What Makes a Good Day?
What Makes a Good Day?

What Makes a Good Day?

Eric Benson

Overview
Episodes

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What Makes a Good Day is a podcast for anyone who creates hosted by design professor Eric Benson (of the award-winning Climify podcast). Each episode tackles the ancient question that feels urgently contemporary: what constitutes a life worth living?What Makes a Good Day skips the productivity hacks and morning routine worship. Instead, I ask: are you living by your own values, or reacting to everyone else's expectations? Through conversations with creative practitioners who've figured a few things out, alongside insights from Stoic philosophy and contemporary psychology, we explore how small, intentional choices compound into lives that feel genuinely meaningful and joyous.What Makes a Good Day is your weekly reset—a space to step back from the chaos and honestly assess how to make each day live up to the life you want to live.Join me. Let's figure out what we're actually doing here.New episodes weekly. Brought to you by Re-nourish.org—because sometimes the most nourishing thing you can do is ask better questions.

Recent Episodes

Veena Harbaugh on Finding Your Life Force
MAY 27, 2026
Veena Harbaugh on Finding Your Life Force
<p>Veena Harbaugh, a sustainability strategist, author, and change-maker, joins host Eric Benson to talk about what a good day actually feels like, and how you know when you're in one. For Veena, it comes down to two things: creativity and connection. Whether she's writing, arranging flowers, or having an unplanned two-hour lunch with a fellow author, she feels what she calls her "life force." She rarely knows it's been a good day until later — when she notices she's chatting with strangers, or that even a dentist appointment went surprisingly well.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://budswithveena.substack.com">Veena Harbaugh</a> is a sustainability strategist, writer, and change-maker based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is currently writing <em>Meet the Moment: How to Become and Stay a Force for Positive Change</em> and hosts the Do-Gooders Book Club on Substack.</p><p>☕ Afuera Coffee Co. - Sustainable Coffee Get 15% OFF | Promo Code: AGOODDAY <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://promocode.to/afuera-coffee-co/agoodday-2ao">https://promocode.to/afuera-coffee-co/agoodday-2ao</a></p><p>☕ <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://buymeacoffee.com/renourish">buymeacoffee.com/renourish</a> (support the show!)</p><p>Host: Eric Benson → <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://ericbenson.re-nourish.org">ericbenson.re-nourish.org</a></p><p><strong>Listen &amp; Subscribe</strong>: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://re-nourish.org/podcast">re-nourish.org/podcast</a></p><p><strong>Music by: </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6n2eQU7xtNMdRJqsQC85Dg?si=CEJZcw_NSK-j01-qhCVdzA">John Opferkuch</a></p><p><strong>Follow us on Instagram</strong>: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/renourishdesign">@RenourishDesign</a></p><p>Resources mentioned in the episode:</p><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.gettingthingsdone.com/">David Allen – <em>Getting Things Done</em> (GTD)</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.buildingasecondbrain.com/">Tiago Forte – Building a Second Brain &amp; The PARA Method</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.lisacongdon.com/">Lisa Congdon – Values Card Deck &amp; Illustration Work</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.theharadamethod.com/">The Harada Method</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/16234664-the-harada-method-the-spirit-of-self-reliance">Takashi Harada – <em>The Harada Method: The Spirit of Self-Reliance</em></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6441">Francis Frei – Harvard Business School / Leadership Consortium</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ajharper.com/">AJ Harper – Writing Workshops</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.laura-stone.com/">Laura Stone – Writing Community</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://budswithveena.substack.com">Veena's Do-Gooders Book Club (Substack)</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_flow_the_secret_to_happiness">Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi – Flow</a></li></ul>
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59 MIN
Steven McCarthy on Designing a Good Day
MAY 20, 2026
Steven McCarthy on Designing a Good Day
<p>Retire, but don't stop. For Steven McCarthy, professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota and lifelong designer, a good day is less about structure and more about staying curious, being aware, and having discipline. </p><p>For Steven, a good day starts with sleep you didn't have to set an alarm for. He's shaped a quiet retirement ritual (coffee, sunlight, pancakes, and the morning news) that leads to exercise and creative work. His ritual traces back to his father, who started walking four miles a day in his 40s and didn't stop until he was in his 80s, logging every step and every coin he found on the ground.</p><p>As a graphic designer and activist, Steven makes protest posters and marches with them. He thinks in longer time scales about his granddaughters and about trajectories that stretch past this year or this decade. He recognizes that a good day isn't always a smooth one, but it's one you show up for anyway to create a better future for all.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current" href="https://stevenmccarthy.design/">Steven McCarthy</a> is a professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota. He writes, publishes, and exhibits design work that lives at the intersection of art, culture, and activism. Learn more about him at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://stevenmccarthy.design">www.stevenmccarthy.design</a></p><p>☕ <strong>Afuera Coffee Co. - Sustainable Coffee Get 15% OFF </strong>| Promo Code: <strong>AGOODDAY </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://promocode.to/afuera-coffee-co/agoodday-2ao">https://promocode.to/afuera-coffee-co/agoodday-2ao</a></p><p>☕ <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current" href="http://buymeacoffee.com/renourish">buymeacoffee.com/renourish</a> (support the show!)</p><p><strong>Host: Eric Benson →</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://ericbenson.re-nourish.org">ericbenson.re-nourish.org</a> </p><p><strong>Listen &amp; Subscribe:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://re-nourish.org/podcast">re-nourish.org/podcast</a> </p><p><strong>Music by:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6n2eQU7xtNMdRJqsQC85Dg?si=CEJZcw_NSK-j01-qhCVdzA">John Opferkuch</a> </p><p><strong>Follow us on Instagram:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current" href="https://www.instagram.com/renourishdesign">@RenourishDesign</a></p><p><strong>Resources in the Episode:</strong></p><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://transitiondesigninstitute.net">Transition Design Institute</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-four-horsemen-the-conversation-that-sparked-an-atheist-revolution_richard-dawkins_christopher-hitchens/19761693/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=us_dsa_general_customer_acquisition_16970393170&amp;utm_adgroup=&amp;utm_term=&amp;utm_content=664239405990&amp;gad_source=5&amp;gad_campaignid=16970393170&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkvHmsdHIlAMV1jcIBR20ThNcEAAYASAAEgJYH_D_BwE#edition=20973039&amp;idiq=37010592"><em>The Four Horsemen: The Conversation That Sparked an Atheist Revolution</em></a></li></ul>
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51 MIN
Shivam Patel on Winning Your Day
MAY 11, 2026
Shivam Patel on Winning Your Day
<p>Win the morning, win the day. It sounds like a bumper sticker, but for Shivam Patel, a University of Illinois senior studying information science, it's a philosophy backed by Hinduism, the Bhagavad Gita, and a growing obsession with neuroscience. He joins host Eric Benson to walk through what a genuinely intentional day looks like.</p><p>For Shivam, a good day starts the night before. He has a detailed relationship with the hours between waking up and walking out the door; one that's a spiritual practice, physical ritual, and conscious boundary-setting. The routine isn't about discipline for its own sake. It's about protecting that early, vulnerable window before the world gets loud and the day starts making demands on you.</p><p>Shivam’s evening gets equal attention. Gratitude, reflection in careful doses, and reframing questions help him turn rough days into positive learning experiences. He and Eric focus on Kintsugi (the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery) as the episode's quiet thesis. Pieced back together with the right kind of attention, unfortunate events might end up more valuable than smooth ones ever were.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/shivam-j-patel/"><strong>Shivam Patel</strong></a> is a senior at the University of Illinois studying information science. He is passionate about design, dance, agentic workflows, and the examined life. </p><p></p><p><strong>☕ Afuera Coffee Co. - Sustainable Coffee </strong></p><p><strong>Get 15% OFF | Promo Code: AGOODDAY</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://promocode.to/afuera-coffee-co/agoodday-2ao"><strong>https://promocode.to/afuera-coffee-co/agoodday-2ao</strong></a></p><p></p><p><strong>☕ </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://buymeacoffee.com/renourish"><strong>buymeacoffee.com/renourish</strong></a><strong> </strong>(support the show!)</p><p></p><p><strong>Host:</strong> Eric Benson → <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://ericbenson.re-nourish.org">ericbenson.re-nourish.org</a> </p><p><strong>Listen &amp; Subscribe:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://re-nourish.org/podcast">re-nourish.org/podcast</a> </p><p><strong>Music by:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6n2eQU7xtNMdRJqsQC85Dg?si=CEJZcw_NSK-j01-qhCVdzA">John Opferkuch</a></p><p><strong>Follow us on Instagram:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/renourishdesign">@RenourishDesign</a></p><p></p><p><strong>Resources mentioned in the episode:</strong></p><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-Original-English-As/dp/B07MDTX8BR">Bhagavad Gita</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ted.com/podcasts/how-to-be-a-better-human/how-to-find-connection-and-love-in-everyday-life-w-barbara-fredrickson-transcript">Barbara Fredrickson – Positivity (TED Talk &amp; Book)</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@AndyElliottOfficial">Andy Elliott Official – YouTube</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintsugi">Kintsugi – Japanese Broken Pottery Art</a></li></ul><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>
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57 MIN
Elizabeth Azide on Living a Life That Feels Like You
MAY 4, 2026
Elizabeth Azide on Living a Life That Feels Like You
<p>What does it actually mean to have a good day — and can you design one? Host Eric Benson, a graphic design professor and climate advocate, has been wrestling with that question since the pandemic turned every day into Groundhog Day. For his first guest, he turns to Elizabeth Azide, marketer, writer, and the mind behind <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://thephilosophyofeverything.com/"><em>The Philosophy of Everything</em>.</a></p><p>Elizabeth brings a Stoic lens to the question — rooted in Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and the simple but profound idea: “did today feel like <em>me</em>?” Elizabeth and Eric dig into how aligning actions with intentions (not just outputs) defines a meaningful day, why being disciplined can become its own trap, and how writing down three small wins each night retrains your brain toward gratitude over achievement.</p><p>They also tackle whether "what makes a good day" is even a fair question when so much of the world is struggling — and land somewhere honest and hopeful.</p><p><strong>About Elizabeth Azide</strong> Marketer by day, philosopher always. Elizabeth writes at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://thephilosophyofeverything.com">thephilosophyofeverything.com</a> — where practical Stoicism meets everyday life.</p><p><strong>Host:</strong> Eric Benson → <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://ericbenson.re-nourish.org">ericbenson.re-nourish.org</a></p><p><strong>Listen &amp; Subscribe:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://re-nourish.org/podcast">re-nourish.org/podcast</a></p><p><strong>Music by: </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6n2eQU7xtNMdRJqsQC85Dg?si=CEJZcw_NSK-j01-qhCVdzA">John Opferkuch</a></p><p><strong>Follow us on Instagram: </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/renourishdesign"><strong>@</strong>RenourishDesign</a></p><p><strong>Resources mentioned in the episode:</strong></p><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/494-michael-phelps-and-grant-hackett-two-legends-on/id863897795?i=1000506092715">The Time Ferris Show with Michael Phelps &amp; Grant Hackett</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-emperors-handbook-a-new-translation-of-the-meditations_marcus-aurelius/261266/item/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=us_dsa_general_customer_acquisition_16970393170&amp;utm_adgroup=&amp;utm_term=&amp;utm_content=593719094136&amp;gad_source=5&amp;gad_campaignid=16970393170&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMIo7Sws4CblAMVqEr_AR29EBB9EAAYAiAAEgI1pPD_BwE#edition=73190399&amp;idiq=84684081"><em>Meditations</em></a>, by Marcus Aurelius</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/419-ryan-holiday-how-to-use-stoicism-to-choose-alive/id863897795?i=1000471015160">The Tim Ferris Show with Ryan Holiday</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://jocko.com/">Jocko Willink</a></li></ul><p></p><p></p>
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48 MIN