Podcast 315: Sixth Anniversary! Our Most Popular Try-This-at-Home Tips, Happiness Hacks & Favorite Moments | Gretchen Rubin [Skip to content](#content) [  ](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com)
- March 3, 2021
# Podcast 315: Sixth Anniversary! Our Most Popular Try-This-at-Home Tips, Happiness Hacks & Favorite Moments
Happier with Gretchen Rubin
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Ep. 315: Sixth Anniversary! Our Most Popular Try-This-at-Home Tips, Happiness Hacks & Favorite Moments
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EPISODE NOTES
#### **Update**
It’s the sixth anniversary of the *[Happier with Gretchen Rubin](/podcasts/)* podcast, and it’s also a big milestone for [*Happier in Hollywood*](http://happierinhollywood.com/) podcast! They just hit episode 200.
Every year, we celebrate our anniversary with a round-up of our favorite moments, and this year was very different because of the pandemic.
We haven’t seen each other in more than a year—we’ve never been apart for so long. We couldn’t do any live shows, as we’d planned. However, we did do [Instagram Live shows](https://www.instagram.com/gretchenrubin/channel/) for *months—*which we loved to do.
#### **Favorite episodes related to COVID-19**
[Bonus: Coping During COVID-19](/podcast/bonus-coping-during-covid-19/)—How to Stay Happier and Calmer in Difficult Times.
[Episode 269](/podcast/269-choose-a-covid-19-mantra/) – “Choose a COVID-19 mantra.” I chose “Put Down the Clipboard” and Elizabeth chose “Closer, Stronger, Lighter.” In [episode 274](/podcast/274-change-your-life-when-youre-changing-your-life/), we did a deep dive into listeners’ mantras.
[Episode 303](/podcast/303-find-a-ritual-to-exorcise-2020/) – “Find a ritual to ‘Exorcise 2020.’”
#### **Our favorite Try This at Home ideas**
We love all discussions related to the yearly lists. In episode [304](/podcast/304-how-we-did-with-our-20-for-2020-lists/), we disclosed how we did on our “20 for 20” lists; in [episode 307](/podcast/307-we-reveal-our-21-for-2021-lists/), we revealed our “21 for 21” lists. In episode [309](/podcast/309-heed-a-suggestion/), we did a deep dive into listeners’ ideas—fascinating.
We also love any discussion of the one-word theme. In [episode 254,](/podcast/254-choose-a-one-word-theme-for-the-year/) we talked about our choices: Open (Gretchen) and Butterfly (Elizabeth).
[\#Walk20in20](/articles/join-us-to-walk-for-20-minutes-every-day-in-0-walk20in20/) was such a success that in episode [305](/podcast/305-walk-20-in-2020-listener-success-stories/), we unveiled the challenge for 2021: [\#Read21in21.](/articles/join-us-to-read-for-21-minutes-every-day-in-2021-read21in21/) This is a *delightful* challenge, and listeners—and Elizabeth and I—are loving it. In [episode 310](/podcast/310-hacks-about-how-to-read21in21/), we did a Very Special Episode dedicated to hacks for reading more.
We loved the discussion in [episode 292](/podcast/292-create-a-hidden-delight/), to “Create a hidden delight,” and the deep dive into listeners’ hidden delights in [episode 296](http://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast-episode/296-deep-dive-hidden-delights/).
[Episode 296](http://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast-episode/296-deep-dive-hidden-delights/) was a great discussion of why it’s helpful to have a personal policy, and we did a round-up of listeners’ personal policies in [episode 301](/podcast/301-embrace-an-attitude-of-gratitude/).
Elizabeth has really enjoyed the Try That at Home from [episode 281](/podcast/281-start-a-social-issues-book-club/) – “Start a social issues book club.”
[Episode 277](/podcast/277-schedule-an-empower-hour/) –”Empower Hour,” a great twist on “[Power Hour](/podcast/6-try-power-hour/).”
#### **Happiness Hacks**
Fun with cornstarch! [Episode 276.](/podcast/276-design-your-summer/)
A listener mentioned the [Skylight Frame](https://www.skylightframe.com/) as a tool to create a feeling of connection when we can’t meet in person, and several people wrote to say how much they liked this frame.
[Podcast 290: Very Special Episode: An Extravaganza of Hacks! Hacks for Relationships, Pandemic, Clutter, Travel, and More.](/podcast/290-hacks-for-relationships/)
#### **Favorite moments**
We won a Webby Award, which is a big honor.
I loved recording the audio book of [*A Christmas Carol.*](/podcast/bonus-charles-dickenss-a-christmas-carol-pt-i/)
We heard from a lot of people about the interview with Ron Lieber in [episode 311](/podcast/311-find-a-manifestation-of-your-one-word-theme/) about his book *The Price You Pay for College* ([Amazon](https://amzn.to/2MnP8yo), [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/15926/9780062867308)).
In general, it was a year heavy on whimsy—we all needed some whimsy!
#### **Top six episodes of 2020**
- [Episode 265](/podcast/265-give-a-sensorium-gift/) – Why you should give a “Sensorium Gift,” and a deep dive into suggestions for #Walk20in20.
- [Episode 263](/podcast/263-whats-your-guiding-question/) – Ask yourself, “What’s my guiding question?” Plus, a twist on #20for2020.
- [Bonus Episode](/podcast/bonus-coping-during-covid-19/) – We discuss strategies for coping during the early days of COVID-19.
- [Episode 264](/podcast/264-keep-a-stress-diary/) – Why you should keep a stress diary, and Jordan Harbinger explains how to network better.
- [Episode 266](/podcast/266-beware-the-myths-of-spring-cleaning/) – Beware the myths of spring cleaning and decluttering!
- [Episode 269](/podcast/269-choose-a-covid-19-mantra/) – Choose a COVID-19 mantra, and a fun way to celebrate virtually.
We still want to hear from listeners about *your* favorite moments. **We’re planning a Very Special Episode, so please send in your suggestions!**
#### **Gretchen and Elizabeth’s Gold Star**
We want to give a big gold star to all you listeners for listening, especially for those who have taken the time to rate, review, and subscribe. *Thank you!*
Be sure to listen to the very end of the episode, because we have a funny “button” created by Chuck, a very small selection of the many “ums,” “ahs,” “okays,” “yeahs,” and “you knows” he has trimmed out over the year.
#### **What we’re reading**
- *Deacon King Kong* by James McBride ([Amazon](https://amzn.to/2YFhkP1), [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/books/deacon-king-kong/9780735216723))
- *Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual* by Luvvie Ajayi Jones ([Amazon](https://amzn.to/301GiJF), [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/15926/9781984881908))
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#### YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
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[Bonus: To Celebrate Our Fifth Anniversary, A Blast from the Past! Listen to Our Very First Episode.](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/bonus-on-our-fifth-anniversary-a-blast-from-the-past/)
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[Podcast 262: Fifth Anniversary Extravaganza! Our Favorite Moments from the Past Five Years.](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/262-5th-anniversary-fav-moments-from-the-past-5-years/)
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[Podcast 209: Fourth Anniversary! Our Most Popular Try-This-at-Home Tips, Happiness Hacks & Favorite Moments.](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/209-4th-anniversary-try-this-at-home-tips/)
- February 20, 2019
[ ](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/157-3rd-anniversary-try-this-at-home-tips/)
[Podcast 157: Third Anniversary! Our Most Popular Try-This-at-Home Tips, Happiness Hacks & Favorite Moments.](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/157-3rd-anniversary-try-this-at-home-tips/)
- February 21, 2018
[ ](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/106-2nd-anniversary-try-this-at-home-tips/)
[Podcast 106: Second Anniversary! Our Most Popular Try-This-at-Home Tips, Before-&-After Stories, and Favorite Moments.](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/106-2nd-anniversary-try-this-at-home-tips/)
- March 1, 2017
[ ](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/podcast-episode-54-1st-anniversary-try-this-at-home-tips/)
[Podcast 54: One-Year Anniversary! Our Most Popular Try-This-at-Home Tips, Before-&-After Stories, and Favorite Moments.](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/podcast/podcast-episode-54-1st-anniversary-try-this-at-home-tips/)
- March 2, 2016
#### DISCOVER MORE
# Like what you see? Explore more about this topic.
- [Covid](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/secondary_tag/covid-19/), [Memories](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/secondary_tag/memories/), [Tips](https://staging.gretchenrubin.com/secondary_tag/tips/)
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