Lifestyle Archives

End-of-Life Decisions: How Would You Like to Meet Your End?

What matters most at the end of life? How can end-of-life institutions help their patients prepare to die with dignity and peace? The dying should have the chance to wrap up their affairs, share their deepest thoughts, encourage their loved ones, and establish their legacies. However, modern-day end-of-life institutions tend to deprive their patients of the opportunity to decide how they want to spend their final days. Here’s why we should make our end-of-life decisions before they are made for us.

Rupi Kaur’s Poems About Culture & Heritage in South Asia

What are some of the best poems about culture and heritage? What is poet Rupi Kaur’s perspective on her South Asian heritage? Rupi Kaur is a poet and visual artist who emigrated to Canada from India as a young girl. Kaur’s poems offer insight into her cultural background, including why she criticizes certain aspects of her Indian heritage. Keep reading for a look at Kaur’s poems about culture and heritage in South Asia.

Your Body Budget: Lisa Feldman’s New Kind of Self-Care

What is Lisa Feldman Barrett’s body budget? How do you know if your body budget is imbalanced? In her book, How Emotions Are Made, author Lisa Feldman Barrett introduces the body budgeting concept as the way you regulate energy and emotions. According to Barrett, maintaining a balanced body budget is important for your overall sense of wellbeing. Keep reading to learn more about your body budget, according to Lisa Feldman Barrett.

Where Does Creative Inspiration Come From?

Where does creative inspiration come from? Does the “muse” exist? Many artists rely on the “muse” to get inspired. In The Practice, Seth Godin says that the muse doesn’t exist, or at least shouldn’t be your main source of creative inspiration. Keep reading to learn what can help you get inspired.

Culture & Depression: You’re Primed for Pessimism

How are culture and depression connected? Which cultural influences predispose you to depression? According to Martin Seligman’s studies in psychology, modern culture has primed you to be at risk of developing depression. Seligman advocates for overcoming cultural pessimism and embracing optimism while keeping a balanced (realist) perspective. Read on to learn why culture and depression are so closely connected, according to Seligman.

Rupi Kaur on Bad Body Image: “My Body Cries”

How can poetry explain having a bad body image? What did Rupi Kaur’s negative self-image teach her? As she explores the struggle of having a bad body image, Rupi Kaur’s poetry in her book, The Sun and Her Flowers, expresses feelings of depression, envy, and longing. Kaur’s poetry gives intimate details of how women, especially women of color, come to terms with negative body image. Keep reading to learn about Rupi Kaur’s experience of having a bad body image, expressed through poetry.

Artistic Intent: How to Establish Your Purpose

What is artistic intent? What should be the purpose behind your artwork? In The Practice, Seth Godin says that you need a purpose behind your artwork. Artistic intent should involve what and who you’re making work for. Here’s how to establish your artistic intent to become a better artist.

How Your “Predictive Brain” Takes Care of You

What is your “predictive brain,” according to psychology? How do humans use prediction to maintain well-being? Your predictive brain is in charge of monitoring all of your body’s needs, according to neuroscientist and psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett. In her studies of the brain and emotions, Barrett found that the predictive brain plays a large role in regulating your mood, too. Read on to learn more about the function of your predictive brain, according to Barrett’s research.

Why Multigenerational Households Are in Decline

Why is multigenerational living in decline? What are the advantages of living in a multigenerational family? It was once typical for the elderly to live with their children and grandchildren under one roof. This arrangement wasn’t always easy, but it met many of the core needs of the elderly that we neglect today. Moreover, living in a multigenerational household made younger generations more aware of mortality by exposing them to the realities of aging and dying. Here’s why multigenerational living is in decline, according to Atul Gawande.

Finding Your Art’s Audience: Is Art for Yourself or Others?

Who is your art’s audience? Should you make work for yourself or for other people? The Practice by Seth Godin claims that finding your art’s purpose involves figuring out who the work is for. Maybe your art is just for yourself, or maybe it’s for other people who might enjoy your work. Read below to decide who you should make art for.