Once I knew only darkness and stillness. Now I know hope and joy. —Helen Keller. In 1882, when Helen Keller was nineteen months old, an illness left her blind, deaf, and consequently dumb. For the next five years, she lived essentially as a wild animal in the...
Why do some people excel in life while others stagnate? Many factors are at play, but none is more powerful than free will. We can choose to think or not to think, to exert mental effort or not to do so. That’s our fundamental choice. And choosing to...
Many people live unhappy lives because they accept philosophic ideas that undermine personal happiness, such as “Being moral consists in selflessly serving others.” Likewise, many advocate and live under statist or tyrannical regimes because they accept ideas that...
Level Up is a community blog where we publish articles by guest contributors as well as by the staff and officers of OSI. The ideas offered by guest contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the ideas of the staff or officers of OSI. Likewise, the ideas offered by people employed by OSI are their own, and do not necessarily reflect those of others in the organization.
Producing a solo work of art that beautifies your home can leave you with a wonderful daily reminder of your abilities. I learned this after arranging photos I’d taken over my couch to create an esthetically pleasing corner of my humble abode. A few years ago, I...
For many people, being totally honest with themselves about their lack of progress toward their goals can be extremely uncomfortable. This is the opening point Patrick Buggy makes in his article “The Clarifying Power of Self-Honesty.” Self-honesty is a transformative...
Feelings are not proper guides to action, but they are a tremendous and compelling aspect of our lives. Whatever goals you are pursuing, there may be moments when you don't feel like doing the task at hand. How do you manage this conflict? Although you may not always...
