Thinking about happy memories activates reward centers in our brains, and can help us feel more connected and accepted. Palestinian-American poet Naomi Shihab Nye discovers the joy-bringing power of recalling her good childhood memories ..read more

Fairness is an important value among many of us. That’s why we want to make sure sports competitions are free of unfair advantages (like steroid use), students can’t plagiarize when writing papers, and businesses are honest in their dealings. We want people to deserve their successes. Yet when it comes to hiring or admitting a student to college, we often base our decisions solely on people’s observed performance or talents—in other words, their “merit”—rather than how they were able to achieve them. We might overlook the fact that one candidate had an unfair advantage over another for some re ..read more

Every so often, we have the rare fortune to experience transformational moments that change how we see ourselves and the world around us. This was the case for me in early 2023.  The Caribbean is beautiful and one of the most captivating regions of the world. Yet it is disproportionately vulnerable to natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes that have been exasperated by the impacts of climate change. As a National Geographic–certified educator and explorer specializing in oceanography and climate science, my fieldwork takes me across the Caribbean to help restore marine habitats ..read more

Divorce is having a moment—for women. For example: Actor Drew Barrymore, who recently divorced for the third time, shared on her talk show that divorce is liberating. I had so much shame around divorce and, for some reason, something happened, and I said, “I’m no longer willing to feel this way.” And it just lifted from me. When you find yourself in a situation that isn’t working out the way you hope and want, you accept it and improve the quality of life by moving forward. And for me, divorce is no longer a reason for shame. I am totally free. For her part, model Gisele Bündchen says it tak ..read more

Eli Torres experienced no problems with acceptance from his family when he came out as a lesbian, first in the third grade and then again in the seventh grade. However, it was a different story when Torres came out as a trans man at 19. His mother reacted negatively, expressing that he had “killed her daughter” and that his “female identity was now gone.” She went from being an ally to someone who consistently used the wrong name and gender for Torres, including incorrect feminine versions of Spanish terms. Eventually, it got to a point where Torres told his mother that unless she offered her ..read more

Trouble sitting still? Learn to practice meditating by simply walking in this practice guided by 10% Happier host Dan Harris ..read more

Imagine you’re coming home from work at the end of a long day. You feel tired and distracted, and you might be looking forward to an evening of relaxing on the couch—but you also know you need to put dinner on the table, care for children or pets, and complete household tasks. In situations like this, during the hustle and bustle of everyday life with our families, how much compassion do couples express? A recent study sought to test out this question—and found that expressions of compassion are surprisingly common, but the patterns behind when we express compassion are somewhat unexpected. Ho ..read more

For the first time, the United States has been classified as a “backsliding democracy” in a global assessment of democratic societies by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, an intergovernmental research group. One key reason the report cites is the continuing popularity among Republicans of false allegations of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. But according to the organization’s secretary general, perhaps the “most concerning” aspect of American democracy is “runaway polarization.” One year after the January 6 Capitol riot, Americans’ pe ..read more

Loneliness is on the rise around the world, with almost a quarter of people aged 15 or older reporting being very or fairly lonely. This is disturbing news, as loneliness has been tied to all kinds of problems, including higher stress, poorer sleep, and reduced cognitive and physical health. While young adults aged 19-29 appeared to be the largest group of lonely people in the Gallup poll, they are certainly not alone. Adults in midlife are also suffering from loneliness, especially in the United States. In fact, according to a new study, they may be just as bad off as other age groups—and muc ..read more

What am I going to do with my life? What really matters to me? How will I leave my mark? These questions can fill us with hope, inspiration, and direction when we have some sense of what the answers may be. If we don’t, they can fill us with confusion, frustration, and irritation. Leading a life of purpose, or making an enduring commitment to contributing to the broader world in personally meaningful ways, is associated with a range of benefits, including better physical health, enhanced psychological well-being, superior academic achievement, and enriched social connections. Despite these adv ..read more