The Good Life

Finding fulfillment in the things that matter.

Finding the Simple Life at Sea—On a Shoestring

by Peter Pearsall

posted Apr 17, 2013

Think an island-hopping cruise across the Pacific is only for the elite? Not if you take the slow boat.

Sustainable Happiness? 6 Ways to Get There

by Catherine O'Brien, Ian Murray

posted Mar 20, 2013

Discover natural highs, map your interdependence, and other ways to discover joy within your reach.

Don’t Laugh: The UN’s First International Happiness Day is Serious Business

by Frances Moore Lappé

posted Mar 20, 2013

Frances Moore Lappé on how countries and cities around the world, from Bhutan to Boston, are measuring well-being beyond GDP.

What Our Kids Can Teach Us About Trying Over

by Shannon Hayes

posted Mar 15, 2013

Children’s future happiness is not tied to how well they behave or whether they will be able to hold a job. It is tied to their ability to create with their minds and their hands.

4 Lessons for Growing a Family Farm Across Generations

by Shannon Hayes

posted Feb 01, 2013

Breaking our families into nuclear units has an ecological and emotional cost. Could the multigenerational farm remind us where to turn for a viable future?

Bringing (Human) Diversity to America’s National Parks

by YES! Online Staff

posted Jan 28, 2013

Video: Take a journey to Yosemite National Park with the Amazing Grace 50+ Club, a Los Angeles-based church group that strives to bring more people of color to our national parks.

7 Ways to Find Your Wild Side (Start With a Nap)

by Shannan Stoll, Fabien Tepper, Valerie Schloredt

posted Jan 17, 2013

Color like a butterfly, eat like an ancient healer, and other ways to rediscover your inner wildness.

Meet the Youngest Member of the Tiny House Movement

posted Jan 11, 2013

This 16-year-old is building himself a future free from mortgage payments, not to mention college accommodations that are a bit homier than your average dorm room.

Radical Generosity

by Paul Van Slambrouk

posted Jan 04, 2013

What’s better than turning a profit by selling your work? Filmmakers, cafe owners, and even corporations like Panera Bread point to the satisfaction that comes with giving it away.

10 Things Science Taught Us About Happiness in 2012

by Jason Marsh, Lauren Klein, Jeremy Adam Smith

posted Jan 04, 2013

Last year’s most surprising, provocative, and inspiring findings on the science of living a meaningful life.

Want to Find Holiday Joy? Start by Lowering Expectations

by Christine Carter

posted Dec 26, 2012

Video: Christine Carter offers three tips to avoid holiday stress and experience the joys of the season.

The Gift of Remembering Those We’ve Lost

by Shannon Hayes

posted Dec 17, 2012

All of us lose loved ones over the course of our lives, and the pain of those losses is especially sharp during the holiday season. Passing on their memories to younger generations is a gift that truly lasts.

Is Time With Family Better Than Shopping?

posted Nov 21, 2012

Video: This Black Friday, celebrate your favorite non-shopping activity with this invitation from The Story of Stuff Project.

I Am Grateful That Thorns Have Roses: 11 Reasons to Remember Thankfulness

posted Nov 20, 2012

Studies show that gratitude has an inverse correlation with depression—the more grateful you are, the happier you are. Eleven thinkers, throughout the ages, on why being thankful matters.

Feeling Short on Time? Try Something Awe-Inspiring

by Stacey Kennelly

posted Oct 25, 2012

A study suggests that the same experiences that make us notice the vastness of the universe also make us feel there’s more time in the day.