#well-wishes

#well-wishes

"I want to look back and share two lessons I think others would benefit from hearing: (1) remember that you belong, and (2) embrace the value of philosophy, especially in trying times."

In frightening times, it makes a huge difference not to feel alone. Creating art with others in community enhances agency and strengthens self. Creativity requires an open heart; love enhances hope and diminishes fear.

Not every conversation with AI ends in the same place. Some end where they began: I arrive with an idea, the machine agrees, I leave satisfied. No disagreements, plenty of praise. What a delightful conversation. Others end in territory I didn't know existed. I leave with doubts that weren't there when I entered. The difference between these two outcomes is rarely about the tool. It's about the level of awareness I bring into the conversation and the question I decide to ask.

You're allowed to enjoy nice things. Both elements—the nice things and being allowed them—were equally important. She was a fervent believer in the restorative power of a treat, taking herself out for solo breakfasts most weeks (a bacon muffin and a cup of coffee in the cosseted calm of Bettys Tea Rooms), ordering chips at the slightest provocation, staying in chic hotels she had a pre-internet gift for ferreting out and being coaxed by department store salesladies into buying expensive unguents.

People at peace with aging don't stop exploring. They take up watercolor painting at fifty-five. They join book clubs discussing genres they've never read. They learn new technologies instead of complaining about them. This isn't about proving anything to anyone. It's about maintaining that sense of wonder that keeps life interesting. When you're genuinely engaged with learning something new, you spend less time lamenting what used to be.

We're also spending less time with friends. For years, Americans averaged about 6.5 hours a week with friends. Between 2014 and 2019, that number plunged by 37%, to just 4 hours. The year 2014 coincides with a rise in smartphone users.

Spring ends the winter season like light ends the darkness. The coming of spring reminds us of the peaks and valleys of life. If you are in a valley, know that there is light at the end of the tunnel and a peak will come soon. Just as the seasons change, so too will your life.

We all know that once you get a taste for certain things in life, it's tough to go back. Redditor Phase_zero_X asked, "What is a luxury you can never go back from once you've experienced it?" Here's what people said. 1. "A comfortable bed. My husband and I really splurged on our most recent mattress, and I mean really splurged, but gosh darn it, it feels good to lie down."

Last week, I watched a young guy at the coffee shop make the barista's entire day. Not with a big tip or elaborate compliment, just a genuine "thank you so much" and eye contact that said he actually saw her as a person, not just a caffeine dispenser. The barista's shoulders relaxed, her smile turned real, and suddenly the whole atmosphere shifted.

When asked to rate high-performing candidates and average candidates, study participants preferred the high performers. No surprise there. But the highest-rated candidates of all were the high performers who had also just spilled coffee all over themselves before walking in the door. In other words, we want you to be able to do your job, but we don't mind if you're kind of a mess. In fact, we prefer it! You're relatable.

Remaining present in the modern world includes noticing the good. We're not talking toxic positivity here. We're referring to a simple commitment to also noticing what's good in the world even as you navigate what's not. Whether you find these reminders burrowed in a news story, the feeling of being on your mat or out on a run, or the eyes of a loved one doesn't matter. Noticing them does.

When we handwrite, especially something as emotionally loaded as a thank-you note, our brains engage in what neuroscientists call "embodied cognition"-the physical act of writing actually shapes how we think and feel about what we're expressing. The people I wrote to started responding differently. Not just polite acknowledgments, but genuine, heartfelt replies that often led to deeper conversations.

Virtues such as compassion, patience, and self-control may be beneficial not only for others but also for oneself, according to new research my team and I published in the Journal of Personality in December 2025. Philosophers from Aristotle to al-Fārābī, a 10th-century scholar in what is now Iraq, have argued that virtue is vital for well-being. Yet others, such as Thomas Hobbes and Friedrich Nietzsche, have argued the opposite: Virtue offers no benefit to oneself and is good only for others.

Lately, I've started noticing the importance of friendship in my life. This comes at an unheard-of time of change, disruption, and societal trauma. While it may not be surprising that I'm personally feeling the importance of a few close, deep friends ('heart friends'), it spurred me into thinking about how others are faring at this time and how close, bonded friendships may help us. In fact, friendships are positively correlated with emotional well-being, which we all could use more of right now.

Twice a month, I go to my eye doctor for injections that slow the loss of my vision. The waiting room is always filled with quiet tension-fearful eyes, deep breaths, people trying not to crumble. I sit and breathe, waiting for my name to be called. And every time, without fail, there is a woman-maybe in her late fifties or early sixties-who enters already furious. Before she even sits down, she's fighting with the receptionist.