It takes one to know one — For most of the last three years, I’ve worked seven days a week, which didn’t leave much room for hobbies or leisure time. Needless to say, it took a toll on my mental health. So last fall, I decided to start reading for fun to save my sanity. As with…

Even if dark academia is not your thing — Babel is not my kind of book; I knew this going into it. I had already read R.F. Kuang's The Poppy War a couple of months ago, a fantasy novel rife with complicated politics, elaborate battle strategies, and multitudes of death. …

Separating fact from marketing — Pretty much everyone seems to be rocking a fitness tracker these days, from marathon runners and gym rats to power walkers and sports enthusiasts. Heck, I wear two of them. But beyond the hype and trendiness, how effective are fitness trackers when it comes to actually improving our health and…

If we can’t be cured, we can at least be heard — This article has been percolating at the back of my mind for many months now, but I didn’t want to write it because I generally prefer to keep my content upbeat, positive, and helpful. …

Fiction offers surprising benefits to your physical and mental well-being — As a kid and young adult, I read a lot of fiction. My idea of a Saturday afternoon well spent was wandering through the bookstore’s aisles to carefully pick out my next read. But you know how it goes. You get older, the weight of responsibility comes crashing down on…

A wary wander through the self-help aisle — On Monday, I went to the bookstore. These days, I do most of my book shopping through my Kindle, so I hadn’t been to an Indigo or Chapters in over a year. …

And how to start a gratitude practice that doesn’t make you want to gag — About 15 years ago, I took two buses to get to my minimum-wage receptionist job every day. It was only 14 miles away, but between the rush-hour gridlock and nonsensical transit schedules, the trip took 2.5 hours each way. So to get to work by 9 a.m., I was out…

Finally, a TikTok trend I can get on board with — A few months ago, I came across a hardcore daily routine on TikTok called the 75 Hard Challenge. Reading through the rules, I immediately thought, “no freaking way!” And I’m not the kind of woman who runs from a fitness challenge. …

From someone who’s used just about all of them — In the last decade (especially these last few pandemic-ridden years), there has been an explosion of home fitness apps as more and more people are looking to ditch the gym and get fit from the comfort of their homes. But do they provide a good workout? Are they worth the…