As children, we draw and doodle all the time, but few of us put pencil to paper as adults, often for fear of not being ‘good enough’. In this delightful Guide, the artist and educator Andrea Kantrowitz helps us rediscover the inherent joy of drawing beyond dichotomies of good and bad

We can never truly predict how major life events will go, or who we will be after they happen. In this short video, the professor of philosophy and cognitive science L A Paul makes a case for what she calls ‘epistemic humility’ when leaping into the unknown

Reminiscing with her brother’s bandmates, a filmmaker pieces together a life of music, friendship, dreams and addiction.

A mislabelled concerto and other errors and tricks show that reputation affects how art is perceived, sometimes radically. An Idea by Rikki A Wolpowitz

A profile of a scholar of the history of emotions provoked a remarkable backlash. But critics of the field misunderstand it. A Note to Self by Sam Haselby

For the biologist Jeff Copeland, salvation lies not in God but a creature as fierce and free as the mountains it roams. A Portrait by Jeff Wheelwright

The thinking style that makes people vulnerable to extremism psyche.co/ideas/the-th... The people most drawn to ideological thinking and authoritarianism aren’t aware of what makes them so susceptible. New Psyche Idea by @leorzmigrod.bsky.social for @psyche.co

Would all of us become extremists in the right (or wrong) context? This has been the common narrative in psychology for decades, but in this compelling Idea, the political neuroscientist Leor Zmigrod suggests there's something else at play: cognitive flexibility, a skill we can learn

We all feel doubts about our romantic relationship sometimes, but for people with relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder (ROCD), these become deeply distressing. In this Guide, the psychologist Marisa T Mazza explains how to tackle ROCD

When @lisamariebasile.bsky.social looks back at her time in foster care as a teen, it is almost impossible to recall any detailed memories. In this moving Life Story, she reflects on the mourning that comes with childhood trauma and how our memories help us create a sense of self

A book was once snatched from Mary McLeod Bethune’s hands because she was Black. With $1.50, five students and extraordinary resolve, she founded a school for Black girls. Tracing her life in Jim Crow era, this Idea reminds us that literacy and education have never simply been ‘given’ to everyone

How to do less for your children psyche.co/guides/how-t... Being an intensive parent will make you anxious and stifle your children’s development. Help them by learning to let go. New Psyche Guide by Peter Gray @psyche.co

It’s easy to feel lost when you’re working on something new. But that rough patch is actually an encouraging signal. An Idea by Chris Smith

In many cultures, peacocks symbolise good fortune, beauty and power. In Arcadia, California, many locals view them as a nuisance. This short film captures a neighbourhood divided over hundreds of birds roaming suburbia, asking: what do we owe the animals we introduce into the human world?

Around the world, happiness tends to peak later in life. It has more to do with balancing priorities than elderly wisdom. An Idea by Xianmin Gong & Natalie Wong

Arriving in New Orleans in a fractured state of mind, the writer Henrick Karoliszyn was met with a fire-ant welcome bite and a fast-deteroriating job – and was rescued New Orlean's famous jazz scene, which taught him how to improvise through the difficult parts of life

For his acclaimed short film Bob’s Funeral, the filmmaker Jack Dunphy surreptitiously filmed the funeral of his estranged paternal grandfather, interweaving heavy themes with a unique, dark sense of humour to uncover the source of generational trauma in his family

You may agree that intensive parenting – where 'better' always means 'more' – is exhausting and counterproductive. But given its pervasiveness, how can you course-correct? The veteran psychologist Peter Gray has crafted a practical Guide on how to do less for your children

If you've ever worked creatively, you've likely felt lost in the process at some point, with no clear path to get you to your goal. In this Idea, the author and writing tutor Chris Smith offers a helpful way of understanding this experience as part of the creative process

Saying sorry is hard – it's supposed to be. A good apology has to be about seeking understanding, repair and taking responsibility, rather than easing our own discomfort. This TED-Ed animation draws from psychology research to highlight the most common apology pitfalls

What do you do when your mind wakes up the moment your head hits the pillow? In this Note to Self, Amy Arthur turns to a simple mental technique for those restless hours. It’s called cognitive shuffling, and it has the appealingly low-stakes quality of a parlour game played alone in the dark

No one is immune to feeling at a loss on how to connect to others. In this practical Guide from our archive, the researcher Michael Yeomans shares how to remedy this situation: learning to talk to strangers #LonelinessAwarenessWeek

Watching their parents glow with happiness after a day spent playing mahjong, two lifespan psychologists set out to find the secret to the happiness of older adults in this intriguing Idea – with lessons worth considering at any age

Self-reliance is a strange ideal because feeling lonely and sociability are both inescapable parts of being human. An Idea by Susan J Matt

In this beautifully crafted video, the celebrated Romanian writer Mircea Cărtărescu reflects on the meaning of poetry – which for him extends far beyond the boundaries of a literary form and signifies something much more expansive

Today’s Note to Self reminds us to pay attention to our own marks on the day. It asks: how might we act differently if we could see exactly how our small actions alter the course of other people’s lives?

Today’s Americans face a challenge: they are expected to be both sociable and self-reliant. As the stigma on loneliness has only grown in the digital age, what is needed is not better AI companions but a revolution in human emotional culture

If Psyche has helped you know yourself and live well, join the readers who are sustaining our work by donating to Psyche buff.ly/03cf3cg

In this helpful Psyche Guide, the dementia expert Nathaniel Chin and the communications specialist Caoilfhinn Rauwerdink have combined their areas of expertise to create strategies for talking to someone with dementia – from straightforward practical tips to more surprising and whimsical ideas

Daydreams can seem like idle distractions, private stories that carry us away from the demands of ordinary life. In this thoughtful Idea, clinical psychologist Vardah Bharuchi suggests they may also contain important clues about what we long for

Why would someone who is deathly allergic to bees choose to keep working among them? This short documentary a warm and thoughtful portrait of Stacey Vazquez, who loves her work deeply enough to live with its risks

After the death of his beloved dog, a writer begins hearing unusual noises around the house. The story takes a strange turn from there, developing into a tender and somewhat mystical reflection on what animals are to us, and whether something of their essence might continue after they die

For #GlobalRunningDay, we’re revisiting senior editor Richard Fisher’s Note to Self on a runner’s ‘pain cave’: a place where only mental grit is left. What can it teach us about endurance, discomfort and making room for what’s hard?

We're halfway through our donation drive – the perfect time to join our supporters. Whether you're after a deep dive into a Guide or a quick thought-snack, we curate Psyche to fit into your life psyche.co/donate

Ervin Staub survived the Holocaust as a child. As a psychologist, he spent a lifetime asking how cruelty takes hold – and whether kindness can, too. A Portrait by Michael Bond

Amid the pounding bass, ravers achieve a transcendence long associated with sacred practices. Neuroscience explains how. An Idea by Alexander Dillabaugh

Staying silent often feels like the safe choice, but the costs can be profound. Here’s how to stand up for yourself. A Guide by Sunita Sah

In this poignant Note to Self, Psyche’s video assistant Pia Rios reflects on reading Yiyun Li’s memoir ‘Things in Nature Merely Grow’ – and how Li’s clear-eyed meditation on grief helped her think differently about loss, and about the comfort we offer others

Your favourite gamified language-learning app might offer fun ways to expand your vocabulary and drill down on grammar rules. However, more focused strategies can be helpful if you’re looking to make the big leap from quizzing in the comfort of home to speaking out in the world

How do you know that you are in pain? Or that grief feels the way it does? Or that a colour, a song, a memory, a beloved person has a particular quality in your experience? Philosopher Matt Duncan explores what Bertrand Russell called ‘knowledge by acquaintance’ – grounded in conscious awareness

This moving and powerful Portrait follows Ervin Staub, a Holocaust survivor turned psychologist who has spent his life examining a simple question with vast consequences: how to be good in bad times and encourage altruism in the face of evil buff.ly/V25ZUvX

‘People have different colours and patterns and textures, for they have tried different uniforms.’ Through paint on fabric and stop-motion animation, this short film explores the interplay between clothing and identity, using garments as a canvas for themes of constraint, freedom and womanhood

‘A church for the dispossessed, rave culture offered a way to find ecstasy amid agony, community from abandon, and meaning through resilience.’ For its adherents, rave culture functions as a kind of spiritual technology, producing the kinds of experiences that humans have long called sacred

Why do so many of us stay silent when something feels wrong? In this Guide, organisational psychologist and professor of management Sunita Sah explores what it means to act according to your values when doing so means stepping outside the norm

I knew I was committing a small social crime. But we hadn’t truly been friends for a long time. A Turning Point by David Sleeth-Keppler

When is a typically celebrated practice – working out – more like an addiction? Researchers have found some patterns. An Idea by Ashrene Rathilal

Psyche offers you guidance, companionship and inspiration in these challenging times. Our editors seek out experts from a diverse range of fields to share their perspectives on living well. Join our donation drive and help us keep this blend of trusted voices free psyche.co/donate

Screen-based life is deadening. Try some simple adventures and exercises to reconnect with the world’s sensory richness. A Guide by Tereza Violet Stehlíková

In this Idea, the psychology researcher Jessica M Choplin tackles the legal concept of ‘lucid intervals’, through which people with cognitive impairments can make legally binding decisions when they appear lucid – a notion that is at odds with the current state of neuroscience

In its simplest form, mindfulness is our innate capacity to be aware of our experience as it happens. On #WorldMeditationDay, we’re revisiting this Guide on how to find your way of mindfulness and become a scientist in the laboratory of your own mind