Self-Improvement Archives

How to Solve Complex Problems: Embrace Imperfection

How do you approach problem-solving in day-to-day life? What do you do when faced with a complex problem—one that has no obvious solutions? Some daily problems seem impossible to solve—for example, complex optimization problems in which you need to find the optimal arrangement of a set of variables to achieve the best outcome under specific constraints. If you’re trying to purchase the cheapest airline tickets available that get you the most vacation days with good weather or trying to minimize risk in your investment portfolio, you’re solving an optimization problem. Here is how to solve complex problems with no obvious

How to Cultivate Compassion: Develop Empathy

What is compassion in Buddhism? How do you cultivate compassion? In Buddhism, compassion—the desire to free others from suffering—is one of the highest virtues you can cultivate. According to the Dalai Lama, the best way to cultivate compassion is to develop empathy—the ability to understand others’ pain as if it was your own. Here’s what His Holiness the Dalai Lama has to say about cultivating the virtue of compassion.

How to Create a New Habit and Make It Stick

Do you want to know how to create a new habit? Why are rewards so crucial in making new habits stick? In his book The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg says that the key to creating new habits is to put a reward system in place. You need your brain to crave that reward, otherwise, the habit won’t stick. Here’s how to create new habits, according to Charles Duhigg.

ACT Therapy Techniques: Expansion

What is the expansion technique? How can practicing expansion help you deal with negative emotions more productively? In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, expansion is a technique that uses our observing self to create space in our body to accept our emotions, rather than fight against them. Once we accommodate these difficult emotions, we can focus on taking meaningful action to improve our lives. Keep reading to learn about the ACT therapy technique of expansion, its benefits, and how to apply it.

Ryan Holiday: The Art of Stoic Resilience

How does one develop resilience? What can you do to become better at handling the curve balls that life throws at you? One of the cornerstones of Stoic philosophy is to be invulnerable to hardship and any external stress. Most modern people don’t have this kind of Stoic resilience because our powerful technology lulls us into thinking we can control everything that happens around us—we forget that life is unpredictable. Here’s how to build Stoic resilience, according to Ryan Holiday.

The Power of Habit: Review and Critical Reception

What is The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg about? How was the book received when it was released? In The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explores the components of habit formation. He helps readers understand why they have certain habits, just how much these habits influence their daily lives, and how they can stop or change bad habits. Continue below for our The Power of Habit review including intellectual context and critical reception.

How to Embrace Suffering and Be Happier

Can you free yourself from suffering? How can embracing suffering help you free yourself from it? According to Buddhism, suffering is inherent to human existence. That’s why the first step toward eliminating suffering is, paradoxically enough, to accept it. There are four strategies to embrace suffering: 1) don’t take things personally, 2) stop feeling guilty, 3) contemplate your mortality, and 4) stop resisting change. Let’s explore each in more detail.

How to Maximize Happiness: Put Faith in the Unknown

What Is the Secret to Living a Happy Life?

Do you know what makes you happy in life? How do you know whether a certain choice or decision will make you happy in the end? You never know for sure whether a certain path is going to make you happy in the end. According to Brian Christian and Thomas Griffiths, the authors of Algorithms to Live By, computer science has the answer to this dilemma: to maximize happiness in your life, pursue whatever opportunity has a chance to be the greatest. Here is why to maximize happiness, you need to put your faith in the unknown.

Living a Virtuous Life in an Unvirtuous World

What is virtuous life? What exactly does it mean to live virtuously? According to Ryan Holiday, the author of The Obstacle Is the Way, we have a moral obligation to live a virtuous life. A virtuous person, by Holiday’s definition, is someone who honestly works to improve their lives and the lives of others as much as possible. Here’s what it means to live virtuously, according to Holiday.

ACT: Translating Values Into Goals

How do you set goals for ACT? How do goals relate to values? Goals are the actionable components of values in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Knowing your values isn’t sufficient for you to live a fulfilled life—you also have to take effective action, or action aligned with your values. In order to take effective action, you have to translate your values into achievable goals. In this article, you’ll learn how to translate your values into action via goal-setting and action plans.