Hello and welcome to Happier, a podcast where we talk about cutting-edge science, the wisdom of the ages,

contemporary culture, our own experiences about how to make our lives happier.

This week we'll talk about the value of observing a sour hour and I will share some helpful hacks about how to deal with muscle pain. I'm Gretchen Rubin, a writer who studies good habits, human nature, the five senses, secrets of adulthood, the open door, or you could call

the empty nest.

I'm in New York City and joining me today from Los Angeles is my sister Elizabeth

Kraft, my sister the sage.

That's me, Elizabeth Kraft, a TV writer and producer living in LA,

and Gretch, I guarantee I will be indulging in some sour hours.

Okay, it's very up my alley. Yeah, it sounds very. in some sour hours. Okay.

It's very up my alley.

Yeah, it sounds very useful.

But before we jump in, a few updates, we were talking about trails and hikes and walks and all that.

And Robin wrote to say, my son informed me that if a trail is paved, it is not a hike.

I think that's very interesting.

When I am going in Central Park, it is flat and it is also paved.

So it is definitely a walk and not a hike.

All right, we now know how to categorize.

Yeah, because then recently we talked about turning acquaintances into friends and a listener wrote in and said,

thank you so much for episode 501 on turning acquaintances into friends.

I am in one of the loneliest seasons of my life now as my youngest child is in rehab for mental health issues.

Unfortunately, the stigma of mental health struggles can cause old friends to drift away.

But your episode prompted me to take initiative and give my contact info to the other moms and

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