Change and self-development

Photo of an elderly man speaking at a podium with a microphone onstage, wearing a dark suit and glasses.
CREATIVITY

James Earl Jones reads Kurt Vonnegut on why art is central to a meaningful life

Video by Letters Live

Photo of two women in a kitchen, one peeling a potato while smiling the other focused on cooking, with a mortar in view.
HAPPINESS

We’re naturally bad at predicting what will make us happy. Here’s how to adjust

Video by The Well

People in a small, well-lit Japanese restaurant or bar, with a menu on the wall and beverages on the counter.
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE

A little Japanese trick for saying ‘no’

If an outright refusal feels rude but you don’t want to have to explain, here’s how to say ‘no’ the Japanese way

by Richard Fisher

Illustration of two stylised people running on a boardwalk near the sea with telegraph poles and wires in the background.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

How increasing short-term pleasure can help you achieve your long-term goals

Video by TED-Ed

A woman and a man converse while seated on chairs in a room with plants. A decorative table with glasses is between them.
EMERGING THERAPIES

The critic inside your head has something important to tell you. Here’s how to listen

Video by Esther Perel

Close-up photo of an elderly man with a beard wearing a black cap, lying in a hospital bed, looking content.
CHANGE AND SELF-DEVELOPMENT

After four decades in prison, Big D contemplates the brave new world that awaits him

Directed by Laura Tejero Núñez

Painting of a bearded man lying on a wooden bed with a patterned robe, resting his head on his hand, slippers on floor.
MEMORY AND NOSTALGIA

Forgetting in ancient Greece and China

Forgetting can be frustrating, even scary. The ancient Greeks certainly thought so. But Daoism offers a more hopeful view

by Sam Dresser

A man with white hair in a suit sitting at the head of an empty boardroom table, facing forward, back toward the camera. Dozens of empty chairs line the outer edges of the room; windows at the rear of the room show trees outside.
WORK AND VOCATION

Don’t fall victim to the Peter Principle

You mustn’t assume that the skills that served you well in the past will be enough for any new challenges that lie ahead

by Christian Jarrett

Medieval painting of a woman at a desk writing with a quill by a window with a sea view and a sailing ship.
CHANGE AND SELF-DEVELOPMENT

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

A film still of a woman, Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games movie franchise, with a braid standing in a transparent elevator looking out with a thoughtful expression.
FILM

Hollywood’s fixation on the wrong stories won’t help our world

Today’s global problems are caused by broken systems, but the studios still feed us a diet of movies focused on individuals

by Namir Khaliq

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

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

Directed by Jesper Wachtmeister

Photo of a child squatting in a museum, observing a large classical statue with people around.
EMOTION REGULATION

How to compare yourself with others fairly

Ever worry that you don’t measure up? These CBT-based practices can make social comparison less painful and more productive

by Joel Minden

A woman holds a square mirror that blocks her face; it reflects rocks and grass. There is blue sky and clouds in the background. The only element in focus is the reflection on the mirror.
PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

Losing her eyesight, a painter’s art evolves with the way she sees the world

Directed by Liberty Smith

Illustration of a person in a bathtub, their head covered by vibrant, multicoloured flowers, against a pink-tiled background.
BIPOLAR DISORDER

What’s it like to feel betrayed by your brain? A memoir of bipolar disorder

Directed by Melanie Cura Daball

Photo of a rainy motorway with heavy traffic and a sign warning of a stranded vehicle, speed limit 40 mph.
DECISION-MAKING

Why small annoyances can harm us more than big disruptions

A largely forgotten psychological concept helps explain the insidiousness of minor problems – and what to do about it

by Shayla Love