The Stoic’s Guide To Buying Happiness
All action is based on prediction. Every time you do something, its because you or your subconscious brain has predicted that doing so will leave you better off than the alternative. Decide to stay with your romantic partner? It’s...
Direct Brain Stimulation, a Trillion Dollar Invention? Not Yet.
Every single feeling of perception – of touch, of smell, of color – can be traced back to a particular set of neurons. Stimulate those neurons directly and a person’s perception of reality can be controlled. In the 1940s, neurosurgeon...
The Myth of Inspiration – Why Feeling Excited Isn’t Enough
You’re excited. You feel that this time will be different. “I want it bad enough. I can do this.“ You start making plans. Maybe, you take the first step. But then it’s gone. After a few hours or a few days, you’re...
What Does Science Really Say About Meditation (After Almost 20 000 Studies)
Meditation is HARD. Keeping still and staying focused is so unnatural that most who give meditation a try don’t keep it up. So it’s important to know: Does it work? Better than other techniques? How quickly? Is one type better...
The Right Way to Fake a Smile (For Health and Happiness)
I use to fake smiles and pretend I wasn’t upset or anxious. The result wasn’t pretty – I felt worse for longer and developed psychosomatic symptoms like irritable bowl syndrome and sciatica. The science replicates my experience;...
The Happiness Genes Lottery: Have You Had The Luck To Be Born Happy?
Joy begets joy. You probably know at least a few people who are eternal, effervescent bundles of bliss: no matter how tiring or challenging their day, they just exude happiness. And whenever they enter a room, every person inside it...
Ancient Philosopher Walks Into a Bar… And Meets Modern Psychology.
Research is emerging that indicates that acting virtuously does more than just buy you a ticket to heaven – it can make your stay on earth much more pleasurable. Weird, right? We associate virtue with characteristics such as ‘boring’,...
Psychostimulants: They Might Give You Happiness; They Might Give You a Heart Attack
Psychostimulant – a substance (an agent) with antidepressant or mood-elevating properties.1 Think I’m talking about Adderall or crack cocaine? Nope – what I’m talking about… you probably take a hit of at least once a...
How Positive Should You Be? Here’s The Scientific Answer.
The Losada ratio is the sum of the positivity in a system divided by the sum of its negativity. A ratio of 3.0 to 6.0 has been found to be highly correlated with high performance. The Losada ratio is also known as the positivity ratio,...
Having a Puppy Doesn’t Make People More Happy, Research Suggests
If you want more happiness, get a pet. In the 80s and 90s, research came out suggesting many benefits from pet ownership. From reduced risk of asthma, allergies, and cardiovascular disease to increased mood and wellbeing. Some doctors...