One way to get to know someone better or get closer to them is by doing them a favor. However, there is another way that is even more effective. This episode begins with technique that will bond you with someone you want to get to know - and it is really easy to do. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-initiative/201605/the-power-merely-requesting-favor Scams and identity theft are rampant - and the scams are becoming more sophisticated. It is really important to understand the latest sca...
Mar 03, 2022•53 min•Ep. 702
Have you ever been driving down the highway and someone in the backseat rolls a window down and you get that horrible thumping in your ear? A lot of people think it’s just something weird about THEIR car. It’s not. This episode begins with an explanation of why that happens in most every car and how you make it stop. https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/wind-buffeting-how-to-stop-it/ If I told you I think you are delusional, you might take offense to that. However, you ARE delusional, and it h...
Feb 28, 2022•53 min•Ep. 701
All kinds of things can influence a big decision. However, one thing you likely never considered is the lighting in the room. Yet, it turns out that lighting can have a significant impact on what you decide. Listen as I explain how and why optimal lighting is so important. http://media.utoronto.ca/media-releases/education/new-research-shows-the-way-a-room-is-lit-can-affect-the-way-you-make-decisions/ My first guest on this episode is Brian Greene. He is a theoretical physicist, string theorist (...
Feb 26, 2022•46 min•Ep. 700
Growing up I remember my mother telling me I shouldn’t drink coffee because it could stunt my growth. Really? How could that possibly be true? Also, people have long believed that coffee will sober up someone who has been drinking. Can coffee really do that too? This episode begins with a look at what coffee can and cannot do. http://lifehacker.com/four-popular-coffee-myths-debunked-by-science-1780764499 Why would you pay for name brand drug when a generic version is cheaper? After all, generic ...
Feb 24, 2022•52 min•Ep. 699
If you have a big decision to make, you might want to wash your hands first. Listen as this episode begins with an explanation for why it is such a good idea. https://www.seeker.com/washing-hands-makes-tough-choices-easier-discovery-news-1766493167.html Can you actually smell fear or other emotions? Why do you like some odors while others make you ill? Why do certain smells bring back such vivid memories? These are just a few of the questions I explore with Jude Stewart author of the book Revela...
Feb 21, 2022•51 min•Ep. 698
What will happen if you try to make a photocopy of a $20 bill? I begin this episode by revealing why copying money is discouraged and consequently is so hard to do and why a picture of money won’t open in PhotoShop either. http://www.businessinsider.com/money-counterfit-eurion-constellation-copy-scan-photoshop-2017-1 For many years, financial guru Suze Orman has been preaching the importance of financial responsibility. In this episode Suze joins me to offer some effective strategies to help you...
Feb 19, 2022•51 min•Ep. 697
Does listening to music on earphone cause hearing loss? Well, that depends. This episode begins with an explanation of the 3 causes of most hearing loss and how listening to music on headphones (or earbuds) can be a problem. Once you understand the problem, it will be easier to avoid it while still enjoying the music you love . https://www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/electronics/headphones-hearing-loss-headaches-1131746/ It is often said that you cannot change other people. Peter Br...
Feb 17, 2022•51 min
When was the last time you cleaned and disinfected your cellphone? If it has been a while, I bet it will become a priority after you hear the beginning of this episode. Listen as I explain just how germ-ridden your cellphone is and why you should clean it much more often than you probably do. https://www.statefoodsafety.com/Resources/Resources/the-dirty-cell-phone-25-127-bacteria-per-square-inch# It’s not the big crises in life that wear us down, it is the little everyday hassles, problems and f...
Feb 14, 2022•54 min•Ep. 695
What is the best way to sign-off an email? It actually depends on what you want the outcome to be. However, if you are hoping to get a reply, there is one sign-off that is more likely to get the reader to respond. This episode begins by telling you what that is. http://www.businessinsider.com/best-way-to-end-an-email-2017-2 Ever wondered why your brain in your head as opposed to somewhere else in your body? Why do human eyes face forward but a fish’s eyes are on the side of its head? If you’ve e...
Feb 12, 2022•50 min•Ep. 694
If you have ever been pulled over by the police for a traffic violation, you know it is not easy to talk your way out of getting a ticket. After all, you have no real power in that conversation. However, there is one way strategy that is likely more effective than any other in convincing the officer to NOT give you that ticket. Listen to find out what it is. Source: Frank Luntz author of Words That Work (https://amzn.to/37Ay5A8) Second only to your brain, your immune system is the most elaborate...
Feb 10, 2022•54 min•Ep. 693
If you were ever told to sit up straight and watch your posture, that was really good advice. Listen as I begin this episode discussing how your posture can actually change your thoughts and behavior for the better. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/thriving101/201101/how-succeed-having-good-posture 36% of all Americans, including 61% of young adults and 51% of mothers with young children say they feel “serious loneliness” according to at least one study. In fact, just about everyone has f...
Feb 07, 2022•49 min•Ep. 692
Is all gasoline pretty much the same? Not really. There is a difference. There is regular gas and then there is “Top Tier” gas. Listen to discover what the difference is and what it means to you. https://toptiergas.com/ In your life, you play finite games and infinite games. Career and marriage are examples of infinite games in which there are no winners. Your life is an infinite game and yet we sometimes don’t treat it that way. My guest, Simon Sinek author of the book The Infinite Game (https:...
Feb 05, 2022•49 min•Ep. 691
Does grilling meat increase your risk of getting cancer? Maybe. But it isn’t that simple. This episode begins with a discussion on the link between grilling meat and cancer and how you can minimize that risk. (http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/does-grilling-really-cause-cancer) If you look at episodes of the original Star Trek TV series, Scotty talks to the computer to get it to perform tasks on board the Starship Enterprise. Today we are doing something similar with Siri and Alexa and other v...
Feb 03, 2022•51 min•Ep. 690
How do you decide when the gas tank in your car is low enough that you need to stop and get gas? This episode begins by explaining why many of us wait too long and when the best time is to refuel. https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/07/27/2386931/ You probably have a lot of things in your home that you never use. You probably have a lot of things that you don’t even remember you have sitting in boxes. For many of us, getting rid of our possessions is hard - even things we have no use for. Yet, cle...
Jan 31, 2022•54 min•Ep. 689
If you ever eat at Taco Bell, you have surely noticed that they sometimes have Nacho Fries on the menu - but most of the time they do not. Why? Why do Nacho Fries come and go? Why don’t they just leave them on the menu all the time? This episode begins with the crafty explanation. https://www.businessinsider.com/taco-bell-is-bringing-back-nacho-fries-for-the-sixth-time-2021-7 What determines your personality? Obviously there are a lot of things. What you may not realize is that the list might in...
Jan 29, 2022•48 min•Ep. 688
Ever notice that your refrigerator has a light inside that comes on when you open the door but your freezer does not. This episode begins with the reason why that is. https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2012/07/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-and-not-the-freezer/ While some people claim they have no regrets in life - they are probably wrong. Everyone has regrets and the pain they cause is real. What’s so interesting is that those regrets can be very helpful in creating a better lif...
Jan 27, 2022•55 min•Ep. 687
When you or your child cut a cut or scrape, it is likely you grab some antibiotic ointment to put on it to prevent infection. This episode begins by explaining why that may not be such a good idea. https://www.mindfood.com/article/the-risk-of-overusing-antibiotic-creams-and-ointments/ Nothing is more frustrating than being in an argument with someone when you know you are right, and the other person refuses to see it or agree. So how do you resolve a conflict like this? Listen as I speak with Xa...
Jan 24, 2022•52 min•Ep. 686
As you may have discovered over the holidays, finding the right gift to give someone can be difficult. Yet, there is some science to it that can make gift selection and giving a little easier. This episode begins with some interesting insight on how to find the right gift for anyone. to. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4017156/The-science-perfectgift-Focus-experiences-make-sure-usefull-NEVER-suprise-someone.html Have you ever wondered why you have the personality you have? Where d...
Jan 22, 2022•49 min•Ep. 685
What do you crave? Well, whatever it is, the next time you crave it, there is something simple you can do that can make the craving pass quickly to help you avoid temptation. I begin this episode with this very easy tactic that has been proven to work. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psyched/201104/clenching-your-fists-increases-willpower Would you say you are a cynical person? A cynic is someone who doesn’t put much faith in the goodness of others. Many cynics say they are just realists...
Jan 20, 2022•53 min•Ep. 684
If you enjoy garlic, you are probably well aware that there is a downside to eating it - and that is it can make your breath stink. This episode begins with some easy and simple and practical advice from the Institute of Food Technologists that will neutralize garlic odor from your breath as well as from your fingers so you can eat as much of it as you like and not worry smelling like garlic. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130204142609.htm It sounds strange when you say it out loud...
Jan 17, 2022•48 min•Ep. 683
Why do some buildings have revolving doors? After all, they are sometimes heavy and hard to push, and a lot of people hate them. So where did they come from? There must be a purpose to them. Listen to hear a very surprising story. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/63378/whats-point-revolving-doors If your 2022 New Year’s resolution involves exercising more, you really should listen to my guest Kelly McGonigal, research psychologist and lecturer at Stanford and author of the book, The Joy of Mo...
Jan 15, 2022•47 min•Ep. 682
If you haven’t got a New Year’s resolution to work on yet - I’ve got one for you - it’s tackling clutter! This episode begins with some thoughts about what clutter does to your mental health and how you can fix it. http://www.timetoorganize.com/wp-content/uploads/realsimple-article.pdf There is something called “lifestyle medicine.” It is the idea that what you eat, how you exercise and generally how you live your life will affect your health - for better or worse. That likely comes as no surpri...
Jan 12, 2022•50 min•Ep. 681
The room where you work, whether that’s at home or in an office, should probably be 77 degrees. Why? This episode begins with an explanation of why 77 degrees is the perfect working temperature. https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-news/Pages/toohottoocold.aspx This is the time of year when people tend to set new goals for themselves. The process of how you set them can have a big impact on whether or not you actually achieve them, according to Michael Bungay Stanier. Often described as one of ...
Jan 10, 2022•51 min•Ep. 680
As admirable as it is to set a New Year’s resolution, the chances of sticking to it in the long term are slim. However, you can improve your odds of success. This episode begins with a strategy to help make life changes really stick. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/new-years-resolutionspsychology_us_5862d599e4b0d9a59459654c Although you have heard of your biological clock, there is a good chance you don’t really understand how it all works. Dr. Emily Manoogian is a post-doctoral fellow at th...
Jan 08, 2022•49 min•Ep. 679
Did you know that the scent of lavender is supposed to be calming? It may be the scent of trust, as well. This episode begins by explaining how lavender can make you appear to be more trustworthy – and why it works. http://rd.com/advice/relationships/habits-make-people-trust/ Who doesn’t have things to do that never seem to get done? We all have trips we want to take or goals we want to accomplish but we never seem to get around to doing them. So why is that? Sam Horn author of the book Someday ...
Jan 06, 2022•50 min•Ep. 678
Ever catch a glimpse of your computer screen in just the right light and see just how dusty and filthy it has become? So how do you clean it? Before you reach for window cleaner and a paper towel, listen to the beginning of this episode for the right way to clean off a monitor without causing damage. https://www.rd.com/article/how-to-clean-a-computer-screen/ You already know that physical exercise is good for your health. Today you will hear how simply moving your body can do wonders for your mi...
Jan 03, 2022•53 min•Ep. 677
We all know driving while distracted is a bad idea - particularly driving and texting. In fact, distracted driving is more complicated than you might imagine. This episode begins with some fascinating research that shows that there is a residual effect when you get distracted that can adversely affect your driving for a long time. https://unews.utah.edu/up-to-27-seconds-of-inattention-after-talking-to-your-car-or-smart-phone/ We’ve all made really stupid mistakes. What if I told you that you cou...
Jan 01, 2022•41 min•Ep. 676
Isn’t it great when you get one of those “A-Ha Moments”. You know, when an idea or the answer to a problem just pops in your head and it feels just perfect. But is it? We begin this episode by exploring whether those thoughts you have during an A-Ha moment are really valid and magical or not. to. http://drexel.edu/now/archive/2016/March/Insight_Correctness/ There are a lot of slogans and clichés about success. For example, “It’s not what you know it’s who you know” or “Nice guys finish last.” Th...
Dec 30, 2021•48 min•Ep. 675
Ask just about anyone and they will tell you that antioxidants are really good for you. In fact, some people take antioxidant supplements probably assuming that if they are good for you - then taking even more is even better. Is it? We begin this episode with a look at antioxidants, what they do and when too much of them may be a bad thing. https://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/articles/2013/03/09/do-you-really-need-antioxidants You probably like to think you are smart. And maybe...
Dec 27, 2021•46 min•Ep. 674
Want to look younger - dramatically younger? I begin this episode with 3 simple ways that change how people perceive you. If you do these things, you will instantly appear younger than your actual age. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21895379 Human beings are born to be hopeful. If you interact with any 2-year-old and you will see and hear nothing but hope in what they say and do. Yet as adults we sometimes lose hope. And that's never good. This holiday season, I want to share with you a con...
Dec 25, 2021•45 min•Ep. 673
