Thought-provoking articles about human nature from diverse thinkers
Emotions
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How ‘feelings about thinking’ help us navigate our world
The pleasant feeling of knowing, the frustration of forgetting, and other ‘metacognitive feelings’ serve as unsung guides
by Pablo Fernandez Velasco & Slawa Loev
Habits and routines
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Is it better to live in ‘clock time’ or ‘event time’?
Do you stick to a set schedule, or have a looser relationship to the clock? It can affect more than how you plan your day
by Shayla Love
Music
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I learned to hear the music of Earth’s underwater musicians
If we consider the sounds of whales and other organisms with an open mind, we find a strange beauty – and can even join in
by David Rothenberg
Thinking and intelligence
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Philosophical reflection often begins with a disruptive mood
For many of our greatest philosophers, it was their moods, from wonder to estrangement to anxiety, that first inspired them
by Steven Segal
Sleep problems
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What to do when racing thoughts keep you up at night
Any attempts to escape your mind or make yourself sleep are likely to backfire. Try these expert tips instead
by Matt Huston
Personality disorders
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To understand borderline personality, imagine having no history
For people with an unfairly stigmatised mental health condition, and the rest of us, it’s vital to connect past with present
by Alexander Kriss
Dance
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How dance taught me to embrace my deformity
In the raw style of Tanztheater, I found a way to take my poetry into the physical world and express myself authentically
by Billy Gigurtsis
Emotion regulation
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Are emotionally resilient people also skilled at soothing others?
Research on the social side of emotion management is showing what’s distinctive about it – and its benefits for all involved
by Christian Jarrett
Stories and literature
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Fiction has a special power to give us insight into our flaws
Losing yourself in a book, film or show provides a useful mirror for character – one that is hard to access in real life
by Martina Orlandi
Spirituality and religion
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A monk showed me that spirituality needs more space in medicine
As a doctor, I’ve seen how brain diseases can become entwined with spiritual pain. Who is responsible for addressing it?
by Michael P H Stanley
Compassion and empathy
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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
Ageing
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Rather than fearing getting old, here’s how to embrace it
Whether you are 20 or 90, each moment of life presents an opportunity to focus on what really matters to you
by Berit Lewis