Office Ours: The Connection Habit (with Happiness Expert, Gretchen Rubin)

What if connection didn't have to be something you reinvent from scratch every single time? Gretchen Rubin has made a career out of asking one big question: what makes us happy? She's the bestselling author of The Happiness Project, Better Than Before, The Four Tendencies, Life in Five Senses, and most recently, Secrets of Adulthood, with millions of copies sold in over 30 languages. She hosts the podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin, co-hosts the advice podcast Since You Asked, and co-founded the award-winning Happier app. In today's Office Ours, Dr. Miriam and Gretchen dig into the science of habits and why joining or starting a group might be the most important connection habit you can build. Gretchen explains why relationships sit right alongside sleep and exercise as the foundation of a happy life, and why friendship was never meant to feel easy or natural, just worth it. They talk about how a group takes the endless planning out of seeing people, why repetition and shared interests (the more niche, the better) help acquaintances become real friends, and how to break out of the cycle of avoidance and into the cycle of approach. Plus, Gretchen shares the idea of the "exit ramp," which is deciding ahead of time how you'll know something isn't for you, so you can give a new group a real try without feeling stuck in it forever. This one is for anyone ready to stop treating connection like a one-off and start treating it like a habit. Pull up a chair, Office Ours are in session. -- Follow your new friend: @gretchenrubin Your friendship questions deserve answers. Reach out at [email protected], on social media or, pick up the phone and call or text with your friendship story or questions at 615-PODLINE (That's 615-763-5463). Stay in touch with us: @thetwopeasonapod @miriamkirmayer www.miriamkirmayer.com -- Two Peas on a Pod is hosted by Dr. Miriam Kirmayer. Executive produced by Zoe Travis, Matthew Hoffman, Katya Kaminsky, and Dr. Miriam Kirmayer. Produced and edited by Podcast Nation (Producers: Madison Brit and Alesha Pannier, Audio Engineer: Miles Carter). Original music by Sarah Walk. Created by Zoe Travis and Matthew Hoffman. Two Peas on a Pod is recorded in Montreal and Los Angeles. Cover photo by Katya Kaminsky. Today's show contains information that is for educational and entertainment purposes only. This program is not a substitute for psychological or medical advice. Please seek out your own support and research as needed. Take care, friends. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.