PinnedWhy Practicing Gratitude is Good For Your HealthA detailed look at the benefits of gratitude for psychological and physical well-being. — For as long as I can remember, my mom’s family has spent Thanksgiving together. For years we gathered — uncles, aunts, cousins — at my grandmother’s small ranch home in Southern Georgia — with some of us supplementing the traditional dinner with a late night trip to Waffle House. Then…Life3 min readLife3 min read
Jan 24Five Strategies for Developing Better Relationships in the New YearA summary of scientific research on method of building closer relationships as a way to increase happiness. — As many of us focus on setting goals for the new year, it’s tempting to focus on those with clear and measurable outcomes: lose ten pounds, stop drinking, run a 5K. …Happiness5 min readHappiness5 min read
Dec 7, 2022The Science of Gift Giving and HappinessChoose Experiences Over Belongings — In October 2016, my brother Matt — a long-time season ticket holder for the Chicago Cubs — called me to get advice on a very unusual dilemma: what should he do with his four tickets for the upcoming World Series game? One option was to take his wife and two…Happiness6 min readHappiness6 min read
Nov 29, 2022Dogs: A Prescription for Well-beingA summary of scientific research on the benefits of dogs for psychological and physical well-being. — In May of 2017, my family adopted a highly traumatized dog from a local shelter. Daisy had been dropped off at a shelter in Louisiana along with her 10 puppies; they were all brought up to Massachusetts by a local rescue agency. After weaning, her puppies were all promptly adopted…Dogs3 min readDogs3 min read
May 9, 2020Wear a Mask — For MomSixteen years ago, my mother spent what would turn out to be her last Mother’s Day in a hospital, recovering from the effects of yet another failed round of chemotherapy. I’ve thought repeatedly about the last few months of her life during this pandemic, and how we were all so…Covid 193 min readCovid 193 min read
May 1, 2020Mike Pence and the Bystander EffectLast week a friend called me to share a story about her daughter, Claire, a recent college graduate living and working in Boston. In March, as it was starting to become clear that the coronavirus was going to severely impact daily life in Massachusetts, Claire — who is Asian —…Mike Pence4 min readMike Pence4 min read
