A pair of white trainers with a black tick Nike logo against a wooden floor, sunlight casting a shadow behind.
HABITS AND ROUTINES

Why some healthy habits still take so much effort

Contrary to classic habit science, certain behaviours never become easy. Recognising this can help you stick with them

by Blair Saunders & Kimberly R More

A person with a backpack resting on a log by a rocky riverbank with a group of people in the background.
RESILIENCE AND FLEXIBILITY

The art of hiking

The desert acted as a mirror that seemed to say: you are like me – harsh, inventive, and full of life

by Skye Anicca

Black and white photo of a crow perched on a post against a snowy background.
DEATH AND DYING
8

The existential balm of seeing yourself as a verb, not a noun

In the therapy room, I’ve seen how rethinking what we are – and what it means to ‘be dead’ – can lighten our fears

by Eric Jannazzo

Ideas

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A tree-lined path in autumn with people walking and sitting on benches, covered by colourful foliage.
COMMUNITY

The existential struggle between being a ‘we’ and an ‘us’

by Tris Hedges

A woman wearing a black gown and veil, and gold and turquoise jewellery raises her harms with eyes closed; musicians wearing headdresses play drums in the background in a dimly lit setting.
ANXIETY

What rituals from the past teach us about panic and anxiety

by Mariem El-Kady

A bustling food stall at dusk with bright signs advertising burgers, curly fries and sausages against a darkening sky.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

The Ozempic era should change how we think about self-control

by Matthew C Haug

Guides

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A person’s left hand holds an old family photo near documents and letters on a table; their right hand holds a pen that is positioned to write on a yellow strip of paper.
MEMORY AND NOSTALGIA

How to be the archivist of your own family

By curating your family’s stories, rituals and relics, you’ll feel anchored – and create a bridge between the generations

by Samantha Ellis

A man in silhouette standing against a reflective surface in an empty room with cityscape visible through large windows.
INTEGRATIVE THERAPY
3

How to stop your life playing on repeat

Those frustrating patterns you keep experiencing might be because of your schemas – and there’s a therapy that can help

by Gemma Gladstone

Life stories

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OCD

The unravelling

I’d lived through two eras: pre and post OCD diagnosis. Nothing prepared me for what the third era held

by Lux Alptraum

Editor’s picks

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FRIENDSHIP
6

How to support a struggling friend

Sometimes it’s hard to know what to say or do. Use these five strategies for providing effective emotional support

by Elise Kalokerinos

Black and white photo of a person with a backpack standing in front of a textured glass surface, appearing to look through it.
STIGMA AND TABOO

Let’s avoid talk of ‘chemical imbalance’: it’s people in distress

The ‘chemical imbalance’ trope is appealing but dehumanising, and has heightened stigma towards people with mental illness

by Joseph E Davis

Latest videos

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HOME

Memories of home adopt surreal shapes in a Sudanese expat’s art

Video by Art21

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LOVE

More than just a feeling, love can guide our moral compasses

Photo of doughnuts with white icing and colourful sprinkles on a pink background.
FOOD AND DRINK

‘Sonic branding’ and other ways food marketing keeps you hooked

Notes to self

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A dimly lit street with parked cars at night. A building has a large, vertical “HOTEL” sign illuminated.
DECISION-MAKING

For maximisers, bad choices really sting

by Richard Fisher

Popular

A close-up view of a cheeseburger with multiple beef patties, melted cheese and crispy onion rings.
PLEASURES AND PASTIMES

Guilty pleasures are more than just giving in to temptation

Psychologists are discovering what’s going on when you do something you enjoy, but also feel weird or embarrassed about

by LaCount ‘JJ’ Togans

A woman wearing a black gown and veil, and gold and turquoise jewellery raises her harms with eyes closed; musicians wearing headdresses play drums in the background in a dimly lit setting.
ANXIETY

What rituals from the past teach us about panic and anxiety

In the sensory and communal modes of healing that people have used throughout history, there is guidance for today

by Mariem El-Kady

Photo of a hand holding a smartphone displaying a chat app interface asking “How can I help you this afternoon?”
THINKING AND INTELLIGENCE
6

How to use AI chatbots to make you smarter, not dumber

Use AI thoughtlessly and it dulls your mind. But with a strategic approach and the right prompts, it can be a powerful tool

by Nick Kabrel

Photo of a person’s toned torso in shadowy light hands on hips wearing a dark top and trousers showcasing abdominal muscles.
MIND-BODY INTERACTIONS

Stronger

When grief and distraction spun my mind out of control, only the strain of my muscles could keep it intact

by Nancy Uddin

Black and white photo of a crow perched on a post against a snowy background.
DEATH AND DYING
8

The existential balm of seeing yourself as a verb, not a noun

In the therapy room, I’ve seen how rethinking what we are – and what it means to ‘be dead’ – can lighten our fears

by Eric Jannazzo

A man in silhouette standing against a reflective surface in an empty room with cityscape visible through large windows.
INTEGRATIVE THERAPY
3

How to stop your life playing on repeat

Those frustrating patterns you keep experiencing might be because of your schemas – and there’s a therapy that can help

by Gemma Gladstone

Black and white photo of a man in glasses and a suit speaking, seated indoors with window blinds in the background.
THINKERS AND THEORIES

Can an entire society be mentally ill? A perspective from 1960

Video by The Search for America

A bustling food stall at dusk with bright signs advertising burgers, curly fries and sausages against a darkening sky.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

The Ozempic era should change how we think about self-control

Struggling to manage weight can seem like a failure of raw willpower. GLP-1 drugs highlight how misguided that view is

by Matthew C Haug

Explore: Poetry

Surreal painting of a celestial figure surrounded by angels and clouds, with vivid colours and dynamic movement.
THINKERS AND THEORIES

Embrace conflict, reject authority – William Blake’s radical vision of a meaningful life

Video by Great Books Explained

Painting of an elderly couple in 16th century attire, man in fur-lined coat and woman in white headdress on green background.
LOVE
10

There’s no good reason to love each other – and that’s a relief

by John Kaag

Illustration of a room with a plant on a table, soft coloured walls and a window with curtains.
POETRY

‘You are me; I am you’ – a trans poet’s evocative message to her former self

Video by On Being

Photo of a hand using a black marker to redact text on paper several words are boxed to be emphasised.
POETRY

Reignite your creative fire with blackout poetry – the art of framing what’s already there

Directed by Andrew Lavers

Painting of a woman in 18th-century attire holding flowers by a window with a small dog on a bench.
POETRY
1

How to write a love poem

by Dan Simpson

Photo of a person speaking into a microphone holding an electric string instrument with a choir in the background.
THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE
1

The barbarians are at the gates in this electric Laurie Anderson performance

Video by All Arts