Helen Russell

‘Russell is possessed of a razor-sharp wit and a winning self-deprecation – two of the things that make this book such a delight.’

‘Russell is possessed of a razor-sharp wit and a winning self-deprecation – two of the things that make this book such a delight.’

only way to avoid sadness and regret completely is by avoiding life—

and we only appreciate the light if we’ve experienced shade. This is why saudade matters.

It’s a longing for someone or something that you don’t have any more that you love

Saudade for me is the lingering memory of someone or something that you’re really happy was a part of you. You may be sad because you haven’t got it, but you remember it happily because you had it once.

you can be among thousands of people but none is the one you want to be by your side

Saudade is the moment you realise how important people are in your life and the moments you’ve taken for granted

a positive, inclusive mindset is what joie de vivre is all about.

None of us knows what will happen when we die, so we should all try to take joy from the “living” part as much as we can. Now.