On the Road

Writers always complain about book tours, but here’s the truth.

They’re terrific.

You’ve spent a year or more writing a book and even longer thinking about it. Now you get to stand in front of audiences excited to hear about it. With luck, lots of people buy a copy and ask you to sign. Why would anyone complain?

My new book What Your Body Knows About Happiness came out in January, and since then I’ve been speaking at events around the country. I’ve done dozens of podcasts and TV shows and been interviewed for articles. Talking about a book I loved writing and that gets people inspired is a great joy. I used some of the ideas from the book while touring and I can report that they really do work.

Whether you’re traveling for business or fun, here are some quick ways to use body and mind to feel a little happier.

1. Be Open to Experiences

When everything is the same, your brain doesn’t pay much attention. Toss in a new encounter and you get a delightful zest to body and brain.

All that’s required is to look up from your iPhone and pay attention.

On an icy cold day in Columbus, Ohio, I wanted to huddle in my hotel room instead of traipsing across town to tape a podcast. But I went—and in addition to an interesting interview, I had fun exploring the colorful and chic recording studio. Later that day, wonderful book store owner Linda Kass of Gramercy Books graciously took me and my conversation partner Kurt Malkoff to dinner, which reminded me how inspiring it is to encounter people with different stories and experiences. I even stopped to admire the beautiful homes in suburban Bexley before our well-attended library event.

I came home telling everyone how much fun I’d had in Ohio.

Wherever you are, be alert to new sensations and you’ll feel as recharged as if you’d been on a (real) vacation.

2. Go Outside

During my visit to Orlando, I didn’t have a car, but I took a 45-minute walk from my hotel and figured out how to cross an 8-lane highway. I eventually got to a pretty park by a lake, and the afternoon in nature was pure joy. Research shows that spending time outdoors and in natural environments improves your mood, and being around water seems to provide some additional magic. The glimmers of sunlight on the lake managed to be both soothing and engaging, and I stopped to take photos of the sunset on the way home. Those ephemeral moments of beauty bring a sense of calm. It probably made my talk that night all the better.

Even if you’re at a conference or on a business trip, try to escape outdoors for a short time. It will make everything happier.

3. Keep Learning

In researching my book, I discovered that moving your body stimulates your mind to be more creative. The fluidity of movement seems to encourage the fluidity of thought. I was discussing the power of movement at a library talk when my smart conversation partner Jean Hanff Korelitz asked why she gets her best ideas when she’s first drifting awake in the morning.

Jean writes marvelous novels so I immediately got interested in her question. From what I’ve been able to discover, creative thoughts emerge when you’re in a relaxed mental state—which happens when you’re out walking in nature, taking a shower, or sliding between sleep and wakefulness. When you put logical thinking aside and allow yourself to drift, new ideas are more likely to come.

Jean’s question reminded me that the body-brain connections are fascinating on so many levels. Our bodies are always sending information for our brains to interpret—even if the message is that you’re cozily in bed so your creative brain can safely wander.

Janice and Jean thinking about creativity…

Over my years as a theater reviewer, I’ve seen Sam Shepard plays many times, and it’s a thrill when a powerful cast reaches to the heart of one of his moving stories. The New Group’s production of The Curse of the Starving Class completely ensnares you with a cast led by Christian Slater and Calista Flockhart, both terrific as a couple struggling with money and hope. But it’s their son Wesley, played by Cooper Hoffman, who truly breaks your heart. Shephard wrote the play in the 1970s and Cooper makes it feel of the moment as a young man filled with the pain, stoicism, and confusion of living with an alcoholic parent in uncertain times. That Cooper is the son of the late great actor Philip Seymour Hoffman brings an added layer of drama to this excellent production.

Ace actors bringing new life to a great play definitely makes me happy.

Cooper Hoffman with Christian Slater (sleeping on the table…)

I’m spending this week recording the audio book on What Your Body Knows About Happiness.

My next big event is at Zibby’s Bookshop in Santa Monica. We rescheduled it after the January fires. If you’ll be in the area on April 7 at 6 pm, please come!

Thanks to everyone who has come to events and bought the book. If you don’t have a copy yet, please purchase it now at your local bookstore, or the link to Amazon here. Your support means so much (and it doesn’t cost a lot).

Love,

Janice