Who rules the world? Narcissists. Let’s stop giving them all the breaks

So, research shows narcissists do life better. The meek among us must keep them in check, says humble Guardian columnist Stuart Heritage

I couldn’t bring myself to read my parents’ love letters for years

Before her mother died, she handed over a shopping bag of private and personal letters sent long ago between her and her father. But what would Sabine Durrant learn about the man who died shortly after she was born?

Inequality breeds stress and anxiety. No wonder so many Britons are suffering

In equal societies, citizens trust each other and contribute to their community. This goes into reverse in countries like ours, say Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, the authors of The Inner Level

Facial awareness: the meaning of a smile

What exactly is a smile for, how do we do it and if we lose it, can we get it back?

When is an exception not an exception?

If ‘just this once’ happens every month, there’s a name for it: a monthly expense

‘Surviving’ cancer is a weird ongoing journey of readjustment

Having been treated for head and neck cancer, Genevieve Fox looked for the yellow brick road back to her old, pre-cancer self, but the truth is it really isn’t like that

You’ve heard of mindfulness, now meet its dynamic young cousin sophrology

A modern blend of yoga, Zen Buddhism, hypnosis and psychology, it’s huge elsewhere in Europe and on its way to the UK

Jen Sincero says she can make you a badass – has it worked for her millions of readers?

The self-help guru’s book You Are a Badass is a bestseller in the US and making waves in the UK. But can her brand of straight-talking positive thinking really help you escape your ‘sucky life’?

Michael Pollan: ‘I was a very reluctant psychonaut’

The bestselling author and activist has been exploring the use of psychedelic drugs in medical research for his book How to Change Your Mind. And yes, he had to try them for himself