“Good writing isn’t a science. It’s an art, and the horizon is infinite. You can always get better.” That’s a quote from an article about David Foster Wallace that was published last week on one of my favorite websites: Brain Pickings. I love it because the implications go far beyond writing—to so many aspects of our lives. It also reminded…
I have some great news: Rewire Me was mentioned on iHeartRadio’s The Melting Pot last week! Inspired by our suggestions for a digital detox, the hosts, Tim Mihalsky and Ashleigh Speidel, and their guests talked about the importance of unplugging from their phones, social media apps, online alarms, and other assorted gadgetry. “Let’s face it: Technology is an integral part of our…
By Anneli Rufus Curling up with a good novel is one of life’s most solitary activities. Yet a raft of new studies suggests that reading fiction actually deepens our ability to connect with others by making us more empathetic. In one series of studies, conducted by researchers at the New School for Social Research and published in the journal Science,…
Watching and being watched are no longer confined to how newborns bond with their mothers or apprentice chefs learn from sushi masters. Watching now changes how we identify ourselves and how others understand us. “Selfies” are not an anomaly; they are personal reflections of a wholesale adoption of the new culture of watching. We are watching so many—and so many…
Horror stories. Love stories. True crime. Fairy tale. Myth. Parable. The evening news. Stories help us form our beliefs and values. They shape our fears and dreams. They help us decide how we want to fall in love, what we think is fair, and how to negotiate the world. We are story-making, story-devouring creatures, and our personal stories often rule…
With all the advice columns, psychological studies, and love gurus out there today, there’s a ton of conflicting advice—and it can be confusing and overwhelming to sort through it. Some say play hard to get and follow “the rules” to get the love life you want, while others advocate the assertive, go-after-what-you-want approach. So before you start strategizing and trying…
We want to change! We really do! This time, we are going to finally do something adventurous with our lives. We are determined to finish that novel, start that exercise regimen, travel to New Zealand, or stop the relentless voices in our head saying, “You can’t succeed” or “Who do you think you are?” We are ready. We consider how…
By Anneli Rufus A total stranger about whose business establishment I had written an article emailed me the night after it was published, alleging that my article was “mostly erroneous.” For a horrified split-second I wondered how this could be, as (1) I’m a conscientious professional—not perfect, sure, but too careful after having written thousands of articles to get one…
Not getting invited to a party. Being picked last for a pickup basketball game. Not getting a joke that everyone around you is cracking up over. Almost everybody has experiences like these from time to time. And usually we get over it…unless it becomes a recurring pattern. Often, parents need to step in to help kids who feel left out.…
