The World's Best Book Summaries
Is your mind overwhelmed by negativity? What can you do to combat the tendency to think in negative terms and learn to focus on the positive? The human brain is wired for negativity because it aids survival. However, you have the power to consciously override the negativity bias and train yourself to focus on the positive. Here’s why the human mind is wired for negative thinking and what you can do to reframe it for more positivity.
Do people often overstep your personal boundaries? How do you effectively establish and appropriately communicate your boundaries? Setting boundaries can be tricky, but it’s essential for respectful and harmonious relationships. It can be especially challenging to set boundaries with loved ones and at work. Therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab provides strategies for dealing with common boundary issues.
Does life have a meaning? How does one find meaning in a universe that’s meaningless by design? Many people feel like life has no inherent meaning, which gives rise to feelings of apathy and existential angst. This sentiment grows increasingly common as people adopt a more secular worldview where science—not God—prevails. In this article, we’ll discuss several views on how to live a meaningful life, no matter your religious orientation or lack thereof.
Are cracks beginning to show in your marriage? What are some things you can do to prevent your marriage from deteriorating beyond repair? If you are seeing signs that your marriage is beginning to fail, put your efforts toward improving your marital friendship. According to relationship researcher John Gottman, improving your marital friendship is a matter of following four principles. Here’s how to improve your marriage, according to Gottman.
What is homophily? What are some examples of the negative consequences of homophily? In his 2019 book, Rebel Ideas, Matthew Syed explains why cognitively diverse groups are superior to homogeneous ones. According to Syed, homogeneity can lead to dangerous outcomes, including homophily, which means our tendency to surround ourselves with like-minded people. Read on to learn what homophily is, including some examples from Syed’s book Rebel Ideas.
How do childhood experiences affect adulthood? Can childhood trauma cause permanent damage? According to Louise Hay, the author of You Can Heal Your Life, all of the problems in our lives are the result of negative experiences we had in childhood. Specifically, the negative beliefs we internalized as children create negative experiences in our adulthood. Keep reading to learn about the psychological effects of childhood.
What are personal boundaries? Why is it important to set boundaries in your relationships? Your personal boundaries are your standards for how you’d like to be treated in your relationships. Setting healthy boundaries allows you to feel safe and comfortable in your relationships. Therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab explains why setting personal boundaries is important and gives some examples of healthy and unhealthy boundaries.
What are the dangers of echo chambers? Why are larger groups even more susceptible to echo chambers? Author Matthew Syed advocates for cognitive diversity in his book Rebel Ideas. In the book, he confirms the dangers of echo chambers, arguing that larger, more diverse groups can actually be more susceptible to forming echo chambers. Keep reading to learn more about the dangers of echo chambers in large groups, according to Syed.
Why do we make bad decisions? More importantly, how can we learn from our mistakes to make better decisions in the future? Our lives are full of big decisions, yet our minds are wired to make bad ones. Sometimes our decisions turn against us because of bad luck. Most of the time, however, our biases and illogical ways of thinking steer us toward making bad decisions. Here’s a look at the most common logical fallacies that affect our ability to make good decisions.
What’s the purpose of affirmations? How can reciting affirmations help you reprogram your mind for more positivity? Positive affirmations are statements that you make to yourself, either out loud, in your head, or in writing, to counteract your negative thinking. According to Louise Hay, positive affirmations can help you imprint positive thoughts on your subconscious mind. Here’s how you can harness the power of positive affirmations to reprogram your mind.