The Mindbodygreen Podcast

“Research shows that people who do new things are happier—even something as simple as trying new restaurants," says Gretchen Rubin. Gretchen, a leading happiness scholar and bestselling author, joins us to discuss how to tap into your five senses—which, in turn, helps strengthen your mental health, creativity, and energy—plus: - Why Gretchen wrote a book on the 5 senses (~00:11) - How to make mindfulness more approachable (~05:03) - What you need to know about the 9 senses (~09:59) - The reason some people love rewatching TV shows (~12:30) - The health benefits of Opposite Day (~15:45) - How to find joy in the mundane (~19:44) - The benefits of boredom (~25:27) - How to become a better listener (~27:29) - How to use music to boost your energy (~32:57) - The interplay of smell & taste (~36:25) - How to know if you’re an abstainer or a moderator (~43:26) - The healing power of touch (~48:31) - What to do when you walk into a party alone (~50:47) - Why touch is so tied to emotion (~54:38) - How your brain filter