How to Build a Life
A column about pointing yourself toward happiness
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Jan Buchczik The Trouble With Zooming Forever
Videochatting may be convenient, but it will never make us as happy as real human interaction.
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Jan Buchczik The Magic of a Little Danger
To get happier, be brave, not reckless.
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Jan Buchczik Don’t Surround Yourself With Admirers
Instead, befriend people who inspire awe in you.
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Jan Buchczik How to Stop Dating People Who Are Wrong for You
Focus on the long term. Don’t try to replace your ex. Plus three more cures for unhealthy romantic habits.
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Jan Buchczik How to Make the Baggage of Your Past Easier to Carry
Rewriting the stories you tell about yourself can make for a better future.
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Jan Buchczik The Case for Mindful Cursing
Swearing can make you happier, as long as you do it for the right reasons.
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Jan Buchczik The Perks of Being a Hot Mess
No one’s judging you as harshly as you judge yourself.
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Jan Buchczik The Two Choices That Keep a Midlife Crisis at Bay
Middle age is an opportunity to find transcendence.
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Jan Buchczik Mindfulness Hurts. That’s Why It Works.
Facing the painful parts of life head-on is the only way to feel at home with yourself.
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Jan Buchczik The Key to a Good Parent-Child Relationship? Low Expectations.
Imperfect people can still enjoy a satisfying and healthy bond.
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Jan Buchczik Ben Franklin’s Radical Theory of Happiness
Ken Burns grades the Founding Father’s pursuit of a good life.
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Jan Buchczik How to Stop Freaking Out
If you can prevent your emotions from taking over in the face of stress, you can avoid a lot of regret and set a good example for others.
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Jan Buchczik 10 Practical Ways to Improve Happiness
For when you need advice that goes beyond “Be Danish”
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Jan Buchczik Sports Are Great Because They’re Pointless
The most trivial things can build the strongest relationships.
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Jan Buchczik A Gentler, Better Way to Change Minds
Stop wielding your values as a weapon and start offering them as a gift.
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Jan Buchczik What the Second-Happiest People Get Right
If you make happiness your primary goal, you might miss out on the challenges that give life meaning.
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Jan Buchczik Choose Enjoyment Over Pleasure
Pleasure is addictive and animal; enjoyment is elective and human.
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Jan Buchczik Trolls Aren’t Like the Rest of Us
Online jerks and offline jerks are largely one and the same. Here’s how to keep them from affecting your happiness.
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Jan Buchczik Find More Ways to Be an Outsider
Doing so may feel painful, but it’s one of the best investments you will ever make.
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Jan Buchczik The Kind of Smarts You Don’t Find in Young People
America needs more than innovation; it needs wisdom.
