Better Questions, Better Results

How Long Does It Take to Forget a Tragedy? Why “moving on” isn’t the same as healing   Framing the Question We often hear people ask, “Shouldn’t you be over that by now?” when talking about grief or trauma. But forgetting a tragedy isn’t a linear process—it’s a layered, deeply personal journey that defies society’s neat timelines. If you’ve ever wondered  how long it takes to forget a tragedy , the answer reveals something profound about human resilience and the nature of healing itself. This question taps into the psychology of memory, emotional recovery, and our cultural impatience with pain. The Dangerous Myth of Grief Timelines Society craves predictability, especially around suffering. We create artificial deadlines: “You should feel better in six months,” or “The second year is easier.” These well-meaning platitudes reflect our collective discomfort with prolonged pain, but they ignore how emotional processing actually works. Grief symptoms often lessen after 6-12 months...

How Can a Question Influence the Way We Perceive Time and Memory? The Time-Bending Power of the Right Prompt   Framing the Question How we ask questions can quite literally shape how we remember the past and anticipate the future. This isn’t just philosophy—it’s psychology, neuroscience, and language in action. Our perception of time and memory is surprisingly malleable, and questions are one of the tools that stretch or compress it. This post explores how the wording, tone, and intention behind a question can change what we remember, how we feel about it, and even how long ago it feels. Keyword: perception of time and memory Variation phrases : how questions shape memory, influence of questions on time, cognitive framing  How Questions Shape Our Sense of Time Have you ever noticed that when someone asks,  “What did you learn this year?”  it feels vastly different from  “What regrets do you have from this year?”  Even if the time frame is the same—365 days—...

Why do we feel déjà vu, and what causes it? March 9, 2025 | Curiosity, Neuroscience, Perception, Philosophy and Big Questions, Psychology, Question a Day Question a Day   Déjà Vu: The Brain’s Biggest Glitch or a Glimpse into the Matrix? The eerie feeling that you've already experienced a moment before— déjà vu —is one of the strangest and most mysterious phenomena of the human mind. It can happen anywhere: during a conversation, while visiting a new place, or even when hearing a familiar song. But why do we feel déjà vu, and what actually causes it? Let’s dive into the science, theories, and psychology behind this perplexing experience. What Is Déjà Vu? The term  déjà vu  is French for  “already seen”  and describes the unsettling sense that a new experience is strangely familiar—even though you know it shouldn’t be. 🔹  Common characteristics of déjà vu: ✔ Happens suddenly and lasts only a few seconds. ✔ Feels oddly real but cannot be consciously recalled ...

Why Do You Remember Certain Moments Forever but Forget Others? February 15, 2025 | Curiosity, Mindfulness, Personal Development, Question a Day, Self-Reflection Question a Day The Science of What Makes Moments Unforgettable Have you ever wondered why some memories feel as vivid as yesterday, while others fade into oblivion? Whether it’s a major life milestone or an awkward slip on stage in middle school, certain moments etch themselves into our minds while others barely make an impression. The answer lies in the intricate workings of the brain, influenced by  emotion, repetition, and even sleep . Here’s the science behind why some memories stick—and how to hold onto the moments that matter most. The Science of Memory: How Does It Work? Memory is built through three essential stages: Encoding  – Your brain processes and translates experiences (sights, sounds, smells) into a storable format, like hitting “save” on a file. Storage  – Memories are filed away in short-term (mi...