Darya Sinusoid, Author at Shortform Books

How Our Thoughts Create Our Reality

How do your thoughts impact your life? Can you really manifest the life you want with your thoughts alone? To understand the effect your thoughts have on your life and your well-being, you first need to grasp one key idea: There’s no such thing as an objective experience. In other words, there’s no one “right” way to interpret your experiences. In some sense, you can actually manifest your life experiences with your thoughts. Here’s how our thoughts create our reality.

Do Soldiers Enjoy Killing? Debunking the Myth

Do soldiers enjoy killing? If killing is against human nature, why do people choose to join the military? There’s a common misconception that soldiers get a kick out of the thrill of killing. After all, people choose this profession consciously, knowing what it entails. But soldiers do not enjoy killing. In fact, most soldiers will go to great lengths to avoid killing in battles. Here’s why soldiers do not, in fact, enjoy killing.

Feedback Loops: The Psychology of Reinforcement

Do you think the world is largely a positive place? How does the way you think about and interpret the world influence the way you experience it? No life experience has inherent qualities of its own—such as being good, bad, right, or wrong. You only assign these values to them because of the way you think about and interpret them. Over time, your habitual ways of thinking are reinforced through feedback loops. Keep reading to learn about the psychology of feedback loops and how they shape your reality.

Are Humans Inherently Good or Evil?

Are humans inherently good or evil? Are we born good and corrupted by civilization? Or does civilization correct and curb our inherently evil nature? For millennia, philosophers have debated humankind’s true nature. According to author Rutger Bregman, there are two philosophers in particular who’ve shaped this debate: Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Hobbes believed that humans are inherently selfish and cruel, whereas Rousseau maintained that we’re fundamentally decent and want to do the right thing. Let’s take a look at both sides of the debate.

How to Process Suppressed Feelings

6 Common Signs You Are Suppressing Your Emotions

Do you often suppress your feelings to avoid confrontation or disagreement? What are the psychological consequences of suppressing your feelings? Suppressing your feelings is a negative mental habit that can have a serious effect on your psychological well-being. Suppressed feelings continue to live on inside you, get stronger the more you try to deny them, and morph into irrational thought patterns and emotional reactions that stifle your capacity to feel positive emotions. Learn about the consequences of suppressing your feelings and some ways to release them.

Rutger Bregman: Humankind Is Fundamentally Good

Are humans fundamentally good or bad? Or are we neither? How do expectations define human behavior? In his book Humankind, Rutger Bregman argues that our view of humanity creates a feedback loop. In other words, we get what we expect from people. By changing our mindsets, we can create a positive feedback loop that leads to a friendlier and more peaceful world. In this article, we’ll discuss why Bregman believes having a more positive outlook on humanity can create positive change in our society.

How to Control Your Thoughts: Take Responsibility

Do you sometimes think something and wonder: “How on earth could I have thought that?” Where do thoughts come from? Is it possible to control your thoughts? As the popular adage goes, you shouldn’t believe everything you think. While you can’t totally control the stream of your consciousness, you can control how to react to the thoughts that come to your mind—whether to brush them off or to give them weight by entertaining them further. With this in mind, here’s how to control your thoughts.

Best Pregnancy Blogs and Podcasts to Follow in 2022

Are you expecting a baby? What are the best sources to consult for advice on pregnancy? Pregnancy comes with many questions, emotions, and challenges. To navigate it all, you’ll need a lot of help along the way. The problem is that the internet is full of unsolicited advice—you should be careful which sources you consult, especially when it comes to bringing another human into the world. Whether you’re a first-time parent or have been through it all already, we’ve got you covered with the best pregnancy blogs and podcasts to follow in the run-up to the big day.

Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman

What lies at the core of human nature? If you stripped away civilization, would we be fundamentally compassionate creatures? Or would we cheat, lie, and steal, with only self-interest in mind? In Humankind: A Hopeful History, Rutger Bregman argues that our species evolved to be friendly and compassionate. When we do evil things, he maintains, it’s not because we’re evil by nature, but for a variety of other reasons, including our desire to conform and to act for the greater good. Below is a brief overview of Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman.

How to Stay True to Yourself: Brianna Wiest’s Advice

You can heal with love. Discover how the love you feel in your heart can improve your physical health and help you overcome illness.

What does it mean to “be true to yourself”? What does staying true to yourself entail in practice? People inherit values and beliefs about the world from their family and society at large—this is a natural part of socialization. The problem is that some people never question these values, beliefs, and ideals, even if they are in stark opposition to what feels right to them. Though social conditioning is pervasive, you can overcome it, learn to think for yourself, and feel better about yourself and your experiences. With that in mind, here’s how to stay true to yourself.