How to Politely Decline Something You Can’t Afford
I spent my 20s trying to keep up with the Joneses. The problem was, I lived in New York City, where the Joneses were basically…
Life Hacks to Make Your Day Smoother and Happier (Really)
You don’t get to the ripe old age of 34 without learning a thing or two. Among my most earth-shattering epiphanies is this: It’s illuminating…
Your Best Friend Is Not Your Therapist
Recently, I found myself in the midst of a major life transition. I’d lost my job and was struggling to decide what to do next.…
4 Modern-Day Spiritual Gurus
If you grew up within an organized religion, you were probably offered a buffet of spiritual figures to emulate. As a Catholic, I had a…
How to Practice Self-Care Without Going Broke
One of my favorite writers, Laurie Penny, wrote this scathing screed against “neoliberal self-care” and the elitist and often exclusionary forms it takes: “Lifestyle bloggers…
Real-World Ways to Cope With Heartbreak
Let’s just get right into it and talk about my worst breakup. It was one of those whirlwind romances, and we’d grown very close in…
Looking for ‘The One,’ BFF Edition: How to Friend ‘Date’
Butterflies in your stomach. Sweaty palms. The feeling that your tongue has turned into a giant cotton ball, soaking up every intelligent thing you have…
How to Pray When You’re Really Not Feeling It
When I was growing up, nightly prayers were a formal, ritualized affair. I was raised in the grand Catholic tradition of kneeling by the side…
4 Realistic Rom-Coms to Soothe Your Skeptical Soul
In the halcyon days of my youth, it was hard to decide which dashing cinema hero I’d rather have as my boyfriend: free-spirited, sensitive artist…
Self-Help Books That Live up to the Hype
Allow me to start with a brief list of the self-help/advice books I’ve started and never finished: “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up;” “Wherever You…
