How to not fear your death
You exist, but one day you won’t. An Epicurean perspective can help you feel less afraid, and even grateful for life’s finitude
by Sam Dresser
Meaning and the good life
Learning to be a loser: a philosopher’s case for doing nothing
For Emil Cioran, a life devoid of action, practical ambitions and busyness is a life in which room has been made for meaning
by Costica Bradatan
How to cope with an existential crisis
Has the world gone grey? Are you wondering what life is for? Kierkegaard’s philosophy could help you rediscover your zing
by Skye C Cleary
How to be useless
Follow the Daoist way – reclaim your life and happiness by letting go of the need to produce, strive or serve a purpose
by Helen De Cruz & Pauline Lee
Is being single a happier experience for women or men?
More people than ever are going solo. We identified a gender difference that hints at the ingredients needed to enjoy it
by Elaine Hoan & Geoff MacDonald
How to craft a harmonious life
Forget the ideal of work/life balance – your needs and interests are much richer than that, and your life can be too
by Jessica de Bloom & Merly Kosenkranius
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
Sprinkle a little ancient philosophy into your daily routines
Long before the psychology research was in, ancient philosophers knew the importance of spiritual exercise for wellbeing
by Joel Owen
For Nietzsche, nihilism goes deeper than ‘life is pointless’
For Friedrich Nietzsche, nihilism is a terrible psychological problem – a coping mechanism with deadly consequences
by Kaitlyn Creasy
How to get your mojo back
You’re not depressed but you’re not happy – you’re languishing. Give yourself a boost with these evidence-backed strategies
by Frank Martela
How to appreciate what you have
To better face an imperfect world, try a deeper reflection on the things, people and legacies that make your life possible
by Avram Alpert
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
When Nietzsche said ‘become who you are’, this is what he meant
Behind the philosopher’s cryptic phrase is an invocation to sculpt your ideal self out of the hard stone of your psyche
by Ryan A Bush
The achievement society is burning us out, we need more play
This is about more than a self-help switch – it will take structural changes to reject capitalism’s productivity obsession
by Alec Stubbs
Religion gives life meaning. Can anything else take its place?
Religious faith promotes a sense of meaning in life – and it might take more than ‘social glue’ to duplicate the effect
by Michael M Prinzing
How to recover from burnout
Feeling worn down, checked out, or bitter about work? The answer is not to ‘just work harder’. Try these steps instead
by Debbie Sorensen