Happiness

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

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

Thinking and intelligence

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

Emotions

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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

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

Friendship

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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

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

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

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

Photo of two people in pink bunny costumes with carrot designs, holding drinks and standing by a tiled wall under a sign.

Personality

idea

To improve your life, consider changing your personality

New research supports the idea that intentionally developing certain traits is not only possible, but comes with benefits

by Christian Jarrett

Two puppets in silver spacesuits lie against a starry backdrop, surrounded by makeup items. One puppet has short black hair, the other has bright green hair.

Friendship

film

Fatu treks into the glamorous unknown during his first outing in makeup

Directed by Iiti Yli-Harja