Ep. 574: Are You Already Falling Behind on Your New Year’s Resolutions? Plus Ideas for “Move 26”

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Hello and welcome to Happier, a podcast where we talk about strategies and suggestions for making our lives happier. This week we'll talk about how we're embracing Determination Day, which is coming up, and we share listeners' great ideas for Move 26 and 26. I'm Gretchen Rubin, a writer who studies happiness, good habits, secrets of adulthood, human nature. I'm in my little home office in New York City. And joining me today from Los Angeles is my sister, Elizabeth Kraft. And Elizabeth, we're both really enjoying Move 26. That's me, Elizabeth Kraft, a TV writer and producer living in L.A. And yes, I'm finally back on my treadmill desk, Ratch. Yay. Thank you to Move 26 and 26 got me back on. Well, you know, I take like a personal interest in your treadmill desk. So I'm very happy to hear that. Well, it was the best gift you ever gave me. It's definitely the best gift I ever gave. for sure. But before we jump in, here are a few updates. In a previous episode, I talked about how a friend of mine had a cotton candy machine, and I was so astonished that you could have a home cotton candy machine. And listeners had suggestions along the same lines. Mel said, as a child, we had a small candy floss machine, and it was indeed magical at parties. It was small and fairly slow, around five minutes for a small cone, which is a long time when there are half a dozen cousins ahead of you in the queue, but lots of fun. Another option could be to rent one for an event. My mom was in the PTA and helped to organize the Kindy Gala, kind of like a fun fair to fundraise for the kindergarten slash preschool, and they would rent a big industrial candy floss machine from the local party hire place. That could be a great option for those not wanting to invest a sizable chunk of money or clutter valuable storage space with an appliance you can only use a couple of times a year. I love that they call cotton candy candy floss. Yeah, that's so fun. Yeah, and it's a great idea to rent it. I heard you talk about the cotton candy maker, and I wanted to recommend another wonderful gadget that is similarly thrilling, a chocolate fountain. I am a language teacher in an English language school in New Zealand, and during COVID, when our borders were shut for almost 18 months, there weren't many international visitors to teach. During one particularly quiet period, we gave our school a deep clean, which included emptying out all the kitchen cupboards in the student area. Imagine our delight and bewilderment to discover three chocolate fountains, all different brands, buried away at the back. Three of us adopted a fountain each, and over the following couple of years, my family periodically enjoyed our fountain at home when we had special guests or occasions that required a little pizzazz. There is, of course, a limit to how often you can enjoy a chocolate fountain, and so mine once again became disused sitting at the back of a cupboard. I now teach an intensive exam class where students attend for three months before heading away to sit their exam. So to celebrate finishing, my collaborating teacher and I host a chocolate fountain farewell. It's such a fun and memorable way to end an intense period of study, a sort of Willy Wonka-esque feast of chocolate and whatever you want to dip into it. I think it'd be a great addition or an alternative to a cotton candy machine. Again, I didn't know that like an ordinary person could have a chocolate fountain. I thought you had to be like an official gay restaurant. Yeah. So it's fun to know that these things are available to rent or to buy. And then, Gretch, on a totally different subject, Luke says, I was struck by a recent answer you gave to a listener who asked, I'm new to Happier and want to know where to start. You said start right here, and if you want to, go back later. As a result, I've already taken one thing off my 26 for 26 list. Catch up on half you. I was over a month behind and it loomed like a project. I'll happily rejoin where I am and go back if the mood strikes me, questioner who tips rubble here. You may be the only podcast host who would approve of such an edit. We say this to people all the time because there are completists who feel like they want to listen to every episode. And there's a lot of episodes at this point. So it's like, it's not homework. It's as much as you want. Don't stress out about it. We wouldn't want the podcast to be a source of completest stress for anyone. Elle had a great story. She said, you helped me turn an MRI into a positive experience. One of Gretchen's past words for the year was open. So I scheduled an open MRI since I am claustrophobic. Side note, I didn't know about this. And so for anybody who doesn't know, an open MRI is an MRI machine, which is a magnetic resonance imaging machine that's roomier. It has an open design. So the top, bottom, and sides are much more open than the traditional scanner, which if you are claustrophobic or larger or have trouble with your mobility, it makes it a lot easier to use. So people can feel less anxious and more comfortable while still getting the benefit of an MRI machine. So that's an option. So she was just saying she scheduled an open MRI. She continued, Elizabeth reframes and loves sound baths. Thanks to Gretchen, I focused on my hearing sense. So I reframed the MRI experience to be a sound bath of different sets of rhythmic sounds and beats. I found the experience to be pleasing and relaxing. So that's wonderful because sometimes it's really important for our health to get access to this kind of testing. But it can be really hard. and so it's great that she found a way to do it in the way that worked for her. That reminds me, Gretchen, I try to do a mental exercise at the dentist of thinking of it as a spa treatment when I'm getting my teeth cleaned. Yeah. Oh, wow. It's not easy, but I try and it helps. Well, it's that old saying, if you can't get out of it, get into it. A spa treatment is all in the eyes of the beholder, for sure. That's right. So this week, the Try This at Home suggestion is to embrace Determination Day. Determination Day is coming up soon. It is February 28th. Get ready. Yeah. So explain what it is and why it's important. Okay. So research shows that by the end of February, February 28th, many, many people, maybe most people have abandoned their New Year's resolutions. And so you could call this Discouragement Day. But no, let's not call it Discouragement Day. Instead of feeling discouraged, it can be a day to reevaluate and really do the hard work of saying something isn't working, why not? And if you started an aim in January and you've slowed it down or stopped it altogether, February 28th can be sort of the moment to be a prompt to reevaluate because you know something that can happen at any time often happens at no time. And so this is a reminder, okay, let me reevaluate. Let me find a different way of doing something. If I'm not sticking to it, something's not working. How can I reassess and maybe shake things up and try a different way to achieve my aims. Yes. Reframe. You succeed by failing. If you've found that one approach doesn't work, that is useful information. Now try something else and stay determined to meet your aim. Yeah. And I think sometimes people, if they've fallen off the wagon or they haven't done it, they sort of feel like they've blown their chances or they've sort of ruined it. And by having determination day, you kind of give yourself the auspiciousness of a fresh start. And I think for some people that's very helpful, which is like, okay, now clean slate, I'm starting again. I think that can be really helpful. And so, you know, there's a few things you might think about. One is what didn't work for you and why? Maybe you set out to do something important, like write in your journal first thing in the morning, but you're really not a morning person. And so you're going to switch the day part or like you wanted to read right before you went to bed but then you just fall asleep right away Maybe you trying to do something on your own like exercise but you actually an obliger so you need utter accountability right Figure out why things aren working so you can be more effective in trying again It can also be helpful to reflect on the benefits. Yes. So to keep ourselves energized, it can be useful to think of the rewards you're going to get from this habit. Right. Right. Like if you exercise, that actually gives you more energy. And it makes it easier to fall asleep. And if you have endless Zoom calls, it's easier to just stay in your chair. And so if you focus on like the benefits of it, that might help you stay engaged. But I think one of the most important ones is to think of new strategies. The strategy of distinctions is how might you do it in a way that's different from other people, like morning people or night people or simplicity lover versus abundance lover. Do you like to be spontaneous or do you like to plan, like figure it out? Or we love the strategy of pairing, which is with Move26, you can only listen to your favorite podcast while you're walking the dog. So those two things always go together. Accountability. Obligers need accountability, but a lot of people even have other tenancies benefit from accountability. That can be really helpful to plug in. I have a list of the 21 strategies that you can use, so I'll post a link to that in case anybody wants to look at all the options. It can also help to make an investment, although this can get tricky, of course. Yes. So getting a beautiful tool or gear can make your habit more convenient or more enjoyable to keep. And for some people, investing money can actually make them more likely to stick to it. As you intimated, Elizabeth, this is sort of a tricky one because sometimes people enjoy the fun of getting all the stuff more than they enjoy doing it. I remember when I was starting my watercoloring journey, I made a rule that I couldn't buy any more supplies until I'd been watercoloring for two months because I didn't want my eyes to get bigger than my stomach when it came to how much watercoloring I was actually doing. But having good tools definitely made it more fun. Watercolor is something where having good materials really affects your results. And so it was a good place to invest a little bit. And if it makes it easier to do, like a good reading light can actually make reading easier and therefore make you more likely to do it. Exactly. Exactly. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. This is the line from Voltaire. You know, if you can't face cleaning the attic, just do one drawer. I always think about you with Orange Theory because you were aiming for 100 for 2025. You didn't hit 100. And I said, well, were you really upset that you didn't hit 100? And you said, well, but I did so many more than I would have done if I hadn't been aiming for 100. And I thought that was such a, that's obviously the most constructive way to look at it. Of course, it would be exciting and you want to aim high, but you're still much better off. So that is not a failure. That's like you did a ton of Orange Theory. Yes. And this year I'm going to hit the 100, I hope. I feel it. Now, what else, Elizabeth, when you think about Determination Day, is there anything that you're wanting to work on? Speaking of Orange Theory, Gretch, I am a little behind on my Orange Theory, so I need to step it up. I need to sprinkle in some three times a week classes with my two days a week. So I'm glad we're having Determination Day for that. I am, however, doing great on rewatching Mad Men because once I started it, I can't stop. I'm already in season five, I believe. Oh, it's so good. It's so good. How about you? Well, watercoloring, I really want to do it every day, but I have only done it several times, but I haven't been anything like doing it every day. But I think I'm getting better at reminding myself to do it. For me, much less arduous than 100 Orange Series is I've got my Ticket 26, where I need to get tickets to 26 things in 2026. I have a handful of these, but like you, It's like I'm not keeping up the pace that I need to do if I'm going to hit 26. So I want to re-engage with that. I want to make a list of 26 things that please me. I've only added one thing to that. So again, but the thing is I'd kind of forgotten about it. So this is another reason that Determination Day is maybe you just kind of forgot about it. It's not even like you haven't been doing it. You sort of forgot that was even a thing. And Alyssa, I think what's going to happen with me with girls, I predict, is that it's going to be like you and Mad Men. And once I start, I'll want to just keep going and going and going. But it's kind of hard to start because, I don't know, I always find it hard to start a new TV show. Yeah, it is hard to start a new TV show. I don't know why that is. Yeah, even for you? Yeah, a lot of times. Unless it's something I'm just desperate to see. It's hard to dive in. It's sort of like starting a new novel. You got to get into it, and that's always. Yeah. Well, here's one thing I did do. So I needed to pick a visual symbol for my one-word theme, which is neighbor. which, oh my gosh, I love this theme so much. I'm so happy I picked it. So I picked pineapple, which is a traditional symbol of hospitality and welcome. But I want to say thank you to the many listeners who suspected that I did not know, which I did not know, that an upside down pineapple is a sign that you are into swinging and not the kind of swinging that you do on a swing set, the other kind of swinging, which I am not interested in doing. So I will keep my pineapples right side up for sure. And speaking of my one word theme of neighbor, I also want to thank all the listeners who wrote to tell me about this video. It's Lady Gaga preparing. She did a cover of the theme song for Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood as for a Super Bowl commercial for Redfin. And it's this sort of a behind the scenes black and white short video of her getting ready to record this. And it's so fun. I love a behind the scenes. Alyssa, you and I love watching creative process. It's so interesting. But I have to say, listening to her sing it really made me focus on the words. And they're so beautiful. If you just think of them as the words. So here are the words. I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you. I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you. So let's make the most of this beautiful day. Since we're together, we might as well say, would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won't you be my neighbor? Won't you please? Won't you please? Please won't you be my neighbor? It just makes me want to cry because I just feel like it's so beautiful. It really is beautiful. And she sings it beautifully. Please won't you be my neighbor? So that really captured the spirit of my one word theme. So let us know if you do try this at home and how you use Determination Day to re-engage with your resolutions. Let us know on Instagram threads, TikTok, Facebook. Drop us an email at podcast at gretchenrubin.com, or as always, you can go to the show notes. This is happiercast.com slash 574. Coming up, we have a completion hack, but first this break. this episode is sponsored by better help sometimes it can feel like everyone has it all together in their love lives whether you're married dating or single the truth is most of us are still figuring it out and finding our way i've been married 18 years i still haven't totally figured out my relationship. And one thing that can be very helpful in getting more connected in your relationships is going to therapy. A therapist can help you identify what's weighing your relationships down and find ways to brighten them again. BetterHelp has quality therapists that work according to a strict code of conduct and are fully licensed in the USA. Plus, they will do the initial matching work for you so that you can focus on your therapy goals. With over 30,000 therapists, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 6 million people globally. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com slash Gretchen Rubin. That's betterhelp.com slash Gretchen Rubin. Gretchen, it's a new year and we're all focused on well-being and improving ourselves and our wellness journeys. And what better way to improve our lives than to listen to an audio book? You know, I am absolutely in love with Audible and with audio books. You'll be happy to know that the audio book I am listening to right now was written by you, Gretchen. Your book, Get It Done, about how to get a big project done. Not surprisingly, I need help in that arena of my life. and I love just listening to you reading your audiobook. Yeah, and you can level up your parenting, career, finances, sleep, relationships, or mindset. The Audible Wellbeing Collection has everything to inspire and support you every step of the way. Alyssa, I love the idea that you're listening to my audiobook. Kickstart your well-being journey with your first audiobook free when you sign up for a free 30-day trial at audible.com slash happier. Membership is $14.95 a month. After 30 days, cancel any time. Listening to the top voices in well-being sounds like self-care to us. Audible, there's more to imagine when you listen. Gretch, you know I love the idea of a cocktail, but I just don't always love how alcohol makes me feel later, especially on a weeknight. But there is that moment when you want something, you know, grown up and intentional. You want to hear that ice clink in the glass. That is why I was so excited to try Little Saints. Little Saints is a real cocktail experience just without the alcohol. They're zero sugar, five calories, non-intoxicating, and they're crafted to taste like your favorite top-shelf cocktails. I love the Paloma especially. What I love is that they are designed for evenings hostings and winding down so it still feels special even on a regular night at home They are enhanced with functional botanicals like Lion Mane Reishi and Damiana which adds a subtle layer of calm and clarity If you love cocktails but not the aftermath, Little Saints is worth trying. Use code HAPPIER to get 15% off your first order. Visit littlesaints.com to discover your magic hour. Okay, Elizabeth, we got a happiness hack from a listener, and this is a really useful hack. it's one of the ones where it's kind of obvious and you think, why didn't this occur to me? But it didn't. So it's very useful. Yes. This comes from Eliza. She says, you talked about the difficulty of not finishing a book you have started. And I definitely have the same issue. And also with film slash TV programs, I think that some of the issue comes from wanting to know what happens in the end. So I have started looking up a summary of the story so I can stop spending my time reading, watching, or listening to something I am not enjoying, but no longer feel that nagging sense of curiosity. Thought this might help others who want to stop things halfway through. Gretch, this is such a good idea. And Sarah and I do this with each other. I hadn't thought of it so consciously, but if one of us isn't enjoying something that the other has finished, we'll say, well, just tell me what happens. And then once you know, you really do lose that urge to keep going. It's such an unsatisfying feeling when you're just reading just from the pure, raw curiosity of knowing what happens, but you're not enjoying the experience of getting there. So I think this is a great way to just save time and close that loop. And then you can have more time to read or watch the things that you really like. So I thought that was a great suggestion. Yes. And now for a four tendencies tip, this is a suggestion that comes from Mary. Mary said, until 7.30. Once we got on the shuttle, after waiting in a giant line, I was upset and frustrated that he didn't respect what I'd said was important to me. Then it hit me. He's a questioner. This was just like the time Gretchen asked her husband to pick up turkey at the deli. I told him what I wanted, but didn't explain why it was important. On the ride over to Disneyland, I explained what I knew about getting ahead of lines at the park. We also had lightning lane passes, and there are ways to maximize your afternoon time in the parks, but this can only be done after you enter the park. We had two more days in Disneyland, and he was up and ready to walk out the door by 7 a.m. both days. If I didn't know about the four tendencies from your book and podcast, then I'm sure I would have stayed frustrated and upset the first day and possibly the rest of the trip. Oh, can't I identify with this one, Greg? Yeah, if you don't know what we're talking about, take the quiz on my website. There's a bunch there about the four tendencies. But yeah, I had this problem all the time before I knew about questioners and that Jamie was a questioner because I was like, why are you being so inconsiderate? Or why don't you respect what I've told you is important to me? And then once you realize questioners just need to know why. And if you just take the time and explain why, they will get on board. But if you don't explain why, they're very likely to resist. And that's just what questioners do. And so I love the idea that there was such a simple and straightforward solution. It's just a good example. Like, you can have a five-minute conversation that can save you a lifetime of argument. He just didn't know why you cared. He's like, it's a half an hour difference. What difference does it make? It's like, at Disney, it makes a big difference. Yes, it can cause an hours-long delay in a ripple effect. Wait, and speaking of Disneyland, here is a mnemonic. I just wrote about this in my Five Things newsletter, but I'm so, I get such a kick out of this, I have to mention it again. So I can never remember which Disney theme park was in California and which one was in Florida. Disneyland is in L.A. Disney World is in Orlando. Ah, okay. Right? Being in L.A., that's not a problem I have, but I can imagine others not remembering which is which. This is right up there with Lefty Lucy Righty Tighty for me. I will invoke it for the rest of my life. And now Move 26 and 26. This is our annual challenge for 2026. We challenge listeners to move for 26 minutes every day in 2026. And we got so many fun responses from listeners. Yes. Connor said, I love the idea to move 26 and 26. I have been thinking about how I'd apply this to my life because I already exercise multiple times a week and I want to make the challenge worth it. So I brainstormed what I struggle with and I figured it out. First, I want to walk outside more than I do. So I will take the two part of 26 and walk twice a day, a morning and evening walk to clear my head and be completely present. I also want to incorporate movement into my workday. Sometimes I will catch myself sitting for hours at a time and will feel stiff when I finally do get up to get water or end the day. So my strategy will be to stand up and move around six times during the workday. Maybe I'll do some squats like you suggest, or maybe I'll take an appointment on the phone while taking a short walk. I really am excited about this plan. I love this. I will say that I am no longer doing squats. I'm doing grand pied, but that's a great idea. Yes. This is great. I mean, going outside for a walk is great. A walk and talk is great. Dividing it into sections so it fits into your schedule. These are all terrific ways of getting to move 26. Karen said, which brings the total practice to 26 minutes. So this challenge both comes at the perfect time for me and is the perfect amount of time for me to move. I also wanted to recommend to Gretchen the Hugo-winning podcast, Eight Days of Diana Wynne-Jones, on which two authors discuss each of the children's authors' books in depth with great insight and joy. As a former English major and current book editor, it's lovely to think about writing beyond what we like and dislike or the craft of writing. I'm also enjoying The Swifty and the Scholar, where a former English professor reads Taylor Swift's lyrics as poetry. Can I just say, thank you very much, Karen. I am deep into Eight Days of Diana Wynne-Jones. It is absolutely delightful. It is making me want to reread all of Diana Wynne-Jones. And I get such a pleasure out of hearing this. So I love the fact that you're doing more yoga. And I love the fact that you love Diana Wynne-Jones, a children's author who everybody should read. Elizabeth says, I love this year's challenge to move 26 and 26 and wanted to find a way to make it part of my 26. Running is an activity that definitely improves my happiness, but it can be hard to motivate to get out on the trails as often as I would like, even though I know I'll be glad I did after the fact. Then I thought of a twist on your theme. What if I aim to run 26 miles a month, tacking on 0.2 to the 26 to make it a marathon a month in 2026? broken down over a month. It's a manageable commitment if I stick to running on a regular basis. And already it's been fun to keep track of my progress one run at a time. Gretch, I mean, I can't believe we didn't think of this. No, and the 26 is such a specific number. This is brilliant. And it is very fun to think a marathon a month. I mean, I feel like that could be like a whole movement. A hundred percent. That sounds like a book title. Yeah, A Marathon a Month, 26.2 and 26. Rue said, I love the annual challenge and the list and one word themes, and I am so on board. Something I noticed, though, and this is a very question or response, is that I had to write a set of guidelines about what counts. For example, I decided that walking only counts if it's outside or inside if it's on a treadmill. I then went through various activities to decide whether they were movement-y enough, e.g. is stretching movement. By spending time deciding my own definitions ahead of January 1st, I felt that I was more ready to start. Kind of a decide then don't decide vibe. The overarching principle I used was, is this in the spirit of the challenge? If so, I decided it counts. It struck me as quite a questioner thing to do to need to pose and answer a lot of questions before starting. Also, as a tangent, I really was sorry to hear of the loss of your father. Sometimes when I don't feel like exercising, it is your dad's words that spring to mind. How amazing that he has had such an impact on people who never even met him. My thoughts are with you and your family at this time. Anyway, to end on a high, I really am looking forward to the Move 26 and 26 challenge. Especially with a young child, exercise has dropped from my priority list, And this is a great way to reactivate that. This is so great. It is so questioner to be like, I have to decide what's in, what's out, customize, make all the decisions, figure it out in advance. And Alyssa, nothing would make dad happier to think that he played a role in helping people stick to their exercise. Yes. And for anyone who hadn heard what he always said is that if you put on your running shoes and the door closed behind you that counted as exercising But of course once you have on your running shoes and you out the door 99 times out of 100 you gonna run Yeah He really believed in the value of exercise and he loved to exercise. So he would be tickled, as he would say, to think that he was helping. And we've heard this from a lot of people that that slogan really helps people stick to their exercise routine. So thank you, everybody. These are great suggestions and such imaginative responses to the challenge. Yes. All right, Gretch, coming up, I have a mothering demerits. But first, this break. You know, listen, I'm in the empty nest phase, which I'm also calling the open door phase. And I've talked to people a lot about that empty nest transition. And one thing that is a challenge for many people is healthy eating. 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Okay, Elizabeth, this is an even numbered episode. That means it's your turn to talk about a demerit. What is this mothering demerit? Well, I just have tasks for Jack that I have not completed. For instance, there's a doctor's appointment he needs to do that. Again, it's not urgent, so I can put off making the appointment, but I have to make that appointment. I need to get a key made for him for our house. Believe it or not, he doesn't have a key to our house, which is nuts. And he needs to take his driver's license permit test, his written test. He's ready to take it. He's done the preliminary steps. But it's going to take me either making the appointment or sort of assisting him in making the appointment. Assisting in quotations, yes. Yes, to get it on the books. And these three things I just haven't done. So I'm hoping by announcing it to the world, I'm prompted to quickly remedy the situation. There are just sometimes where you're like, I'm just looking at my to-do list and I simply do not want to do these things, even if you know that they're not hard. Yes, I know. I could do all of these things within half an hour, including making the key. This reminds me of that old proverb, the stewing is worse than the doing. I'm sure that these have drained you far more than the actual doing of the task would be. I mean, one thing to do is just put it on the calendar, just set aside an hour on Monday and just say, I'm just going to do these things come what may and get them off my mind because it is draining. I should do that. But how about you, Gretch? What's your gold star? Well, I like to give a gold star to all the designers who come up with these clever logos. I get such a tremendous kick out of clever logos. I wrote about this somewhat in Life in Five Senses. I started collecting them. And so one is the FedEx logo, which if you have not looked closely at the FedEx logo, you may not realize that it has a hidden arrow in it, which is, of course, very much like speeding toward your delivery. And the funny thing was for Life in Five Senses, I wanted to include a picture of a FedEx truck. And so I was standing taking pictures of the truck and the driver noticed me doing this and came over and was like, what are you doing taking pictures of the truck? Which I was like, OK, fair enough. That is really weird. And I'm like, it's because the logo, it's because of the hidden arrow. And he's like, what are you talking about? I'm like, there's a hidden arrow on the logo on your truck. And he had never seen it before. So that was fun. Oh, wow. But I was thinking about this recently because if you're looking at your phone, if you have the Apple podcast logo, the tile, the purple tile that has the icon that is for Apple podcast, it struck me that it's a pun. It's a visual pun because you could interpret it as a microphone with sound radiating out of it, or it could be a person listening to sounds. I was like, oh, that's so interesting because both are so suitable, the microphone and the person. I always see the microphone, but once you said it, I clearly saw the person. Oh, see, I saw the person. Oh. And only recently saw the microphone. This is like, is the dress black and blue or yellow and gold? Oh, interesting. Oh, well, people tell us, which one do you see? And while you're there, you can rate and review us. It's right there. And while they're there, they should subscribe to your new podcast since you asked. That's right. When I say new, you're in your second season, but compared to this podcast, it's quite new. Yeah. And of course, they're both available on any podcast app that you use. I was just thinking about the fun of the Clever logo. And the resource for this week, if you are listening to this and thinking, you know, I started strong on January 1st, but something isn't working. I did make a free Determination Day resource to help. It will walk you through. YNA may have stalled out for you. and it suggests how to figure out the concrete strategies to try instead. So you can download that at happiercast.com slash resources. And Elizabeth, what are we reading? What are you reading? I am reading Unspeakable Things, Silence, Shame, and the Stories We Choose to Believe by Brooke Nevels. And I am reading The School of Night by Carl Uwe Knausgaard. And that's it for this episode of Happier. Remember to try this at home. Embrace Determination Day. Let us know if you tried it and if it worked for you. Thanks to our executive producer, Chuck Reed, and everyone at Lemonada. Here's your rhyming reminder. If the show brightens your day, send others our way. Until next week, I'm Elizabeth Kraft. And I'm Gretchen Rubin. Thanks for joining us. Onward and upward. So, Liz, I really want to hear the whole story of the treadmill desk. You're really back on it. Yes. I mean, I'm telling you as an obliger, having to move those 26 minutes makes all the difference. And when it hits 26, it's not like I just stop. Right. But it gets me on. It's all about getting on, as always. And then if you're using it, it doesn't get piled up with stuff. So then because that was sort of keeping you from using it. But now it stays clear-ish. Yes. Yes, clear enough. From the Onward Project. Hi, Gretchen, Craig Robinson, and my little sister Michelle here. We host a new podcast called IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson. We know you're the queen of giving advice, so we wanted to get a few tips from you. You know, Gretchen, a lot of our listeners are going through some major life changes. What advice do you have for folks who are trying to stay grounded in the midst of major life transitions? Craig and Michelle, I am so happy to be talking to you. Here are a few questions that might help us gain perspective. So consider questions like this. what activities take up my time but are not particularly useful or stimulating for me? Do I spend a lot of time on something that's important to someone else, but is not very important to me? If I could magically change one habit in my life, what would I choose? And here's a question. Would I like to have more time in solitude, restorative solitude? Or would I like to have more time with friends? You know, just thinking about questions like this can help us start to figure out how we might make our lives happier. With greater self-knowledge, we're better able to make hard decisions that reflect ourselves, our own nature, our own interests, our own values. In my own case, I have found that the more my life reflects my nature, the happier I get, and the more grounded I feel when I'm going through a period of major change or transition. For more great advice, search for IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson wherever you get podcasts. You can listen to Issa Rae on letting go of certain friendships. Kiki Palmer on why disappointment is actually the key to career success. Seth and Lauren Rogan on caring for aging parents and so many more.