026

   [  ](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/reflect-on-halfway-day-plus-how-abstainers-can-moderate/)

[Reflect on “Halfway Day,” Plus How Abstainers Can Moderate](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/reflect-on-halfway-day-plus-how-abstainers-can-moderate/)

- June 24, 2026

   #### YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

    [  ](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/10-special-live-from-elizabeths-cluttered-closet/)

[Podcast 10: Special Episode! Live from Elizabeth’s Cluttered Closet.](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/10-special-live-from-elizabeths-cluttered-closet/)

- April 29, 2015

   [  ](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/122-tackle-a-power-day/)

[Podcast 122: Tackle a “Power Day,” People Who Question Your Good Habits, and What’s Your Advice about College-Bound Children?](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/122-tackle-a-power-day/)

- June 21, 2017

   [  ](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/113-reclaim-your-dump-zones/)

[Podcast 113: Reclaim Your Dump Zones, a Hack for Making Tough Decisions, and Is Your Birthday Important to You?](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/113-reclaim-your-dump-zones/)

- April 19, 2017

  #### DISCOVER MORE

# Like what you see? Explore more about this topic.

- [Better Than Before](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/secondary_tag/better-than-before/), [Habit Change](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/secondary_tag/habit-change/), [Organization](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/secondary_tag/organization/), [Productivity](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/secondary_tag/productivity/)

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