When you use sarcasm in an email or text message, you are skating on thin ice. This episode begins by revealing the dangers of sarcasm in electronic communication and why it can get you in trouble. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/perceptual-asymmetries/201501/do-you-use-sarcasm-in-e-mails Universally, people love cute things. When you see a baby or a puppy or kitten, you react in a unique way. So, what is it about cuteness that we are attracted to? What happens to us internally when we s...
Jan 23, 2025•53 min•Ep. 1156
Do you know your IQ? Can you raise the number up or – are stuck with whatever that number is? This episode begins with some insight into your IQ including some of the unusual things that seem to affect it. Source: Psychologist Andy Williams author of How Do You Compare? (https://amzn.to/3E1Daor). Your body is an amazing machine. And when you understand some of the ways it works it becomes more of a marvel. Here to take you and me on a tour of important parts of your body is Dr. Jonathan Reisman....
Jan 20, 2025•54 min•Ep. 1155
Ever notice when you are nervous or stressed, the pitch of your voice goes up? Yet a lower pitch would likely be more useful in most cases because we associate a lower pitch voice with dominance and calm. This episode begins with some insight on how to tame your voice in stressful situations and not be betrayed by your own voice. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/communications-matter/202101/why-you-need-pitch-your-voice-lower There certainly seems to be a fascination with the human butt. ...
Jan 18, 2025•49 min•Ep. 1154
How many calories do you burn up just eating and digesting the food you eat? It’s an interesting question and the answer depends on what kind of food you are eating. Listen as I reveal the basics of what is called the Thermic Effect.https://www.revolution-pts.com/blog/understanding-the-thermic-effect-of-food The amount of data being collected about you every hour is staggering – detailed, intimate data. What may be more shocking is how that data is used to psychologically target you. Joining me ...
Jan 16, 2025•55 min•Ep. 1153
In the online shopping world, there is something called “cart abandonment discounts.” Listen as I explain what they are and how you can save money on some of the items you want to buy as long as you are not in a huge hurry to buy them. https://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/store-hacks/amazon-cart-abandonment-discounts Money is often a difficult subject for couples to discuss. One of the big reasons is that those discussions often turn into fights. But what if you could turn those discussions into ...
Jan 13, 2025•52 min•Ep. 1152
Sometimes your willpower seems pretty good but other times - especially right when you need it – it disappears. What if there was a way to boost your will power right when you need it most? This episode begins with a technique that can help you resist whatever that temptation when it is right in front of you. https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/clenched-muscles-assist-self-contro-10-10-20/ When you think about it, being happy isn’t something you do. Happiness is the result of some...
Jan 11, 2025•53 min•Ep. 1151
Why are dalmatians often associated with firefighters and fire trucks? Is it just a mascot thing or is there more to the story? Of course, there is more to the story and this episode begins with a quick explanation. https://www.livescience.com/33293-dalmatians-official-firehouse-dogs.html The world is full of optimists and pessimists. Which is better? How do we come to be one or the other – are we born that way? What does it mean to be an optimist and are there benefits to it? These things I exp...
Jan 08, 2025•54 min•Ep. 1150
At airports all over the world, luggage gets lost – sometimes forever. So, what happens to it? It can’t sit there in baggage claim forever. Well, in the U.S. a lot of the lost luggage makes it way to a place in Alabama and the contents of that luggage can be yours for a price. Listen as I explain. https://www.unclaimedbaggage.com You have heard people say, “Happiness is a state of mind.” But it also might be a state of body. There is some wonderful news about how what you do with your body can s...
Jan 06, 2025•55 min•Ep. 1149
In a public bathroom, which is better – drying your hands with a paper towel or using an air blower? If the goal is to walk out of the bathroom with clean hands, there is really only one choice. Listen and I will reveal what it is. http://lifehacker.com/5967976/ Whenever you buy something, you are making a decision – to buy it or not. Whether it’s which laundry soap to ourchase or which house to buy – it is always the result of your decision. What’s so interesting is what goes into that decision...
Jan 04, 2025•50 min•Ep. 1148
One fear many air travelers have is catching a cold or some other bug when they fly on an airplane. Why is it that a lot of people seem to get sick on a flight? Is it the air in the plane or maybe it's the bathrooms? Listen as I explain what the most common cause of getting sick is and how to protect yourself. https://www.healthpartners.com/blog/avoid-getting-sick-while-flying/ We often do things because – well, that’s the way we do things. Organizations are often very resistant to change and st...
Jan 02, 2025•54 min•Ep. 1147
We’ve all heard the advice that when you buy new clothes you should wash them first before you wear them. But what’s the reason? Is it more of a “just to be safe” idea or is there a real concern? This episode begins with an explanation.https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2010/11/wash-and-then-wear-unwashed-clothes-may-have-formaldehyde/index.htm Understanding the science of weight loss has come a long way in just the past several years. It isn’t just, “eat fewer calories than you burn.” The...
Dec 30, 2024•54 min•Ep. 1146
We know that smiling is a universal human expression of happiness. Everyone smiles - in fact, even babies born blind smile. What is the purpose of smiling? So, what does smiling do for you? Why are we attracted to a person’s smile? Listen as I begin this episode with a brief look at smiling. https://www.livescience.com/5254-smiles-innate-learned.html We have all kinds of rituals. There are religious rituals, family rituals, holidays rituals, personal rituals – rituals are everywhere. By definiti...
Dec 28, 2024•52 min•Ep. 1145
You might think that a good way to get closer to someone is to do them a favor. Yes, that might work – but there is another technique that is even more effective and takes less effort. This episode starts with an easy way to bond you with someone you want to get to know better. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-initiative/201605/the-power-merely-requesting-favor Scams and identity theft are a constant threat– and the scammers keep getting better and better. So, it is critical to unders...
Dec 26, 2024•53 min•Ep. 1144
What would happen if you were walking by the Empire State Building right at the time someone dropped a penny, and it hit you on top of your head? Listen as this episode begins with the science behind this hypothetical experiment that reveals whether you would live or die. Source: Bill Sones author of Can A Guy Get Pregnant? https://amzn.to/3ZZbwkF What does it smell like on the moon? What would it feel like to walk on other planets? These are some of the questions we explore as we take an imagin...
Dec 23, 2024•49 min•Ep. 1143
Restaurants are crawling with germs. It’s not all the restaurant’s fault – where there are people, there are going to be germs. This episode begins with a look at the germiest things in restaurants that you may want to avoid touching or at least wipe down. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/19/germ-infested-areas-restaurants_n_2159281.html Christmas is chock full of customs. We travel home for the holidays, we wrap Christmas gifts, we eat Christmas foods, we sing Christmas songs, and the lis...
Dec 21, 2024•50 min•Ep. 1142
Listening to music with air pods or headphones can damage your hearing. To prevent this, you need to understand the common causes of hearing loss. This episode begins with an explanation so you can avoid the problem while still enjoying your favorite music. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20373072 How many times have you heard people say, “You can’t change other people!” Well, that’s not exactly true according to my guest, Peter Bregman. Peter is a...
Dec 19, 2024•49 min•Ep. 1141
How often do you clean your cellphone? Chances are you don’t do it often unless the screen starts to get a little gross. This episode begins with some interesting intel that will have you cleaning your phone much more often than you likely do now. https://www.statefoodsafety.com/Resources/Resources/the-dirty-cell-phone-25-127-bacteria-per-square-inch# We all face big challenges in life. Yet, when it comes to the things that really take a toll and wear us down, it’s the little hassles and frustra...
Dec 16, 2024•54 min•Ep. 1140
For years, mattresses and pillows carried a warning tag that said “Warning: Do Not Remove This Tag Under Penalty of Law”. Although they have softened the language a bit, there is still a warning. So why does anyone care if you remove the tag on your own pillow? This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.livescience.com/33039-why-do-mattresses-have-do-not-remove-tags.html As important and natural as sleep is, it is a problem for almost everyone to either fall asleep or stay asleep at le...
Dec 14, 2024•50 min•Ep. 1139
How good are you at predicting how things will turn out in your life? How often have you said, “If only I get this thing, I’ll be happy...” or “If I lose my job, it will be a disaster…” . Generally, these kinds of predictions are wrong. Things often turn out much differently than we think they will. This episode begins by looking at why that happens. https://drhappy.com.au/2010/11/14/happiness-is-balancing-the-past-the-present-and-the-future/ Did you know that Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song...
Dec 12, 2024•53 min•Ep. 1138
Why is the most popular pencil the # 2 pencil? What’s wrong with #1? And why are most pencils yellow? If you took an average pencil and drew one continuous line until there was no more pencil left – how long would that line be? This episode begins with some interesting intel on one the world’s most popular writing instruments. https://www.straightdope.com/21343238/how-come-you-see-2-pencils-but-no-1-pencils Seth Godin is one of those rare people who gets you thinking about things differently. To...
Dec 09, 2024•53 min•Ep. 1137
What if you could get more done in less time? That would sure come in handy around the holidays – or any time. This episode begins with a simple strategy that works great even though only one in five people do it. http://www.balancetime.com/ Every culture on the planet has some sort of religion. Why? What is it that religion does for people that makes it so popular? For one thing, people who practice a religion – any religion – report some real benefits to their life, health and longevity accord...
Dec 07, 2024•51 min•Ep. 1136
You know what stops a lot of people from asking their boss for a raise? It’s worrying about what the boss will think of them – just because they asked. Will he or she think of you as greedy, ungrateful or what? If you have ever thought that way, you need to hear something interesting from a top negotiation expert. Source: Michael Wheeler author of The Art of Negotiation (https://amzn.to/4g4yb4c). The holiday season is full of rituals and traditions. We have Christmas trees, ornaments, food, song...
Dec 05, 2024•47 min•Ep. 1135
Have you ever heard of the word – shadenfreude. It’s when you are amused by or laugh at someone else’s failure or misfortune. We’ve all done it, and this episode begins by explaining why we do it and what it says about you. https://www.livescience.com/17398-schadenfreude-affirmation.html Why in the world would you need someone else to tell you how to sleep, breathe and hydrate yourself? You are about to find out when you listen to my discussion with Dr. Michael Breus. He is regarded as one of th...
Dec 02, 2024•54 min•Ep. 1134
Most brands and businesses have a logo. Designing and creating logos is both art and science it seems. And the FedEx logo is considered one of the most magnificent logos ever created. It has won countless awards and people who know logos say it is terrific. This episode begins with a look at why the FedEx logo is so revered. special. https://turbologo.com/articles/fedex-logo/ Do you play? We tend to think of play as something for children but there are some real benefits for adults to add more p...
Nov 30, 2024•51 min•Ep. 1133
People need physical touch and too many of us are not getting enough of it. The result is something called “touch starvation.” This episode begins by explaining what happens when people are deprived of skin-to-skin contact, why it is so prevalent and what we need to do about it. https://www.webmd.com/balance/touch-starvation Have you ever wondered how long you will live? Other than “living sensibly,” are there really things you can do that will prolong your lifespan significantly? Biologist and ...
Nov 28, 2024•51 min•Ep. 1132
Most refrigerators come with a light inside. It goes on when you open the door. It’s very helpful. So why doesn’t the freezer have a light too? This episode begins with the interesting explanation. https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2012/07/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-and-not-the-freezer/ Have you ever heard someone say they have no regrets? They’re lying. We all have regrets and the pain they cause is all too real. However, the pain of regret can be extremely helpful in makin...
Nov 25, 2024•55 min•Ep. 1131
We live in a culture that has a definite bias towards neatness. But it makes you wonder – is being neat objectively better than being messy? This episode begins by looking at the difference between neat and messy people and whether neatness is all it’s cracked up to be. Source: David H. Freeman author of A Perfect Mess (https://amzn.to/3X6IsnK) Think of how much money people spend on skin care – from soaps, creams, moisturizers, and all those other products at the skin care counter. Do they actu...
Nov 23, 2024•53 min•Ep. 1130
How many photographs have been taken worldwide in the history of photography? And how many just this year? These are a few of the fascinating facts that begin this episode that I know you’ll end up repeating at upcoming holiday parties that will make you sound so interesting! Source: John Mitchinson author of 1227 Quite Interesting Facts to Blow Your Socks Off (https://amzn.to/4fP4vaX). To hear it said, artificial intelligence is the greatest thing in the world or the beginning of the end of civ...
Nov 21, 2024•51 min•Ep. 1129
Maybe you’ve noticed that simply having friends has gotten expensive. Meeting for lunch, drinks after work, dinner at a restaurant can cost a lot! Interestingly, the cost of friendship is affecting the quality and quantity of friendships in a significant way. Listen as I explain. https://www.badcredit.org/studies/friendship-spending-statistics/ What are some of the traits, behaviors or practices that truly successful people do? That is a question that has been tackled by William Vanderbloemen, f...
Nov 18, 2024•52 min•Ep. 1128
“Sit up straight!” You’ve probably heard it since you were very young, and it turns out to be good advice. Your posture can affect your physical and mental health in ways you may not realize. This episode begins by revealing the importance of posture and how to instantly improve it. https://bit.ly/3NT6aQ5 The automobile has changed our world in so many ways. If it weren’t for the car we wouldn’t have roads, bridges, and tunnels and all the hotels and motels we stay at. So many things simply woul...
Nov 16, 2024•52 min•Ep. 1127
