An imprint of Penguin Random House llc penguinrandomhouse com

TWENTY-SEVEN
MIX WITH HAPPY PEOPLE
Healthy relationships are good for you
♦
y clients would say I was cheaper than their psychologist
because when they ate better, they felt happier, stronger, and
more confident. Emotions do play a large role in your health. If you
are unhappy, it’s harder to have the strength and energy to eat well.
You’re looking for comfort foods, and they are always high in fat.
Mixing with friends and family who make you happy is very good
for your health. As a scientist, this is not something I have studied,
however it is common sense. If you are in a good relationship, you
feel physically healthy. If you aren’t, you feel beaten down and sad.
I’m fortunate to have a happy family and a happy extended family.
We love spending time together and laugh out loud until we cry.
Taking care of family is a value my mother instilled in me by
example. She always took care of us, making sure we were well-fed
and encouraged to explore different interests. And she made sure we
took good care of our own kids. When I was getting divorced, my
mother said to me, “Family first.” What she meant was that I had to
put my children ahead of everything else. I stayed married for the
sake of my children. I then got divorced for the sake of my children.
“Family first” is how my family operates. It is important to us to
get together regularly. That isn’t always easy for a group of forty very
busy people who live in various cities, but we make it a priority.

---

One year, our whole extended family
went to Costa Rica together. Another
year, we chose Costa Brava, in Spain. We
look for a place where we can book a
small hotel and fill it with family.