My favorite posts of 2015

Last week I shared the 10 most popular posts of 2015, as determined by pure numbers.

Today I’m sharing my favorite posts of the year, and as you can see, that isn’t the same thing as “popular.” There is ZERO overlap between the two lists.

These are the posts of 2015 that I liked the most, in no particular order:

Every ten years you have to remake everything. “Sometimes the pieces rearrange themselves so quietly, so gently, that you don’t even notice until the shape is nearly complete, and you suddenly realize that you are no longer who you knew yourself to be back then.”

Back to the beginning. “I would venture a guess that most of us feel like we’re missing something important—something we wish we’d known a long time ago—and we don’t want to admit it, not even to ourselves. Maybe it’s something small, like you can’t remember the name of that nice guy you talk to at church every week, or you don’t actually know how to do that thing at the gym. Maybe it’s something huge that’s foundational to your work or an important relationship.”

Authors worth binge reading. “Every once in a while I’ll stumble upon a new-to-me author and feel immediately compelled to read everything they’ve ever written—preferably before the week is over.”

When we were in the fire. “But that struggle made us strong, it made us brave. It scared the bejeebers out of us, too. But adversity breeds hope, and character and toughness, too. It made us who we are today, and I’m grateful for that, in a hesitant and complicated way. (Our treatment left lasting scars of various kinds, but it wassuccessful. It doesn’t always go that way, didn’t go that way for too many families we shared dinner with.)”

Enduring vs. enjoying the journey. “Instead of dreading the journey, I almost enjoyed it. Now I’m asking myself how many other things I’m forcing myself to endure, when with a simple—or at least far from impossible—change, I might actually enjoy them.”

Everything I need to know about planning my life I learned from ‘The September Issue.’ How to put together a magazine; how to put together a life. Especially a creative one.

7 ways I’m minimizing decision fatigue in my daily life. “Since I began thinking hard about people who wear the same thing every day, I’ve been examining other ways to minimize decisions in my daily life. I’ve put this into practice in obvious ways, and unusual ones.”

You will stumble. “A large part of my own growing up has been to learn that failure isn’t necessarily bad and success isn’t necessarily good. It took me years to believe this intellectually, and even longer for me to believe it in my core, as one of those bedrock virtues I act on without question, like brushing my teeth, or kissing my family goodnight.”

The perfect summer reading for every Myers-Briggs type. “I’ve chosen a great summer read that features a protagonist representing each of the 16 Myers-Briggs personality types. Should you only read the book for your type? Of course not. But seeing which characters embody the various types will help you better understand the Myers-Briggs Type Index and yourself.”

4 minutes in the nude (and the subsequent what’s saving my life right now link up). “Most of us know what’s killing us, and can articulate it, if asked. Some of us are overwhelmed with hurry and worry; some of us face crushing poverty; some feel paralyzed, unable to move. But few of us stop to note what’s giving us life. It’s too good a question to not revisit every once in a while: what are the things—big or small—that are saving us?”

Defining “good.” “The pizza was decent, not amazing. But the kids thought it was good. The kids thought it was great. Because their definition is not my own. Defining “good” in a given situation isn’t confined to kids vs. adults. It could be about where to live, what route to take to work, how to spend a Sunday afternoon or the Christmas season.”

When you’re good at overcomplicating things. “My maximizer nature can make me crazy. I’ve wasted so much time in my life rabbit-trailing to find the “best” option. Some things in life are inherently complicated, but that doesn’t mean I need to make things more complicated than they need to be.”

Tulips and learning to play the long game. “I’m not much of a planner by nature. But I’ve gotten better over the past few years: I’ve learned a few strategies and survival mechanisms that work for me; I’ve adapted some habits that help compensate for my tendency to fly by the seat of my pants.”

Some of my favorite writing is in the MMD newsletter:

• A glimpse of the mother I used to be. Prompted by a surprisingly wistful moment in the school hallway.

• The really short version of what I’ve learned in four years of blogging. On the 4th anniversary of MMD.

• Kathleen Kelly, flawless taste, and knowing your sources. Because I want to be Kathleen Kelly when I grow up.

P.S. The 10 most popular posts of 2015.