How to Process Your Emotions
AdultsHumanPsychologyMental HealthSelfIn order to be calm and at ease with ourselves, we need regular periods where we do something rather strange-sounding: process our emotions. Here is a guide to this essential psychological move.
Here's why people are afraid of clowns
AdultsMental HealthPsychologyHumorCultureEntertainmentLots of people are creeped out at the site of clown, whether it's at the circus or creeping around in the woods at night. Movies like Stephen King's "It" and the new season of "American Horror Story" featuring some terrifying clowns that take prey on the fears of the viewer.
How to Remain Calm With People
AdultsPsychologyRelationshipsMental HealthSelf"One of the most fundamental paths to calm is the power to hold on, even in very challenging situations, to a distinction between what someone does - and what they meant to do....."
Why do we dream? - Amy Adkins
AdultsHumanPsychologyScienceIn the 3rd millennium BCE, Mesopotamian kings recorded and interpreted their dreams on wax tablets. In the years since, we haven't paused in our quest to understand why we dream. And while we still don't have any definitive answers, we have some theories. Amy Adkins reveals the top seven reasons why we might dream.
What it takes to run the gnarliest race in the world | Ryan Sandes' Dedicate
AdultsHealthPsychologySportsRyan Sandes shocked the running world when he won the 2017 Western States 100 - this is what it took to win one of the gnarliest races in the world.
Why men and women take selfies differently
AdultsMasculinityPhotographyWomenPsychologyCultureSocietyHow you take selfies is all to do with evolution, according to a study by an evolutionary psychologist.
What is Emotional Intelligence?
AdultsHumanPsychologyRelationshipsSelfEducationMany of humanity's greatest problems stem not from a shortfall of technical or financial intelligence, but what we term emotional intelligence. It is through the acquisition of Emotional Intelligence that we stand to become better lovers, workers, friends and citizens. We are rarely systematically taught Emotional Intelligence and pay a heavy price for this gap in learning. The School of Life is dedicated to fostering Emotional Intelligence.
Does Your Dog Respond Better When You Use a Baby Voice?
AdultsPetsPsychologyAnimalsMost people make their voices higher pitched when talking to their pets. But does this Pet-Directed Speech have any influence on animals?
How To Forgive
AdultsRelationshipsSocietyPsychologySelf"It can be so hard to forgive because - so often - we simply are in the right and the scale of the folly, thoughtlessness and meanness of others seems utterly beyond our own measure. But there are two inviolable ideas which should nevertheless, in the face of the grossest behaviour, be kept in mind to increase our chances of cutting others a little slack..."
How to practice effectively...for just about anything - Annie Bosler and Don Greene
AdultsNeuroscienceProductivityWorkEducationPsychologySelfMastering any physical skill takes practice. Practice is the repetition of an action with the goal of improvement, and it helps us perform with more ease, speed, and confidence. But what does practice actually do to make us better at things? Annie Bosler and Don Greene explain how practice affects the inner workings of our brains.
The power of creative constraints - Brandon Rodriguez
AdultsCreativityPsychologyImagine you were asked to invent something new. It could be whatever you want, made from anything you choose, in any shape or size. That kind of creative freedom sounds so liberating, doesn't it? Or ... does it? if you're like most people you'd probably be paralyzed by this task. Why? Brandon Rodriguez explains how creative constraints actually help drive discovery and innovation.
Why We Are All Addicts
AdultsAddictionMental HealthPsychologyWe tend to imagine that we can only become addicted to a few sorts of things. But real addiction is about using something, anything, to keep our real emotions, fears and hopes at bay. There are many more addicts among us than we think.
Here's what it could mean when your dog chases its tail
AdultsMental HealthPetsPsychologyA dog chasing its tail may be a sign of a direr issue. Like humans, dogs can suffer from a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder, called canine compulsive disorder.
The left brain vs. right brain myth - Elizabeth Waters
AdultsHumanNeuroscienceSciencePsychologyThe human brain is visibly split into a left and right side. This structure has inspired one of the most pervasive ideas about the brain: that the left side controls logic and the right side controls creativity. And yet, this is a myth, unsupported by scientific evidence. So how did this idea come about, and what does it get wrong? Elizabeth Waters looks into this long held misconception.
How to Recount Your Dreams
AdultsPsychologySocietySpiritualitySelfWe often wake up from a dream with a powerful urge to tell those around us about what happened. But our listeners are also liable to feel restless and bored during our narration of the dream. The issue takes us to the heart of the challenges of communication.
Why We Only Learn When We Repeat
AdultsHumanPsychologyEducationCultureOur education system is based on the idea that we can learn things once, and that they'll then stay in our minds throughout our lives. That's far too optimistic. Our brains are like sieves. If anything is going to remain in them, we need regular reminders of what really matters. Fascinatingly, religions always understood that.
The Dangers of the Good Child
AdultsHumanPsychologySocietyMental HealthGood children don't cause problems; they always do what others expect. They seem to be on track. But there are real problems with people who never have a chance to be a little bad.
Why people think they see ghosts
AdultsPsychologySpiritualityScienceCultureEven though there is no scientific evidence that ghosts exist, you may not be crazy if you see one.
What to Do About Being Clumsy
AdultsPsychologyRelationshipsSocietySelfMental HealthBeing clumsy is one of the most humiliating of scenarios. We need to learn to make friends with our 'inner idiot'.
The Problem With Perfectionism
AdultsHumanPsychologySelfWe aim for perfection without a correct idea of what perfection might demand from us. To strengthen our resolve, we need to improve our picture of what sacrifices any achievement will demand.
How to Be Charming When Talking About Yourself
AdultsLanguageSelfSocietyPsychologyIt's sometimes assumed that talking too much about ourselves is rude; and asking questions of others is polite and charming. But the distinction is not quite so simple. There are far better and worse ways of speaking about ourselves. We end up charming when we dare to reveal our vulnerabilities to others.