Sharing Wisdom That Works
If you’re alive, you have a story, and what you’ve lived through has given you wisdom. We all have it. And who knows? What you’ve learned might help somebody else, so why not share?
Here on the blog, I’m continuing what I started with Making Marriage Happy and sharing wisdom that works. I’ll continue interviewing real people about all kinds of real things–from relationships to life passages, identity, dilemmas, career stuff, romance, awkward moments, and more—listening for those nuggets of wisdom that are practical, creative, actionable, and inspiring.
I hope you’ll be part of it in the comments after each blog post. And if you want to reach out with wisdom you’d like to share, click here where you can write to me directly.
Simplify , a “Wisdom That Works” book recommendation on minimalism
Simplify was published in 2010 and has been a bestseller for a reason. For one thing, it’s Wisdom That Works. It’s a book that’s made life better, more pleasurable, less stressful, and more efficient for a lot of people.
Becker describes how his wife and two kids went through an exercise of purging their home and lives from everything they didn’t need or love.
One Essential Element That Makes A Happy Marriage (and It’s Not Love)
Hi, friends:
So my book launched on Monday! That was fun, and I’m really enjoying connecting with readers now. One thing I’m getting asked a lot is to share my best advice on how to have a happy marriage.
As I mention in the book’s introduction (and will say forevermore), I’m not a marriage expert. But I did talk to a lot of couples about what they do in their relationships that make them happy, so I can tell you what I learned from them.
When Stuff Has a Story
Plath was married to poet Ted Hughes, and their relationship became a tragic legend of depression, abuse, and suicide. The couple’s only surviving child, daughter Frieda Hughes, inherited her parents’ estate. Last year’s long COVID lockdown sent her deep into house cleaning mode, which made her reflect on her treasures.
Three Tried-and-Tested Valentine’s Day Gifts That Won’t Break The Bank
Happy Valentine’s Day, and welcome to my new website and blog!
If you’re here, I’m assuming you know a little bit about me and my book, Making Marriage Happy: Hard-Won Wisdom from Real Couples, that will be released on March 1st. (And if you don’t, check out clairevandepolder.com which will tell you all you need to know.)
In a nutshell, the book is made up entirely of interviews with real couples on all the things they do in their marriages to keep them healthy and happy, day to day. We talk about a wide range of topics–little things like housekeeping and gift giving, all the way up to big things like conflict, money, romance, and more.
Praise for Making Marriage Happy
Everybody already knows that marriage can be hard. And everybody has heard advice from family, and well-meaning friends on what to do when things go south. Claire’s book is advice gently handed to us from couples who represent us, and those who don’t look anything like us. Advice that made me ponder the way I do things in my own marriage, and anecdotes that made me happy for the way things already are.
I loved reading what couples with decades of marriage under their belts wrote, and how often it boils down to the simplest thing that kept a marriage going. I loved how marriages grew stronger when couples decided that life is too short to sweat the small stuff.
This hard-won wisdom gives you hope that the journey together can be great.
–Reader Review
Making Marriage Happy is available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book from bookstores and online, including the sellers below.
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Latest Blog Post
Simplify , a “Wisdom That Works” book recommendation on minimalism
Those of you who know me know that I’m pretty organized, and I've always been attracted to minimalism. Organization leads to efficiency, which I like, but it also relieves a lot of stress. I just don’t like stuff all over the counters, crammed into closets or piled on...
One Essential Element That Makes A Happy Marriage (and It’s Not Love)
Hi, friends: So my book launched on Monday! That was fun, and I’m really enjoying connecting with readers now. One thing I'm getting asked a lot is to share my best advice on how to have a happy marriage. As I mention in the book's introduction (and will say...
When Stuff Has a Story
Hi, friends: It’s the middle of a long, hot summer, and I hope you’re all finding safe ways to get out a little more this year than last. I’ve got one piece of Wisdom That Works for this month, and I got a little jolt when I stumbled across it in...
