Ever feel like you want to chat, but everyone you know is busy? Why not venture down to your local coffee shop and strike up a conversation with the cashier, barista, or even the person standing in line?

In Once Upon a Stranger: The Science of How Small Talk Can Add Up to a Big Life, Sandstrom explains the benefits of talking to strangers. If you’re anything like me, you may be thinking, “I’m not comfortable talking to strangers!”. But by the end of the book, you may be ready to give it a try.

Sandstrom has made it her mission to understand why we feel anxious even thinking about talking to strangers and how pushing through our fears may give us massive well-being benefits and may even change our life. As Sandstrom demonstrates talking to strangers is a skill that can be learned and developed. The more conversations you have with strangers, the easier it gets.

Every day we have opportunities to create moments of connection with people we may never see again. Talking to strangers decreases loneliness, increases connectedness and adds spontaneity and novelty to your life. Talking to strangers is an opportunity for a laugh, learning, and connection. A quick chat – or even a simple, “good morning” or a smile - creates a moment of connection where both people feel seen and that they matter (recall my previous pick, Mattering by Jennifer Breheny Wallace).

Sandstrom’s goal with this book is to remind all of us why it’s meaningful and healthy to talk to strangers. If you are feeling a little apprehensive or not sure where to start, Sandstrom provides several tips and strategies in the Appendix.

I will admit that this book is a bit out of my comfort zone but I am willing to give it a try the next time I am waiting for my latte. The well-being benefits are worth it!

Try this: The “One Stranger a Day” Challenge

For the next week, challenge yourself to have one small interaction each day with someone you don’t know. It doesn’t have to be a deep or long exchange - the goal is simply connection.

Some easy starting points:

• Compliment someone’s dog

• Ask the barista how their day is going

• Make a comment while waiting in line at the grocery store

• Smile and say “good morning” to someone you pass on a walk in your neighbourhood

• At a restaurant, ask someone what they ordered if it looks delicious

After each interaction, take 30 seconds to reflect:

• How did you feel before the conversation?

• How did you feel afterward?

• Did anything surprise you?

• Did the interaction change your mood, even slightly?

By the end of the week, notice whether these tiny moments of connection made your days feel a little warmer, lighter, or less lonely.

Let me know what you think.

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Professor Pozzulo’s Pick

For a deeper dive on how to talk to strangers read, Once Upon a Stranger: The Science of How Small Talk Can Add Up to a Big Life by Dr. Gillian Sandstrom (2026).

Happy reading (and chatting)!

Dr. Pozzulo

-When we read, we feel better

What if your dreams could reveal how well you are coping with the stresses of everyday life? In The Brain Never Sleeps: Why We Dream and What It Means for Our Health, van Kampen explores the science and art of dreaming explaining how our dreams may serve as a window into our well-being.

van Kampen focuses on three key aspects of the relationship between dreams and mental health: 1) what dreams reveal about our mental health, 2) how our dreams change alongside our psychological well-being, and 3) why it is often impossible to hide from our worries and preoccupations - even in sleep.

An increase in negative dreams, for example, may indicate that our mental health is under strain. Moreover, recurrent bad dreams serve as an internal warning system suggesting the need to pay closer attention to your mental health.

The book concludes with the “Dreamer’s Toolkit” which offers practical strategies for understanding and learning from our dreams. Techniques such as dream journaling - recording dreams shortly after waking - can help people reflect on unresolved concerns and emotional patterns in their lives.

The Brain Never Sleeps will appeal to anyone curious about the meaning of dreams and their connection to well-being.

Try this:

Try dream journaling where you record your dreams shortly after waking. After two-weeks of recording your dreams, review what you wrote. Notice any recurring themes. Do any issues need resolving?

Over the next two-weeks, observe whether your dreaming helped you resolve an issue you are facing.

Has paying attention to your dreams improved your well-being during your waking hours?

Let me know what you think.

Leave a comment

Professor Pozzulo’s Pick

For a deeper dive on dreams, what they mean, and how to use them for improved well-being, read, The Brain Never Sleeps: Why we Dream and What it Means for our Health (2026).

Happy reading (and dreaming)!

Dr. Pozzulo

-When we read, we feel better

It’s easy to treat creative activities as optional, something we squeeze in after our “To Do” list is done. But what if creative activities are essential to good health and well-being?

In Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Save Lives, Fancourt makes a compelling case that creativity plays a vital role in our physical health and well-being. Drawing on a wide range of scientific research, she explores how activities like music, writing, and crafting can shape everything from brain function to longevity—and how they can support us whether we are in good health or living with illness.

One of the most striking takeaways is the impact of creative activities on cognitive health. Some studies suggest that engaging in cognitive leisure activities—such as reading, playing an instrument, or doing puzzles—is associated with about a 31% reduction in the risk of developing cognitive impairment and a 34% reduction in Alzheimer’s disease. That’s especially compelling given how limited current pharmaceutical options are.

And the benefits don’t stop at the brain. Engaging in the arts has been linked to:

• reduced stress

• a greater sense of calm

• lower blood pressure

• improved sleep

  One particularly memorable example: singing to premature babies was shown to improve feeding, helping to support healthy weight gain.

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  Evidence-Based strategies for bringing more art into your life:

• Try 30 to 60 minutes of a creative activity per week for a noticeable improvement in well-being within about six weeks. Choose an activity you enjoy or try something new during the weekend when you may have more time to spend on it.

  • journalling

  • listening to music

  • knitting

  • sewing

  • pottery

  • reading

  The key is finding something that feels right for you; what resonates with one person (like writing poetry) might not work for someone else. Try different activities to find what suits you.

• More frequent engagement—around 20 minutes most days—can have even stronger, longer-lasting effects. Find a time as part of your “down time”, to engage in an artistic activity 3-4 times a week.

  Note: Reading a good book counts!

How do you feel before and after engaging in something creative? Have you tried any new artistic activities lately? Have you noticed any changes in your well-being?

For a deeper dive, read Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Save Lives by Daisy Fancourt (2026).

Happy reading (and creating)!

Dr. Pozzulo

-When we read, we feel better

Despite today’s all-consuming digital connectivity, many of us feel more disconnected than ever. “In Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose, Wallace makes a compelling case that mattering is essential to a life of meaning and well-being. Wallace notes that “true mattering requires a balance between adding value to others and feeling valued ourselves”. An imbalance can leave us feeling emotionally drained and overwhelmed.

Having people in our life who are invested in our growth facilitates our feeling of mattering. Wallace identifies five elements to building a “mattering core”:

1. Recognition – you and your actions are valued, and your absence would be felt

2. Reliance- you feel needed because others depend on you

3. Importance- you feel significant because you’re prioritized

4. Ego-extension – you feel cared for because others are invested in your well-being

5. Attunement – you feel deeply understood and meaningfully responded to

Wallace provides many strategies on how we can achieve these elements along with real-life examples of these elements in action. Although spending some time alone is essential to restore and to maintain our well-being (recall, our December pick, The Joy of Solitude by Coplan), setting aside an hour a week for meaningful connection can reduce stress and burnout.

Wallace discusses how transitions in life may make us vulnerable to a feeling of not mattering but with a change in our mindset (recall, our previous pick, The Positive Shift by Sanderson) we can find new ways to matter along with relationships that matter. This is a critical book for anyone feeling “disconnected”.

Consider who shows up for you and who you show up for. Do you need to make any changes in your behaviour? Have you tried any strategies suggested by Wallace to increase mattering? How is mattering impacting your well-being?

Happy reading!

Dr. Pozzulo

-When we read, we feel better

Staying motivated when trying to achieve a goal can be challenging. Imagine trying to stay motivated when the goal may never be reached. Mark Medley’s book, Live to See the Day: Impossible Goals, Unimaginable Futures, and the Pursuit of Things That May Never Be, explores the lives of extraordinary people who knowingly devote themselves to causes that may remain forever unfinished.

Medley introduces readers to individuals such as Bonnie Morton, whose passion is ending poverty—an ambition so vast it resists any single solution or clear endpoint. Rather than focusing on success as a final outcome, the book emphasizes commitment, resilience, and the meaning found in striving. Through these stories, Medley challenges conventional ideas of achievement and asks whether the value of a goal lies not in reaching it, but in the purpose it gives to a life. Thought-provoking and inspiring, the book reframes impossibility not as a reason to quit, but as a reason to keep going. It is the kind of book you can return to when your motivation begins to falter.

You can find my interview with Mark Medley for Reading for Well-Being with Dr. Pozzulo podcast on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube. Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/@DrPozzulo

Happy reading,

Dr. Pozzulo

-When we read, we feel better

Do you find yourself saying, “yes”, when you really want to say, “no”. In Defy: The Power of No in a World that Demands Yes, Dr. Sah helps us understand why we acquiesce and how we can say “no”. She helps you recognize the tension that surfaces and the stages of when the answer is a “true no”. This book is about learning to live in accordance with your values, that in turn, can support your well-being.

Sah defines defiance as “acting in accordance with your true values when there is pressure to do otherwise”. She notes five stages of defiance:

Stage 1 = tension

Stage 2 = acknowledgement to ourselves

Stage 3 = escalation (vocalize to others)

Stage 4 = threat of non-compliance

Stage 5 = act of defiance

She highlights several real-world examples as how “going along” or complying can have dire consequences. Intriguingly, when you resist resistance, it can feel like anxiety.

Sah provides several strategies for how we can deal with the issue of compliance. Taking a pause or a “time-out” -- both physical and psychological -- can provide an opportunity to process what is being asked and to evaluate the best course of action that aligns with your values. Another strategy, involves talking to ourselves in the moment which can help regulate our emotions, and using your own name in that conversation can make it even more impactful (you may recall this strategy from my pick, Chatter by Ethan Kross).

When faced with a situation that creates tension, ask questions. Simply asking, “what do you mean by that” can raise awareness in yourself and the other person that may help slow down the situation. Slowing down a situation can be helpful to better determine how to respond. Slowing down gives you time to think.

Sah provides a glossary of terms that can help keep track of concepts. At the end of the book, you also will find a brief interview with Sah to gain an even greater insight on why Sah wrote the book. This book is a timely read!

How do you feel when you comply but want to defy? Have you tried any strategies to help defy or recognize when you should defy? Has saying “no” improved your well-being? Has saying “no” helped others with their well-being?

Happy reading!

Professor Pozzulo

-When we read, we feel better

I think we can all agree that healthier eating helps maintain our well-being. And there’s good science to back that up! Unfortunately, if you are anything like me, I’m always rushed and hungry by the time I get home. Ultraprocessed foods can be tempting, they’re quick and can taste good.

One of my resolutions this year, is to focus on eating healthier to feel better. With nutrition and well-being on my mind, I’m recommending, Anna Cooks, as my first cookbook for the Reading for Well-Being community. Anna makes healthier eating achievable with practical and delicious recipes - you don’t need to be Chef or have tons of time for healthier eating.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Anna on the Reading for Well-Being podcast. Hear Anna discuss baking, cooking, and life in the kitchen. What makes baking with kids such a joyful and meaningful experience? How does cooking serve as a form of self care? And which go-to recipes does Anna rely on most? Find the answers to these questions and more!

You can find the episode on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube. Check it out, https://www.youtube.com/@ReadingforWellBeingPodcast

Happy reading (and eating!),

Professor Pozzulo

-When we read, we feel better

Imagine living in a place where the sun doesn’t rise for two months a year. What impact would that have on your well-being? The data may surprise you. In How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days, Leibowitz explores the connection between “seasonal variation” and well-being. And for anyone who’s not a fan of winter, Leibowitz might have you re-thinking your view on this colder, darker season and how to approach it for improved well-being.

Leibowitz’s trek to Tromso, Norway (in the Artic Circle!) starts her journey on better understanding the relationship between winter and well-being along with discovering strategies that could be applied to improve mood. Leibowitz discovers that for residents of Tromso, winter was a season of excitement, something to look forward to. The residents had a different “mindset” (i.e., “core assumptions about the nature and workings of things in the world”) on what winter meant. Leibowitz explores how mindsets are powerful at navigating any challenging season of life.

Leibowitz describes the research and practical strategies that can be implemented for transforming your experience with the winter months. Several strategies are summarized at the end of the chapters. A personal favourite is to make a list of 5 specific things to look forward to as the winter season approaches.
This is an insightful book for not only anyone who isn’t a fan of winter (I actually am :)) but also for those looking to support their well-being during difficult transition periods. A great read for a cold, winter day!

What is your mindset around winter? Have you tried any new wintering strategies? Has your well-being improved after incorporating any strategies outlined in the book?

Happy reading!

Professor Pozzulo

-When we read, we feel better