Death and dying
idea
Reflections on mortality can help you live well now – here’s how
For me and many others, contemplating death has clarified what matters. These curiosity-based exercises will get you started
by Joanna Ebenstein
Addiction
idea
The shame felt in addiction often isn’t toxic – it’s healing
The push to take shame out of recovery is well-meaning. But it overlooks the power this emotion has to motivate change
by Owen Flanagan
Meaning and the good life
guide
How to make your life feel more meaningful
Existential psychology offers specific ways to find meaning, giving you a buffer against despair in these anxious times
by Steven Heine
Human nature
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For a happier life, we must balance two old psychological needs
Personal autonomy is abundant in the modern world. As a result, many of us get what we want but not what we need
by William von Hippel
Worry and rumination
idea
What if your worry problem is really a planning problem?
Clinicians have long recognised the link between worry and planning. New research asks what this means for managing anxiety
by Paul B Sharp
Popular this month
Evaluating therapies
idea
In therapy or meditation, is it normal to feel worse at first?
A ‘no pain, no gain’ mentality might make sense when striving for change – but don’t confuse discomfort and distress
by Nicholas Van Dam
Artists and art history
film
Circles possess a defiant beauty in the abstract works of Howardena Pindell
Directed by César Martínez Barba
Cognitive and behavioural therapies
idea
Instead of wrestling with self-defeating thoughts, try this
When your own thoughts discourage and undermine you, it’s easy to get tangled. A change of strategy could get you past it
by Joe Oliver & Kristy Potter
Gender
idea
Too many men lack close friendships. What’s holding them back?
Some masculine norms are a straightjacket, depriving men of the connections they need. It takes bravery to leave them behind
by Angelica Puzio Ferrara
Progress and the future
idea
Why it’s possible to be optimistic in a world of bad news
The original optimist, Leibniz, was mocked and misunderstood. Centuries later, his worldview can help us navigate modern life
by Sumit Paul-Choudhury
Parenting and families
film
Prison letters animate Diane’s attempt to understand a distant father
Directed by Diana Cam Van Nguyen
Communication and language
idea
To have deeper conversations, try being more of an asshole
Conversation is a game with rules about politeness and norms. To move beyond small talk, you need to risk breaking them
by Idil Çakmur
Freedom and choice
idea
What removing large chunks of brain taught me about selfhood
I’ve cut brains in half, excised tumours – even removed entire lobes. The illusion of the self and free will survives it all
by Theodore H Schwartz
Sex and sexuality
film
Sweet illustrations capture women’s stories of first-time queer attraction
A film by Diane Obomsawin
Civic life
idea
Disappointment is not just a feeling – it’s a political force
When political regimes fail us, don’t turn to optimism. It’s disappointment that holds the radical potential for change
by Rafael Holmberg
Goals and motivation
idea
Here’s how to use your imagination to prepare for any task
From sport to public speaking, the link between mental imagery and actual performance is undeniable – and you can harness it
by Jonathan Rhodes
Grief
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The loss remains, so why does intense grief usually fade?
Grief’s ‘double vision’ beholds both the bereaved and dead. Recognising this duality helps explain our ability to move on
by Berislav Marušić