As a faculty member at Yale, I teach hundreds of people every year. I’ve observed that although all of my students have extraordinary qualities, only some of them go on to live extraordinary lives. What makes them so special? They have a healthy relationship with themselves. Most people, however, have the opposite: a toxic relationship … Read more
In July 2020, my husband and I left Los Angeles with our two small kids, to visit his family in a small town in the Danish countryside. We didn’t realize the trip would result in a permanent move and a new adventure. When a 1700’s farmhouse came on the market, we took a chance and … Read more
The resort town of Mazatlán, Mexico — where I lived from 2006 until last month — is one of the best spots to witness the total solar eclipse on April 8. Hordes of people are traveling there to experience the event. There was a 1,000% surge in searches for Airbnb listings in North American cities … Read more
As a leader at the education nonprofit Khan Academy, I was thrilled when ChatGPT came out in November 2022. It meant we could use generative AI to provide personalized tutoring to more kids than ever. But as a hiring manager and cofounder of a career development business who’s trained first-gen students at CUNY and MBAs … Read more
I’ve been an expat for most of my life. Originally from Japan, I’ve lived in a total of six countries. For the past 15 years, I’ve called Geneva, Switzerland, my home. When my then-husband and I decided to move here, to his hometown, our first child was just 10 months old. We wanted a change … Read more
As emergency medicine doctors, we clock in and out at all hours, making it tough to get enough rest. Physicians also come from a culture where boasting about getting by on little or no sleep is common or even boasted about. But we want to push back on that idea. Sleep is fundamentally important to … Read more
In a little-known mountainous area called Hunza Valley, located far north of Pakistan, people seem to defy all medical odds. It is primarily home to the Burusho and Wakhi people, who for centuries have survived and thrived in remote villages â with minimal amenities and rudimentary health facilities. Studies have found that the average life … Read more
My entire life used to be about maximizing my time for work. I spent over a decade building a career in New York’s tech scene. I worked at Foursquare and Google, and in 2014, I started my business, Tech Ladies. My goal was to help women in the industry find jobs, negotiate and network. I hired … Read more
So many unhealthy relationship dynamics are fueled by poor communication skills. As a Harvard-trained psychologist who has spent 20 years working with couples, I’ve found that the most damaging way to communicate with your partner is with contempt. Contempt is the belief that a person is beneath you, worthless, or deserving of scorn and ridicule. When someone … Read more
Why higher emotional intelligence boosts happiness Emotional intelligence, which is the capacity to understand and control our emotions, as well as being sensitive to others’ feelings, nurtures our relationships and boosts our empathy. This can lead to stronger social connections. And as we age, our social bonds become even more vital to our well-being. With … Read more
