Andra Botean

Loneliness overwhelms us in waves.The feeling reaches its peaks on average between the ages of 30 and 60. It is considerably less prevalent around age 40, and becomes rare around age 75. Only to return with a vengeance. This is the conclusion drawn by psychologists from a study conducted with more than 16,000 Germans aged … Read more

There is something almost paradoxical about the relationship between humans and dogs. On the one hand, they are a different species with their own instincts, needs, and social structures. On the other hand, they seem to understand us in ways that feel remarkably human. Science is now beginning to explain why. Dogs Are Not Meant … Read more

Empathy is seen as a wonderful quality. But there’s also a downside. In an experiment, researchers in German neuroscience found that heightened empathy for another person can hinder a proper understanding of their situation. The researchers showed subjects a number of emotionally charged videos, in which a person recounted, for example, their breakup. Subjects who … Read more

A GOOD HABITThe French drink on average between two and three cups of coffee per day. Surprisingly, at ranking of the greatest coffee consumers in the world, they are followed by the Scandinavians, with the Finnish. A large number studies show that coffee is good for health. Unlike according to popular belief, drinking it istherefore … Read more

Researchers posed this question to nearly 1,000 adults in Great Britain. One of the results was that in times of crisis, we feel less authentic. But also that during these difficult periods, we are more open to new ideas. We become more curious about ourselves, others, and the world around us. Some other findings: » … Read more

I’m not exactly sure when we started believing that professional success has to hurt. That if it’s not exhausting, if it doesn’t come with self-doubt and constant pressure, then maybe it’s not valuable enough. Somewhere along the way, we learned that we have to prove ourselves. To be better, faster, more prepared. Not to make … Read more

Hope does not always arrive as a bright light. It doesn’t step into our lives boldly or knock on the door announcing itself. Most of the time, hope slips in quietly, almost shyly, like a soft breath in a tired chest. In desperate times, hope doesn’t look like it does in stories. It’s not spectacular. … Read more

There are days when nothing feels like enough.Not you. Not your life. Not the pace at which things are moving. And then that familiar thought appears:“I need to feel discomfort to move forward.” But the truth is different.Pain doesn’t move you forward. It consumes you. Dissatisfaction is not a motor.It’s a slow leak of energy. … Read more

There is an almost invisible moment in many people’s lives: the point when we begin to adjust ourselves in order to be accepted. At first, it seems like a small gesture.You soften your opinions in a conversation. You hide your enthusiasm for something others don’t understand. You choose not to say what you feel in … Read more