Standing before you is a game filled with a complex network of mazes and ladders. When you came into this world this game was already established. All of the rules were set in place. A path was laid out before you, and as you grew, you slowly became indoctrinated into that world, into that game. It was…

I met someone recently who knows how to live. You know the type: self-possessed, confident, the kind of person who energizes a room. The kind of person who is alive to everything around them, who makes everyone they focus their attention on feel they could do more, they could be more. A natural-born leader who brings…

The world, it seems, is going downhill fast. Everyone has a take on what’s wrong: liberals over-regulating everything, conservatives decimating the principles of governance, immigrants refusing to blend in, racists bashing immigrants, poor parenting, non-family-friendly policies, corporations bound to short-term profits instead of long-term social responsibilities, activists hampering corporate innovation, and of course the Jews…

Natives to pastoral areas know what it looks like. What was once a pasture with cows now looks like a small village — only the homes are anything but small. These McMansions are often well over 4,000 square feet large with plenty of luxury amenities for the average sized family. Interestingly, these…

Picture this: I’m 18, going to college, living 3,000 miles away from home. I stop in at a music store and fiddle around with one of the keyboards there. It’s nice. I strike up a conversation with one of the salespeople. He’s nice. He asks if I’d like to buy the keyboard…

“Now hast thou but one bare hour to live, And then thou must be damned perpetually. Stand still, you ever-moving spheres of heaven, That time may cease, and midnight never come.”                 Christopher Marlowe: Doctor Faustus You’re on the beach of your dreams, under a sunset that flares with every color you can call to mind, plus a few you can’t…

Mettle 1. n. courage, fortitude, pluck, ardor, verve. 2. on one’s mettle, in the position of being ready to do one’s best. Metal and mettle both rust if neglected. They lose their shine. They become tarnished and weakened. People who have lost their mettle no longer have sufficient courage or enthusiasm to take on…

Last week, I posted Part 1 of this article . Here are some more straightforward and practical ways to give yourself the best possible chance of living a good life, focusing on what is most likely to produce lasting changes for the better. Broaden your horizons. Take an interest in something new. Try to…

The greatest and most persistent blockages to your progress in life usually come from a single source—yourself. Here are some simple, practical ways to give yourself the best possible chance of living a good life. Make the time to work out what’s most important to you. What’s so important you wouldn’t give it up, save in…

The folks over at Real Simple give some advice about how to liven up a boring bedroom. Real Simple gives some tips about how to improve the artwork, curtains, lighting, furniture, bedding, and rugs for cheap. The tips are very appropriate for those of us who want to redecorate without spending…

Gretchen Rubin brings us a necessary list of tips to help us deal with those moments in life when our children decide they’ve had all they can stand, and they can’t stand any more. The secret is to acknowledge the reality of children’s wishes. This sounds obvious, but think about how easy it is to…

You’re driving along the freeway. The traffic is heavy and the weather is bad; there’s water on the road and occasional patches of ice. You’re already late for an appointment and you’re worrying that your boss is going to find out and get mad at you, so you’re driving way too fast for the conditions…

I’ve got this crazy notion that comes partly from living in a space that is basically one big giant room (a loft). The house has been a little messy lately, and no matter what we do, it’s just not coming back to a state of “organized” lately. So I’ve got this thought. Bear with me…