This is Gretchen, and I’m always thrilled to see her because her brain sponges up such satisfying facts. For example:
Were you aware that some studies have shown that when women are looking to reproduce, they’re attracted to men who smell biologically disparate? However, when they get pregnant, they’re attracted to men who smell like family, ostensibly because family will be more likely to protect the offspring. BUT! The pill mimics pregnancy. Which could mean that some types of pill cause you to fall in love with a man who is biologically similar, reproduce with him, and then find his smell unattractive when you’ve gone off the pill, sometimes leading you to break things off with him. What the what?
Gretchen is good for a few dozen of those life-altering facts over an evening, which is why I always pull her down next to me at dinner.
Gretchen also happens to be the author of the bestselling Happiness Project, and the soon-to-be-released Happier at Home (which will hit shelves September 4 and is now available for pre-order), both of which document Gretchen’s curiosity about ways to improve her life — she also has a site dedicated to the process that has some useful suggestions. The Go Mighty team and the gracious Isabel Kallman hosted a book release party for Happier at Home in New York last week, and some of our favorite women gathered to celebrate happiness.
Laura documented all the details over here. There was champagne, and donuts (Donuts 2012!), and lots of women laughing, which is the best.
There were also gift bags. Want one?
Bliss supplied a generous helping of good-smelling body and bath products, and Anthropologie gave us pretty wall calendars.
We also have five copies of Happier at Home to give away. To enter, just tell us what makes you happy in comments. In fact, will you please tell us three things? I like to read them. Fingers crossed for you.
Top and bottom images by Mighty Girl. Other images by Sheri Silver from www.sherisilver.com.
UPDATE: Comments close Monday, August 13. Until then, keep ’em coming:
Mighty Girl 
I am happiest when sitting at home with a cup of coffee and a book.
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#1: the smell of my toddler’s hair
#2: sunlight streaming through clouds
#3: easting ripe raspberries off the bush
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My children make me the happiest. Although really close to the top a sunset walks on the beach and spending time with friends and family. I think my list could go on and on because so many things make me happy. Life is to short to not be happy so I just fill myself with happy things!
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Things that make me happy: the beach, miniature longhaired dachshunds (especially mine), flip flops, tapas, and swimming. I’m happier just having typed that.
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#1- the sound of my children making each other laugh
#2- hugs
#3.- the quiet time alone with my husband once the kids are in bed
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The emotional climax in a song. Sailing on lake Ontario. Drinking coffee in the morning with my sweetheart.
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#1 – When my daughter laughs so hard she snorts.
#2 – When I make my husband laugh so hard the little vein in his forehead pops out.
#3 – Being the first person to wake up on a weekend and sitting on the couch reading, waiting for the day to start.
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I am happiest when…
…I get to buy a big, fat wrap sandwich from the little deli next door (ok, it’s a Blimpie. You caught me!)
…I’m laying in bed with my boyfriend after a really long day, just shooting the shit and squeezing him tight
…I find the perfect song to listen to while driving through a summer night with the windows rolled down (“A Real Hero” from the “Drive” soundtrack is a current favorite)
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Things that make me happy: hugs & kisses from my nephews; snuggles with my kitty; strong coffee; good friends; my hubby.
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#1 – Sharing a perfect meal with my husband
#2 – Seeing the beautiful sights of Rome by night
#3 – Long conversations with my sister
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Right now?
1. Summer fruit
2. Coconut water
3. Super-short shorts!
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What makes me happy ~
1) Consciously realizing when I’m happy. We get caught up in the daily/weekly blur so much that it’s sort of amazing when you can stop and actively feel the moment.
2)Photobooths! Squishing up with a friend and seeing how your strip of funny-face pictures comes out is hilarious and gives a feeling of silly fun that adults don’t always permit themselves. Maybe it’s because it’s hidden behind that curtain so we feel safe. But no one can keep from laughing and goofing off when they’re in one 🙂
3)Lilacs. Lilac season is so brief, but I love them so much, and I LOVE living in a place again where we have them, after two decades in a lilac-less place. A wonderful park near me has several hundred varieties, and it’s awesome to go from one bush to the next, sniffing each and comparing: this one more subtle, this one more cloying, this one intensely fragrant. They make Spring so wonderful.
(I must add that I am excited to see this info about this new book! A friend just told me about The Happiness Project and I can’t wait to read that one. I will pass this post along to him.)
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1. My two kids with their heads together, playing a funny little make-believe game.
2. Sitting around the table with my parents, brothers, sisters, nieces nephews. Even better if the table is in a vacation home!
3. Family game night.
Basically, I am a sucker for happy family time.
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Suppose it depends on the mood but I’m always happy if I’m reading in my reading chair 🙂
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1 – Sitting on my front stoop, drinking a beer, with my bestie.
2 – When someone likes something I’m wearing.
3 – A crazy sweaty Bikram class.
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1) Not caring how I look when I am at Zumba
2) When my husband makes me laugh
3) When I finally perfect a recipe
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1) listening to my son sing
2) sipping cocktails in mason jars on the porch
3) night swimming
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Great giveaway! Three things that make me happy:
1. Snuggling in the morning before I have to get out of bed
2. Receiving paper mail
3. Coffee or hot tea on a cold morning
It’s the small things, you know?
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1. My kids.
2. My dog.
3. A shady spot on the beach and a good book.
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#1 – Hugs from a wet from the pool 4 year old.
#2 – Tears – sometimes the other side of them bring the best kind of happy
#3 – Blueberries the size of grapes…it can’t be natural but damn if it isn’t delicious!
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1. The sound of a sail the moment it catches the wind.
2. The sparkle in my son’s eye when he’s telling a funny story.
3. Early morning if I wake up on my own and have no obligations.
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-Singing “Call Me Maybe” with my 3 year old.
-A cup of coffee on a Saturday morning while the rest of the house sleeps.
-Fresh sweet corn.
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Late-summer dips in the river
The smell of my baby’s hair
Fresh Farmers Market goods
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Driving in my Jeep on an open road.
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1. boxing class
2. taking the time to do my makeup
3. my mom’s cooking
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1. Seeing my niece discover “new” things (stuff I’ve been doing for so long, I forgot that I had to learn it!)
2. Turning bits of my favorite songs into ringtones so I can hear them unexpectedly throughout the day.
3. The intelligent, funny family and friends who I have in my life.
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Thing #1: The sound of my husband laughing
Thing #2: The smell of my kids’ heads (is that bizarre?)
Thing #3: Seeing the look on someone’s face when I hand them a quilt I made for them.
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1. My 3yo telling stories
2. My man under the covers
3. Upward dog
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1. Laughing with my friends
2. Swimming in the Bahamas
3. Tanning by the pool with a YA novel (don’t hate!)
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when my 3yo sings
naps on weekends
walking to get ice cream in the summer
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~a strong cup of coffee on a rainy morning
~the rush I get from a tough CrossFit workout
~finally knowing who I am and what I want
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1. Morning sunshine streaming in through my living room windows
2. Sipping a mocha as I listen to my baby go down for his morning nap
3. Reading blogs written by women who share a similar world-view to my own
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– laughing really hard with friends
– waking up when I’m ready (no alarm)
– sitting by a lake under the stars
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1 – The high pitched giggles of my son when my husband tickles him while he low laughs.
2 – The calm quiet minutes I take for myself at the end of the night once the baby goes to sleep.
3 – The euphoria after achieving something I thought impossible.
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-Getting up on a surfboard
-Clean bed sheets
-Phone catch ups with girlfriends
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1- The smell and feel of old books as I’m browsing my local book store (betterworldbooks.com)
2- The look on my students faces when I tell them we’re putting learning aside for a day of games instead (usually Disney Scene It)!
3- The feeling of waking up in the morning, squished between one of my doggies and my snoring husband.
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– Dog kisses always make me happy.
– Reuniting with old friends, and laughing over stupid inside jokes/stories that happened when you were 12 that (in your mind) are still hysterically funny.
– The feeling you get when in the ocean, just bouncing along with gentle waves.
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1. Any sort of water, lakes, rivers, oceans, even pools.
2. Being incredibly lazy on a Sunday afternoon.
3. Freshly painted nails (by me)
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1. Facetime with my 1 year old niece. She is so close to saying my name even though we are so far apart.
2. The moment right when I wake up and I stretch real big before I think about what I have to do for the day.
3. Swimming.
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In no particular order:
*Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard
*My son’s laugh
*My husband’s goofy sense of humor
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1. Watching my son and my husband play
2. The movie theater in town that plays independent films and serves beer. And getting to go there all by myself.
3. Sleep, uninterrupted sleep.
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1. Waking up on my day off and lingering in bed. Lately, thi has sometimes involved playing a game or reading blogs on my phone. Yes, it’s my day off today, and I’m typing this curled up in bed.
2. The unintentionally hilarious subject transitions that take place in texts from my boyfriend. A text from yesterday: “I think I’m gonna email [Manager] tomorrow about [work issue]. I want to grab your ass.”
3. The way my body feels in water. I need to make more friends with pools, but they’re scarce here in NYC.
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1. Coming home from a trip. Even if it was a wonderful trip, I just really love the homecoming…
2. Christmas tree lights and snow falling outside with a candle burning on my kitchen counter.
3. The feeling in the air in autumn when school is just back in session and the leaves are changing and falling. Putting on those first warm sweaters of the season.
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1. Hearing my children laugh and giggle
2. working on and accomplishing a tough project
3. listening to the waves crash at the beach while reading a good book (hopefully Happier at Home)
All of these things are guaranteed to make me happy.
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My boyfriend, my pet hamster, negronis and tacos. And pizza.
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1. squeezes from my son
2. finishing a knitting project
3. Governor’s island
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Books, friends, and wine. (not necessarily in that order)
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a_ The smell of the earth when it first starts to rain.
b_ Freshly-roasted New Mexico green chiles.
c_ Driving down a country road with the windows down, singing loudly (and poorly, I should add) along with the music playing on the stereo.
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Being a traveler totally anonymous in a foreign country. Overripe stonefruit. Those conversations with strangers in which the walls seem to fall away.
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-the smooth, near-hairless patch of skin behind my dogs ears.
-checking tiny sunflower seedlings for growth each morning.
-the feel of very old, somewhat transparent vintage t-shirts.
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