We are a storytelling species. Not only do we weave stories about our own lives (which is known as narrativisation: the process of presenting and interpreting experiences, events, and scenarios in the form of a narrative; that is, a story), we also create, tell, and retell stories of an epic, mythic, and fantastical nature. Moreover,…
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Digital nomadism – the combination of travel with remote work – is an increasingly popular trend. Many bright-eyed millennials see it as a way to ditch the drudgery of a boring and uninspiring 9-to-5 while at the same time satisfying their hunger for travel. Yet despite all of the travel bloggers and YouTubers who ‘sell’…
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The term ‘McJob’ applies to any job that is low-skilled, low-paying, unstimulating, and has few prospects. We might call these dead-end jobs. Author Douglas Copeland popularised the term McJob in his novel Generation X: Tales of an Accelerated Culture (1991), which conveys the struggles of Gen Xers, those born in the 60s to early 80s.…
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Meta-depression and meta-anxiety are phenomena that are rarely discussed in conversations surrounding mental illness. Yet they are common experiences for depressed and anxious people. These terms refer to the fact that one’s own depression or anxiety can itself become a contributing factor in – or aspect of – the mental health condition in question. In…
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One of the most memorable and fulfilling aspects of travel is the kindness of strangers. Travelling solo in a new country can be accompanied by feelings of anxiety and vigilance since you recognise that you are, a lot of the time, in a vulnerable position: you’re struggling to get from place to place (and might…
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