My friends and family are a pretty tolerant lot.  Wanna spend your twenties compulsively switching jobs with European sojourns in between? Go for it.  Got a thing for drag shows in dive bars? Totally understandable.  Wanna consult a spread of cards to help you make life decisions? Sur–wait.  You do what?  You’re not serious, are you? I’m…

Greetings on this glorious morning, beautiful people of the blogosphere! The birds are singing, the sun is shining, old men are crossing their arms and grumbling in French (gotta love my melting pot neighborhood), and my barista made the shit out of my coffee. Taken together, these circumstances translate to one thing: another installment of…

Hello All!  I’m back for another installment of Tarot for Happiness, and today’s glorious topic is cooperation.  If you’re a lone wolf like me, the thought of cooperation may send shivers down your spine: you mean I have to play well with others?  Why can’t I just nestle into my little burrow and set about doing this myself?…

Ice Queen.  Sharp.  Cold.  Unfeeling.  This seems to be the general opinion of those who shun openness and intimacy, and it couldn’t be further from the truth.  People who isolate are often deeply sensitive; their heightened response to social situations leaves them anxious and drained, so they withdraw physically and emotionally to cope. Unfortunately, cutting ties with the community…

I am no expert on happiness. I’ve often found it elusive, cropping up when and where I least expect it and disappearing just as quickly. I’m not alone—a Harris Poll conducted in 2013 found that only 33 percent of Americans reported being very happy, while those on the bottom third of the spectrum report feeling…