I've been quiet lately because I have finally, finally begun writing my book on happiness. By fate and happenstance, I came upon for rent a one-room cabin in the woods modeled after (and just a few miles from) Thoreau's own cabin on Walden Pond. It sits on its own pond on seven private acres adjacent to conservation land, hidden away from the road and the neighborhood of big homes as if waiting there enchanted until an English professor was ready to organize her life's work. This is how I...

Dear Community, The weather in Massachusetts is finally, finally beautiful. The sky is blue, the air doesn't hurt my face, and I can sleep with the windows open. For someone who travels between two places with intense weather (Arkansas summers and Massachusetts winters are extreme sports), pleasant temperatures are a reason to celebrate. So I'm offering another free class tonight: Free Online Class Yoga Nidra --guided meditation that induces deep relaxation-- Tuesday, June 16 7:30pm Eastern /...

Dear Community, In fifth grade, I became something of a child musical prodigy. I had picked up the saxophone a year earlier through the usual elementary school band process, but for whatever reason, I took to it like a duck to water. It came naturally, and my little heart was grateful to have found an outlet for all of my big emotions. As the years went on, though, performing started to feel stressful. So much of it seemed outside my control, and if there is one thing a person with anxiety...