“Your son just got accepted to Oxford’s Law School.” This was the text that my ex-wife sent me about ten days ago. My first thought was, are there two Oxford Universities? But no, she meant the one in England. The one J.R.R. Tolkien attended. C.S. Lewis. Aldous Huxley. And now, my kid. Huh? I texted my son Alex for clarification. As I was typing, I was thinking, OK. He’s related to me and thereby prone to exaggeration from time to time. Maybe he was invited to apply or something. He’s done well, and studied hard. An A- average at Brigham Young University isn’t just handed out. I’m sure that’s it.…

If you are struggling in your startup, first realize it’s normal. If it’s bringing with it some stress, remember your muscles are being worked and stress is a byproduct. We are all going through our own journey and there is no rush to “figure it out right away.” Keep on marching forward. Here are 5 steps that are perfectly normal. 1. It’s Taking Time. The journey as an entrepreneur is one of creating a space in the material world for a tangible product or service that brings happiness by virtue of the value it gives to the buyer. From thought to materialization, you must pay your dues. This means making the right…

Ivanko80/ShutterstockBestselling author Gretchen Rubin can guess your personality type by asking one question. Yes, just one. According to Rubin, who wrote the book The Four Tendencies, most people fall into four categories based on how they respond to expectations. Don’t believe us? Take Rubin’s quiz to see for yourself. (You can also try these five free personality tests in minutes.) Here are the four types: People classified as “upholders” generally meet the expectations of other people as well as themselves, Rubin says. On the opposite end of the spectrum, “rebels” resist both inner and outer expectations. “Questioners” and “obligers” fall in between those two extremes; while questioners meet their own expectations with…

What makes a relationship last? Is it the chemistry you both have? Or compatibility? Or is it how much you enjoy each other’s company? Well, a relationship isn’t just about all those things. You may have a good time together, but that’s because you share interests, hobbies, and values, and that’s what brought you together in the first place. But compatibility in a relationship is not limited to the similarities you both have. It’s so much more. Your partner should be someone who is different from you in certain key ways. Yes, dating a parallel may seem more comforting, but that does not give the relationship any scope for growth.…

What would happen if we admitted most of what we say to young people about education is false?  ___ I’m among those educators who hope Americans can begin to rethink the assumptions we have about education. The situation is worse than most people imagine, and it’s particularly bad for men, especially when they’re from the underclass. We actually distract ourselves from the true issues behind our flawed education system, and we do it by focusing on things like policy, curriculum, the quality of teachers, etc. These are worth attention, but they’re just symptoms. The truth is that our system is flawed because of what purpose we believe education should serve.…

Bill Mayer for Reader’s Digest Much of my childhood in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, was excruciatingly lonely. Family troubles, devastating shyness, and a complete lack of social skills ensured a life of solitude. Hunting was not only my opening into a world of wonder; it was my salvation. From the age of 12, I lived, breathed, existed to hunt and fish. On school days I would hunt in the morning and evening. On Fridays I would head into the woods by myself, often for the entire weekend. Still, I had not learned to love solitude, as I do now. I would see something beautiful—­the sun through the leaves, a deer…

Myth: “Play hard to get” Courtesy Kendra Callari“When my now-boyfriend and I started dating, I played hard to get—like really hard, to the point where he sat down and said, ‘I don’t know if I can handle this. I need to be needed, cared about, and wanted.’ Hearing that he felt this way was like a knife through my heart. This whole time I was trying to be sexy and confident by pushing myself away to let him know I didn’t need a man to make me happy. Now, when my friends tell me they’re playing hard to get, I remind them that he too is human and if he…

Rhys Jack shares a moment of unexpected inspiration and how vulnerability can reveal more than we ever could expect. by Rhys Jack Last week, I had a moment of unexpected inspiration. I was seated in a group of would-be writers listening intently as a middle-aged man read aloud a story he had written. The man seemed quietly confident and somewhat proud of himself as he stepped up to address the small group, unfolding his papers and smiling as he prepared to share with us the fruit of his creative toil. He began his story, excitement flowing through every word he had carefully written down onto the paper as he introduced…