Resilience and flexibility
![Abstract painting featuring interwoven, tangled figures surrounded by dark, swirling shapes and lines, evoking chaos and entanglement.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/6e801a07-9deb-476a-9b4f-a9469b398583/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Sadness and sorrow
idea
When emotions rot, they compost and transform into something new
A self that fractures through loss or grief marks a psychological shift, beginning a cycle of regrowth through decomposition
by Kelsey Day
![Forearm tattoo in cursive script reads “Remember to fall in love” in black ink.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/010f3e08-f0c8-4b53-975e-6e22975b4672/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Emotion regulation
idea
Wish you had more self-control? You should hear the downsides
Many people wish they had the advantages of more self-control. But fewer know that the trait can be costly, too
by Samantha Lapka & Franki Kung
![](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/22f28ad8-876a-436a-8af1-9ce084efb0a0/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Resilience and flexibility
guide
How to be resilient
Life is unpredictable. Brace yourself with a suite of coping mechanisms, internal and external, then deploy them flexibly
by Selda Koydemir
![Abstract blue figures in a dark room; some sitting around tables with candles, others standing or sitting on a bar counter. The image signifies a lively, crowded bar during a power outage.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/10494759-d3e9-4540-8d3e-a149251a8c11/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Community
film
When the lights went out and the city came together over two days in Toronto
Directed by Sharron Mirsky
![](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/ec00e8ff-9850-4c35-99e7-b9dd24712e10/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Resilience and flexibility
idea
What the distinctive brains of resilient people can teach us
Resilient people have brains that are distinct in their structure and function, providing clues for how to build resilience
by Laura Moreno-López
![](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/0e2ff375-a583-4ad2-b428-b676bbdd7be8/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Humanistic and existential therapy
idea
Existential psychotherapy helped my students cope with chaos
By facing the terrifying truths of existence, we become stronger, more resilient and more able to take control of our lives
by Ronald Chau
![Ancient elongated humanoid statue with a minimalist design and folded arms, carved from a reddish stone, against a grey background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/4338c8a6-a04e-4708-9f0d-1d9fb08d0c2f/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Communication and language
guide
How to say no
It’s a little word, but if you’re a chronic people pleaser it can be so tricky to say it. These tips and tricks will help
by Shayla Love
![People in an airport terminal, some carrying luggage and looking up at departure boards. Busy environment with natural light from large windows.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/60dd6125-776b-43f3-8ed0-60abebc3c85b/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Resilience and flexibility
idea
Why some people are at higher risk of ‘stress contagion’
Our stress levels don’t rise and fall in isolation. Grasping the social side of stress could help us manage it better
by Shihan Li
![People of varying ages queue before a temporary table in a church. Food is being handed out to them](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/9a11c7b6-5a32-4c8b-8daf-6638034a4911/rt-panos_00268358.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Compassion and empathy
idea
Many of us have the wrong idea about poverty and toughness
The ‘thick skin bias’ obscures the reality of hardship. We should check our assumptions about those who are struggling
by Nathan Cheek
![Commuters rush past a stationary commuter train. In the train window is reflected the Sydney Harbour Bridge](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/8906f346-e0b0-4d66-8002-bf2466c36e93/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Worry and rumination
guide
How to thrive amid ‘imposter syndrome’
Worries that you’re incompetent and undeserving could be holding you back. Try these steps to move toward the life you want
by Jill Stoddard