Take control of your work, life, and money.

Welcome to Smarter and Harder, a community for positivity and new, exciting conversations about how to make life a little bit better, one day at a time.

All that we do here is built on one simple idea: The Smarter and Harder mindset. You can read all about it in the free Smarter and Harder Mindset eBook.

Get More Out of Your Money

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The Inheritance Tax: Making Death and Taxes a Little Less Certain

As Benjamin Franklin stated over 200 years ago, “…in this world, nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes.” The adage rings especially true where these two …

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Set It and Forget It: 11 Easy Ways to Automate Your Finances

How much time do you spend managing your money each month – paying bills, checking balances, and moving funds around? Is it a few hours, maybe half a day? If …

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Taking a “Boil the Frog” Approach to Personal Finance

Pop culture tends to portray money matters the same way it does superheroes, celebrity gossip, and street racing – larger-than-life, explosive, and heart-pounding at every turn. Real-life personal finance may …

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woman sitting and reflecting on wooden dock by water

Cheap Retirement Countries: 10 Countries Where You Can Retire With $2,000 per Month

Are you looking forward to retirement? Do you imagine peaceful days spent socializing with family and friends, pursuing hobbies, and catching up on things you put off during a long …

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Seeking Health and Happiness

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Self-Respect: The Secret Sauce for Confidence, Compassion, and Contentment

Self-respect is a quiet force that often weaves its way through your entire day. It influences how you think about yourself, how you treat others, and your decisions. Learning to …

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when life gives you lemons, bowl of fresh lemons and pitcher of lemonade

When Life Gives You Lemons, You Don’t Have to Make Lemonade

It’s no doubt one of your favorite things to hear after receiving bad news, experiencing an unfortunate event, or simply having a bad day: “when life gives you lemons, make …

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Toxic Positivity: How Shallow Optimism Can Cause Deep Harm

Positive thinking is one of the most bafflingly powerful forces in the known universe. A healthy mix of empirical evidence and anecdotal experience consistently support the idea that a positive …

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Digital Minimalism and the Quest for Peace in the Digital Age

Do you ever struggle to find where you left that important file on your laptop? Or have you ever wished you could get a little more life out of your …

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Personal Growth and Development

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17 Practical Time Management Tips for a Stress-Free Life

Have you ever woken up in the morning, and instead of feeling overwhelmed by everything you have to do that day, you feel calm, refreshed, and ready to face the …

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woman working from home with laptop desk

A 4-Day Workweek May Soon Be a Reality: Benefits and Drawbacks

There is growing momentum to change the typical five-day workweek, which has been in effect for more than 80 years in the US. The pandemic forced the move to remote …

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6 Tips for Managing Expectations in Your Work, Relationships, and Beyond

The element of surprise is a beautiful but strange thing – it can invite laughter, tears, and a whole range of emotions. This impact of encountering stuff we didn’t expect …

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How to Write a Personal Mission Statement (With Examples)

How often do you stop to think about your mission in life? Not about specific goals or objectives but the type of person you want to be and how you …

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How to Break the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle 10 Legit Jobs That Pay Cash 6 Tips for Giving Constructive Criticism We’ve All Been Getting Priorities Wrong.