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Self-knowledge and personal growth

A young couple in handcuffs lean against a 1950s police car beneath a brooding prairie sky

Mind and brain

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What films and literature reveal about the voice in your head

Inner speech is mysterious and hard to study. But movie voiceovers and introspective novels offer fresh ways to understand it

by Shayla Love

Sex and sexuality

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Everything I know about flirting, I learned from the Cold War

The rewards of flirtation go beyond sex or romance. But, as in other exchanges, you have to know where the red line is

by Youngbin Yoon

A child is offering a plate of homemade cookies

The body and physical health

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What I wish more people knew about deadly allergic reactions

Living with a deadly food allergy, I’ve discovered staying safe involves navigating other people’s doubts and expectations

by Hannah Waldfogel

A woman looking anxious on a subway train

Goals and motivation

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Eight ways to give yourself a pep talk when you feel stuck

All of us could do with more words of encouragement and perspective, and they don’t need to come from another person

by Rachel Goldsmith Turow

A woman sits at a cafe at night with a beer and a cigarette

Addiction

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You can want things you don’t like and like things you don’t want

The distinct neurochemistry of wanting and liking is helping to make sense of addiction – and more everyday behaviours

by Shayla Love

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

A monochrome photograph from above of a man looking out to sea. His hands are in his pockets and a dog waits some metres away

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

In a dark room a woman is asleep under a duvet and a guitar is leaning against the wall

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

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

A man gives another seated man a hug. They are both laughing

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

A woman is grappling with another woman who has a bloody nose

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