Hearing ‘no’ can be a good thing — A few weeks ago, I taught my first course on one of the fundamentals of a freelance writing career: pitching. As much strategy as substance, a good pitch is the gateway to a successful freelance career. But, I told my students, regardless of how skilled you are at the art…

People are much more than how they earn a paycheck — One of my favorite icebreakers is to ask a stranger to tell me the worst thing they’ve ever done. Most of the time my conversation partner is taken aback, stumped, or left profoundly uncomfortable as they mine the archives of their life searching for a suitable answer. It’s not so…

It’s all about choice, intentionality, and frequency — During this Great Social Reset period, Americans are rediscovering what it means to be a social human. What are friends? What do I do with them? Do I have any left? …

Early to bed, early to rise is wise indeed — I’d like to consider myself a morning person: I revel in the stillness of the city in the hours before everyone has risen, I enjoy the accomplishment of finishing a run before most people fire off their first email of the day, and there’s nothing better than the reward of…

Now is the time for making friends, not ditching them — Time for an obvious truth: The pandemic put friendships through the wringer. …

Social distancing made meeting new people difficult — but not impossible — Last year, as social distancing made socializing virtually impossible, people got creative with how they kept in touch with others: Instagram dance parties, Zoom theater classes, apps designed for random connection. Although many digital tools simplified connecting with people we already knew, they also empowered some to forge new friendships…

The restorative power of coming back to small, silly pre-pandemic rituals — During the summer of 2016, I covered nine music festivals. Beyond being a completely exhausting summer for my eardrums, my feet also took a beating. …

People will continue to judge based on assumptions and notions of high-risk behavior — In the background of a global health crisis has been a pandemic of shaming. Your neighbors had a party at the height of the winter surge. College friends posted pictures from their winter ski getaway. A distant cousin had a maskless indoor wedding. …

Humans need a balanced social diet of a few meaningful conversations and many casual interactions — Balance is a celebrated, yet elusive, concept. In work, relationships, hobbies, and even what we choose to put into our bodies, we strive to strike the right proportion of give and take that leaves us feeling fulfilled and not overextended. The idea of balance also applies to social interactions. In…