#3. On consumables — poppin’ bottles versus poppin’ antacids — When you’re in your 20s, you think they’ll last forever. As a 38-year-old, I can tell you they won’t. Your 20s will turn into your 30s as summer giving way to fall and Justin Bieber blossoming from a boy into a man-boy. It’s only when you pause to take stock…

Because I’m sick of waiting for my body to be good enough — My FUPA hangs inelegantly over the waistband of my too-tight yoga pants. My stomach protrudes from underneath my too-short t-shirts. My thighs strain against the seams of my go-to, pre-pregnancy stretchy pants. I’ve long retired my itty-bitty, pre-pregnancy thongs. For almost three years, I’ve been wearing my pregnancy underwear —…

Learn how these writers embraced and redefined optimism — Dear fellow writers and readers, Aimée Gramblin, Bingz Huang, and I are honored by all your prompt responses. You’ve encouraged us to reflect, reassess, and reimagine what optimism means, both through your personal stories and also in how the lessons you share apply to all of our lives. Thank you…

But you can celebrate the small wins — Parenting can feel like a thankless job. With toddlers, there are the unpredictable tantrums erupting from the strangest of grievances (“No wanna climb stairs!”), the endless trips to the potty (and countless loads of laundry for the inevitable misses), and the CIA-level deciphering of a nonstop stream of gibberish (“Eee…

How Vanessa Van Edwards’ hacks for improving your social interactions can also improve your writing — In my early 20s, I almost met and married Matt Damon. I’ll tell you the rest of this story at the end of this article. (Yes, this is a gimmick, but there’s a lesson in it — I promise!) But before we get into that, let me switch gears. As…

How multiple sclerosis has pulled me and my sister apart and brought us together — Slumped over like a question mark, my sister shuffles across the first floor of her house. Her feet drag and her legs collapse beneath her from time to time, leaving her in a crumpled pile. Once in a while, her boyfriend or her 15-year-old daughter finds her, and she can’t…

Learn from my misadventures and avoid these mistakes — Some details of this story have been changed to protect the identity of those involved. When you’re starting out as a freelance writer, the world seems full of possibilities. Unfortunately, inexperienced freelancers can become vulnerable to exploitation or fall victim to miscommunication and end up burning bridges with clients. Here’s…

Maybe being a good ally is knowing when to shut up — Today, I read an article that hit me in the gut and left me gasping for breath. In Anti-Racism Is Becoming Troublingly Racist, Steve QJ calls out so-called woke allies as causing more harm than good. For example, he cites people who write articles suggesting the “The Smurfs” was racist…

How I’m working to parent beyond ego and expectation — “Did you know my Shanna is making straight A’s again this year? And that she made captain of the cross-country team and the speech team? She’s my pride and joy.” Growing up, my mother never missed an opportunity to brag about my accomplishments to relatives, coworkers, and grocery store clerks…