Advice for the New Year
Original article posted on the NYT Website
Keep a running list of the nicest things anyone has ever said to or about you. It’s a lifesaver on days when the world is getting the best of you. — Dave Clarke, Wauwatosa, Wis.
If everyone is driving you crazy, then the feeling is probably mutual. — Bill Chappell, Atlanta
Life is too short not to tell the people you love that you love them. — Abby Thomas, New Canaan, Conn.
We are all juggling so many balls. Differentiate between glass balls and rubber balls — and don’t be afraid to drop the rubber balls. — Kathryn Cunningham, Carrboro, N.C.
Wait as long as possible to get your kids a phone. — Laura LaGrone, Asheville, N.C.
Instead of calling someone out, call them in: Invite them into a judgment-free conversation with the intention of promoting understanding. — Rita Maniscalco, Huntington, N.Y.
Every time you receive a box containing something you bought online, fill it with items to donate. — Christina Poynter, Dimondale, Mich.
Before doing something, ask yourself, “Is this something that someone who loves themselves would do?” — Cathy de la Cruz, Brooklyn, N.Y.
You’re 73 years old — can you stop with the one-man shows? — Michael Kearns, Los Angeles
Nothing good is happening on your phone past 8 p.m. — Miriam Lichtenberg, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Feel what your body is saying and stop trying to think your way through your feelings. — Tobey Crockett, Paso Robles, Calif.
Drive slower: It’s safer, less stressful and gives you time to look around. — Rick Juliusson, Cowichan Station, British Columbia
Breathe in, thinking, “I listen for the silence.” Breathe out: “I am not the hero of every story.” Breathe in: “I will not get free alone.” Out: “I am worthy of belonging.” — Richard Ashford, Chevy Chase, Md.
Wear a watch. This way I pick up my phone half as often. How many times do you pick up yours to check the time and get sidetracked by 30 minutes of doomscrolling? — Jen MacNeil Danenberg, Newtown, Conn.
There are many things I can’t control, but I can control how I do or don’t respond. I can’t control others’ thoughts of me. — Chloe Stuck, Rolla, Mo.
Be proactive with your health by getting tests and establishing baselines. — Mary Anderson, Bend, Ore.
Be a fountain, not a drain. — Christine Clemens, Lowville, N.Y.
Just book the trip. — Emiley Shenk, Toledo, Ohio
A boundary is something you set that requires nothing of the other person. From Dr. Becky Kennedy on the “Armchair Expert” podcast. — Anna Politiski, New York, N.Y.
Walk at least a little way down into the Grand Canyon; don’t just stay up on the rim. — Stephen Edgerton, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Retire from your job, not from life. — Margaret Johnson, Dunedin, Fla.
