Pleasures and pastimes
Creativity
idea
A life of splendid uselessness is a life well lived
Like the fertile soil of a well-kept garden, a life of splendid, utter uselessness yields abundance beyond our immediate aims
by Joseph M Keegin
Thinking and intelligence
idea
Being alone with your thoughts is a skill you can practise
People go to extreme lengths to avoid time with their own thoughts. We’ve found some ways to make it more pleasurable
by Rémy Furrer
Habits and routines
guide
How to read more books
Modern life can feel too frantic for books. Use these habit-building strategies to carve out time for the joy of reading
by Christian Jarrett
Freedom and choice
film
Meandering with purpose across the US, on his mountain bike, aged 71
Directed by Brandon Watts
Pleasures and pastimes
idea
Feel free to stop striving: learn to relish being an amateur
When I rekindled my relationship with the piano and tapped into my inner amateur, I discovered a quiet room of my own
by Xenia Hanusiak
Traditional arts
idea
Could the art of ‘sashiko’ help to mend our frayed world?
The Japanese art of ‘sashiko’ celebrates the rough edges of life. Could this be the patchwork solution for our frayed selves?
by Melanie McGrath
Pleasures and pastimes
guide
How to rest well
Taking a break isn’t lazy – learning to recharge is a skill that will allow you to enjoy a more creative, sustainable life
by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
The body and physical health
film
A gym built of Soviet-era scraps is a creative community hub in Kyiv, 2019
Directed by Gar O’Rourke
Neuroscience
idea
The fascinating science of pleasure goes way beyond dopamine
Pleasure and happiness are too important for our mental health to be reduced to the single brain chemical dopamine
by Dean Burnett
Meaning and the good life
idea
What surfing says about the importance of serendipity in life
What surfers call the elated state of ‘stoke’ is really a celebration of life and the meaningful serendipities it brings
by Aaron James
Film
guide
How to find great films to watch
Bored with Hollywood and Netflix? Becoming an adventurous and informed explorer of the cinema world is in everyone’s grasp
by Geoff Andrew
Childhood and adolescence
film
One girl’s long, scary route from changing room to swimming pool
A film by Elise Augarten