How to Build a Life
A column about pointing yourself toward happiness
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik Eight Ways to Banish Misery
The philosopher Bertrand Russell knew something about unhappiness. He also knew how to overcome it.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik Feeling Burned Out? Here’s What to Do.
The way to break the cycle is by creating meaningful boundaries between work and life.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik Three Myths and Four Truths About How to Get Happier
The most important thing to realize is that happiness is not a destination but a direction: How you travel through life is what counts.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik A Knockout Technique for Achieving More Happiness
The best lesson from Mike Tyson’s boxing career is not about ring craft; it’s about having the right goals in life.
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Jan Buchczik How to Pick the Right Sort of Vacation for You
All it takes is matching your personality to the holiday.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik How to Get the Most Happiness From Your Social Life
Simply seeking out people who are different from you will make you smarter and more contented.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik How to Apologize Like a Pro
A partial “sorry” is worse than none.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik Aristotle’s 10 Rules for a Good Life
An ancient Greek recipe for happiness
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik To Get Happier, Choose to Read This Column
Even if you don’t quite believe you have free will, you’re better off acting as if you do.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik How to Have Your Most Fulfilling Vacation Ever
Turning your leisure into learning offers the happiest holiday experience of all.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik Being Anxious or Sad Does Not Make You Mentally Ill
We easily pathologize bad feelings, but they’re a normal, even healthy part of human experience.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik Four Ways to Make Grief More Bearable
Losing a loved one inevitably brings pain. But how you respond not only affects your own healing but can also enable you to help others.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik Google Isn’t Grad School
Having so much information at our fingertips is useful but seductive, easily fooling us into thinking we know more than we do.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik The Triumph of Coming in Third
Treating competition as all-or-nothing will never make you as happy as simply doing your best and finding satisfaction in that.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik The Happy Art of Grandparenting
I just became a grandfather—and the role holds a lot of lessons for happiness.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik The Path to Happiness Is Narrow but Easy
Tolstoy was onto something about unhappy families. The solution is to put your relationships first.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik The Happiest Way to Change Jobs
How to rock your work rather than let the work rule you
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Jan Buchczik Don’t Avoid Romance
Nothing is healthier or more happy-making than loving attachment. Don’t deprive yourself.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik Think About Your Death and Live Better
Contemplating your mortality might sound morbid, but it’s actually a key to happiness.
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Illustration by Jan Buchczik The Only Career Advice You’ll Ever Need
The contentment of being true to yourself comes through doing good work, and doing it with love.
