Why is Medium pouring so much money into this contest? — If you’re a writer on Medium, there’s a good chance you submitted a story or two to the Medium Writers Challenge. Why wouldn’t you? The challenge gives you a chance to win big money. A panel of celebrity judges will select four finalists to win $10,000 each, and the grand…

It’s easy to forget yourself in the chaos of advice. — When people — usually women — get abused by their partners, many of us have the same reaction: Why doesn’t she just leave? I used to think the same way. And then, I took a training class for domestic violence advocates. And I learned something that was eye-opening for me. …

They’re advertised as healthy, but they’re not — I have a Costco-sized box of granola bars in my pantry that claims, in big capital letters, 22g WHOLE GRAIN. These granola bars are delicious, and eating them couldn’t be easier. I don’t have to wash fruit, chop veggies, or even use a plate or a bowl. So I really…

It’s time for a new word. Here’s my vote. — Languages evolve. Words don’t always mean what they used to mean. The way people speak and write changes the meaning of words: “Literally” used to mean, well, literally. Like it or not, now it means “figuratively” as well. “Idiot,” “imbecile,” and “moron” used to describe a specific level of mental…

Sometimes the best routine is a break from your routine — Sometimes it feels like we’re all chasing the holy grail of self-improvement. I’m as guilty as anyone else. I have 16 things on my list of routines I would like to do every day, and that doesn’t include ingrained habits like brushing my teeth, drinking lots of water, or walking…

Or make you a better writer. Step away from the keyboard for a minute. — I don’t know where we got the idea that doing the same thing over and over again is how we improve. After all, we’ve all heard this quote: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” — Hazelden Foundation (not Albert Einstein!) Maybe we…

Because you can’t offer all 3 for long — I was getting my kitchen remodeled the first time I heard this phrase: “You can have it good, fast, or cheap — pick any two.” It turned out to be true with any of the contractors I hired: Good + Cheap. The guy who installed my cabinets did great work…

Don’t slam the door in your customer’s face — Pretty much anyone can navigate the subway in Mexico City. You don’t need to know how to read. You don’t need to speak Spanish. Every line is represented by a color, and every station is represented by a pictogram. That’s because when the subway system was designed, Mexico had a…

Trial and error is a slow way to grow. Getting feedback can help you improve faster — For a few years, I had a plot in a community garden with a friend. I had zero experience growing anything, ever. But I had a lot of enthusiasm! Here’s what I learned about gardening. Trial and error works. You can learn from your mistakes. But it works VERY slowly. …