On September 4, 2024, my husband Jamie and I will have been married for thirty years. Unbelievable. We didn’t notice it at the time, but our wedding date is easy …
Five Reflections from Dropping Off My College Freshman
My husband Jamie and I recently drove our younger daughter Eleanor up to college, to help her move in for her freshman year. It’s a huge family milestone. In the …
Insights and Hacks from an English Hiking Adventure
My sister Elizabeth and I just returned from a wonderful guided hiking trip in Northumberland and the Lake District, in partnership with Wilderness England. We hiked to various summits, we …
A Fun New Way to Have a Happier Summer
Have you ever reached the end of summer and wished you’d done more to enjoy the season? For many of us, summer is marked by longer days, looser schedules, and …
How to Be Happier: 16 Tips for Being a More Lighthearted Parent.
One of my Twelve Commandments is “Lighten up,” and I have a lot of resolutions aimed at trying to be a more lighthearted parent: less nagging, more laughing. We all …
Hacks for Facing Life’s Challenges: Proverbs of the Professions
Something that makes us happier? Having clarity on how to move ahead—how to make a decision, how to size up a problem, how to deal with other people. Elizabeth and …
How a Book Club Can Make You Happier
Ancient philosophers and contemporary scientists agree: Strong relationships make people happier. We need enduring, intimate bonds; we need to feel like we belong; we need to be able to confide; …
What I Learned From My No-Spend Month
This year, for our “24 for 24” lists, my sister Elizabeth and I decided to observe a “No-Spend February.” For the month of February, we didn’t make any unnecessary purchases. …
What Type of Gold Star Works for You?
We all love a good self-discovery question. Are you a morning person or a night person? An over-buyer or an under-buyer? A simplicity-lover or an abundance-lover? Do you prefer competition …
My Visits to the Met Reminded Me of This Profound Truth
For more than four years, I’ve been visiting the Metropolitan Museum every day. (I skip when it’s closed or I’m traveling.) I started this practice for my book Life in …