I’ve written a diary every day since I was 14. What does that say about me?

Reading four decades of entries, I realise ego can take precedence over world events, life is never too dull to record – and I’ve learned not to take myself so seriously

Not quite religion, not quite self-help: welcome to the Jordan Peterson age of nonsense

Unintelligible as it is, new book is part of a ‘manifesting’ trend offering the young and spiritually lost an illusion of control

Lost your sense of direction? Turn off your phone and you’ll soon reconnect

Tech giants said today’s digital native kids would be the first generation who would not know what it meant to get lost. But is that a good thing?

Have breakfast for dinner, let kids sleep in their clothes … and 12 other easy tips for better evenings

Feeling frazzled and drained at the end of the day? Try these expert micro-habits

‘Narcissists – only more devious’: the truth about dark empaths

They seem sensitive and caring – but really they just want to manipulate you. So how do you recognise the danger signs?

Remote islands free the imagination – but they also stir up fear

Bestselling author Paula Hawkins set her new book on a fictional tidal island. Here she examines the power and appeal of islands

Why discovering your ancestral roots can help you to truly feel like yourself

Since the age of six Greta Solomon knew she was a writer, but gained a richer sense of self when she discovered her ancestors were gifted storytellers too

Afraid of rejection and humiliation? Here is how to take up space with confidence

Everyone feels like a shrinking violet now and then, but it needn’t hold you back. Experts share their tips for speaking out, socialising and leaving timidity behind

My brilliant Korea: rediscovery of a rich cultural narrative

By writing a book about Korean myths, Bella Myŏng-wŏl Dalton-Fenkl learned that the old stories ran deep in her family

‘Our conversations were always about her!’ How to recognise – and escape – an emotional vampire

Do certain ‘friends’ leave you feeling drained and demotivated every time you meet? You need to have a word with them – and yourself