From award-winning journalist and bestselling author Jennifer Wallace comes Mattering —a
landmark book that introduces a transformative new framework to confront the loneliness
burnout and lack of purpose so many of us face today. In this groundbreaking work Wallace
makes an urgent case: mattering—the feeling that we are valued and have an opportunity to add
value—is a core human need as essential to our well-being as food and water. And yet in
today’s world that fundamental need is going unmet with perilous consequences. As mental and
social health crises surge we often blame social media the pace of modern life and
polarizing politics. But beneath these issues lies a deeper crisis what Wallace calls “an
erosion of mattering.” With her signature warmth and insight Wallace weaves together
research and deeply moving stories of mattering lost and regained. From burned-out employees to
overwhelmed caregivers to people grappling with grief or struggling through a destabilizing
transition Mattering explores how our lives are transformed when we are reminded in small and
intentional ways that we are valued and that we have value to offer. Wallace provides the
essential elements to building what she calls our “mattering core”: recognizing your impact
being relied on (but not too much) feeling prioritized and being truly known and invested in.
Strengthening this core helps us reconnect to our sense of purpose deepen our relationships
and navigate life’s uncertainties and challenges with greater resilience. For readers of
Brené Brown David Brooks and Adam Grant Mattering is a rare culture-shifting book that
offers both a diagnosis and a remedy. With a clear road map and actionable takeaways Wallace
reveals how to unlock this powerful force within ourselves and how to build cultures of
mattering in our homes workplaces and communities. Mattering is both a call to action and
a blueprint for living a meaningful life and creating a world we so urgently need.
