I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen: And Other Lies I Think Will Make Me Happy

Naptime Kitchen blogger Strickler details in her down-to-earth debut how the chronically dissatisfied can swap comparison for contentment. As a young mom, the author struggled with “knowing my life was a gift” while envying the spacious kitchens and attractive outfits she scrolled past on social media. Deciding to reframe her frustrations, she learned to transform her dreams of a bigger, cleaner kitchen (less a superficial desire than a hunger for domestic happiness, she writes) into gratitude for the messes and spills of a vibrant family life. Elsewhere, she describes turning frustrations with the routine of marriage into thankfulness for being fully known by a partner, using such mindset tweaks as giving one’s spouse the benefit of the doubt during conflicts. While the ills of social media–induced envy are hardly news, the author effectively validates the real needs for safety, belonging, and connection that underlie the apparent desire for more. In the process, she explains how readers can better fulfill such needs through straightforward practices like compiling and sharing a list of all the positive traits one appreciates about one’s partner. The result is a welcome reminder to stop and smell the roses. (Aug.)