As we get older, we tend to behave as if the ending of our story has already been written. It becomes more difficult to start something new. Our daily routine gets filled up with things that we SHOULD do. Why add more to the plate that is already full? If you could go back in time, would you do something about your childhood dream? Hey, it is too late now. Is it? I have recently watched a movie entitled 'The English Teacher'. In this movie, Linda, an English teacher in

On stormy days when the wind is high, simple nuggets of wisdom may be the rock we can anchor ourselves to. Although we often seek and receive advice to deal with our struggles and social conflicts, we don't usually stop and think about why they are challenging. Are you fully aware of your feelings and the need for your body? Are they being ignored while you are too busy working? Do you keep playing your silly mistakes in your head and beat yourself up over them? When you

When you stumble upon challenges that seem too overwhelming to deal with, they paralyze us. We cannot decide on what to do. Looking for help, we may turn to our best friends or pray to God. What if we can tap into powerful insights that we have never thought we have? It is like having a secret mentor. Here is a fascinating story from the Hidden Brain at NPR. Megan Lincoln had dyslexia and struggled at school when she was little. Ever since Megan learned that Cher, a wel

In today's world, where artificial intelligence is rapidly replacing human intelligence, we ask ourselves to which areas we need to direct our energy. While we may not win IBM's Watson or Google's Sycamore for amassing specialized knowledge, it won't be easy for machine learning or quantum computing to figure out how to empathize with people. More often than not, we just want our friends to quietly listen to us even when they have no solutions to our problems. What if empa

When life throws things at us, it is easy for us to focus on things that are not going well. Because we are so busy getting things done, we tend to take it for granted what others are willing to do for us. When we ask someone to do us a favor, we may not be aware of their prior commitments to other things. Without meaning to do so, we pile up more things on their plate that is already full. When I was working 24/7 in academia as a researcher, I was one of those "difficult"

In his TED talk, Alain de Botton wakes us up to a seemingly brutal reality, where there is no such thing as "meant-to-be-perfect" relationship. His logic is surprisingly intuitive. Because everyone is a "work in progress", it is supposed to be difficult to be with anyone despite the fact that we have fallen in love with them. To be with someone, we need to recognize that, from time to time, we may love and hate them at the same time. It is the power of love, which allows

When I left academia two years ago, I did not know what my next job was going to be and how soon I would go back to work. Everything was up in the air. I went back to the drawing board and brainstormed possible jobs that would require problem-solving and/or critical thinking skills of a biochemist: research scientist, grant writer, editor, consultant? I got my first job offer from Springer Nature in a month, but ended up taking three months off in preparation of relocating

If you are not familiar with placebo effects, they are worth noticing. It is no secret that the patients' belief that the pills they are taking would work can account for as much as 50% of the therapeutic effects of the medicine. Many parents may have their own version of stories regarding placebo effects. Some kids experience sudden stomach aches, when their school begins after a long break. If parents give their children a vitamin pill without revealing its true identity a