The Key to Critical Self-Awareness
The ancient-Greek commandment Know thyself turns out to be a great modern way to become happier, more empathetic, and more successful.
How to Build a Life
A column about pointing yourself toward happiness
A Defense Against Gaslighting Sociopaths
If you can recognize their signature move, then forewarned is forearmed.
To Be Happier, Stop Resisting Change
The Zen of archery is all about learning how to let go.
You Can Do Leisure Better, Seriously
If you think of personal time only as “not work,” you could be missing out on truly enriching experiences.
To Make Someone Happy, Ask for Help
Generosity is like the circulation of the blood, healthiest and best when it goes around and around.
How to Avoid the Creative-Narcissist Trap
Artists can be self-obsessed jerks. But you can get in touch with your artistic side without falling into that trap.
The Ultimate German Philosophy for a Happier Life
Does your Weltanschauung need an upgrade? I’ve got you.
My Mom’s Guide to the Art of Living
Learning how to experience things more fully is a key to greater happiness.
The Ultimate Antidote to Toxic Behavior Online
Changing your perception and withholding your attention are great ways of regaining control over online abuse.
How to Realize Your Own Love Supreme
True romance is one of the deepest human experiences. To experience it fully, seek transcendence.
Don’t Make Small Talk. Think Big Talk.
Discover the rewards of discussing deep things.
The Benefit of Doing Things You’re Bad At
To learn a difficult new skill means risking failure—but it’s also a path to greater happiness.
How My Struggle With Wittgenstein Can Make You Happier
Using big ideas in small doses is a great way to realize the benefits of philosophy.
The Right Way to Look for a New Job
Being miserable at work is definitely a good reason for change. But how you go about it really matters for a happy outcome.
You’re Going to Die. That’s a Good Thing.
If you can accept your mortality, you will feel more alive.
Why an Early Start Is the ‘Quintessence of Life’
Not sleeping late could be the best resolution you ever keep.
The Big Thing to Know About Pain
Trying to avoid suffering can paradoxically make it worse. You can train your mind to find a better way.
Postpone Your Pleasures
And enjoy them all the more.
The Virtuous Circle of a Happy Personality
Simply adopting positive traits such as being agreeable and conscientious will put you on an upward path to greater well-being.
Unburden Yourself of Secret Shame and Feel Happier
If you have a guilty secret that’s making you miserable, you have options.
Three Ways to Handle an Awkward Thanksgiving
Even if you’re sitting down with a boorish uncle or a snippy cousin, you can do things to make the occasion a happy one.
Three Ways to Become a Deeper Thinker
You don’t have to become a Buddhist monk to realize the value of contemplating hard questions without clear answers.
The Secret to Thinking Your Way Out of Anxiety
To live with uncertainty, see it as opportunity instead.
How to Deal With Disappointment
Not getting what you want is an unavoidable part of life. The way you choose to handle it is what you can control.
Why You Might Need an Adventure
In a rut? Try shaking things up.
Are You a Platonist or an Aristotelian?
Your answer may determine how happy you can be.
Why Humility Is the Key to Well-Being
The great wisdom of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot is that it teaches us to count our blessings.
Get Off the Family Plan
For true satisfaction in life, you should feel you’ve fully earned your success.
Enhance Your Mood With Schopenhauer’s Playlist
Philosophers, theologians, and scientists agree: A great melody is good for you.
How to Stop Self-Obsessing and Be Happier
Some introspection is healthy and necessary, but too much can trap you in a cycle of misery.
The Right Way to Say the Unsayable
How to speak truth without fear—but avoid alienating everyone you know
What John Stuart Mill Knew About Happiness
The great philosopher of liberty and liberalism had the ultimate advice for how to approach your “hoped-for heaven” in this earthly life.
How to Be Manifestly Happier
Some people attribute mystical powers to positive thinking, but you can harness a practical version to gain real benefits.
How to Influence People—And Make Friends
The key to persuasion is not beating people over the head with your better ideas—it’s listening sincerely to what they have to say.
The Ultimate Happiness Diet
What we eat clearly has a bearing on our well-being. But the best recipe for success centers on how we eat.
A Compliment That Really Means Something
Beware of pro forma praise—and recognize true acts of kindness instead.
The Best Therapy for Our Anxiety Epidemic
Solutions to the mental-health crisis striking young people in particular are within reach.
Inoculate Yourself Against Social Contagion
Immersion in a collective experience can be wonderful, but it can also come at a cost.
Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Five Principles of Personal Freedom
The Russian writer’s work might not be everyone’s idea of lightness and joy. But look within and you shall find.