3 Tools To Build Self Confidence in a World where People Make You Feel Insecure

How does the way you see something affect what you see? Does the public really need museums and art critics to explain an artwork’s meaning to them? In Ways of Seeing, published in 1972, critic John Berger argues that throughout history, the way we see art has been manipulated by a privileged minority to preserve their social and economic dominance. The book challenges the idea that to understand and appreciate works of art, we need experts to “translate” them for us. Rather, Berger urges us to pull back the curtain and look at the images before us with our own eyes.

In this guide, we explore Berger’s premise that, throughout history, the dominant class has used art and art criticism to “mystify” the working class. Additionally, we add historical background on both the artwork Berger analyzes and the landscape in which Berger is writing, and compare Berger’s ideas to those of contemporary art and culture.

In Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harari uses concepts from biology, history, and economics to tell the story of us, Homo sapiens. We start 2.5 million years ago, when Sapiens make their historical entrance, and end in the future, when the creation of an artificially created superhuman race may mark the end of the Sapiens species. Along the way, we learn how our ability to create imagined realities led to our dominance over other species. We watch as the Agricultural Revolution, the Scientific Revolution, imperialism, capitalism, and the Industrial Revolution change our species in lasting, and not always positive, ways.

Ultimately, we’re left with one question: As we design our future, who do we want to become? Asking the right questions may be more important than finding the right answers. Read this summary to explore our history as a species—in doing so, you’ll see today’s world in an entirely new way.

In Come As You Are, author Emily Nagoski uses scientific research and her years of experience as a sex educator to change the negative way that women talk, think, and feel about their sexuality due to years of misinformation and harmful cultural messaging surrounding sex. Arguing that a scientific perspective on sexuality can free women from unrealistic standards and help them to appreciate their individual experiences, Nagoski considers sexuality from every biological angle while dispelling cultural misconceptions along the way.

In this guide, we’ll follow Nagoski’s exploration of topics ranging from basic anatomy and the mechanics of sexual response to individual experiences of arousal, desire, and orgasm. As we discuss each of these concepts, we’ll compare Nagoski’s arguments to those of other experts in her field, discuss additional research on human sexuality, and add historical and cultural context to her ideas.

Ancient Greek philosopher Plato’s The Republic is one of the foundations of the Western philosophical canon. Through elaborate scenes, discussions, metaphors, and arguments, The Republic defines justice, the human soul, the ideal society, and the foundational structure of the universe itself. Plato intertwines these complicated topics to argue that living morally is good for its own sake.

In our guide to The Republic, we’ll discuss Plato’s key arguments, images, and allegories about morality, politics, and knowledge. This includes but isn’t limited to Plato’s ideal city, his concept of philosopher kings, and his allegory of the cave. Through our commentary, we’ll provide additional context to Plato’s philosophy, describe the society he wrote it in, and cite scholarly interpretations of his ideas.

What is love? How does love connect to philosophy? How can it lead to human happiness? The ancient Greek philosopher Plato addresses these questions and more in his Symposium, a work which claims that passionate desire, rather than cold and detached analysis, drives philosophy. In our guide, we’ll explore discussions of homoeroticism in ancient Athens, how love informs philosophy, and what it means to love beauty itself.

Through our commentary, we’ll explain not just what Plato says, but also how and why he says it. We’ll interpret the various arguments of the Symposium, offer cultural and historical context, and place the work within Plato’s larger canon. For the more ambiguous and poetic parts of the text, we’ll also show different scholarly interpretations of Plato’s arguments and how they’re informed by characters and setting.

What’s the best possible way to live our lives? How can we be happy? These are some of the questions that ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle discusses in his Nicomachean Ethics. He argues that the best and happiest life consists of the rational pursuit of virtue. He explains the different kinds of virtues, how to become virtuous, and the greatest virtue of all: wisdom.

In our guide, we’ll focus primarily on Aristotle’s views of human happiness and how they relate to virtue. We’ll explore his definition of happiness, his theories on moral and intellectual virtue, and his description of an ideal happy life. Through our commentary, we’ll provide cultural context for ancient Greek society and language, as well as some of the many responses to Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics from notable philosophers and scholars.

How can you improve your self-esteem? In The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem, psychotherapist and self-esteem expert Nathaniel Branden argues that the key lies in your behavior: What you do is the most important factor that determines your self-esteem.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to behave to improve your self-esteem, including by living with awareness and taking responsibility for your life and actions. You’ll also learn why so many techniques people recommend for raising self-esteem just don’t work. Along the way, you’ll discover what self-esteem actually is, why it matters, and how others affect it. Throughout, we’ll examine how modern scientific research supports or weakens Branden’s ideas (originally published in 1994), and we’ll provide practical strategies for implementing those ideas and improving your self-esteem.

There’s a reason that countless books have been written on the topic of self-esteem. How you feel about yourself has a massive impact on the quality of your life, and raising your self-esteem can radically reshape both your internal and external worlds. That said, it’s easy to understand that you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself, but actually raising your self-esteem can seem impossible. How can you think highly of yourself if you truly believe, at your core, that you’re inadequate?

To answer this question, we’ve brought together the advice of many experts from the worlds of psychology and self-help, including Brené Brown, Nathaniel Branden, and Mark Manson. You’ll learn about the specific destructive patterns low self-esteem can create in your life, as well as five habits you can practice every day to raise your self-esteem.

Even though we’re all human, most of us don’t understand what drives people (including ourselves) to feel and behave the way we do. In The Laws of Human Nature, author Robert Greene looks at several laws that explain, among other things, why we self-sabotage, behave differently in groups, and want the wrong things.

Armed with the knowledge of these fundamentals of human nature, you can manage toxic people, become more empathetic, make people like you, and control your own nature.

How can you improve your self-esteem? In The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem, psychotherapist and self-esteem expert Nathaniel Branden argues that the key lies in your behavior: What you do is the most important factor that determines your self-esteem.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to behave to improve your self-esteem, including by living with awareness and taking responsibility for your life and actions. You’ll also learn why so many techniques people recommend for raising self-esteem just don’t work. Along the way, you’ll discover what self-esteem actually is, why it matters, and how others affect it. Throughout, we’ll examine how modern scientific research supports or weakens Branden’s ideas (originally published in 1994), and we’ll provide practical strategies for implementing those ideas and improving your self-esteem.

Former Vedic monk and award-winning content creator Jay Shetty claims that the route to happiness and fulfillment is to Think Like a Monk. According to him, monks are the calmest and happiest people in the world because they live with a sense of purpose that aligns with their true, inner selves.

Fortunately, you don’t need to cut yourself off from the modern world or shave your head to benefit from this mindset. Shetty draws from his experiences as a monk, ancient spiritual texts, and the latest psychological research to transform abstract concepts into actionable methods you can easily incorporate into your life.

In this guide, we’ve compared and contrasted Shetty’s key concepts with up-to-date psychological research and advice. In addition, we’ve expanded on his methods with actionable ideas from other self-improvement practitioners and psychologists.

There’s a reason that countless books have been written on the topic of self-esteem. How you feel about yourself has a massive impact on the quality of your life, and raising your self-esteem can radically reshape both your internal and external worlds. That said, it’s easy to understand that you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself, but actually raising your self-esteem can seem impossible. How can you think highly of yourself if you truly believe, at your core, that you’re inadequate?

To answer this question, we’ve brought together the advice of many experts from the worlds of psychology and self-help, including Brené Brown, Nathaniel Branden, and Mark Manson. You’ll learn about the specific destructive patterns low self-esteem can create in your life, as well as five habits you can practice every day to raise your self-esteem.