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A New Year Pep Talk with Gretchen Rubin (Bonus)

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Jan 8, 2026

Guest

Gretchen Rubin

Join bestselling author Gretchen Rubin, a leading voice on habits and happiness, as she navigates the complexities of New Year's goals. Discover why better beats perfect, and how starting tasks early can ease anxiety. They discuss the importance of prioritizing what truly matters while letting go of less meaningful activities. Explore the balance between planning and flexibility, and learn the value of scheduled rest and reconnecting with lost pleasures. Gretchen's top advice for January? Prioritize sleep for a fresh start!

58:16

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Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

Letting Go Frees Space

Choosing what to keep requires deliberate trade-offs and grief.
Letting go of some things frees space for what truly matters.

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ANECDOTE

Confession: You Can Hate The Outdoors

Gretchen's friend admitted she hates the outdoors and felt relieved to say it aloud.
Recognizing dislikes lets you stop pretending and avoid resentment from forced activities.

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ADVICE

Use Fresh Starts For Realistic Plans

Use fresh-start momentum to plan realistic steps, not only lofty goals.
Decide whether to start now with supports or postpone until a realistic season.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Why better beats perfect

01:32 • 5min

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Starting early to reduce anxiety

06:44 • 2min

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Choosing what to let go

08:14 • 4min

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Grieving lost identities and preferences

12:40 • 4min

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The value and limits of clean slates

16:28 • 3min

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Seasonal priorities and parenting trade-offs

19:39 • 5min

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Reconnecting with lost pleasures

24:21 • 2min

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Make explicit 'not-do' lists

26:49 • 2min

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Expect resistance when you change routines

Schedule rest to stay replenished

33:03 • 3min

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The Four Tendencies framework

35:45 • 4min

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Identifying your tendency helps habits

39:55 • 4min

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Balancing planning with pivoting

43:37 • 3min

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Daily rituals that sustain creativity

46:25 • 7min

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Find treasures near you

53:23 • 3min

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Practices Kendra prioritizes

56:05 • 12sec

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One simple January habit: sleep

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January often arrives with a mix of motivation and overwhelm—fresh starts, lofty goals, and the pressure to do things differently. To explore this complicated season, I’m joined by Gretchen Rubin, bestselling author and leading voice on habits, happiness, and human nature. Our conversation is a thoughtful look at how to approach the new year with intention, from embracing clean slates to making space for what matters most. If you're feeling the weight of January expectations, this episode offers both insight and encouragement.

Helpful Companion Links

Find Gretchen on Instagram and on her podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin.
Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy.
Sign up for our every-other-week podcast recap email called Latest Lazy Listens.
Grab a copy of my book The Lazy Genius Kitchen or The Lazy Genius Way! (Affiliate links)

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