Happiness

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

Photo of a red taxi with passengers in an urban setting, a sign saying “Life is War” visible in the background.

Freedom and choice

idea

Relationships are important, but so is feeling free to end them

Comparing ‘relational mobility’ and people’s average happiness across different cultures reveals some intriguing patterns

by Thomas Talhelm & Liuqing Wei

Painting of an elderly man with a beard and a young woman in a red dress, both in a warm embrace with a landscape backdrop.

Money and economics

idea

How your attitudes to money could be affecting your relationship

Do you see money as a way to gain freedom or status? If your partner takes a different view, there could be consequences

by Johanna Peetz

Photo of a person in an elephant costume standing in a tiled indoor area near a mini cab office with signs and posters.

Meaning and the good life

guide

How to be a happy nihilist

Exhausted by the modern pressure to squeeze meaning out of every moment? Here’s a radical way to reset your priorities

by Wendy Syfret

A naked young woman walking on a rippled sandy beach towards the sea, clear blue water and distant islands in view.

Freedom and choice

film

For Lucy, surviving on a remote island was hard, but returning was harder

Directed by Jesper Wachtmeister

Photo of a person sitting and holding a large map covering their face outdoors with people walking in the background.

Thinking and intelligence

idea

A love for thinking brings benefits way beyond school and work

Having a passion for mental effort – a trait that’s distinct from being intelligent – has some wide-ranging upsides

by Josephine Zerna

Photo of a smiling person taking a selfie indoors, wearing a blue and yellow jumper, with plants and a clock in the background.

Emotions

idea

What makes ‘toxic positivity’ different from a healthy attitude

Influencers and self-help gurus are preaching a form of positive psychology that risks doing more harm than good

by Lucas Dixon

A candid photo of three smiling children slightly out of focus, showing joy and togetherness against a dark backdrop.

Laughter and comedy

guide

How to laugh more

You don’t have to wait to be amused, there are ways to train yourself to enjoy the ‘cheap medicine’ of laughter every day

by Freda Gonot-Schoupinsky

A photo of an artist in a cap and paint-splattered trousers sitting next to a large painting of a man holding his face in his hands.

Painting and sculpture

film

A rural Namibian artist reflects on authenticity in work and in life

Directed by Niklas von Klitzing and Leo Stolz

Photo of three older men in a pub, smiling and wearing caps. The background has pub mirrors and a red wall.

Friendship

idea

Is it better to have friends who are like you or different from you?

Studies of longterm friends offer surprising insights as to whether friends who are more or less alike tend to endure

by Christian Jarrett

Photo of a family holding hands walking on a beach with a golden retriever in the foreground and ocean waves in the background.

Happiness

idea

As a psychiatrist, I’ve seen how chasing happiness leads to misery

My clinical work has shown me that happiness is a ghost that’s not worth pursuing – there are far wiser goals in life

by Rafa Euba

Puppets with monkey faces in office attire, performing a synchronised dance in a cubicle-filled office setting, with computers and office supplies visible.

Happiness

film

Humanoid animals sing through their existential angst in this madcap short

Directed by Niki Lindroth Von Bahr