A Little Fresh Air (Scientifically) Good For You

by Yasmin Rufo BBC News    If you’ve ever felt calmer after a walk in the park or a stroll through the woods, it’s not your imagination – it’s biology.    Spending just 20 minutes in nature can trigger measurable changes inside your body, from lowering stress hormones, to easing blood pressure and even improving …

Is Small Talk A Big Help In Making Friends?

by Kevin Burton    Are we going today from sublime to ridiculous?  Or is that just my bias?    Yesterday we ran part of a Los Angeles Times story about making friends in our adult years. We finish that story, by reporter Seraphina Seow today.    Psychologists interviewed by The Times, offered five suggestions for …

Rediscovering The Lost Art Of Making Friends

by Seraphina Seow Los Angeles Times    A friend of mine has been hoping to make new friends as a 26-year-old. She’s made every effort to put herself out there: joined clubs, volunteered, initiated catch-ups.    But every time she establishes a new connection, it wanes after a few weeks. She suspects that it may be …

Things Get Better With Age, If You Let Them

By Hannah Singleton National Geographic      While aging is often portrayed as a slow decline, scientists say that view overlooks the bigger picture.    “Everyone talks about aging as this decline,” said Michelle Feng, chief clinical officer at Executive Mental Health and a licensed psychologist who specializes in geriatric psychology and medicine. “But aging …

Truth From Bathroom Scales And God’s Scales

by Kevin Burton    My bathroom scale is a talking scale. Many a time, I‘ve wished it would just shut up.    It makes me want to flush the toilet and run the water faucet, maybe clear my throat once or twice to drown out the bad news. That way at least  maybe my wife …

Singing Good For Baby, Mommy And Daddy

by Kevin Burton    Lullabies or otherwise, sing to your baby. It’s good for all involved.    That’s the finding of a team of scientists who conducted a recent study.     This should be no surprise to anyone. Adding music to just about any setting improves the mood and atmosphere. And who knows, you parents …

A Fearful List Of Ten Unusual Phobias

by Dictionary Scoop     The word “phobia” does not merely mean “fear of” as some believe. There is more to it.    A phobia is an irrational fear, “an exaggerated usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects, or situation,” according to Merriam-Webster dictionary.    Here are ten uncommon fears and …

The Hidden Psychology Of Know-It-Alls

by Dean Burnett BBC    We all know someone like it. You probably work with or are even related to one. At office parties and family gatherings, you’re likely to have to interact with one and rediscover just how annoying they are.    We’re talking about the ‘know-it-all.’ Individuals who will enthusiastically lecture you about …

Dear Reader You Are The Very Bestest Ever!

by Kevin Burton    Who doesn’t like to get a compliment every now and then?  Of course that’s not a real question – we all do!    So I say with near certainty, this is your lucky day. It’s World Compliment Day!    No, not National, but World Compliment Day. This is for people all …

Six Defining Traits Of Long, Healthy Marriages

by Kells McPhillips Fortune Magazine    Everyone who says “I do” hopes for not just a marriage but a great marriage.     They hope for a marriage that, according to Christina Eller, LMHC, a psychotherapist specializing in treating couples, is based on “a solid friendship where you’re nurturing each other and where you have high …