I’m Marie Well, as in healthy well. At least, that’s my aim—to get well and make you well. We all have woes, from breakups to cancer to hoarder houses. I’m here to fix those woes—with tips mixed with my own tales.
Why read me? I’ve got a track record of fixin’ stuff. I’ve cured myself of anxiety. For a decade, I had anxiety attacks that struck almost daily. When not stricken, I’d write Voice articles, mostly on how to combat stress.
And then my world changed. One week went by with no attacks. A month. A year. Two years. And counting.
Now, I want to skyrocket our health—and bolster our creativity. After all, nothing soothes better than strokes of paint or tones of music or reps in a gym.
So, let’s get fit, creative, and well with Marie Well.
I dread analyzing classics. Where do I begin? One of our own Voice writers gave clues: notice the writing tricks that tickle you and the transitions that flow. So, I had a starting point. Yet I stubbornly wanted to study the classics from the scriptwriting point-of-view: scenes, characters, and, if not starring Adam Sandler, themes…. Read more »
Are you a Canadian slapped with joblessness? A hundred interviews, but not one job? Employers ooh and ah my resume. They rope me into interviews, lining up on my answering machine. When they hear my voice, they beg me for in-person interviews. But once they see me, I get the Dear John. So, I floundered… Read more »
Does wisdom expire? Well, some words of wisdom go cliché—like worn-out metaphors. For instance, I sigh when I read how leaders should act as servants. I nod-off when I read the 80-20 rule. There’s nothing new in either. But some wisdom we can’t escape. Consider the guilt felt when we fall behind in courses. Or… Read more »
Look thirty in your fifties! Not like the fifty-year old grandpa with fit abs. I bet he drinks cola. Instead, look like a real thirty-year old. Truly. How? Well, you decay after age twenty, says Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge in their book Younger Next Year: Live Strong, Fit, and Sexy Until You’re… Read more »
You’ve heard the deathbed woe: “I wish I had ” So, chase dreams dailytake risks. Risks give rise to successes. Forget about the failures for now. We’ll celebrate them later. But first, the naysayers. Some people view us as weak-kneed fools. Brother warns us, “Lose the lofty goals.” Charities la-dee-da our desire to televise talent shows…. Read more »
Do you want to thrive socially? At your workplace? At school? Well, you need the right attitude. And the right attitude changes, depending on who runs the show. I once interviewed at a funeral home. The staff beamed with smiles. The friendly HR fellow said, “When you cross paths with colleagues, you must chat.” I… Read more »
How does Stephen King do it? Sit and write five-hour marathons? Well, maybe he has funlike you soon will. How? By doing something fun before you write, suggests Helen Sword. Or find fun places to write papers. During undergrad, I had little playtime. My time-off revolved around a two-hour visit with a senior. Id put… Read more »
Do you cringe at the idea of group work? Do you twitch and tingle to Cotton Eyed Joe busting your woofers? Professors dole out budgie-sized bits on how to work in groups. And howl when you flail. A feminist professor called students who declined group work “Princesses.” She despised princessesand hammered their grades. But groups… Read more »
If you plan to make gym-going a lifestyle, learn the etiquette. First rule for new gym-goers? Don’t chat—especially if you’re female. You want to keep training for as long as possible, right? Then, don’t get duped by Ed the gym playboy. Truly, he doesn’t mean well. I’m in my fifties or sixties, you might think…. Read more »
When you turn 80, do you want to snowboardor decay? Almost 80, Papa, armed with wrenches, stomps his way underneath cars. Papa lifts heavy loads and dumbbell weights. Papa’s phone rings off the hook. Papa might outlive me. Around 80, my former landlady crept up stairwells, frail. She avoided winter sidewalks for fear of falling…. Read more »