Little Bits of Happiness: With Guests Sally Millington & Ellen Evers

June 2, 2025
Learn how the way we separate life's highs and lows can influence our happiness.

After you listen

When it comes to investing, we know that people are often reluctant to sell losing positions and turn "paper losses" into real ones. But if you've mustered the courage to admit defeat and move on from a failed investment, consider cleaning out additional holdings that no longer fit your strategy or risk tolerance. It might be less disappointing than selling them separately.

  • For more tips on mitigating the biases that could impact your portfolio, check out the Financial Decoder podcast. You can find it in your favorite podcast app.

Were you the kind of kid who devoured all your Halloween candy in one sitting—or savored it daily until, somehow, it was Easter? And when it comes to bad news, do you prefer it all at once or with some time in between? Turns out, the way we bundle or separate life's highs and lows can influence our happiness. 

In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we consider a mental accounting trick that can help maximize joy and minimize pain. 

You'll hear from Sally Millington of York, U.K., who set out to try 52 new things in a year. From the silly to the daring, Sally shares how shifting from saving fun for vacations to spreading it throughout the year transformed her outlook—and boosted her well-being. Her story shows the power of intentionally pacing pleasure—and why we might want to do the opposite with unpleasant experiences.

Then, Katy speaks with Ellen Evers, Associate Professor of Marketing at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, whose research touches on how the way we categorize experiences can make everyday life feel a little better. 

Choiceology is an original podcast from Charles Schwab.

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