Your mother probably told you not to lie – and she was right. Of course, there are the moral reasons for not lying but it seems lying is also bad for your health. This episode begins with the reasons why. http://newsinfo.nd.edu/news/32424-study-telling-fewer-lies-linked-to-better-health-relationships For most of human history, people married NOT for love. It is only recently that this idea of committing to someone because you fall in love came about and a lot of times it doesn’t work very well. ...
Nov 07, 2022•51 min•Ep. 809
First impressions matter. That’s because once a person makes judgements about you, it can be difficult to change it. This episode begins by revealing 3 things people decide about you within the first 30 seconds and how you can make sure you put your best foot forward. Source: Sherry Maysonave author of Casual Power (https://amzn.to/2Thh1I7) Why should you fill your gas tank on Monday instead of Friday? Does transferring credit card balances to lower interest rate card make sense? What’s the best...
Nov 05, 2022•51 min•Ep. 808
While I am certain you are a safe driver, there is one tip race car drivers know that will make you an even safer driver, particularly in the event when you need to suddenly take evasive action. This episode begins with this important tactic that will make you more in control behind the wheel. Source: http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-editors-tips-to-prevent-a-car-accident.html Change is scary. Often it means loss. But it can also mean opportunity. Since you can’t stop the world f...
Nov 03, 2022•51 min•Ep. 807
Everyone knows what a placebo is. We have talked about the placebo effect on previous episodes. Most people probably think of it as applying to medication. However, I begin this episode by explaining how the placebo effect works with sleep. And the information could come in handy on those days you are feeling tired. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24417326/ I am sure you have felt bored at times – whether standing in line, waiting at the doctor’s office or just sitting around with nothing to do....
Oct 31, 2022•50 min•Ep. 806
When people get angry, it is pretty common for them to get upset and maybe start yelling at whoever made them mad. That is a bad idea. This episode begins with a discussion how on to use anger to your advantage, so you get what you want without everyone getting mad at each other. Source: Thomas A. Schweich, author of Staying Power (https://amzn.to/34Qrb85). You and I can look at the same thing yet see it differently. We all look at the world through filters and biases that cause us to see things...
Oct 29, 2022•48 min•Ep. 805
What follows is a list of the most popular Halloween candy overall in the U.S. Listen as I explain why this list is important if you plan to give out candy to trick-or-treaters this year: Reese’s Cups Skittles M&M’s Starburst Hot Tamales Sour Patch Kids Hershey’s Kisses Snickers Tootsie Pops Candy Corn Source: https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/most-popular-halloween-candy-37144800 There is conflict in every relationship. What helps to ease the conflict is doing all the “little things” according t...
Oct 27, 2022•50 min•Ep. 804
Girls cry more than boys – that seems apparent. But why? Is it social conditioning or something more? Listen as I reveal what one researcher has discovered about boys and girls and tears. Source: Michael Gurian, author of What Could He Be Thinking?-How A Man's Mind Really Works (https://amzn.to/3evpJkm). Your body clock controls when you wake up and go to sleep – or at least when you SHOULD wake up and go to sleep. But does your body clock – or circadian rhythm – adapt to you or must you adapt t...
Oct 24, 2022•54 min•Ep. 803
Confidence makes you more attractive. It just does. So, I begin this episode by offering a short list of simple things you can do that will make you feel and appear as confident as possible. https://www.askmen.com/money/body_and_mind_150/173_better_living.html You often hear people use the words kind and nice interchangeably. Actually though, they really don’t mean the same thing. To be kind is a lot harder and riskier and has a much greater chance of making the world a better place. Nice is jus...
Oct 22, 2022•53 min•Ep. 802
What do the following symptoms have in common: Tiredness, dizziness, stomach issues, headaches, dry skin, joint problems and depression? The answer is that you may be able to eliminate or minimize those symptoms with one very easy change to your daily routine. Listen and I’ll tell you what it is. https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/dehydration-and-anxiety Quitters never win and winners never quit. We have all heard that. Quitting has a bad reputation. People who persevere are the heroes. Q...
Oct 20, 2022•51 min•Ep. 801
It is always tempting to try to impress people and show them how fabulous you are – or your child is. However, there is a downside to appearing to be so exceptional. This episode begins with an explanation. Source: Steve Chandler, author of 50 Ways To Create Great Relationships (https://amzn.to/3e7uIYk) How could someone have a phobia or fear of popcorn or buttons? Well some people do. People have phobias about all sorts of things. Where do phobias come from? What’s the difference between a fear...
Oct 17, 2022•51 min•Ep. 800
The humble sandwich has been around for thousands of years and eaten all over the world in one form or another. Guess how many sandwiches the average person eats in a year. Do you know why some sandwiches are called subs? Listen as I explore some fascinating sandwich facts to kickoff this episode. https://allthatsinteresting.com/sandwich-history Have you ever asked yourself: Why am I here? What is my purpose? Will my life really matter? What will my legacy be? Listen as I explore these and other...
Oct 15, 2022•52 min•Ep. 799
If you are facing a big decision, you should sleep on it first. That is common advice. But is there any validity to it? This episode begins with the answer to that question. https://www.newswise.com/articles/sleep-on-it-is-sound-science-based-advice# We all get those weird feelings – you know like we are being watched or that feeling that time is passing by faster or you have memory from your past, but you are not sure if it is true. Why do humans get these feelings, and do they serve a purpose?...
Oct 13, 2022•50 min•Ep. 798
Who do you project yourself to be? It’s an important question if you want to convince someone of something. This episode begins with a look at how people judge your recommendations and proposals and so much of it has to do with who you appear to be. Source: Robert Mayer author of the book Power Plays (https://amzn.to/3BWHKzy) Setting boundaries with the people in your life and getting them to respect those boundaries can actually make your life easier and more enjoyable. That’s according to Meli...
Oct 10, 2022•52 min•Ep. 797
This episode begins with a fascinating example of just how amazing the human mind is. You see, how people feel about the medication they take impacts how well it works. Things like cost, size of the pill and number of doses will influence your recovery – I know it sounds implausible but it appears to be true. Listen and finds out. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/health/research/05placebo.html Innovation is a big buzzword today. Who doesn’t want to be innovative? However, there isn’t as much i...
Oct 08, 2022•53 min•Ep. 796
You have likely never ordered a milkshake from room service at a hotel because milkshakes are most likely not on the room service menu. Still, if a hotel has a kitchen there is a good chance they have ice cream milk and a blender which is what you need to make a milkshake. So why can’t you get one? Listen as I explain the answer which points out a big problem in American business today. Source: Steve Little author of The Milkshake Moment (https://amzn.to/3BLAXZl) Have you ever wondered why time ...
Oct 06, 2022•48 min•Ep. 795
It's weird but true that a lot of people’s behavior can actually change just because they wear sunglasses or are in a dimly lit room. This episode begins with an explanation of why this happens and how people act differently. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100301122344.htm Being rich is about more than just accumulating money, it is about living the life you want to live. In fact how much money you have is less important than how you spend it. That’s according to Ramit Sethi. For y...
Oct 03, 2022•52 min•Ep. 794
We call them expiration dates when referring to dates on food packages but they aren’t all really expiration dates. The dates sometimes mean other things. This episode begins by explaining what these different dates really mean. Don’t throw away any food until you hear this explanation. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/do-food-expiration-dates-matter#1 You are unique. There is not now, nor will there ever be another person like you. So, what is it exactly that makes you so unique and...
Oct 01, 2022•54 min•Ep. 793
Heart disease is the #1 killer in the world. While there are many things you can do to reduce your risk, this episode begins by revealing a simple way to cut the risk more than 30%. And it’s all in your attitude. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/a-positive-mindset-can-help-your-heart-2019021415999 Have you ever found yourself overthinking? It’s when you think through an idea or a goal or a career move over and over, imagining every variable and possible outcome. The result is you don’t really...
Sep 29, 2022•51 min•Ep. 792
If you are an iPhone user, you may have noticed that some of your texts show up in blue and some show up in green This episode begins with the explanation for why that happens and what it means. https://www.rd.com/article/why-are-my-texts-green/ Do you know what time poverty is? It’s that sense you get of having too much to do and never enough time to get it done. While a lot of us live in time poverty, others live in time affluence. So how do they do it? Cassie Holmes will tell you. Cassie is p...
Sep 26, 2022•53 min•Ep. 791
It’s pretty clear that the placebo effect is a real thing even though we don’t understand it very well. This episode begins by exploring the reasons why what you believe about your health actually has an impact on your health and why believing you are healthy can actually make it so. Source: Howard Brody, M.D. author of “The Placebo Response” (https://amzn.to/2ZzmXzH) There are a lot of theories about what you should do with your money. For instance, most experts agree that paying off your mortg...
Sep 24, 2022•50 min•Ep. 790
When you have to take a test and you don’t know the answer, the conventional advice is to go with your first answer. A lot of people believe that – but is it true? This episode begins with some interesting evidence that may help you the next time you take a test. https://www.spring.org.uk/2012/02/multiple-choice-tests-why-sticking-with-your-first-answer-is-probably-wrong.php Music is such an important part of life for so many of us. Most of us have a favorite song or band or type of music. Liste...
Sep 22, 2022•52 min•Ep. 789
You have probably been in a situation where you felt shy. As a result, you probably held back and didn’t engage with people as much as you could have. There is a way to get over your shyness no matter what the situation. This episode begins with some interesting advice from a top shyness expert on how to work through those shy feelings in the moment – and it is very simple and requires almost no effort. Source: Bernardo Carducci author of Shyness (https://amzn.to/2XWCgl8) You’ve probably heard i...
Sep 19, 2022•49 min•Ep. 788
Everyone loves ketchup – or so it seems. In fact, it is one of the most universally loved foods in America. Why? This episode begins with some interesting facts and history about ketchup that helps explain why there is a bottle of it in more than 97% of U.S. households. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/aug/20/why-is-ketchup-so-delicious-science-answers-big-food-questions Have you ever felt you were on a winning streak? Maybe it was at work or gambling or a game of tennis – where you...
Sep 17, 2022•53 min
Your mother told you not to lie. After all, lying is dishonest. More importantly, it may also be bad for your health. This episode begins by revealing why telling the truth could help prevent you from getting sick. http://research.nd.edu/news/32485-study-telling-fewer-lies-linked-to-better-health-relationships/ How did YouTube go from being a simple dating site to the biggest video sharing service in the world that generates billions of dollars in ad revenue each year? How did it happen that man...
Sep 15, 2022•52 min•Ep. 786
You just might want to take your car keys to bed with you at night. Why? This episode begins with an interesting explanation – and it all has to do with your personal safety. http://worldofwonder.net/lifehack-put-car-keys-beside-bed-night/ How do you best learn something new? Probably not the way you think. There are actually proven ways to engage the brain so material really sticks. Joining me to explain what these methods are and how they work is Ulrich Boser. Ulrich has studied the science of...
Sep 12, 2022•53 min•Ep. 785
Since watching a scary movie can be so stressful and even unpleasant – why do people do it? This episode begins with a discussion on why people watch them and the benefits of doing so. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070725152040.htm We all make food choices every day. And a lot of things influence those choices which can make it difficult to eat a healthy diet. To help understand how to make better food choices and resist those negative influences is Marion Nestle, PhD. Marion is t...
Sep 10, 2022•53 min•Ep. 784
“ I wish I got more emails!” – said no one ever. Many of us start the day wading through emails we wish we never got in the first place. This episode begins with some easy strategies to cut down on your email clutter and lighten the load of your inbox. Source: Kaitlin Sherwood author of Overcome Email Overload (https://amzn.to/3RBsKNW) For a million reasons you already know, friends are important. Yet we tend to have fewer friends today than in the past and some people have no one at all they co...
Sep 08, 2022•51 min•Ep. 783
Anyone who cooks on a grill has wondered why it is that hot dogs come in packages of ten while hot dog buns are sold in packages of eight. Why the mismatch? This episode begins with the explanation. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a40984485/hot-dogs-buns-packages/ Much of your life is powered by batteries. From your TV remote to your car to your cellphone, you rely on batteries every single day. Yet, you probably don’t know a lot about them - like why there are different sizes or why they s...
Sep 05, 2022•51 min•Ep. 782
Do you save things that take up space that you know you will never, ever use again? This episode begins with some simple advice that will help you clear out some items from your home or office and free up some space for what’s really important. Source: Barbara Hemphill author of “Love It or Lose It (https://amzn.to/31wfIdq) People say that if they had to give up one of their senses, they would give up smell. After listening to this episode, you may decide to answer that question differently. Tha...
Sep 03, 2022•51 min•Ep. 781
You probably don’t think of the Internet as an actual place but it really is – sort of. All of our computers have to connect to each other somewhere – and there is a place where that happens. And that place has a particular smell to it. This episode begins with an explanation. Source: Andrew Blum author of the book Tubes (https://amzn.to/3pwX3Jq). It is hard to argue with nice. Being nice to other people in generally regarded as a good thing. But you can also be TOO nice – which can cause a lot ...
Sep 01, 2022•46 min•Ep. 780
