How does going to a gallery or getting out your finger-paints affect your DNA? Admittedly, it sounds more like science fiction than science fact, but none the less, the observed changes are measurable and real. And while the mechanisms at play are not yet fully understood, the research points in a clear direction.

Research in psychology has consistently demonstrated that the quality of our relationship with ourselves—the tone of our internal dialogue, the degree to which we extend ourselves care and compassion—is one of the most significant predictors of our overall mental and emotional wellbeing—not our accomplishments nor our circumstances. The relationship we have with the person we are when no one else is watching is of defining importance to our own wellbeing.

When we’re young, if something is hiding from us, it’s an adventure. The search is part of the fun. But at some point, something shifts. If something is hidden as an adult, it’s suddenly a problem, a nuisance, a barrier to happiness. Where are my keys? Where did my energy go? Where is my happiness?

What if that didn’t have to be the case? What if finding what you’re looking for could feel more like playing hide-and-seek as a kid?

We tend to think of reading as a passive activity—something you do to wind down or pass the time. But your brain, when you're reading, is anything but passive. It's lighting up. It's building connections. It's doing some of its best work—and all of it will help improve your life and the way you feel.