Whether we like it or not, studying is a crucial part of the educational experience. Whether you’re trying to memorize muscles in the body or quizzing yourself on the details surrounding a certain period of history, the truth about studying is that not all methods are created equal.

Early last year, lying in a hospital bed, I mourned, “We didn’t get to go camping together.” Things looked bleak, and my husband asked if I had any life regrets. I don’t recall a word of this conversation, so I was as surprised as anyone to hear that NOT CAMPING was on my list of life disappointments!

When was the last time you were generous towards someone else? Whether it was paying for your friend’s coffee, spending time volunteering at XYZ, helping someone carry something in even though you were busy, etc.?

As you watch the man across the room walk toward you, without even thinking about it, you begin to come to conclusions about what type of person this may be. Some are easier to reach than others. His height, for example, age, general level of fitness, and degree of grooming or self care.

Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder can include difficulties in communicating, rarely sharing enjoyment of activities with others, speaking for long periods without the awareness that others aren’t interested or being given a chance to speak, and making facial expressions that don’t match what they are saying (NIH).

I found it a chore that I’d rather not do. It just seemed silly, writing a note and thanking someone when I had already told them thank you in person when I had received the gift!

Have you ever found yourself lying awake at night while your mind swirls around something again and again to the point where you feel paralyzed to do anything about it?

Researchers studied whether dancing was a good therapy for treating depression, and it is. Because dancing is all about moving your body and expressing emotions, it can help alleviate some of those symptoms, as well as reduce the levels of depression. 

People complain on social media, the news, etc. all day every day. Memes are created from complaining, people go viral ranting about something petty. We’ve been raised to complain. 

While women are born with it, it does need to be mastered. And once mastery is achieved, she is exalted into a different stratosphere among her peers. Some guys will argue they have similar skills, but the reality is they are just fooling themselves. 

Research is currently being conducted on what is referred to as “smartphone dependence” and one study reports that 60% of 2,097 American smartphone users cannot go one hour without checking their smartphones, a condition now called nomophobia (Hussain, et al., 2017).  

We can’t let fear decide our goals and dreams. We can’t let fear control the decisions we make. Fear is designed to keep us alive in a fight or flight moment, not as a governing principle for a lifetime. 

You might not like coffee, but you drink tea, or soda, or energy drinks. We all consume caffeine pretty regularly, so let’s talk about what it does to our brains - the good and the ugly.

I’m also not talking about the kind of breaks that involve eating a sugary snack or looking at Instagram or Facebook. A break that is going to help is completely shifting your focus from the subject you’re working on. This break should also involve something that will bring positive emotions.

I recently discovered something that I knew all along. I know what you’re thinking. That doesn’t make any sense. Let me explain. Have you ever believed something that you weren’t entirely sure was accurate until someone much more intelligent than you verified for you what you already thought to be the case? 

I remember being in a particular relationship where I refused to cry. I thought crying showed weakness, and I couldn’t be weak. So, when I would start to feel emotional, I would leave. Obviously, this wasn’t a healthy way to express myself.

Over the long haul, LOLing has even more benefits! It has the power to boost your immune system, help you feel more connected, and improve your mood (Mayo Clinic, 2021). There’s a yiddish proverb that says, “What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul.” Nothing wipes the slate clean or gives us that feeling of a fresh start like a good, strong laugh.

The skit featured comedian and satirist, Al Franken. Stuart, played by Franken, was famous for his gaze in a mirror and repeating the phrase, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it people like me." So just imagine learning about the idea of self-affirmation while Stuart Smalley was gaining in popularity. 

It was never meant to exist apart from a relationship, but pornography doesn’t include any of that in it’s equation. Porn can’t teach us what good sex is because it can never be truly good itself. It’s a fake. It’s entertainment. It’s a money maker. It’s a relationship free turn-on which, we understand initially, might seem kinda like a dream come true. That’s its hook.

Basically, it can be used to treat all levels of stress: serious recent trauma, well-established stress patterns, unclear psychological issues, and proactive efforts to establish better health.

You don’t have to wait until you feel like you’re going to blow up. Just tap for a few minutes.