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 
1. Coffee and a book, in the morning after camping out near a lake.
2. Watching someone I love laugh (especially if it is for something I said).
3. Being good at what I do.
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The way my son reaches back for my hand when he gets too far ahead of me.
Slow cooked scrambled eggs.
Reading in bed in the morning after a little sleep in.
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1. Hanging out with my husband
2. Waking up and dreading going to work, only to realize that it is Saturday!
3. An excellent happy hour with friends
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– seeing my husband smile
– watching my beagles chase each other around our yard
– reading a good book with a glass of sweet tea on a sunny morning
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being a librarian
my kids when they first get out of bed, all sleepy and snugly with wild hair.
kick ass shoes
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^my potential future as a librarian
Spontaneity
the smile of my partner
lemon ice
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Snuggling with my cat, or watching my husband snuggling with her.
The first sight of the ocean.
Fresh sheets.
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Three things that make me happy:
#1. Fresh pajamas straight out of the dryer on a cold night.
#2. Baby ducks.
#3. Unexpected kisses.
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1) Cool fall days
2) My family
3) Piano music (playing or listening)
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-the quiet sounds of august
-being Southern
-old things: buildings, books, people-I like it old!
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A baby giggling in pure joy.
Pretty painted toes.
Big, slobbery, goofy dogs.
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So intriguing! Can’t wait to read!
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I love Gretchen, her thoughts have changed my life. Things that make me happy: Happy Kids, the way I feel after a tough workout, a favorite beverage (Coffee, Tea or Dr Pepper), Weekends, when everyone likes dinner (I have four kids), Dirty Kids after playing outside, SUNSHINE, birds, butterflies, and I could go on and on.
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– The sound of my nieces laughing
– Taking off my bra at the end of a long day 🙂
– Finishing a good book
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The smell of tomato plants on your fingers
Seeing a great movie by myself
The sting of saltwater on your face from a big wave
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Three things that make me happy: (1) Getting so engrossed in a book that I forget to do anything for *hours* ; (2) Receiving cards in the mail from far-flung friends; (3) Riding a bicycle, everywhere, anywhere.
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1) listening to my baby girl’s uncontrollable (and infectious) peels of laughter as she watches her daddy attempt to juggle
2) landing at Dublin airport
3) receiving handwritten letters from my grandfather Pappy
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1. When my one year old wraps her whole body around me to give me a hug.
2. Having a cup of coffee in the morning before anyone else is awake.
3. Trying on shoes with super high heels to cheer myself up after a long hard day.
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1. Orgasms
2. Pushing off the wall of the pool, hard, when I do a flip-turn at the end of a lap
3. Revenge
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hanging out with my family doing nothing in particular, a good meal, getting lost in a book
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1. The sounds of my children playing, especially when they are telling “stories.”
2. Taking my dog, Mendel, for a late night walk.
3. My husband raking his hands through my hair when I lay my head down in his lap (sounds dirty but it’s not- I swear).
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– friendly greetings (given and received)
– beach sunsets
– reading
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I am having a rough day with my son, so I will list several things to cheer myself up.
1. Beautiful days spent outside
2. Rainy, cold days spent inside with coffee and soup and fireplaces
3. laughing till my stomach hurts with friends
4. Perfect moments when my son is happy and well rested and full of joy.
5. Snuggling with my baby daughter
6. When my husband and I make each other laugh
7. The beach
8. Southwest Harbor, Maine
9. Outings with my mom
10. When my house is clean
11. Outdoor showers after a day at the beach.
I’ll stop now…
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My daughter,
The first cold front of the year,
Having nothing to do and all day to do it.
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Oooooh how to narrow it down??
1. Wearing my (long distance) boyfriend’s clothes
2. 30% off sale price at J.Crew
3. Heavy, wagging labrador retriever tails
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Listening to rain as you fall asleep
The anticipation of vacation
Finding the perfect present for someone
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3 Things that make me happy:
1: uncontrollable, uncontainable laughter
2: spending time with an old friend and feeling like no time has passed at all
3: vibrant colors when the sun comes out after a rainstorm
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1. Elevators: After a week-long visit at my sister’s 5th-floor walk-up in NYC, my love for this wonderful invention knows no bounds. (Cue Josh Groban singing, “You raise me up…”)
2. Karaoke: It makes me fearless. All of a sudden I’m busting out moves I wouldn’t even try in front of a mirror by myself usually.
3. Daisy the Pug: She curls up by my side, and all is suddenly right with the world.
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1) Making a sign for welcoming someone home from the airport
2) The cheese dip at my favorite Mexican restaurant
3) Cheese in general
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I am happy with ME. I recently quit my job, with no back-up plan, because it was having a very negative effect on my life. I am confident that things will be okay. I’m facing the unknown, smiling.
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1. My family
2. My cat 🙂
3. Cupcakes!
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1. my family
2. my 2 pugs
3. wine!
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The fact that I have to think and pick out only 3 things that makes me happy makes me happy and grateful 🙂
1. Good data from an experiment (I’m a grad student).
2. Catching a Wallace and Gromit episode dubbed in German.
3. Warm sunny days spent with husband and dog.
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After dinner-conversation makes me happy. Hugs from my husband and son make me happy.
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1. A sweeping crescendo
2. The complete freedom of my toddler’s laugh
3. Dancing at a wedding with old friends
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My kid singing her heart out (to a thirty year old song.) My enormous hydrangeas. Feeding a baby squirrel with an eye dropper before taking it to the rescue.
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1. My kids’ laughs
2. A good book
3. Walking in the forest
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1. The sight & smell of the beach;
2. Looking forward to date night; and
3. Experiencimg the wonder of urban & outdoor adventures through the eyes of my children.
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Three things huh, lots of outer things make me happy, but as I get older I realise more (thankfully!) that it’s the inner realisation that really makes you happy… thus leading to outer happiness (jeezo!)
So…
1. Being grateful, it just makes me happy when I do a little list (in my head – whenever) of the things I am grateful for. When I appreciate all the things I am grateful for, I just feel better.
2. Kindness, being kind/kinder/kindest. Watching someone smile because of it – it tickles my toes a bit more than anything else. That saying, ‘warms the cockles of your heart’ corny, but so true and that’s how showing kindness makes moi feel.
3. Waking up in the morning with no blastard alarm (just naturally) and then, and then, and THEN realising that… you don’t have to get up if you don’t want to and race around like a headless chook – it’s sheer joy.
That’s me done – sounds too good to be true, but I could possibly swap Point #3 for New Shoes of any type and that would make me sound less like Mother Theresa…. but shoes give me brief happiness, the three points above last and last and that’s why I love ’em.
From Heather – just a little Aussie gal who loves your musings HX
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1. Coffee in my vegatable garden in the early morning while it’s still quiet.
2. The smell of pine and campfires in the mountains.
3. When those I love are happy!
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The love of my life. Hot coffee with milk. Jeans that make my ass look amazing.
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laying on the floor in my hubs arms talking about our days (or about nothing,) my black lab pressing her nose against me to wake me up in the morning, and the wind in my hair when biking down a hill.
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1. French macarons
2. Playing cards with my family.
3. The feeling that I’ve accomplished something.
4. Swimming in any body of water!
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1) Reading in the park
2) Bright colors
3) Great dinners with friends
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1. packing light ( 7 changes of clothes for each of us for two months)
2. living some place new, learning a new language
3. coming home!
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1. the fact that I just moved across the country to the same city as my sister and 3 yr old niece. hello, seattle!
2. runner’s high
3. coffee, in any form
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1. Waking up to the sound of the ocean.
2. coffee: morning, noon, and night
3. perusing used book stores for hours upon hours
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1. my four children
2. my city (new york!)
3. tropical scented anything (food, soap, candles)
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WItnessing my children’s personalities emerge. Back to school shopping. My bed.
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a cool rain after the heat
snuggling with my young sons
taking a nap
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