What would a stranger think if he or she googled you? Before the internet, job applicants could tailor the images they presented to employers by sending in paper résumés that listed all their best qualities. In today’s world, however, we don’t quite have as much control over how other people perceive us. Often, potential employers […]
Can You Break This Habit?
The Internet is like a drug. The more you use it, the more you need it. The average person spends about 3 hours a day on their phone. That’s 11 years over the course of a life. How does your screen time stack up? If you’re addicted to electronics, the first step is recognition. New […]
How to Be a Player
Perhaps you’re familiar with the board game Monopoly, where you can purchase premium properties like Boardwalk and Park Place, or build a hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue. The objective of the game is to acquire as many properties as possible, so that you can bankrupt your opponents by charging steep rents. In the real world, of […]
Can You Spot a Psychopath?
A mysterious manuscript led journalist Jon Ronson into the heart of the “madness industry,” where he talked to some of the top psychologists and neurologists who study psychopaths. Ronson’s investigation introduced him to a researcher with an interesting idea: that murderous criminals and corporate executives share many of the same psychological traits. The main difference is […]
How to Break Free
Glennon Doyle was tired of trying to pretend that she was the person who others wanted her to be. She didn’t want to reconcile with the husband who had cheated on her. She didn’t want to follow her marriage counselor’s advice. She didn’t want to write the memoir that her readers were expecting. So finally, […]
Don’t Work Hard. Work Smart.
Most work is about quality over quantity. If you’re working long hours every day, every week, you might not be working intelligently enough. Underearners often think they’ll never make high wages because it would require a superhuman amount of hard work. But the real secret to success is to be a high earner while setting […]
Are You Breathing Correctly?
For the past century, the prevailing belief in Western medicine was that the nose was more or less an ancillary organ. We should breathe out of the nose if we can, the thinking went, but if not: no problem. That’s what the mouth is for. But evolution doesn’t always mean progress. It means change—and life […]
What Are the Molecules of Emotion?
You know that the mind and the body are deeply connected. But did you realize that the way we feel—our emotions—aren’t necessarily dictated by the mind? For a long time, scientists believed that the brain was the control center for human emotions. But then they learned that emotions are also conveyed through informational substances like […]
How to Endure Anything
Acceptance means letting go of trying to control thoughts and feelings. People often believe that they can create the life they want only when they have overcome a psychological hindrance, like fear or depression. They’re wrong—and this false expectation might be holding them back. As counterintuitive as it might sound, psychological pain should be embraced, […]
Give Your Brain a Boost
Need a quick mood booster? Research shows that people are happiest when they’re surrounded by living plants and verdant colors. Spending time in nature activates positive pathways in your brain, rather than allowing it to focus on upsetting experiences. Outdoor exercise increases creativity, provides stress relief, and restores energy. Going outside for small amounts of […]
