Mattering

The feeling of being valued, and of having a chance to add value, is what journalist Jennifer Breheny Wallace calls mattering, and she argues it is a core human need, as basic to well-being as food and water. Behind today's loneliness, burnout and lack of purpose she sees an erosion of mattering. Through research and stories of burned-out employees, overwhelmed caregivers and people living with grief, she shows how small, intentional reminders of worth can change lives. She sets out four parts of what she calls a mattering core: recognizing one's impact, being relied on without being overburdened, feeling like a priority, and being deeply known and supported. It became an instant New York Times bestseller.

Adam Grant listed it in The New Books to Refresh Your Thinking in 2026 as a pointer to where people can find purpose and a way to contribute.