Play

We all have an innate drive to play, and this impulse is one of our most natural and effortless sources of joy. And the most playful shapes, the ones found in hula hoops and beach balls, carousels and merry-go-rounds, are circles and spheres. Research shows that a part of the brain called the amygdala, associated in part with fear and anxiety, lights up when people look at angular objects but stays quiet when they look at curved ones. In a manmade world defined by endless right angles, rounded shapes set our minds at ease and invite our playful inner child out into the open.

ways to make any home feel like a summer home

9 ways to make any home feel like a summer home

6 curvy lamps

18 Curvy Lamps to Bring Joy to Your Home

The Joy of Moving Out of the City To The Country

The Joy of Moving Out of the City To The Country: Why I Did it, What I miss, and What I don’t

Questions to Find Your Joy

6 Questions to Find Your Joy and Feel It More Deeply

Q&A with Gretchen Rubin: How to Awaken the Senses

Q&A with Gretchen Rubin: How to Awaken the Senses

The Beautiful Airbnb I Couldn't Wait to Leave

The beautiful Airbnb I couldn’t wait to leave

5 good reasons for waiting to decorate your home

5 good reasons for waiting to decorate your home

The radical act of releasing judgment

The radical act of releasing judgment

Hidden Signs of Burnout and How to Stop It

Hidden signs you’re headed for burnout — and how to stop it

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