I Got Popular...And It Changed Me
AdultsSelfSocietyMental Health...Isaiah had never been cool or popular. He was known as strange, the weird kid - the weirdo - and he stuck to himself. The mean girls and popular kids didn't help his shyness, really hurt his self-esteem, and so, after middle school, he was determined to make high school different.
Agoraphobic Traveler | @streetview.portraits // 60 Second Docs
AdultsMental HealthPhotographyTravel...When Jacqui Kenny was diagnosed with agoraphobia, the fear of leaving home and entering public spaces, she knew she'd never live out her dreams of photographing the world. But with Google Street View she's been able to travel the back roads of the world in places like Mongolia, Senegal, and Chile to become a celebrated photographer. To date she's taken roughly 27,000 screenshots of moments frozen in time, sharing the best ones on her Instagram, @streetview.portraits.
Outlaw Tattoo Artist // 60 Second Docs
AdultsArtBusinessCreativity...In South Korea, it is illegal to be a tattoo artist without a medical license. Despite this, Apro Lee pursues tattooing as his passion, working in his basement and oftentimes avoiding the public as a result of the judgement he encounters for his own tattoos. He continues to see the beauty in the human body and its transformation through tattoos.
The Dangers of Thinking Too Much; And Thinking Too Little
AdultsHumanPsychologySelf...There are dangers associated both with thinking too much - and thinking too little. The trick is to use our minds to access our most sincere, authentic and original thoughts.
How To Be Confident
AdultsSelfSocietyMental HealthThe fastest route to confidence is to stop being so attached to one's dignity and seriousness; and plainly admit that one is - of course - an idiot. We all are.
How Not to be Boring
AdultsCreativityHumanSociety...No one is ever boring: we just seem boring when we haven't learnt the surprisingly easy art of being honest about our vulnerabilities.
I Was Homeless
AdultsFamilyMental HealthPsychologyTony and his two older sisters never got along, not ever, for as long as he can remember, and to this day he doesn't understand why. They bullied and tormented him, did and said horrible things to him whenever they could.
How Emotionally Healthy Are You?
AdultsHealthMental Health"One way to start assessing how badly we have been knocked by our early years - and where we might therefore need to direct most of our repair work and attention - is to identify a range of markers of emotional health and imagine how we fare in relation to them. At least four central ones suggest themselves..."
Why You Shouldn't Trust Your Feelings
AdultsHumanPsychologyMental HealthIt can be very hard to detect just how much our judgement is constantly affected by our feelings. We should - at points - take care to be very sceptical of our first impulses.
Why We Feel Lonely and Odd
AdultsHumanPsychologyMental Health...We feel lonely and odd because we mistakenly assume that the kind of thoughts and fears we have will have no echo in other people. They do; it's just we haven't found a way to speak to one another honestly about who we are.
Meet the Woman that lives IRONMAN | Quest for Kona E4
AdultsFamilyMental HealthSports...One of Susanne Vanzijl's two sons has autism, and IRONMAN provides an emotional release. She qualified for the IRONMAN World Championship in 2015, but didn't finish the race. Two years later she is seeking a second chance to compete.
The Importance of Vulnerability
AdultsPsychologyRelationshipsSelf...We often imagine that what will win us friends and esteem is strength. But surprisingly, it's vulnerability that's at the core of friendship and likeability. This is an invitation to make friends with one's own weaknesses.
Overcoming obstacles - Steven Claunch
AdultsDisabilityPsychologySociety...When faced with a bump in the road, sometimes we forget we have a choice: overcome the obstacle or let it overcome you. Steven Claunch, who was born without fingers on his right hand and with one leg shorter than the other and has excelled in basketball nonetheless, explains why obstacles can provide an opportunity to both inspire others and develop character.
The Problem With Our Phones
AdultsAddictionTechnologyMental Health...They are hugely useful of course but in many ways, we buy the advantages our phones give us at a subtly high price we don't entirely recognise. Some reflections on how to live well around phones.
How to Process Your Emotions
AdultsHumanPsychologyMental Health...In 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 HealthPsychologyHumor...Lots 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 Health..."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....."
The Clowns Helping Refugee Children To Laugh Through Play | Amazing Humans
AdultsCreativityHumorSociety...Ash and his team of clowns, musicians and dancers are 'play specialists' who work with children in refugee camps across Europe. The aim is to allow the kids "to feel good, feel daft, and feel playful".
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.
Can Exes Be Friends?
AdultsRelationshipsSocietyMental HealthPartners who break up frequently think that the nicest thing to do is to try to remain good friends. But this nice-sounding gesture frequently brings with it unexpected consequences. It may be better to plot a different course.