Anika Yuzak

I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on having fun—not as a reward or something we earn after working hard enough or healing sufficiently, but as a practice. The most self-actualized people I know are disciplined. They work hard and take responsibility for their lives. They don’t avoid difficulty or outsource their growth. One thing I’ve also noticed is that they know how to have a good time. This observation has led me to wonder whether having fun—real, embodied fun—might actually be one of...

I once heard someone say that the fastest way to change your life is to meditate. I’ve been thinking about that recently, and for me, it’s partially true. Meditation doesn’t usually change our lives overnight. But it can change our relationship to our lives very quickly. And that shift often creates real-world change faster than hustling, fixing, or forcing ever could. One of the first things meditation changes is awareness. We begin to notice patterns as they arise — the over-giving, the...

It has always been easy for me to orbit other people. Probably a strategy I learned early to stay safe. I could bask in the brightness of charismatic people for days — absorbing their energy, their confidence, their momentum. I dated bad boys and worked for caustic bosses. Part of me felt comfortable as the easy-going, cool girl. Or the secret CEO quietly making things happen from the edges. It was a way to belong without risking too much. I grew up being vigilant too— managing other people’s...