Those of us who are parents know how little we can do to protect our children from pain or the impact of their own challenges. Yet, it’s important not to forget that simply caring about another human being—wanting what is best for them, being a loving witness to their lives—is everything. It is what we can do. And every time we do it, it counts. We will fail often. I fail often at love, but standing up and trying again is what matters most.

Cherishing our marriage partner is a powerful way to increase the happiness and well-being in a marriage. It makes couples more resilient during hard times, and it's a powerful way to increase our own happiness! What does it mean to cherish? To cherish is to actively value a spouse. It means recognizing and appreciating all the many good things they bring into our lives. We cherish when we openly express gratitude, letting them know what they mean to us. But we also cherish as a way of living. Cherishing is a way of viewing the person who has chosen to spend their life with us. To cherish is t...

Gratitude is a form of receiving–a powerful way to take in and acknowledge the beauty and love that is all around us. This is why it is such an antidote to unhappiness. Despite the adversity and pain that are woven into our lives, we all have genuine blessings to be grateful for—realities that we are not entitled to that make our lives richer than they would otherwise be.

This is the transcript of Dr. Finalsyon-Fife's interview with the Stoic Dad podcast. During the episode, Dr. Finlayson-Fife discusses the difference between higher and lower desires, the important distinction between wants and desires, productive and unproductive suffering, as well as mature masculinity, and the dynamics of attraction.

Dr. Finlayson-Fife's thoughts on Mother's Day.

A Valentine's Day message from Dr. Finlayson-Fife.