It is hard to get through life without writing things down on a yellow legal pad. You probably have some of those writing pads in your home right now. So, why are they yellow? And what makes them “legal”? Listen as I start this episode with the story. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/30325/why-are-legal-pads-yellow You probably take your five senses for granted. That’s about to change when you hear my discussion with Gretchen Rubin. Gretchen had an experience in a doctor’s office that caused ...
Apr 17, 2023•51 min•Ep 878•Transcript available on Metacast If you want to be happy, it helps that you have happy friends. And it helps even more if your friends’ friends are happy too. I begin this episode discussing how social connections can influence our health and happiness. Source: Tom Rath author of Well Being (https://amzn.to/3xcMYUM) You probably think you know what your physical limits are. For example, when you exercise, you know when to stop because you “hit the wall.” Actually though, that may not be such a good indicator. You could likely d...
Apr 15, 2023•52 min•Ep 877•Transcript available on Metacast There is likely something you are worried about right now. After all, humans worry. This episode begins with some good news for you regarding whatever it is you are worried about https://www.huffpost.com/entry/85-of-what-we-worry-about_b_8028368 It is easy to find advice on how to be successful. The problem is one size does not fit all. For you to be successful and creative in what you do, you have to find what works for you. That is why Ozan Varol is here. Ozan has some interesting insight into...
Apr 13, 2023•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast You would have a hard time finding someone who doesn’t like the smell of freshly cut grass. In fact, some people love that scent. Why? What’s so special about it? This episode begins with an explanation why it is so universally loved and why that scent may actually be good for you. https://www.prevention.com/life/a20432070/spending-time-outside-relieves-stress/ Whether it is a warm hug, a simple handshake or a passionate embrace, when people touch each other, something special happens. What is i...
Apr 10, 2023•51 min•Ep 875•Transcript available on Metacast Music can affect us in lots of ways. You may not know that the music playing in a store can impact your spending behavior. This episode begins by looking at how different types of music can steer you to spend more or less. https://www.psychologistworld.com/behavior/ambient-music-retail-psychological-arousal-customers Finding true love can be tricky. Sometimes it seems impossible. Here to the rescue is behavioral scientist turned dating coach Logan Ury. She has the latest research on what will an...
Apr 08, 2023•53 min•Ep 874•Transcript available on Metacast There is an art and science to flattery This episode starts with a look at how powerful it can be if you know how to give and take a compliment and offers advice on how to execute a great compliment. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evidence-based-living/202109/the-psychology-compliments-nice-word-goes-long-way Americans buy a lot of cheap crap. Knick-knacks, souvenirs, gadgets and who knows what else. What is the lure of this cheap crap? Why are our closets and drawers full of it? That t...
Apr 06, 2023•52 min•Ep 873•Transcript available on Metacast Are you a doodler like me? I often doodle when I listen to a talk or a presentation – even when I interview people for the podcast. And it seems there is a real benefit when you doodle. This episode begins with the explanation. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-power-of-the-doodle-improve-your-focus-and-memory-1406675744 You may be looking at exercise all wrong. Health and fitness may be less about going to the gym for an hour or other formal exercise and more about fitting more movement into you...
Apr 03, 2023•48 min•Ep 872•Transcript available on Metacast Using a public bathroom is usually not the highlight of your day. However, when it comes to choosing which stall or urinal to use, there is a way to minimize your potential exposure to germs and bacteria. I begin this episode by telling you which one you should choose – and if that one is taken, what should be your second choice. https://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/wellness/a58568/cleanest-bathroom-stall/ Sure, we’ve all heard how amazing the human brain is. Yet, it actually is rather lousy...
Apr 01, 2023•50 min•Ep 871•Transcript available on Metacast How can the clothes you wear influence your personality? You will be surprised to discover how different clothes and different colors change the way you act, the way others perceive you and even how you perceive yourself. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/science/clothes-and-self-perception.html There are all kinds of popular musical genres from rock, country, hip-hop, dance R&B, pop and more. And all that music came from somewhere. If you are a music lover you will want to hear the stories Kel...
Mar 30, 2023•52 min•Ep 870•Transcript available on Metacast If you want to make the food you cook taste better – switch the plates, bowls and glasses. This episode begins by discussing how and why that works. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/06/30/196708393/from-farm-to-fork-to-plate-how-utensils-season-your-meal# You are probably a lot more mentally tough than you think you are. If you don’t believe me, you must hear my discussion with Amy Morin and she will convince you. Amy is a licensed clinical social worker, and psychotherapist who has a T...
Mar 27, 2023•50 min•Ep 869•Transcript available on Metacast If you are into stories of success and what it takes to be the best, you will sometimes here someone quote a study about the importance of goal setting. The study happened at Yale University in 1953. You should NOT pay attention to that study and this episode begins with the reason why.. https://www.fastcompany.com/27953/if-your-goal-success-dont-consult-these-gurus People may think they know what causes weight gain and weight loss – but what people think is often wrong according to my guest Her...
Mar 25, 2023•49 min•Ep 868•Transcript available on Metacast This is going to sound weird but a good time to make a decision is when you have the urge to go to the bathroom. You are probably wondering; how can that be? What’s the connection? This episode begins with a discussion that will make sense once you hear it. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/full-bladder-better-decisions-controlling-your-bladder-decreases-impulsive-choices.html The world is noisy and getting noisier. We have noise coming at us from everywhere as well as from insi...
Mar 23, 2023•51 min•Ep 867•Transcript available on Metacast It is common for your mind to wander. That’s what people do, especially if they are not doing anything that requires deep thought or concentration. But letting your mind wander could be causing you harm Listen and I will explain why. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101111141759.htm You probably talk to yourself a lot. And often the things you say are self-critical and negative. You can change the things you say to yourself and there are a lot of good reasons why you should according...
Mar 20, 2023•51 min•Ep 866•Transcript available on Metacast No one likes to throw away milk because it went bad. What you may not know is that there is a little trick that can help your milk last longer and I begin this episode by telling you what it is. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7673247/The-ways-groceries-fresh-longer.html Have you ever asked those big questions like - Who are we? Why are we here? Are there aliens out there? Will the universe end one day? These are some of the very good questions I discuss with astrophysicist Neil deGra...
Mar 18, 2023•53 min•Ep 865•Transcript available on Metacast Groceries are expensive. So this episode begins with a very effective and uncomplicated strategy that can save you a ton of money at the supermarket with just a little effort. Source: https://www.grocery.com/the-grocery-game/ When you want to communicate, connect or influence people, certain words are more impactful than others. In fact, there is a whole new science of language regarding this. At the forefront of it all is Jonah Berger, marketing professor at the Wharton School of the University...
Mar 16, 2023•52 min•Ep 864•Transcript available on Metacast If you are having a bad day, you might want to try washing a particular body part. It appears it helps even though it makes no sense. Listen and I will tell you what it is. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21707206/ Imagine if marketers could tell things about you just by the sound f your voice? Well, it is not only possible, it is being done right now! Your voice can reveal your age, height, socio-economic status, ethnicity – all sorts of things. And marketers use it to sell you things. But that...
Mar 13, 2023•50 min•Ep 863•Transcript available on Metacast It’s not too early to think about Mother’s Day. It’s not that far away. So, who started it? How did it all begin. Listen as I begin this episode with a brief explanation of the origins of Mother’s Day and how it got pretty nasty for a while. https://www.rd.com/list/history-of-mothers-day/ Who doesn’t enjoy a good laugh? And laughing also turns out to be really good for you. Laughing has been linked to a longer life and enjoy of host of other benefits. So incorporating more humor, laughter and li...
Mar 11, 2023•53 min•Ep 862•Transcript available on Metacast At the start of a relationship, how important is that first kiss? This episode begins with some interesting statistics that show the significance and long-term potential of being a good kisser. Source: The Science of Kissing by Sheril Kirshenbaum (https://amzn.to/3J35RkN). By now you have heard terms like cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, digital art, and NFTs (non-fungible tokens). But how important is it for you to really know and understand them? Maybe you should be buying them. After al...
Mar 09, 2023•52 min•Ep 861•Transcript available on Metacast Can trees fight crime? Apparently so - at least some types of crime. Although no one is exactly sure how. Listen and I’ll explain. https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2019/04/trees-crime-cincinnati-philadelphia-ida-b-wells-chicago/ Is it true that a goldfish has a 3 second memory? Or that lightning never strikes the same place twice? Of course, you know water conducts electricity, right? Actually no. In fact none of those things are true. There are so many myths in science that people believ...
Mar 06, 2023•51 min•Ep 860•Transcript available on Metacast Cat owners are well aware that cats like to hunt, kill and bring home birds and mice as a trophy. There is something cat owners can do to help reduce the number of times that happens. This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210211113943.htm You must be afraid of something -right? In fact, we are all have fears and that’s a good thing. Fear helps keep us safe. So, what exactly is fear? Where does it come from? And what do you do if fear is keeping yo...
Mar 04, 2023•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Being left-handed or right-handed actually impacts how you make decisions. So how can that be? This episode begins with the explanation. http://casasanto.com/papers/Casasanto&Chrysikou_2011.pdf Many birds see colors you can’t see. Dogs smell things you can’t even imagine. Some animals can sense the magnetic fields of the earth - yet we couldn't possibly do that. These are a few of the fascinating ways that other creatures perceive the world differently than humans. And believe me, it gets even m...
Mar 02, 2023•51 min•Ep 858•Transcript available on Metacast Go to any drug store and somewhere you will see the initials Rx. You probably assume it has to do with medicine or prescriptions or something. But why Rx? What do those letters stand for. This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/06/rx-mean-come/ You are not the person you used to be. And you are not the person you will one day become. That’s the message from Paul Bloom, psychology professor at the University of Toronto and the Brooks and Suzanne Rage...
Feb 27, 2023•51 min•Ep 857•Transcript available on Metacast Think of all the batteries you use in your home for all your remotes and clocks and flashlights. We all go through a lot of batteries and as you are aware, they aren’t cheap. This episode begins with some interesting facts and myths about batteries you likely never knew. http://www.greenbatteries.com/ It does seem that most people don’t like their own voice and wish it sounded better. The good news is, you really can make it better. Your voice is really an instrument and like a musical instrumen...
Feb 25, 2023•53 min•Ep 856•Transcript available on Metacast The simple act of touching other people – by hugging or a high five or putting your arm around someone – is very powerful. This episode begins by explaining the power of touch and how it improves all of our lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R9qyWEJuDI Our memories are incredible… sometimes. And sometimes they fail us miserably. So how does memory work exactly? Why do we remember some things so well and other things, not at all. Why do memories get distorted over time? How can you make your...
Feb 23, 2023•52 min•Ep 855•Transcript available on Metacast You know when you see a really good dancer? What separates the good ones from the not-so-good ones? Well, it is all about one specific part of the body. I start this episode by telling which body part that is and why it is so important. http://www.nature.com/articles/srep42435 Ever wonder why some people are so much more likable than others? Nicholas Boothman knows. He has researched this and authored a book on the subject called How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less (https://amzn.to...
Feb 20, 2023•48 min•Ep 854•Transcript available on Metacast Why are there potholes? Did you know there actually is a “pothole season” when they are more likely to occur? This episode begins with a discussion on one of every drivers’ nemesis – potholes! https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/642198/reason-roads-have-potholes We all have big events in life we need to prepare for. Whether it is a job interview, a speech or any other kind of performance, you have to be ready. So what is the best way to prepare? Listen as I talk to someone who knows a lot about ...
Feb 18, 2023•54 min•Ep 853•Transcript available on Metacast The freezer in your kitchen is not especially kind to the ice cream you store in it – or many other foods for that matter. This episode starts with the explanation and the reason there is often ice crystals on top of your ice cream - and how to get rid of them. Source: Professor Richard Hartel author of the book Ice Cream (https://amzn.to/3jNcVrY). Unlike other creatures on the planet, we have figured out how to take food and make it tastier and tastier. Why do we do that? What is it that makes ...
Feb 16, 2023•52 min•Ep 852•Transcript available on Metacast We start this episode with some interesting things worth knowing about your credit card including what your options are when the credit card company raises your interest rate. https://motuscc.com/credit-card-processing/9-interesting-credit-card-facts-and-stats/ No one likes to be scammed or taken for a fool. In fact we keep our antenna up so make sure that doesn’t happen. Maybe though, we are being too vigilant. By being so skeptical and wary of situations and opportunities, we may miss out on s...
Feb 13, 2023•52 min•Ep 851•Transcript available on Metacast How much gold is on our planet? And have we found most of it? This episode begins with some fascinating intel on gold including how much gold is actually in an Olympic Gold Medal and how much more gold is on a Nobel Prize. https://www.rd.com/article/gold-facts/ If you own your home, how much of the sky above it do you own? Why is “tolerated theft” actually encouraged by some businesses? These are just some of the interesting questions about ownership you will hear discussed with Michael Heller, ...
Feb 11, 2023•53 min•Ep 850•Transcript available on Metacast Why do you have eyebrows? Like everything else, they must have a purpose – there must be a reason. Well, actually there are three reasons. I begin this episode by explaining what they are. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/58424/why-do-we-have-eyebrows When you think about it, every relationship you have ever had, started with small talk. Whether personal or professional, every encounter starts this way if it is ever to develop into something. Still, a lot of people claim to hate small talk an...
Feb 09, 2023•50 min•Ep 849•Transcript available on Metacast 
