list

What you need to navigate your love life; advice about dating, healthy relationships and dealing with your overbearing mother-in-law.

Why Consuming Less Information Can Make You Smarter
We live in an age of endless information. Articles, videos, podcasts, posts, and opinions are available at all times. While access to knowledge is powerful, too much information can have the opposite effect—it can overwhelm rather than educate.
By mikeabout a month ago in Humans
The Myth of “Having It All Figured Out”
Many people feel like they’re behind in life because they don’t have everything figured out. They see others who seem confident, successful, and certain about their future. This comparison creates pressure and anxiety, as if clarity is something everyone else has already achieved.
By mikeabout a month ago in Humans
Why Being Bored Might Be the Best Thing for Your Brain
Boredom has a bad reputation. We treat it like something to avoid at all costs. The moment there’s silence or stillness, we reach for our phones, scroll endlessly, or look for stimulation. But what if boredom isn’t the enemy? What if it’s actually one of the most valuable mental states we’ve lost?
By mikeabout a month ago in Humans
The Color Line Within the Color Line
Colorism is often described as a preference for lighter skin within communities of color. Yet this definition, while accurate, is incomplete. Colorism is not merely an aesthetic bias or cultural quirk. It is a social technology one that developed within colonial and racial hierarchies to maintain systems of white supremacy without constant direct enforcement. At its core, colorism is a structure that rewards proximity to whiteness and punishes distance from it. It operates through psychological conditioning, social incentives, and internalized hierarchies. Over time, it becomes self-sustaining: communities begin to reproduce the same divisions that were originally imposed upon them.
By Cadmaabout a month ago in Humans
Why Storytelling Still Matters in a World Full of Content
Every day, millions of posts are uploaded online. Videos, articles, photos, opinions, and trends compete for attention. With so much content everywhere, it’s easy to think that nothing truly stands out anymore. Yet some stories still stop people mid-scroll. Some words still linger. That’s because storytelling hasn’t lost its power—it’s become more important than ever.
By mikeabout a month ago in Humans
How to Use AI as a Tool Without Letting It Think for You
Artificial intelligence is everywhere now. It writes, summarizes, explains, generates ideas, and answers questions in seconds. For many people, AI feels either exciting or intimidating—sometimes both. The real question isn’t whether AI is good or bad. It’s how you use it.
By mikeabout a month ago in Humans
The Quiet Power of Small Habits That Actually Change Your Life
Most people think life changes happen in big, dramatic moments. A sudden decision. A burst of motivation. A huge opportunity that flips everything upside down. In reality, life usually changes quietly—through small habits repeated over time.
By mikeabout a month ago in Humans
Being Alone Isn’t the Same as Being Lonely (And It Took Me Too Long to Learn That)
For the longest time, I thought being alone was something to avoid. Silence made me uncomfortable. Empty rooms felt heavy. If there was no one around to distract me, my thoughts got louder—and not always kinder. So I filled every gap I could. With people. With noise. With scrolling, talking, staying busy enough to avoid sitting with myself.
By mikeabout a month ago in Humans
What They Don’t Tell You About Chasing a Dream
Everyone loves the idea of a dream. The concept of it, at least. Dreams sound beautiful when they’re still abstract—soft, glowing things you talk about late at night or write down in a notebook you swear you’ll come back to someday. Dreams feel safe when they’re distant.
By mikeabout a month ago in Humans
The Quiet Art of Starting Over When No One Is Watching
There’s something nobody really tells you about starting over: it’s rarely dramatic. There’s no movie montage, no applause, no satisfying moment where the universe nods and says, yes, this was the right call. Most of the time, starting over is quiet. Embarrassingly quiet. It happens at 2 a.m. when you’re lying in bed staring at the ceiling, realizing the life you’re living no longer fits the person you’re becoming.
By mikeabout a month ago in Humans
Sharing The Spotlight
I took a little break from this series because of a weird comment I got asking how much money this series was generating for me. It made me feel icky. Let me be clear, I do not do this for financial gain. Yes, I DO get compensated like everyone else for my reads. That said, this isn't my most lucrative story. I do this to give some attention to any one I mention here. I enjoy sharing other people's work and supporting the Vocal community in the ways that I can. This is one of those ways- attempting to generate a little bit of traffic someone else's way. I am not the most popular creator on Vocal. I don't have a gigantic following of avid readers, but the ones I do have are a super cool group of humans who I love and appreciate. They are very supportive members of the community and seem to enjoy this little series I've created.
By Sara Wilsonabout a month ago in Humans
The Invisible Scars: How a Partner’s Infidelity Reshapes a Woman’s World
Jean-Jacques Rousseau once said: "The union of marriage requires both parties to be faithful; fidelity is the most sacred of all rights."
By Elena Vance about a month ago in Humans