An overgrown garden with a blue boat surrounded by tall grass, houses in the background and a wooden fence in the foreground.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

Want things to go well? Plan like a defensive pessimist

So often we underestimate the time and effort required to reach our goals. You can avoid that trap with realistic planning

by Julie K Norem

Warm sunlight casting shadows on a wooden chest and a door inside a dimly lit room.
VISIONS AND MYSTICISM

A haunting in Brooklyn

At 25, I saw my grandfather’s ghost. At 52, I think of what it may mean to be a ghost

by Kathleen Donohoe

A silhouette of a person at an airport window watching a plane on the tarmac under a blue sky.
HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF MENTAL HEALTH

For some with mental illness, it’s not always good to talk

Well-meaning campaigns urge openness and conversation about mental health struggles. But there are those who cherish silence

by Dan Degerman

Ideas

View all
Photo of two people standing in a purple haze between large columns in a vast, ethereal space.
ARCHITECTURE

In the bustle of the city, we need more pockets of serenity

by Zsanett Ritli

A woman stands in a patch of sunlight in a room with stacked chairs and windows framed by curtains.
IDENTITY

How cultural outsiders cope with the pain of feeling different

by Dennis Portnoy

Close-up video of a bicycle gear cassette with chain in movement, showing detailed metal texture and mechanical design.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION
9

No, willpower isn’t a muscle – here’s a better way to think of it

by Alberto De Luca

Guides

View all
WISDOM
1

How to find your InnSæi

In uncertain times, an Icelandic concept can help you reconnect with your intuition and follow your inner compass

by Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir

Photo of baseball team celebrating on-field victory under bright lights, players wearing blue jerseys with World Series patch.
COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION

How to build team spirit

The glue, or spirit, that binds certain teams is not mystical – you can cultivate it by changing how you work together

by Leigh Thompson

Life stories

View all
Photo of three people smiling indoors, seated with arms around each other, with decorative items in the background.
PARENTING AND FAMILIES

Thicker than blood

When polio left me unable to walk, my parents put me in a disability centre. There, I met Mommy

Sauda Bashir, as told to Kiprop Kimutai

Editor’s picks

Photo of a person sitting on grass sketching in a notebook, showing their hands and feet in a relaxed outdoor setting.
EMERGING THERAPIES
24

How to get to know all (the parts) of you

An emerging form of psychotherapy offers some surprising ways to think about who you are and work towards self-acceptance

by Derek Scott

Black and white photo of a woman and child sitting outside a rustic cabin in a desert landscape under a cloudy sky.
SOCIAL HISTORY

Bunkerised society – why prepping for end times is so American

Millions are preparing for doomsday, not together, but by closing the hatch. It’s a logical response to a hollowed-out state

by Robert Kirsch & Emily Ray

Latest videos

View all
Close-up photo of a woman in a beige top with hand on neck showing her back and shoulder against a light blue background.
DANCE

The relentless work behind the poise of a world-class dancer

Directed by Veronika Pokoptceva

Painting of legs in blue socks and shoes overlaid on an open book page with text, laid on a wooden surface.
GENDER

What’s a girl to do about leg hair? A playful exploration

A man with dreadlocks smiling, holding a microphone on stage with his other arm raised under blue stage lights.
MUSIC

How Bobby McFerrin draws out mesmerising music from any audience

Photo of a person with long hair and glasses driving a car gesturing to someone outside through an open window.
PERSONALITY

A no-nonsense New York driving instructor’s rules of the road

Pointillist painting of a vibrant tree with colourful foliage and textured background in a natural setting.
MIND AND BRAIN

Perception is a process of inference, not an account of ‘reality’

Notes to self

View all

Popular

Photo of a person leaning back with hands on head at a desk, laptop open, with feet up on the desk, green background.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

How to think differently about procrastination

Avoid the trap of thinking you’re either working or not. A different mindset promises less self-judgment and more progress

by Rebecca Roache

WISDOM
1

How to find your InnSæi

In uncertain times, an Icelandic concept can help you reconnect with your intuition and follow your inner compass

by Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir

Close-up video of a bicycle gear cassette with chain in movement, showing detailed metal texture and mechanical design.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION
9

No, willpower isn’t a muscle – here’s a better way to think of it

The muscle metaphor based on ego-depletion theory hasn’t survived scrutiny. But there’s an alternative that holds promise

by Alberto De Luca

Black and white photo of a person reflected in a window with motion blur and trees visible outside.
MIND AND BRAIN
5

What your mind’s blank moments reveal about consciousness

Scientists are uncovering the nature of an elusive mental experience that challenges what it means to be conscious

by Thomas Andrillon

A yellow removal van viewed from a window, partially open with furniture and boxes inside on a residential street.
CHANGE AND SELF-DEVELOPMENT

How to cope with disruptive change

You can’t stop life from throwing changes your way, big and small. But you can get a lot better at dealing with them

by David A Clark

Black and white photo of a person with long hair reflected in glass talking on a mobile phone in an urban setting.
LOVE
3

Why being ghosted is inevitable and being a ghoster is too

Being ghosted can feel shocking. But we need to get used to it because there’s no other way to cope with our world

by Dominic Pettman

Pointillist painting of a vibrant tree with colourful foliage and textured background in a natural setting.
MIND AND BRAIN
4

Perception is a process of inference, not an account of ‘reality’

Video by Aeon

A city street with reflections on a window showing cars, people and a grocery sign with a Coca-Cola advertisement.
THINKERS AND THEORIES

Heidegger knew that we are always outside, weathering the storms

We aren’t safe inside separate minds. Being-in-the-world means we’re entangled and vulnerable – and that’s how we flourish

by Katherine Withy

Explore: Friendship

Photo of a man holding a microphone and equipment standing on a walkway with blurred people passing by in the foreground.
LONELINESS
1

Lonely in London, a filmmaker sets out to make a new friend

A film by Hugh Clegg

A bearded person gently cradling a newborn wrapped in a patterned blanket by a window in soft light.
EMOTIONS

Why kama muta is an emotion worth seeking

by Hannah Seo

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

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

Directed by Iiti Yli-Harja

Four women outside wearing summer outfits with skyscrapers and a construction crane in the background; one woman is shown smoking.
FRIENDSHIP
14

Is it wrong to be good friends with a bad person?

by Yiran Hua

Three girls dancing in a bedroom; one on a bed in blue outfit, others on the floor wearing casual clothes. The room has pink curtains and a blue lamp.
LIFE STAGES

A nostalgic ode to being 15, fearless and in love with the world

Directed by Celia Willis

Medieval manuscript illustration of three figures talking: a man, a knight with a shield and a shovel-bearer, set in an ornate border.
FRIENDSHIP

How the nature of friendship has changed through the centuries

by Bénedicte Sère

Three people chatting at a rustic bar in a pub, with a brick interior and various decorations.
FRIENDSHIP

Our relationships, in five dimensions

by Matt Huston