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Life
Column
Need Friendship Advice? Welcome to SELF’s Asking for a Friend
Therapist Miriam Kirmayer is here to help you make sense of your messiest, most complicated friendship moments.
By Jenna Ryu
5 Subtle Signs of ‘Abandonment Issues,’ According to Experts
And how to stop feeling like everyone’s going to leave you the second things get real.
By Jenna Ryu
5 Signs You’ve Got an ‘Inferiority Complex,’ According to Experts
These red flags might mean you’re dealing with more than just everyday insecurity.
By Jenna Ryu
5 Subtle Signs It’s Time to Break Up With a Friend, According to Experts
Here’s how to know when a “bestie” feels more like a burden than a blessing.
By Jenna Ryu
5 Little Ways to Be a More Positive Person—Without Faking or Forcing It
Your brain is wired to expect the worst, but these tricks can help override that instinct.
By Jenna Ryu
5 Things Every ‘Conflict Avoidant’ Person Should Do Before Any Difficult Conversation
You don’t have to choose between staying silent or starting a fight—here’s how to reach that middle ground.
By Jenna Ryu
Asking for a Friend
My Friend Always Gets Free Stuff by Complaining to Managers—and It Gives Me the ‘Ick’
I feel bad for the servers…and even worse about our relationship.
By Miriam Kirmayer, PhD
The ‘Contrarian Friend’ Is Real—and They’re Driving Everyone Crazy
When disagreeing with you becomes someone’s entire personality.
By Jenna Ryu
Why Are So Many Women Athletes Tearing Their ACLs Now?
No, it’s not about being “fragile”—here’s what really drives these injuries and how to prevent them.
By Cindy Kuzma
Cover Story
Tracee Ellis Ross Is Happy, Thanks
“I didn’t need a man to build the life I wanted.”
By Jessica CruelPhotography by Heather Hazzan
SELF Daily
Make your inbox healthier and happier with the latest SELF stories, delivered fresh daily.
The Best Weekender Bags Are Genuinely Cute and Hold Everything You Need
Still hauling everything in that old Vera Bradley? This one’s for you.
By Sara Coughlin
Caitlin Clark Opens Up About Injury Recovery, Her Mental-Health Musts, and the One Health Stat Every Woman Should Know
Plus, why she’s not into hype-up music or Love Island (!)
The Quirky Hobby WNBA All-Star Allisha Gray Swears By for Relaxing Before Bed
It’s a building block to better sleep, if you will.
By Caroline Tien
10 Fun Facts About WNBA Rookie Paige Bueckers Before Her All-Star Debut
She’s making her mark on the court, in your sneaker closet, and even on your wing night.
By Lizzy Briskin and Caroline Tien
3 Simple Exercises to Build Explosive Strength, According to a WNBA Coach
Good news: These moves aren’t just for the pros.
3 slides
By Jenny McCoy, C.P.T.
Opinion
Is 2025 the Summer of the Sensitive Girl?
Two emotional yet deeply relatable TV heroines are proving that crying in public isn’t cringe—it’s cool.
By Jenna Ryu
Ace Your Next Match With the Best Tennis Shoes
Complete your kit with stable, supportive kicks.
By Paige Levinson
7 Ways to Connect With Your Sexuality When You’re Not Getting Laid
May we introduce you to the concept of a solo sex life?
By Rebecca Fearn
11 Things to Know About Caitlin Clark as the WNBA All-Star Break Approaches
The Iowa alum continues to smash records—and help women’s hoops get some long-deserved love.
By Lizzy Briskin and Caroline Tien
Are You ‘Too Controlling’? Here’s How to Loosen Up, According to Therapists
For all the type A perfectionists who want to go with the flow—but just can’t help taking charge.
By Jenna Ryu
Asking for a Friend
My Best Friend Keeps Ditching Me for Guys. Should I Call Her Out?
When she’s single, I’m her person. When she’s not? It’s like I don’t exist.
By Miriam Kirmayer, PhD
5 Things Great Small-Talkers Always Do
Think of it as a social performance you can finesse—with some help from the pros.
By Jenna Ryu
10 Comfortable Travel Outfits to Wear on Your Next Trip
Approved by flight attendants and SELF staffers.
By Jessica Kasparian and Paige Levinson
Why Kristin Cavallari Waited 12 Years to Show Her Kids on TV
“No one’s ever seen that part of my life—and it’s the biggest part of my life.”
By Hannah Dylan Pasternak