Winter used to be my favorite season as a child. Being outdoors in the snow was something I looked forward to all year: skiing, sledding, snow forts, exploring snowy woods. The sense of awe about winter was replaced in adulthood by a sense of dread. A few years ago, I decided I needed a new perspective: How could I approach winter differently? What are the gifts of the winter season?

If you lived in Iowa the past few years, you’ve probably heard of Caitlin Clark. In fact, if you lived anywhere with a TV, you’re probably familiar with the record-setting women’s college basketball player known for her logo threes and competitive spirit. Another key aspect to Caitlin's success? Her growth mindset on and off the court.

Mindfulness — paying attention on purpose — is everywhere these days. A variety of techniques are recommended to consciously observe thoughts, feelings and emotions, physical sensations, and the surrounding environment with curiosity and without judgement. We can be mindful when we are practicing seated meditation, preparing a meal, or walking the dog.

I am convinced that our reliance on compartmentalization has reached its limit for the roughest days. I fear pushing off the sadness and grief we experience in our important work can cost us mentally and physically in the long run. This begs the question: What can we do differently on some of our roughest and saddest days?

In my role as a professor in the Tippie College of Business, I study people who experience high levels of meaningfulness in their jobs. Their work is well aligned with their purpose in life and they cannot imagine doing anything else. But is meaningful work reserved for only a few select professions? Or can we all find meaning in our work?

It is Sunday night and the butterflies in your belly start to flutter — not from excitement but because you realize you have to go to work tomorrow. You love your job, but there is a person you work with who you just don’t like, and because of that, conflict seems to always show its face. What’s the answer to, “How do I work with someone that I don’t like?”

Self-compassion is treating yourself with kindness, care, and respect. It is the practice of being mindful of your feelings and taking action by showing yourself kindness and shared humanity, particularly when you are experiencing uncomfortable feelings such as failure, shame, inadequacy, or guilt.

You’ve probably seen the U.S. surgeon general’s warning labels on cigarettes and alcohol detailing the health threats posed by smoking and drinking. The most recent advisory is raising eyebrows: it warns of the hazards of parenting, indicating that 33% of parents report high levels of stress compared to 20% of non-parenting adults.

The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete well-being, not just the absence of disease. This simple statement prompts us to think about the many facets of health, such as mental, social, spiritual, and community domains, and how social connection is key to maintaining good health in all facets.

Phrases like “living mindfully” and “living in the moment” are common when talking about the stress of modern life. But what do those phrases look like in practice, and how can we easily start a mindfulness practice that helps with the inevitable difficulty of living in the world?