Stories to fuel your mind

How to Quit Just About Anything

Whether you’re interested in the science of habit change or specific tactics for cutting out sugar or social media, these strategies can help you find meaning in self sacrifice beyond self-improvement.

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Alex Dalenberg

Read when you’ve got time to spare.

Image by Vyacheslav Dumchev / Getty Images

What You Gain When You Give Things Up

Voluntarily sacrificing pleasurable things resets your senses and makes you master of yourself.

A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit

Learn more about the mechanism of habit development and discover a simple but profound tactic that might help you beat your next urge.

How to Stop Looking at Your Phone

Don’t use it as an alarm, and other tips to break your insidious little habit.

How to Quit Fast Fashion: ‘Sometimes We Don’t Need Retail Therapy, We Need Actual Therapy’

From browsing Pinterest instead of retail sites to delaying gratification, four people who’ve forsworn fast fashion share their anti-shopping habits.

Want to Swear Less? Here Are 5 Methods You Can Try

Swearing is awfully good fun, and in some ways, it’s even good for you. However, it’s not always proper in the presence of polite company, and as we all know, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. So if you’re trying to cut back on cussing, here are a few tactics you can try.

How to Quit Meat — Without Feeling Like S***

Cutting meat out of your diet for one day a week can save more than 20,000 gallons of water and reduce your personal carbon contribution by more than 400 pounds per year.

How to Stop Eating Sugar

If you’re like most Americans, you eat more sugar than is good for you. But it’s entirely possible to eat less sugar without sacrificing much — if any — of the pleasures of eating.

How to Quit Caffeine without Becoming a Miserable Person

And why you may want to give it a shot.

Is a ‘Money Diet’ As Terrible As It Sounds?

Here’s how to cut back on spending without depriving yourself.

Are You a Chronic Complainer? Here’s How a ‘Complaint Cleanse’ Can Help

Some griping is healthy, but too much can cause constant stress. It can also infect those around us with our negativity. Try this technique to shift your mindset.

If You’re Trying to Take a Break From Drinking, Try These 6 Strategies

If you’ve decided to take a break from drinking alcohol, you’re not alone. Breaking the booze habit, whether it’s for 30 days or longer, has its benefits. But for many people, the challenge is getting started. Here are six strategies and tips to get you on your way.

Here's How to Stop Nail Biting Once and for All, According to Medical Experts

Special nail varnish and press-on nails may be your friends here.

How To Quit Dating Apps And Meet People In The Real World

It is possible.

How to Quit Plastic

Like going on a diet, the first step in reducing the amount of single-use plastic we discard is to understand how much we really consume.

How to Stop Doomscrolling—With Psychology

Awareness and a bit of habit hacking can keep you out of a technology tailspin.

How to Actually Take a Social Media Break

Say goodbye to endless scrolling (for a bit).

Giving Up Carbon for Lent

Some Christians have made the commitment to limit their consumption in service of the Earth, rather than themselves.

How to Use the Ritual of Lent to Reevaluate Your Life, Even if You’re a Non-Believer

Even if you’re not Christian, you’ve probably at least heard of Lent — the 40 (really 46, since Sundays don’t count) days between Ash Wednesday and Easter. But what is Lent really about? It’s about introspection.

Why “Secular Lent” Misses the Point

“Lent is not about having your best life now.”

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