Category: lifestyle


Does social media change the ways we're social?

Does social media change the ways we're social?

My coworker, Ted, recently posted a link on Facebook. It was a New York Times article about social interactions in real life and online. That Ted and I work in the same building but converse more electronically than face to face is probably relevant here somehow. Charles Blow wrote in his op-ed for the Times: A report issued Wednesday by…

Do we get happier as we get older?

Do we get happier as we get older?

Some people idealize high school and college as the happiest times of their lives. I am not one of those people. You couldn’t pay me to be a teenager again, and my 20s weren’t much better. Naturally I found this recent HealthDay story interesting, reporting on a new Stony Brook University study that shows people over 50 are generally happier:…

Mother's Day can be a challenge when you've lost your mom

Mother's Day can be a challenge when you've lost your mom

Editor’s note: This post gets a lot of traffic from people searching phrases like “mothers day wishes for someone who lost their mom.” I love that so many of you are looking to offer your love and support, and would personally suggest following your heart with something simple like “Thinking of you and your mom today,” or “Are you doing…

Are you being polished by life?

Are you being polished by life?

I subscribe to the Quote of the Day e-mail from All About Gratitude. Most of them are pretty good, but this one recently really struck me: “The diamond cannot be polished without friction, nor the man perfected without trials.” ~ Chinese Proverb I love a blog about gratitude reminding me that life’s trials aren’t to be avoided but a path…

Are New Yorkers really unhappy?

Are New Yorkers really unhappy?

We spend a lot of time wishing each other happiness at this time of year — happy holidays, happy new year, merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah. So this recent NY Times article about who’s most happy and least happy seems especially well timed. a study by two economics professors, newly published in Science magazine. The academics — Andrew J. Oswald, of…

Focusing on one change at a time for two months each

Focusing on one change at a time for two months each

Zen Habits, one of my favorite e-mail newsletters, offered guidance this week on making New Year’s resolutions using the Six Changes Method. Here’s how it works: Pick 6 habits for 2010. Pick 1 of the 6 habits to start with. Commit as publicly as possible to creating this new habit in 2 months. Break the habit into 8 baby steps,…

Let's call them goals instead of resolutions

Let's call them goals instead of resolutions

Monday morning I caught the end of a piece about New Year’s resolutions on The Takeaway, a syndicated radio show produced at our NPR affiliate, WNYC. We’re joined by our family contributor Ylonda Caviness, longtime family and parenting journalist and mother of three, along with Andrea Price, mother of two; both discuss meaningful New Year’s resolutions (or “goals,” as Price…

What makes resolutions achievable?

What makes resolutions achievable?

Have you ever stood with your glass of champagne in hand and declared that this year is the one when you’ll run a marathon, lose 50 pounds or get a great new job? Then all you have to show for your half-hearted commitment is a champagne hangover? This week I’m blogging about making — and keeping — resolutions. Saturday I…

Making resolutions you can keep

Making resolutions you can keep

Have you ever stood with your glass of champagne in hand and declared that this year is the one when you’ll run a marathon, lose 50 pounds or get a great new job? Then all you have to show for your half-hearted commitment is a champagne hangover? This week I’m blogging about making — and keeping — resolutions. Yesterday I…

The relationship between work, home and happiness

The relationship between work, home and happiness

A great article in BusinessWeek … make that Bloomberg BusinessWeek .. addresses the cause and effect of happiness and work. Authors Marshall and Kelly Goldsmith reviewed a survey on short-term satisfaction and long-term benefit at work and at home. A few observations they made really got me thinking: There is an incredibly high correlation between people’s happiness and meaning at…

Meet me halfway, local businesses

Meet me halfway, local businesses

I feel strongly about supporting local businesses — they contribute to the character of my community so my job is to financially contribute to their success. Their job is to make that possible. If you make it hard for me to spend money in your shop, depending on how much I like you and your establishment, I might try try…

Day 11: Forgiveness … forgiveness

Day 11: Forgiveness … forgiveness

Leading up to Thanksgiving, each day I will blog about what I’m doing to be more grateful. I invite you to join me, and to share your thoughts, observations, suggestions and ideas. Day 11: Giving thanks for the people who have hurt us It was the prophet Don Henley who said: I’ve been tryin’ to get down to the heart…

Day 10: Regrets, I've had a few

Day 10: Regrets, I've had a few

Leading up to Thanksgiving, each day I will blog about what I’m doing to be more grateful. I invite you to join me, and to share your thoughts, observations, suggestions and ideas. Day 10: Instead of regretting the past, being grateful for the present This week I’m blogging about the reasons I’m not as grateful as I know I should…

Day Nine: I want I want I want

Day Nine: I want I want I want

Leading up to Thanksgiving, each day I will blog about what I’m doing to be more grateful. I invite you to join me, and to share your thoughts, observations, suggestions and ideas. Day Nine: Being grateful for what you have instead of wanting what you don’t have Over the years, I’ve read various studies about how watching television encourages us…