The self
Change and self-development
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How to find inner peace like Saint Teresa of Ávila
The 16th-century ‘spiritual rock-star’ shows how seeing your soul as a castle can be a source of strength and consolation
by Skye C Cleary
Mind and brain
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Having epileptic seizures gave me newfound respect for the brain
Seizures are often described as both terrifying and enthralling. Mine gave me a wondrous new take on consciousness and agency
by Webb Wright
Freedom and choice
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What removing large chunks of brain taught me about selfhood
I’ve cut brains in half, excised tumours – even removed entire lobes. The illusion of the self and free will survives it all
by Theodore H Schwartz
The self
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What makes some of us crave self-insight more than others?
Some people have a powerful desire to understand themselves, but their path to self-knowledge is rarely straightforward
by Christoph Heine
Stories and literature
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Your life is not a story: why narrative thinking holds you back
Our stories help us make sense of a chaotic world, but they can be harmful and restrictive. There’s a liberating alternative
by Karen Simecek
Place
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‘Place authenticity’ is an important, overlooked part of life
From indie bookshops to artisan cafes, spending time in unique, characterful places can enrich your own sense of self
by Ashley Krause
Work and vocation
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Six ways to use clothes to boost your confidence at work
Regardless of your budget or fashion sense, dressing with more intention can benefit your mindset and performance
by Dahlia Stroud
The self
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Why bad doodles can reveal more about you than good drawings
For Marion Milner, ‘not being able’ is a valuable state – one that allows for new and unexpected forms of learning
by David Russell
Psychoanalysis and the unconscious
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Three ways to get in touch with your Shadow self
Jung believed we all have a Shadow self. Facing up to it could help you live more fully and be more forgiving of others
by Ruth Williams
Technology and media
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What I learned from sharing my private self with an AI journal
‘Quantified self’ apps analyse our physical and behavioural data. Now, AI journals want to access our emotional lives too
by Angela Chen
Identity
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You have multiple ‘social identities’ – here’s how to manage them
As social beings, our identities are bound up with different groups – here’s how to juggle all the various hats you wear
by Anna K Zinn
The self
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What my mother’s sticky notes show about the nature of the self
Dementia accelerates a process we all experience, as our memories become increasingly externalised into the world around us
by Crispin Sartwell