Mary Claire Lagroue

Mary Claire Lagroue writes about culture, health, food, and travel. Between the deadlines, find her buried in a book, mapping out her next weekend trip, or designing cards at Paper Garden Goods.

Cooking-as-a-Hobby

How Cooking Became My Creative Outlet

Article / Health & Wellness

Random-Acts-Of-Kindness-Ideas

Random Acts of Kindness for Every Situation

Article / Volunteer

How-To-Stay-Calm-At-Work

5 Strategies to Stay Calm Under Pressure at Work

Article / Career & Finance

Mindful-Communication

4 Ways to Practice More Mindful Communication

Article / Relationships

Summer-Road-Trips

Summer Road Trips You Can Do in a Weekend

Article / Health & Wellness

Discover organizations where you could donate goods.

42 Ideas for the Clutter You Planned to Throw Away

Article / Volunteer

What-to-do-in-Paris

Grotto’s Travel Guide to Paris

Article / Health & Wellness

Discover the effects of prayer on your mental health.

How Prayer Affects Your Mental Health

Article / Prayer

Wondering how to pray the stations of the cross? Here's your beginner's guide!

The Beginner’s Guide to the Stations of the Cross

Article / Prayer

Read these 8 tips for planning a trip with friends.

8 Tips for Planning a Trip with Friends

Article / Relationships

Read how to establish healthy sleep habits and why you should.

How to Build & Maintain Healthy Sleep Habits

Article / Health & Wellness

Grotto's travel guide for what to do in New Orleans.

Grotto’s Travel Guide to New Orleans

Article / Health & Wellness

How much sleep do I really need? Read how sleep affects your health and add this to your self-care ritual.

Do You Really Need 8 Hours of Sleep Each Night?

Article / Health & Wellness

Try one of these 11 winter hobbies to make your time inside more enjoyable this winter.

11 Winter Hobbies To Beat Cabin Fever

Article / Health & Wellness

What-to-Write-in-a-Christmas-Card

4 Prompts for Writing Meaningful Christmas Cards

Article / Relationships

Explore more Grotto

Learn about how to practice radical self-acceptance to change the way you view your body.

Your Body is Not Your Enemy

Read to learn about how to improve your mind-body connection.

3 Ways Your Mind Can Help With Body Positivity

Take into consideration these five steps for how to recognize and appreciate body diversity.

5 Steps to Becoming More Body-Inclusive

Watch to learn how Kay is showing the world that yoga is for everyone.

Breaking the Mold as a Yoga Instructor

Being new to Chicago can be frightening, but we have everything here to make you feel like a local.

I Just Moved to Chicago — Now What?

Breaking bad habits can help you become a better person.

Breaking Bad (Habits)

Read this licensed clinical counselor's answer to "what is gaslighting in a relationship?"

What is Gaslighting, Exactly?

Don't ignore these abusive relationship signs.

Are You In An Abusive Relationship? Here’s How to Tell

Have you been navigating office friendships? Keep these four things in mind.

Navigating Friendships with Coworkers? Keep These 4 Things in Mind

Conserving the colobus monkey and other wildlife in Kenya is necessary and worth it — watch how these wildlife conservationists do it here.

Coexisting with Colobus Monkeys