Amanda Smith is a freelance journalist and writer. She reports on culture, society, human interest and technology. Her stories hold a mirror to society, reflecting both its malaise and its beauty.

As women, we’re often so focused on the immediate—checking things off our to-do lists, caring for others, meeting deadlines—that we forget to pause and ask ourselves: What do I really want my life to ...

If there’s anything I’ve figured out over the last few years, it’s that life doesn’t always go as planned. I had a vision of how my life should unfold — how the world told me it should go. And so, ...

Although lots of the stories we tell each other about retirement from work are positive ("finally, you can do whatever you want!"), the reality can be less sunny. Studies show that depression often ...