There’s a better way to summer. — It’s summer in Minnesota. That means it’s time for my annual attempt to convince my kids — who are 7, 4, and almost 1 — that the impossible is true: No, the sun won’t set for two more hours, but yes, you really have to head toward bed. These long…

Greet the edges of your understanding with awe, not angst. — Growing up, on the second Sunday in May, you could usually find my family outside, planting flowers for my mom. On Mother’s Day last year, my husband, kids, and I stuffed our in-ground planters with seedlings: basil, mint, strawberries, and tiny tomatoes you can pop in your mouth come August…

When your brain feels crowded, focus on the wisest voice — One Sunday afternoon, while walking along the river path near where I live in Saint Paul, I wandered off the pavement to a clearing where the bluffs swing out over the Mississippi. I watched the wind push a pocket of snow from its perch in an oak to the cold…

Mindfulness is great. Mostly. But being aware of your thoughts can be downright painful, especially when they’re full of self-judgement. Self-compassion can help. Let me back up: I’m a meditator. I’ve been practicing off and on since 2007. The tradition I practice in is called Theravada Buddhism, which I encountered…

As a former mental health researcher, here’s the emotional wellness advice I need to hear on my 37th birthday. — I love to use my birthday as an opportunity to take stock. What went well last year? What do I hope for next year? What’s important to keep top of mind? So when I turned 37 last week, I wrote 37 reminders to myself (mostly in service of emotional wellness)…

Insights on mindfulness and compassion inspired by a toddler and a tube of chapstick. — I looked up at my toddler, who stood at the top of the hard, honey stairs. His dimpled hands balled up at his sides. One clenched a yellow cap. The other held a matching tube. A breath later, I smelled mint. “One, two, three, come with me,” I beckoned. “Let’s…

How an exposure therapy hack has helped me set professional boundaries. Saying no at work feels a bit like cliff diving — something I hear can be rewarding, but wow it seems risky. I think declining professional offers is particularly difficult for me because, to do it, I have to…

Mindfulness is key to unprogramming precrastination anxiety — This month I increased my freelance workload to levels it hadn’t hit since my third son was born last year. I’m working with new editors and new publications. I’m learning new systems. I’m unlearning something too. For as long as I can remember, I’ve used the discomfort of a job…

When you feel irritable, leverage curiosity’s effect on the brain to feel good instead. — My six-year-old is in that phase where he loves magic tricks. He learned one of his favorites from a Netflix show called Brainchild. It’s purportedly a physics lesson, but I think it’s also a fantastic psychology lesson in disguise. The trick goes like this. My son has me stack my…