What does it actually mean to have a good day — and can you design one? Host Eric Benson, a graphic design professor and climate advocate, has been wrestling with that question since the pandemic turned every day into Groundhog Day. For his first guest, he turns to Elizabeth Azide, marketer, writer, and the mind behind The Philosophy of Everything.

Elizabeth brings a Stoic lens to the question — rooted in Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and the simple but profound idea: “did today feel like me?” Elizabeth and Eric dig into how aligning actions with intentions (not just outputs) defines a meaningful day, why being disciplined can become its own trap, and how writing down three small wins each night retrains your brain toward gratitude over achievement.

They also tackle whether "what makes a good day" is even a fair question when so much of the world is struggling — and land somewhere honest and hopeful.

About Elizabeth Azide Marketer by day, philosopher always. Elizabeth writes at thephilosophyofeverything.com — where practical Stoicism meets everyday life.

Host: Eric Benson → ericbenson.re-nourish.org

Listen & Subscribe: re-nourish.org/podcast

Music by: John Opferkuch

Follow us on Instagram: @RenourishDesign

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• The Time Ferris Show with Michael Phelps & Grant Hackett
• Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius
• The Tim Ferris Show with Ryan Holiday
• Jocko Willink

What Makes a Good Day is a podcast for anyone who creates, hosted by design professor Eric Benson (of the award-winning Climify podcast). Each episode tackles the ancient question that feels urgently contemporary: what constitutes a life worth living?

What Makes a Good Day skips the productivity hacks and morning routine worship. Instead, I ask: are you living by your own values, or reacting to everyone else's expectations? Through conversations with creative practitioners who've figured a few things out, alongside insights from Stoic philosophy and contemporary psychology, we explore how small, intentional choices compound into lives that feel genuinely meaningful and joyous.

What Makes a Good Day is your weekly reset—a space to step back from the chaos and honestly assess how to make each day live up to the life you want to live.

Join me. Let's figure out what we're actually doing here.