Lisa Find Love

The Vatican

More than just the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and home to the Pope, the Vatican is a treasure trove of art and architecture. Its museums display an enormous collection of classical sculptures and Renaissance masterpieces, including Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s Stanze di Raffaello, and, lest we forget, the splendor of St Peter’s Basilica. No wonder the skip-the-line tour is so wildly popular. Prepare for your trip with a deeper look inside the Vatican.

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Three no-fail sleep soothers

We’ve all had those awful, restless nights. You know the ones: the evenings where you just lay in bed, staring at your alarm clock in the dark, silently counting the hours of precious shut-eye you’ll be able to get if you just fall asleep this instant. When your go-to tricks to help you fall asleep or your trusty cup of calming chamomile tea just aren’t working, try these three incredible sleep soothers for a one-way ticket to dreamland. Could one of these medical conditions be the reason you can’t sleep?

1. Weleda Lavender Relaxing Body Oil

All-natural and non-invasive, this fragrant lavender oil soothes and calms. Simply rub into skin toward the heart in a circular motion 
and inhale deeply. Buy it now.

2. Puressentiel Rest & Relax Air Spray

A heady combo of 12 essential oils, including rosewood, cypress and neroli, creates a soothing essence to help promote sleep. Spray it in your room before retiring or spritz it on a tissue and keep it by your bed. Buy it now.

3. Attitude Soothing Chamomille Fabric Softener

If it’s been a few nights since you’ve got some restful shut-eye, try washing your sheets in this calming fabric softener. It’s gentle enough to use on baby’s bedding but worth using on the whole family’s sheets and pajamas. This chamomile-infused fabric softener will help soothe everyone to sleep. Buy it now.

Next, learn how to fall back asleep if you wake up in the middle of the night.

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Choosing a dark lipstick

Lips lose their fullness over time, and dark colors make them look even smaller. Mauves and pinks, on the other hand, highlight lips and give the illusion of fullness. A swipe of lip gloss will plump them up even more. If you do decide to go for a darker shade, pick a sheer formula or a stain, which aren’t as flat as a heavier finish, or dab the color on with your finger. Pick a lip liner that matches the color of your lips, rather than your lipstick, to avoid an overly dark liner that will make your lips look pursed. Check out these makeup artists’ tricks to look younger.

The post 12 Makeup Mistakes That Seriously Age Your Face appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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If you like Jungle Cruise…

…Head to the Amazon, Congo, Nile, and Mekong Rivers. Jungle Cruise, the classic ride located in both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resorts, simulates a riverboat cruise down some of the major rivers of Asia, Africa, and South America. Park guests board a 1930s British explorers’ lodge, and are then taken on a journey to see various faux jungle animals with the help of live Disney cast members keeping things light with scripted and ad-libbed narration for humor. The Amazon, the Congo, the Nile, and the Mekong are the four great rivers that inspired the scenery along the downstream voyage.

Find out all the things you need to book in advance before your trip to Disney.

 

The post Here’s Where You Can Visit the Real Places That Inspired Disney Rides appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Aries (March 21-April 19)

The planet Mars rules Aries, and Mars governs sex drive, astrologist Craig Martin, Sage of Stars, tells Reader’s Digest. Aries folks exude primal sexual energy. The fiery ram pursues whatever is new and sparkly—including lovers. The fun is in the pursuit and the satisfaction that comes from conquest. Passionate about love and seduction (as in all things), there’s something untamed about Aries’ sex drive. They are rarely the seduced, and more often the seducer. (This is your most attractive trait according to your zodiac sign.)

The post What Your Zodiac Sign Says About Your Libido appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Phone booths

In the ’90s, there were about three million payphones in America. But obviously, once the cell phone came along, they became less and less necessary. In New York, kiosks offering phone calls, free Wi-Fi, Internet service, and a port to charge your cell phone are replacing the booths, writes CBS. As for the four payphones left in the Big Apple? They’re all free! Here’s how to lower your cell phone bill once and for all.

The post 8 Things That Will Probably Be Extinct by the Year 2030 appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Competitor coupons at Publix

Did you see a coupon from a competitor instead of Publix? Bring that coupon with you! Publix posts a list of competitors at each store, allowing you to bring in a coupon you saw elsewhere and get that same deal right at Publix.

The post 20 Supermarket Shopping Secrets from America’s Top Grocery Stores appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Don’t go to bed an hour earlier

It can be tempting to try and beat our body’s internal clock by heading to bed according to the clock—but that may not be wise, according to W. Christopher Winter, MD, president of Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine, and author of the book The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How To Fix It. He tells Reader’s Digest, “Moving our clocks earlier an hour is probably the toughest transition for us to make as it creates a situation where many feel compelled to go to sleep an hour early.” He says that you may feel frustrated when you’re trying to fall asleep but your brain won’t shut down. “This brief insomnia can lend itself to a difficult time sleeping at night and the inevitable early morning can make for a difficult first day,” says Dr. Winter. “As a rule, I do not even attempt to go to bed at the new earlier bedtime during the first day.”

Check out these 51 brilliant health tricks you’ll want to make a habit.

The post 16 Things Sleep Doctors Never Do During Daylight Saving Time appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Santa Barbara, California

If you’re looking for a trip that’s full of sunshine and sophistication, travel to this beach-clad U.S. city that calls itself the American Riviera, thanks to its Mediterranean-like climate and coastline. Stay in the affordable and centrally located Hotel Milo, which tastefully blends contemporary beach-chic décor and classic Spanish Colonial architecture, as well as beachy accommodations, outdoor pool, and lush gardens. Wine lovers will love the close proximity to Santa Barbara’s finest vintners and a weekly wine tasting offered by the hotel called “Milo Uncorked.” Make sure to save time for a stroll down State Street, Santa Barbara’s most famous avenue, as well as a visit to Santa Barbara County Courthouse, which is most famous for its Spanish-Moorish architecture scattered throughout the city.

Check out the 15 spring break destinations you haven’t thought of yet.

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The War of the Stars

That’s the French title for Star Wars; in Spanish, it was The War of the Galaxies. Makes sense! The title isn’t the only thing that got a major switch in translation. In Germany, the Millennium Falcon became the “Speeding Falcon.” In France, Han Solo was instead Yan Solo and his Wookie sidekick got the name “Chico.” And their ship? The “Millennium Condor.”

Don’t miss these inspiring Star Wars quotes every fan should know by heart.

 

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When to start eating:

If you’re seated at a table with eight or fewer guests, wait until everyone is served and for the hostess to begin eating before you dig in. At a long banquet table, it’s OK to start when several people are seated and served. Here are more table etiquette mistakes you really need to stop making.

The post 50 Little Etiquette Rules You Should Always Practice appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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You’re not as dirty as you think

Daily showers are best for people with physically demanding jobs, those who live in hot, humid climates, or people prone to sweating. But if you don’t sweat that often, you could probably go two to three days without stepping into the shower, dermatologist Monika G. Kiripolsky, MD, told Men’s Health. Use these quick morning hacks to freshen up without showering.

The post 7 Reasons You Can Probably Get Away With Showering Less appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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I fell in love with Maia Chance’s lovely heroines, Lola (a widowed society matron who has fallen on difficult financial times after her husband’s death) and Berta, her former cook, who becomes her business partner in a detective agency known as The Discreet Retrieval Agency. The series is set in 1920s New York and is filled with highballs, cake, and intrigue.

As I read, I realized that one of my favorite things about the series was the fact that both of these women were single, and that their characters were nuanced and interesting. They are strong and vulnerable in different ways, and they rely on each other, forming a friendship of equals, even as they entertain dating relationships with men along the way.

I caught up with Maia to talk about her inspiration for the series, and see what kind of dating advice Lola and Berta might give.

Tell me a little bit about the series?

It’s a series set in the 1920s. They are two women— a former society matron who has come up on hard times; she partners with her former Swedish cook, Berta, and they open up a sort of tiny detective agency. They mean to only retrieve things—they call themselves The Discreet Retrieval Agency—but things always happen and they usually get embroiled in a murder mystery instead.

It’s rare to find a series with two single female leads. What made you choose these two to head up the Discreet Retrieval Agency?

Well, the personal background—I think those two characters, Lola and Berta, are sort of inspired by the years when I was in my late 20s and I lived with my best friend. We were both single, and it was hard, we were both financially strapped and working really hard and both dating—you know, going through the frog-like men—but in retrospect it was one of the most fun periods of my life. So there’s something definitely of our friendship in there—a little bit wild, slightly boozy, times and being poor and scrappy.

From a more bookish standpoint, I just thought it would be really fun to have two people who sort of can walk through different social strata. They have these different social networks. Berta, the former cook, knows all the servants everywhere—she always knows somebody who knows somebody, and Lola has her high society background. Between the two of them they have a lot of different social skill sets and contacts. I thought it would be fun to have them sort of thrown together—with the dog of course.

What are some of the differences that you’ve found writing characters in a different time and what hasn’t changed?

Well, I have written also in the Victorian era, with a different series, and comparing those two: the 1920s feels much more fresh and modern; the women were sexually liberated and had a lot more freedom and you could be sort of a career woman and not be thought of as a complete spinster. In the Victorian era, things were much more difficult for single women, so it’s fun to write the 1920s—to have people actually go on dates and go out dancing or to the movies whereas in the Victorian series I do the courtship is very constrained and kind of uncomfortable.

I’m trying to think of how the twenties would differ from nowadays and I think it’s just more and more freedom for women and fewer stigmas attached to your various projects and habits.

What advice do you think Lola and Berta would give about love, dating, and being single?

I think Berta would have more practical advice, because she definitely has a love life through the series, but she doesn’t want her love life to impede her freedom. She has even turned down proposals from various men through the series, even if she likes them, because she really is focused on making the agency click. So, I think she would probably say put your career first although she does have a caveat when she speaks about this to Lola—because she’s older. Berta says she’s past the age of wanting to have a family and so why would she have any of her freedom taken away?

Lola has some desire to have kids, on some level, but she’s also really conflicted by the sort of voice of her mother ringing in her head who wants her to marry and settle down and also to marry for money. I don’t know if she’s in any position to give advice, she’s just sort of finding her way and making a lot of mistakes— but she is a brave person, so maybe it would be something about try your hardest and be brave and figure it out even if it’s not what your mom or the culture has set out for you.

From your time as a single woman, what are some of the things that you wish that you had known or things that you wish you could have told your single self from the vantage that you’re at now?

There’s so many things, although I feel like sometimes you just have to live through it, especially in your twenties when you’re still figuring people out.

I feel like I didn’t realize, or I didn’t notice, or I was too accepting of dating men who weren’t really that nice and weren’t respectful to me. Now I’m just like ‘why did I do that?’ I just wish I hadn’t. I wish I had somehow focused more in my mind that that was what was going on and terminated earlier instead of struggling through it.

I don’t want to say that people don’t change, because I think people do change, but I don’t think that a person can make another person change. You can’t just be like ‘oh, I love you so much, why can’t you change for me?’ People don’t just start acting nicer for no reason, that sounds so cynical, but I just think you really cannot make somebody change. I’ve seen my female friends do that, too—they sort of sacrifice themselves like ‘Oh, if I just love him enough it’ll make everything better.’ Love doesn’t really work like that. I think our pop culture makes us feel like it’s this sort of Disney idea of a magical force that can transform like in Beauty and the Beast or something but it’s not really like that. I finally found a person who was already a good person, but obviously, you can probably tell, the subtext is that I really was in some longer relationships with some real jerks.

Do you think that your experiences as a single person played into your writing this series?

I definitely think so. My characters in this series are really brave and they are doing something, they’ve got their agency and they do a lot of kind of risky stuff to solve their cases, but there’s still this sense of a little bit of precariousness in their lives; everything is sort of hanging by a thread in various ways, either financially, or risking themselves socially, or risking their business, or not being able to pay their rent. When you’re a single woman, there are lots of exceptions to this, but my experience was it’s just more expensive to be single because you’re not splitting all of the costs, so it was definitely that feeling of being out there and being brave and doing it but at the same time feeling like the culture is sort of telling you that if you don’t have a man it’s not really for real, like it’s just pretend—they’ve got a lot of people acting like their agency is just kind of little game because it doesn’t have a male detective.

Your characters are fiercely independent but still vulnerable; sassy as well as sweet; and very human. What are you hoping your readers will take away from their time with them?

I definitely want readers to relate to the characters. I want them to root for them even when they are making mistakes. When I’m reading a book, I don’t really like the characters who totally have it together. My characters, especially Lola, she has sort of wardrobe malfunctions which I guess is something that kind of happens to me. I want people to feel connected to the characters—I think we read these stories to watch somebody getting through a tough situation and we want to watch people trying hard and sometimes failing, but ultimately winning, I think that’s why we read novels like this, besides just entertainment, we want to see regular people be scrappy and succeed.

Connect with Maia further at her website.

Cara Strickland writes about food and drink, mental health, faith and being single from her home in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys hot tea, good wine, and deep conversations. She will always want to play with your dog. Connect with her on Twitter @anxiouscook.

The post Singleness 1920s Style: An Interview with Author Maia Chance appeared first on eHarmony Advice.

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In 2019, the moon will be getting its own 4G network. That could be better service than some of us have here on Earth.

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Footnotes for episode 94 of The Daily Zeitgeist which aired on 2.28.18.

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Roof

The life expectancy of your roof really depends on where you live, along with building design, materials and how much work you put into maintaining it. According to the National Association of Home Builders, a tile, copper, or slate roof can last more than 50 years. Wood shake roofs should last about 30 years, while you’ll get about 25 years out of fiber cement. Asphalt shingles will give you about 20 years of reliable service. These ridiculous home improvement fails will make you cringe.

The post This Is the Life Expectancy of 12 Major Items in Your Home appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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GFCI

GFCI is an important acronym to know when doing electrical work. It stands for ground fault circuit interrupter. It shuts off a circuit when it detects current is flowing through an unintended path. A GFCI plug receptacle will reduce the danger of deadly shock from faulty plug-in cords.

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No one in Hollywood is more famous than one poised, golden man. Standing 13.5 inches tall and weighing 8.5 pounds, he has attended every Academy Awards show in history—but has never spent a dime on a tuxedo. While everyone hopes to steal a kiss from him, only a select few actually get to touch him at all.

Yep, we’re talking about Hollywood’s famous golden Oscar statue. Since 1929, this trophy has earned a reputation as the most coveted award in the movie-making business. But it hasn’t always looked the way it does today.

The original design for the statuette, sketched by MGM art director Cedric Gibbons, featured a knight holding a sword and standing on a reel of film. They chose the figure of a knight to represent a “crusader” for the industry. (Here are more things you didn’t know about the Academy Awards.)

But there was more to the first statuette than meets the eye. The spokes on the film reel, for example, symbolized the five branches of the Academy: actors, directors, producers, technicians, and writers. Meanwhile, the sword served to protect the industry’s welfare and advancement.

The Gibbons’s design got a facelift later on, though. When L.A.-based sculptor George Stanley created the three-dimensional version of the famed statue, he removed the reel of film. The sword, however, remains to this day.

That’s not the only part of this famous awards show that might surprise you. Brush up on your Oscar night trivia with more weird things no one tells you about the Oscars.

[Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Town & Country]

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Resígaro

In 2016, Rosa Andrade Ocagane, the last female speaker of the Amazonian language was murdered in Peru at age 67. She and her brother, Pablo—now Resígaro’s last known speaker, making it one of the most endangered languages—were the children of a Resígaro mother and Ocaina father. They spoke their mother’s language to honor her and were also among the last 40 speakers of Ocaina. Don’t miss the secret to learning new languages.

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This is what I mean when I say to get a second opinion

“We’re not going to tell you your doctor is incompetent, but if I say, ‘You have the right to a second opinion,’ that can be code for ‘I don’t like your doctor’ or ‘I don’t trust your doctor.'”—Linda Bell, RN, clinical practice specialist at the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses in Aliso Viejo, California  Here’s how to find a doctor you trust.

The post 50 Secrets Nurses Wish They Could Tell You appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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The meditative practice dates back to ancient times but is growing in popularity in the U.S. What are the benefits and are they real?

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The mirror

We all want to look good when we look at ourselves in the mirror. “However, if you use half of your cleaning solution for only one or two small fingerprints on your mirror, you are overdoing it,” says Harriet Jones of Go Cleaners London. “Moisture from humidity or over-spraying can get behind the mirror and harm the backing. So, clean your mirror when there are enough spots to justify the use of the detergent.” Here’s how often you should be cleaning everything in your house.

The post 10 Things You Are Probably Washing Too Much appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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You get a lot of heartbeats

The average human gets around three billion heartbeats in their lifetime. That’s all the more reason to care for your ticker. Plant-based diets filled with veggies, sipping tea, and practicing yoga are among some of the 15 smart ways to prevent heart disease.

The post 20 Obscure Facts You Never Knew About Your Own Body appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Skimp or splurge?

Traveling is expensive, so between the exchange rate and foreign transaction fees, you want your money to stretch as far as possible without sacrificing the quality of your trip. The first step: Figure out your budget and then rank what’s important to you, says Robert Miller, president of Travel Advocates, a Hoboken, New Jersey-based travel agency. While it’s up to you to determine your personal priorities, Miller says travel agents do have some secret budgeting strategies.

The post 9 Secrets to Traveling Cheap, According to Travel Agents appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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 Q: What is the capital of Spain?

Hint: it’s not Barcelona.

The post Can You Pass This Geography 101 Quiz? appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Hands

Especially in women, your hands will be one of the first body parts you’ll notice showing signs of age, says board-certified dermatologist Kally Papantoniou, MD, FAAD. Hormonal changes results in a loss of skin elasticity and volume loss on the backs of our hands,” she says. “These changes cause the crepey appearance of skin and also makes the veins very prominent.” Plus, your hands are rarely covered and form age spots from sun exposure, adding to the signs of aging. Slathering sunscreen on your hands or slipping on a pair of driving gloves can block out the harmful UV rays, says Ivy Lee, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Pasadena, California, and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at UCLA. Here are more ways to get younger-looking hands.

The post 9 Body Parts That Reveal Your Age First appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Sweetgreen

The Scoop: This cool salad spot, with locations nationwide, offers fresh, seasonal ingredients with a hip aesthetic. (Their New York locations recently partnered with hipster fave Mission Chinese to create a modern take on the Chinese chicken salad.)

What to Get: “A Sweetgreen salad can hold four servings of vegetables, more than half the recommended amount,” says Tanya Zuckerbrot, RD, author and founder of The F-Factor Diet. She also likes the new tiger bowl. “It contains fiber from the spinach, wild rice, kimchi, carrots, pears, and seeds and uses the new Tiger Dressing, which has only 10 calories per serving and a bold ginger flavor.”

Don’t miss these 12 healthy salad ideas that will make lunch exciting again.

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You’re not clear why it’s an emergency

Doctors want you to be able to clearly articulate why you need urgent care. “If somebody hasn’t called their primary care doctor or regular specialist, I wonder, why are they here to see me?” says Leana Wen, MD, an emergency physician at George Washington University and coauthor of When Doctors Don’t Listen: How to Avoid Misdiagnoses and Unnecessary Tests. “Maybe they called their doctor, but can’t get in for a week. Maybe they’re concerned they have a heart problem. Either way, tell me what you’re really worried about.” These mistakes can lead to a misdiagnosis in the ER.

The post Doctors Confess: 10 Ways Patients Screw Up in the ER appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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The tiny house movement is providing homes for people who need shelter.

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Challenges provide growth opportunities—if we’re willing to see them as such and to face them. This is especially true for therapy. Yet we tend to assume that in order to be helpful, therapy must be a smooth process, without any hiccups or bumps.

But it’s these very bumps, when handled in collaboration with a sensitive, skilled therapist, that can often lead to the biggest breakthroughs.

Below Manhattan psychotherapist Panthea Saidipour, LCSW, shared three challenges that are actually beneficial, challenges that help you better understand yourself and enhance not only the relationship with your therapist, but your relationships outside of therapy, as well.

Challenge: You’re worried your therapist will judge you.

You’re convinced that your therapist will think you’re weird for the dreams you’ve been having. They’ll think you’re selfish because you don’t want to homeschool your kids anymore. They’ll think your family is absolutely nuts, and wonder what’s wrong with you.

You picture yourself being the topic of their dinner conversation. You picture them talking about how weak you are. You envision them recounting all the dumb decisions you’ve made.

Worrying that your therapist will judge you is actually a super common concern, especially when you’re starting therapy, said Saidipour, who works with young professionals in their 20s and 30s who want to gain a deeper understanding of themselves. Therapy requires vulnerability, which understandably sparks anxiety—and all sorts of what-ifs: What if they think I’m a loser? What if they think I’m broken and there’s no way back?

Even though it can feel incredibly awkward, sharing your worries with your therapist is vital. In order to be effective, therapy requires honesty. It requires that you tell the truth, no matter how ugly or uncomfortable it might seem or feel.

When you share such worries with your therapist, often you realize that they’re actually a reflection of how a critical part of you thinks and feels about yourself, Saidipour said. Which, of course, is important information—and important to work through.

Sometimes, the fear of judgment shows up when you’ve been attending therapy for a while. Which might surprise you, because you have a great relationship with your therapist. According to Saidipour, this might mean that you’re close to discussing a difficult topic, a topic you’ve felt shame over. This is a good thing, too. “Understanding this can help you and your therapist become more aware of the significance of that issue in your life, and help guide you on how to proceed.”

Challenge: You’re mad at your therapist.

You feel like your therapist wasn’t listening to you. You think they brushed right over an issue that’s significant and distressing to you. Maybe they interrupted you. Maybe they seemed distracted. Maybe they said something that didn’t sit well with you. Maybe they asked a question that irritated you. And you find yourself getting mad at them. You also find yourself getting mad that you’re mad, because maybe you came to therapy to work on your anger—and clearly it’s not working.

Actually, this is normal and, when you talk about it together, presents another key opportunity.

It’s an opportunity to work on an interaction right away and strengthen your relationship with your therapist, Saidipour said. This is critical because regardless of the type of psychotherapy you’re in—cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, psychodynamic therapy—therapy is about the relationship between you and your therapist, she said. “Research consistently shows that the quality of the therapist-client relationship is the main predictor of positive outcome of psychotherapy, regardless of what theoretical approach the therapist uses.” (See here and here for some research.)

“If [therapy] were just about learning skills, you’d read a self-help book. So many wounds happen in the context of a relationship, and they are also healed in relationships.”

Similarly, it’s an opportunity to uncover the relationship themes and patterns that exist outside of therapy for you: These themes might revolve around feeling disappointed or misunderstood by others, feeling isolated and disconnected from others, or feeling angry and critical of others, she said.

For instance, when your therapist responds with very little enthusiasm about your upcoming job interview, you feel deflated, and the all-too familiar wave of frustration washes over you. When you mention this to your therapist, you realize that you also feel hurt—and utterly rejected. Together you both trace these feelings back to a significant moment when you felt the same way.

“Having this conflict in therapy lets you work on it in real time, with someone who’s careful and sensitive to you, and gives you an opportunity to rework old relationship patterns in new ways.”

Challenge: You have nothing to talk about in session.

Maybe you came to therapy during a crisis. You were experiencing difficult, almost unmanageable emotions. Or you were going through a complex conflict, which shook the foundation of a close relationship. Or you were in the middle of major depression or daily panic attacks.

Now after doing the work, thankfully, things are in a healthier, more stable and settled place. And you find yourself with nothing to talk about in session.

According to Saidipour, particularly in psychodynamic or psychoanalytic therapy, where the intention is to gain a deeper understanding of yourself, this provides a prime opportunity to excavate.

In fact, some of the most “fruitful sessions” Saidipour has had with clients have begun with the words: “I have nothing to talk about.” She encourages clients to say whatever comes to mind—whether it feels relevant or not. “Following those thoughts [typically] naturally leads us into deeper work, what’s underneath the day-to-day occurrences. Often clients will end those same sessions surprised: ‘I had no idea that would come up!’”

In some cases, you don’t have anything to talk about, because you’re actually afraid to bring up a difficult topic. This fear may not even be a conscious one. Which is why doing deeper work in therapy is so powerful: You can unearth what’s outside your awareness.

“What seems like an issue can actually be an opportunity to understand yourself better,” Saidipour said. “The more you understand about your relationship to yourself and others, the freer you’ll be to move forward in your life.”

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A surprising number of people do, but why? And are there any downsides to doing it?

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Sydney

The “Harbour City” is a hub of creativity and striking sights. Carve out some time to explore the extraordinary, waterfront Sydney Opera House. Buy tickets for a live performance or book a backstage tour. On second thought, why not do both? Sydney’s speakeasies are perfect for a nightcap—that is if you can find ’em. The next day, lace up your sneaks for the Bondi to Coogee walk that stretches 3.7 miles along the coast. Animal lovers will go crazy for the cute koalas and kangaroos at the Taronga Zoo. Find out the best time to visit Sydney—and other major cities.

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Cancun

Cancun has a reputation as party central—and deservedly so. It’s flush with all-inclusive resorts that serve bebidas (drinks) from AM to PM. And the clubs in Zona Hotelera are a favorite among spring-breakers looking for booze-fueled fun. But there’s more to Cancun than drinking and dancing. Notably, plenty of recreational activities and family-oriented properties too. And with Mayan ruins just a short drive away, you can treat kids to an eye-opening day trip. Here are 10 vacations that even your jaded teenagers will enjoy.

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 Never blow on your food

Let your food cool of its own accord—don’t blow on it. Make sure that you also always practice these 50 little etiquette rules.

The post 15 Butler’s Tips for Impeccable Table Manners appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Apron

Back in the Middle Ages, the French called this protective cooking gear a naperon. But once English speakers adopted the word, the phrase “a napron” often blended together when people said it out loud. Thus, “a napron” became “an apron,” instead—and we have spelled it that way ever since. Check out more accidental discoveries that changed the world.

The post 15 Real Words That Were Invented by Accident appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Fog harvesting has been going on in some form since ancient times, but scientists have been refining the method so people living in some of the most arid climates can have water.

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Some neutron stars may have a pretty amazing party trick up their stellar sleeves.

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You use a loofah

You may think you’re scrubbing away dirt when you wash with a loofah, but you could actually be harming the delicate balance of good bacteria on your skin. “We now understand that to maintain skin health, we must protect our skin’s healthy rain forest of powerful bugs that comprise the skin’s microbiome,” says dermatologist Whitney Bowe, MD, author of The Beauty of Dirty Skin. “Research has shown that our good bugs can prevent infection, control inflammation, aid in wound healing, and keep skin looking younger.” Instead of harsh cleansing that can cause skin damage, exfoliate—using your hands—no more than twice a week, Dr. Bowe says. Find out the other things dermatologists never put on their faces.

The post 15 Everyday Habits That Are Wrecking Your Skin appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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George Washington was a dancer

Before he became our nation’s first president, Mr. Washington danced the night away at countless parties and balls, often with a new leading lady on his arm. Want more presidential trivia? Try these facts about George Washington you never learned in school.

The post 24 Delightful Little-Known Talents of U.S. Presidents appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Food to eat in your 20s

Think that just because you’re young and your metabolism is in high gear that you don’t need to worry about nutrition? Think again, says Keith Kantor, PhD, nutritional scientist and CEO of NAMED, a program designed to help people conquer food addictions. “This is the critical decade for young adults; what you eat now sets the foundation and habits for a life of health or health problems,” he says.

What’s on the menu: Lots and lots of fresh fruits and veggies as these provide the nutrients your still-developing body and brain need. Aim to eat at least nine servings of produce a day, with a 3:1 ratio of vegetables to fruit, he advises. It’s also important to drink plenty of water as it moves nutrients through the body, controls appetite and cravings, and boosts athletic and brain performance, he adds. Bonus: Both of these tips are on the list of 50 science-backed ways to lose weight without exercise.

The post The Healthiest Foods You Can Eat in Every Decade of Your Life appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Only drink water when you dine out

The average family of five spends upwards of $70 to dine out together, estimates Jeff Speight, CFP wealth advisor at Tanglewood Total Wealth Management, but you can easily cut that down by $12 by skipping one thing: Drinks! Chances are high you probably need more water, anyway, so why not save the juices or the glass of vino for when you arrive home and go the free route of H20 instead. If you dine out several times a week, you’re looking at nearly $100—and more hydrated bodies!

Find out 17 habits of great savers.

The post 11 Ridiculously Easy Ways to Save Money Without Feeling the Pinch appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Mistake #1: Going it alone

Buying your first home is a big deal. It’s a major (really major) financial transaction, and it has a big emotional component too. This is where you’ll live, and love, and shelter your family! So protect yourself by working with a pro, who will help you steer clear of many of the mistakes on this list. A buyer’s agent guides you through the process of how to buy your first home, and typically, you don’t pay for her services (the seller does). In some cities and states, you must be represented by a real estate lawyer; and again, you’ll want and need professional help to navigate the complicated waters of negotiating a deal and financing a home purchase. Start the process by asking these essential questions for first-time homebuyers.

The post 11 Shockingly Common Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Your First Home appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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The country music superstar gave away her 100 millionth book and was honored by the U.S. Library of Congress.

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Footnotes for episode 93 of The Daily Zeitgeist which aired on 2.27.18.

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Why we can’t sleep at night

Americans are exhausted—according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, up to 35 percent of U.S. adults suffer from brief symptoms of insomnia, up to 20 percent suffer from short-term insomnia, and 10 percent experience chronic insomnia. (Here are the different types of insomnia you can have.) The causes are multifold, says Judith Davidson, a sleep researcher and clinical psychologist at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

“Insomnia can be due to a loss, relationship stress, high stress at work, illness, or pain; the cause may also involve racing thoughts and worries, including worries about the effects of not sleeping.”

Our over-reliance on technology may also be keeping us awake: exposure to the artificial light of televisions, computers, and phones before bed enhances alertness and suppresses the release of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin. Heightened emotions and menstrual cycles are also factors, which might explain why women are twice as likely to report insomnia than are men.

Keep reading to find out if one of these eight factors are the reason you’re not getting enough rest.

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Faucet handle

This one is kind of a no-brainer. You turn on the water with dirty, contaminated hands and then turn the water off using the same faucet with clean hands. Even though you washed your hands, you picked up germs on your way out. After washing your hands, grab a paper towel and use it to turn the faucet off. If the bathroom doesn’t have paper towels, turn off the faucet with your elbow. Be sure you’re washing your hands the right way, too.

The post 8 Places You Should Never, Ever Touch in Public Bathrooms appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Make your own coffee

Think about how much you pay for that fancy latte with special milk each morning. Now, consider that you can make your own at home for under 20 cents per cup. “When you see these numbers exposing the “latte effect” over a lifetime, you may be more inspired to make your own,” says Vera Gibbons, personal finance expert and founder of noponews.com. (Here’s how to make a budget you can actually stick to.)

You save: $100 to $150 every month

The post 15 Money-Saving Ideas That Will Make You $1,200 Richer appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Two abs strength workouts = Twice the fun

When it comes to abs, everyone wants them, but not everyone wants to do the work. I created two abs strength workouts that should show results within three to four months, when done regularly and with gradual increases in challenge (eg. heavier weight or exercise modification). The reason we do strength training to engage the entire core (not just your abdominals) is for fat loss and getting lean. The two abs strength workouts pair upper and lower body, as well as opposing muscle groups, strategically to get the most out of the workouts. (Just be sure you don’t make this big mistake when doing your abs exercises.) Then the workouts end with an Energy System Development, also known as the “finisher.” This is where you will get in your cardio, which makes these HIIT training.

The post These Two Workouts Get You Killer Abs Without a Single Crunch or Plank appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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