It’s time for the next installment of  “Happier with Gretchen Rubin.”

Update

Elizabeth is still in New York City. She’s working so hard on a pilot (glamorous, right?) that I’ve hardly seen her.

We also share a before-and-after story from our listener Kate, who has used the knowledge that she’s an Obliger to great results — also Pairing.

Try This at Home

Choose a mantra for the day. In Episode 26 , we talked about picking a one-word or one-phrase theme for the year. (Elizabeth picked “Novel,” I picked “Vision.”) Picking one for the day works well, too — for instance, Elizabeth chose “I can” when she felt out of control. Listen to the end of the episode if you want to hear Joe Gideon say, “It’s showtime, folks.”

Happiness Stumbling Block

The awful habit of “awfulizing” — dwelling on the worst possible scenarios. I talk about my fear of driving, which I discuss at length in Happier at Home.

Listener Question

“Having a clean apartment makes me feel less stressed. But we have ‘the chair’ where once-worn clothes get stuck.” Listeners, do you have any other good solutions?

Elizabeth’s Demerit

Elizabeth didn’t start packing for her long trip to New York City until the afternoon before she left.

Gretchen’s Gold Star

I give a gold star to one of my favorite movies, All That Jazz.