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 
What makes me happy?
1. The way my little boy says, “orange….” “Ahhnj.”
2. Snapping a green bean (or twenty) off the vine. It’s like bubble wrap.
3. Listening to my dog “sing” with the harmonica.
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1. The funny things my 7 year old says daily.
2. My yoga practice and yoga students.
3. Having freedom in my work schedule to be at home with my family when I need to.
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1.) Always being able to find things to be thankful for and for knowing the glass half-full.
2.) The Olympics.
3.) Hearing the people I love laugh.
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hugs 🙂
making others laugh 😀
cake =)
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1. Making my husband and son laugh.
2. Hitting the 5 minute mark in a half hour run.
3. Beach days!
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I ADORE “The happiness project” – I think I’ve read it 3 times over the past 2 years or so.
Here are three of my current happy things:
1. The way my son says “all done” at the end of his meal: “din none”
2. That my cat, henry, has taken to sleeping with me every night…right in the crook of my arm.
3. Food. Especially soup and caramel. Although not together.
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– picking up the check
– stories told by my daughter, projects built by my son
– seeing a constellation I know
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1. the arrival of summer to Seattle (finally!)
2. how blueberries, strawberries and cherries are all ripe this month and amazingly delicious
3. slower days at the office
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1. The first step in making peanut butter & cabbage soup, to wit, sauteeing garlic and ginger in olive oil for five minutes.
2. My Saturday morning obstacle course workout with a bunch of guy friends, which involves things like jumping on progressively higher stumps, doing handstands, bear crawling backwards up hills, and generally getting dirty and sweaty.
3. Watching kids learn to surf.
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Taking the time to find out the many things that make me happy is ultimately making me very happy! At 30 and newly single, I am loving the freedom.
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a long bike ride followed by hottubbin’ makes me very happy!
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1 – When my husband, son and I are all relaxed and joking together.
2 – A great book.
3 – The sound of my son talking to my parents. Gets me every time!
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Watching my tall and elegant english pointer place his entire head in a small hole in the ground, just to see what’s in there.
Feeling our baby girl kick really hard when my husband talks to my 8 month belly.
Sitting on the rocking bench in my backyard in the evenings, eating fresh raspberries. While my pointer points at squirrels. And my husband tells me about his day.
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Three things that make me happy:
1. when my boyfriend delivers tea to my bedside table in the morning
2. leaving Bikram (Not going to Bikram. I hate going. I like leaving.)
3. the thrill of seeing a pod of dolphin.
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Happiness is:
1. Kids hugging babies.
2. Sunsets on Cape Cod.
3. Eating something new and fantastic.
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1. being well rested
2. having exercised
3. happy children
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1. Finding a square of dark chocolate in my purse that I’ve hidden from myself “in case of emergency.”
2. Good hugs.
3. Making someone laugh.
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1. Watching and listening to my son laugh
2. Coffee, especially the first cup of the day
3. Discovering a new artist or photographer that I instantly fall in love with
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Friday nights when suddenly you have all the time in the world.
Saturday mornings when I can sleep in with my 9 month old tucked in the crook of my arm.
Days in between when I can see how in love the five year old is with the 9 month old.
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It’s hard to narrow down to three!
-Watching the garden I planted months ago grow and bloom and produce real live fruits and veggies
-Planning little surprises and activities that I know will make my kids go crazy with delight
-Deciding what my next book to read will be, finding about 20 other books in the process that I want to read “next” (and next, and next, and next)
I did all of these today! yay!
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* The sound of the garage door going up when my husband comes home.
* A cup of coffee and uninterrupted reading time.
* Belly laughs.
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This is fun!
1) Seeing my husband achieve something I know he’s worked hard for
2) Public libraries
3) Sharing meals with people I love
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good coffee; weekly ladies only “meetings” at our local hole in the wall bar; hearing the kid sing the abc’s for the first time; our dog’s velvet soft ears; date night (planning and having); standing room only rock shows that can make you young again; finding the perfect old lady dress at a thrift store…
i’m going to continue this list just for myself! what a great exercise. Thanks!
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– Napping with my 14 yr old kitty snuggled into my hip
– The ride home from a great party when my husband and I relive all the best laughs/moments
– Completing one of my “make 1,000 lovely things” projects- thanks for that one Maggie!
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1. Knitting makes me incredibly happy – both because I find it creative, calming and satisfying, and because I can make lovely gifts for my friends.
2. Spending time with my nearest and dearest, no matter what we’re doing. Time with my husband, girlfriends and family always makes me smile.
3. Sunny days in Seattle. We get more of them than people realize, but the rain and grey makes me appreciate them so much more than I did when I lived in So. Cal.
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1. donuts
2. my daughter
3. tivo 🙂
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1) cute, friendly dogs
2) margaritas
3) diy projects
thanks for the giveaway!
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Super happy about my newly purchased (hello bank loan!) 1st home is: A. Big enough my husband’s contractor’s tools are in the Garage instead of my Bedroom closet, YAY! B. In my new awesome neighborhood that does NOT include a next-door drug dealer with super noisy chickens, YAY! C. The walk to my mum’s house is only 10 minutes, YAY!
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#1: Fresh tomatos from the garden
#2: A brand new manicure
#3: A rainy day
Good luck everyone!
❤ Hil
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How fun, here are my three:
The smell of the ocean
Finding free parking
Making things
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Cooking for friends and family,having three day weekends every week, and late night strolls with my boyfriend.
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1. getting off work early
2. having a good run
3. giant marshmallows
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1. My son
2. Belting out showtunes at the top of my lungs while driving
3. any versions of smores
4. My husband’s goofy and endearing personality
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1. Feeling of having clean teeth
2. Sitting on a porch watching the rain
3. Heartfelt moments in the Olympics
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Barracuda by Heart…. blasted at top volume!
My sons giggle.
The smell of homemade bread baking.
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My boys laughing; some time to read a good book; and ice cream.
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The sound of my kitty cat snoring in her sleep.
Cooking in my kitchen.
Cocktails on the patio at dusk, watching the hummingbirds perform aerial gymnastics.
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I battle depression. Happy is an interesting concept for me, and many others who deal with mental illness. But I can tell you some things that brighten my days.
Long (or short) hikes through the Ocala forest.
Staring at displays of a particular nail polish brand (rhymes with Bessie), sometimes even springing the $8 to get a fresh bottle.
On the best days, baking something from scratch, last week I made banana cream pie..
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1. When my husband finds me hysterical
2. When my 3 year old hugs me for no reason
3. When a conversation gives me a burst of genuine laughter
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01 the scent of my mother on my clothes after i hug her. it is light and lovely and lingers after she visits.
02 hearing the deep belly laugh of my darlin’ daughter. she has a great nerdy laugh. it cracks me up.
03 waking up early and puttering around the house while everyone is peacefully slumbering. ah…. alone time.
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1. Outdoor cocktail parties at dusk, when our kids are occupying themselves.
2. Moon bounces.
3. Running on a dirt path in the dark.
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1) The sound of my daughter sneaking into our bed at 6 am every morning as she snuggles up next to me
2)Getting lost in my dance class and just feeling the movement and letting my body communicate what it needs to
3) Sitting on the beach with a good book and listening to the waves crash
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Hugs. Mudslides. Novels.
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Eating and going out in NYC, notebooks, my husband: his laugh, smell, touch and taste.
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Oh just 3? Ok…in no particular order.
1. A wonderfully prepared meal
2. My daughters’ laughter
3. The look on my husband’s face when he has done something special for the family.
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1. My almost 1-year old daughter
2. My husband
3. Salt & vinegar potato chips
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Things that make me happy:
-Cooking for others: despite the fact that while I’m cooking I can be a right pain-in-the-rear (I’d like to think it’s because genius doesn’t have to be polite *all* the time :), I do love serving amazing food to people I like to be around.
-Cycling: you can go far distances with a lot of wind in your face. That always equals happy (if I lived near the ocean again, replace cycling with sailing.)
-Studying: I actually told my boyfriend (whose family wants to come to our house for a party the week of my comprehensive exams): “You and I may part ways, but I can’t part ways from my education, so I’ll be studying while your family invites itself over to the house.” I was amazed by how okay I was by this statement, and how much I love what I’m doing. (FWIW: we are still together, and he laughed and agreed 🙂
-Bonus fourth thing: books. Don’t have to say anything beyond that, I think.
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First, I would have to say that I don’t think anything/anyone can ‘make’ you happy…but i do believe people and things can bring happiness by their very nature, and therefore submit my list in no particular order:
1. laughter
2. taking photos
3. discovering possibilities that perfect weather brings
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3 things that make me happy:
1. A sunday afternoon nap with a purring kitty.
2. The sound of the wind blowing through cedars.
3. Clean sheet day!
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Today, I’m focused on sounds. So, sounds that make me happy:
1. The pop of a champagne cork.
2. The sound of someone you love saying your name.
3. The sound of someone jumping into a pool when you’re absorbed in something else.
(Bonus: seriously…your blog, your writing makes me happy! You’re an inspiration to me in both mindset and writing-style.)
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