Solitude is not loneliness. Here's the key philosophical difference.
Being alone can be the fertile ground of great creativity. For others, it's the door to a dark, spiralling depression.
«When we take time to ourselves, we give ourselves space to imagine. When our mind is not constantly bombarded with content, it can create.»
More from Big Think
You are probably a naive realist. Try not to be
Naive realism is the tendency to assume that our view of the world is objective and accurate rather than subjective and biased.
«Biases do not necessarily lead to bad decisions because they help us make those decisions in accordance with our values and motivations.»
People who read live longer than those who don’t, Yale researchers say
A study by Yale researchers finds that reading books in particular returns cognitive gains that increase longevity.
«extended lifespan applied to all reading participants, regardless of “gender, wealth, education or health” factors, the study explains. That’s a 20% reduction in mortality created by a sedentary activity.»
The 5-hour rule: How to turn a wasted day into a successful one
From Benjamin Franklin to Elon Musk, the most successful people in the world share one thing: they allocate time in the day to learning.
«5-hour rule.” In short, this is the rule where we spend one hour a day learning, reflecting, and thinking. The rule dates to Benjamin Franklin»
An ancient technique can improve your attention span
Modern conditions have overwhelmed our brain's attention system, but research shows 12 minutes of mindfulness training a day can help.
«Similarly, a negative mood can signal that something is wrong. That unease can propel you to solve the problem and lift the emotional pall.»
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How to Live on 24 Hours a Day: Arnold Bennett on Living a Meaningful Life
Arnold Bennett’s How to Live on 24 Hours a Day explores a meaningful life by addressing the age-old question: how can we make the best use of our time?
«What you learn today becomes the scaffolding to solving tomorrow’s problem.»
41 Short Rules for a Good Life From Influential Philosophers
Philosophers have long argued that we can live a good life by following certain rules and principles. Here are their top rules to live your best life.
«Choose the present. Seize the present. Be present. “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” — Oscar Wilde»
Nobody optimizes happiness
People don’t seem to try very hard to make themselves happier. Why not?
«could this explain why people chase after vague goals rather than trying to build concrete lives they’ll enjoy living?»
Too Far
Every good idea and every admirable trait can be taken too far. A few big ones where balance is everything: Confidence without arrogance. Optimism without complacency. Independence without isolation.…
To make great changes in your life, follow the philosophy of kaizen
When we set insurmountable and unrealistic goals, it's easy to get demoralized and just give up. Kaizen offers us another (better) way.
«There’s something wrong with each of us. Even if you tried to live a faultless, blameless, perfect life, there is always something left to criticize.»
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