Communication and language

Self-knowledge and personal growth Relationships, work and leisure Values and ethical living

Animals Caregiving Communication and language Community Conflict and conflict resolution Cooperation and collaboration Food and drink Forgiveness Friendship Home Love Money and economics Parenting and families Place Pleasures and pastimes Sports and games Technology and media Travel Work and vocation

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A girl walks towards a woman on a pavement with a grey building in the background, casting shadows from a tree.

Thinking and intelligence

idea

Talking out loud to yourself is a technology for thinking

Talking out loud to oneself is a technology for thinking that allows us to clarify and sharpen our approach to a problem

by Nana Ariel

Close-up of a Renaissance painting showing a man’s face with curly hair, detailed skin texture, and a thoughtful expression against a dark background.

Emotion regulation

idea

Asking one simple question can entirely change how you feel

Positive and negative emotions respond differently to ‘affect labelling’ – the act of giving a name to your feelings

by Christian Waugh

Photo of two smiling women in a pool wearing floral swim caps and sunglasses using pink flamingo inflatables, with bunting flags in the background.

Friendship

guide

How to make friends as an adult

Friendships give us so much. Be bold, take the initiative, and you’ll be surprised how many people are pleased to connect

by Marisa G Franco

Close-up of a green parrot with a red forehead and white around its eyes, looking directly at the camera.

Wonder and the sublime

film

The search for life beyond Earth is peculiar, from a parrot’s perspective

Directed by Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla

Ancient stone relief of four figures with intricate facial expressions and draped clothing, displayed against a blue background.

Communication and language

idea

How do good conversations work? Philosophy has something to say

The idea of what makes for a successful conversation is always tricky, and has always been contested by philosophers

by Stephanie Ross

A man and a woman laughing together in a restaurant

Communication and language

idea

Why it takes humour to sustain a long-term relationship

Maintaining a long and happy relationship requires a specific skillset. Learning to laugh at yourself and together is key

by Enrico Gnaulati

Vintage poster by Roger Broders depicting Antibes beach with swimmers, umbrellas, and two women in the foreground.

Learning and education

guide

How to learn a language (and stick at it)

Forget about fluency and how languages are taught at school: as an adult learner you can take a whole new approach

by John Gallagher

A person in a cowboy hat sits on a rock watching a horse graze in a misty, sunlit pasture with a fence and hills in the background.

Memoir

film

After a mental health crisis, Karin finds peace among her beloved horses

Directed by Mimi Wilcox and Victor Tadashi Suarez

Protesters holding signs against cashless society, media and climate emergency. Signs include “ONLY BY STANDING TOGETHER WILL WE BE FREE” and “TIME TO WAKE UP”.

Knowledge and reason

idea

Our big problem is not misinformation; it’s knowingness

Everybody knows we live in an age of misinformation. But everybody’s wrong, and here’s why it’s our age’s biggest problem

by Jonathan Malesic

A woman and a man face off, gesticulating in an argument. Another woman stands nearby looking concerned amid a crowd outdoors.

Conflict and conflict resolution

idea

Argue better by signalling your receptiveness with these words

All too often disagreements spiral into conflict. Prevent that happening by signalling your receptiveness with these words

by Michael Yeomans

Two women talking in front of a poster depicting men reading newspapers, with a construction worker nearby.

Communication and language

guide

How to have more meaningful conversations

Be brave enough to share, kind enough to listen, and you can escape the shallows of small talk to dive deep with another

by Lucy Foulkes

Stories and literature

film

‘Once upon a time…’ Deconstructing our insatiable appetite for stories

Directed by Aisling Chin-Yee