Intelligence For Your Life

Here are two quick things you can do to dial down your stress response. They come from clinical psychologist, Dr. Jenny Taitz. To start, try jumping in a pool! It can reduce your stress almost instantly! Because when we submerge ourselves in cool water and hold our breath – whether it’s a pool, lake, ocean or even dunking in a kiddie pool – it activates our “dive reflex.”

That slows your heart rate and redirects blood away from the your extremities, and toward your heart. And that physiological change has been shown to decrease anxiety. Submerging yourself in cool water also shifts more blood to your brain, and creates a sense of clarity that can help calm overwhelming emotions. 

Another trick to reduce stress: Distract yourself with strong sensations. When we’re stressed or anxious, our attention narrows and we only focus on the negatives. So, if you’re having a hard time objectively looking at a situation and making decisions, or if you feel mentally stuck, a quick distraction can allow you to reset.

So try chewing on a hot pepper, holding ice cubes in your hands or smelling a pungent cheese. That will reset your brain and attention so you can think more clearly. 

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What goes through your mind when you hear workplace phrases like: “let’s circle back,” “get the ball rolling,” “on my radar,” or “let’s pivot”? Well, if you’re like most of today’s workers, you probably wish we could skip all that workplace “jargon,” and just say what we mean, In fact, according to a new survey of 15-hundred office workers, a whopping 90% said that when they hear someone using jargon, they assume the speaker has no clue what they’re talking about! 

So, what are the most annoying workplace jargon phrases? “Think outside the box” was hands-down the most hated phrase, with 1-in-4 workers saying they’d prefer hearing someone say “be original.”
Then, 23% of workers say they’re confused why anyone would say “let’s circle back” instead of just saying, “let’s discuss that again later.”
And 1-in-5 employees said they wish we’d all stop saying “stay ahead of the curve” at work!

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With sky-high home prices – along with interest rates – tiny homes are making a comeback!

That’s because the average cost of a tiny home is 87% cheaper than a standard home.

And if you’re building one from the ground up, the timetable from breaking ground to move-in is around a month, with an average cost between $30- and $60-thousand dollars.

But keep in mind that a tiny house means exactly that! It’ll be 600 square feet or less. The majority of tiny homes are being purchased by Millennials……But retirees want them, too.  so tiny homes are back…they may be tiny  but they are hugely popular right now

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To reboot your brain, and focus on a new goal, wash your hands!  The act of washing your hands can cleanse your brain of old ideas. 

Researchers at the University of Toronto discovered that hand washing – or even using hand sanitizer – can make prior goals seem less important and new goals more important. It helps us shift our priorities. That’s because wiping away dirt becomes a physical trigger for psychological cleanse – making it easier to separate old and new ideas.  

So, if you’re trying to shift your focus to something new, go wash your hands. You’ll find it easier to let go of the recent past and move on.

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Don’t shoot the messenger here if you’ve just finished painting your bedroom Thunder Gray or Silver Half-Dollar Gray, for example… But according to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, so-called “gray fatigue” is real!

Which may not be surprising, considering that since 2008, nearly EVERYTHING has been turning gray. It was THE top selling shade for cars, shiny new tech gadgets, stainless steel appliances, and more. Interior designers also found that if they painted homes in pale gray shades, the color was “neutral” and inoffensive enough that homes would sell much faster – compared to if they were painted white, beige, or something more colorful.

So, what happened? Well, when the pandemic hit, and many of us started spending more time at home, a lot of people looked around their gray rooms and decided their interiors reminded them of gray hospital walls or prison cells!
And it’s why most paint companies and interior designers are now seeing a spike in interest in using more colorful shades……

ANY color… as long as it’s not gray!

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There’s a stress relief tip that’s going viral on social media…… It comes from Dr. Karan Rajan , a lecturer at the University of Sunderland in the UK.  He says the key to calming down, and improving your resilience to stress, can be found in your throat!

Because by singing, humming or even gargling water you cause  your heart rate and breathing to slow down, which reduces anxiety and promotes relaxation.

And the more easily you can put yourself in this state, the more capable your body will be of adapting to stressful situations.

amazing effect just from just spending some time humming, singing, or gargling!

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If you want to make a big change in your life, new research shows it helps to visualize your “possible selves.” That’s a concept that describes how people envision their futures: what you want to become, or even fear becoming!

The official term for this is “self-perception,” which refers to our ability to see what we might become – for better or worse. And according to Dr. Hazel Markus, a psychology professor at Stanford University, self-perception is a powerful motivator to make big changes and achieve our dreams! 

As an example: In my case, I imagined what Dr. Markus would call my “hoped-for-self,” where I saw myself as a successful musician, instead of the guy reading celebrity birthdays on TV! 

But surprisingly, Dr. Markus says it also helps to imagine our “feared self,” or the version of ourselves that we most dread. Because fear can also be a powerful motivator. But both a positive and a negative “possible self” are equally motivating. 

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If you’re trying to eat better, and cut out fast food and unhealthy snacks – this will make it easier……

We can train ourselves to crave healthy foods. That’s according to nutrition scientist Dr. Susan Roberts from Tufts University. She says the brain can be rewired to prefer things like fruits and vegetables. 

Here’s how to do it: You simply have to choose to eat good-for-you foods when you’re absolutely starving. Because true hunger will help form neurological connections that’ll make you associate the taste of healthy foods with the pleasure of satiating your hunger.

So Dr. Roberts says just reach for a healthy snack the next 10 to 15 times when you’re really hungry and that’ll solidify a new habit. And Dr. Roberts says she’s had patients who have changed their cravings in as little as 2 weeks.

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The health of your relationship could boil down to 4 words: “How was your day?”

Marriage counselor Sharon Rivkin has been helping couples for over 30 years – and she says she found that a full 90-percent of them have stopped asking: “How was your day?” 

Dr. Rivkin believes this phrase is as important as “I love you”. And she says she has found that without daily conversations – that aren’t about chores or bills – resentment will build, your bond will weaken, and eventually, there’s a much bigger likelihood  of a  break up! 

So Rivkin says even if you don’t feel like there are any issues in your relationship, it’s still a good idea to start having daily check-ins with your partner. All you have to do is ask, “How was your day?”

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How would you like a 5-figure salary boost? All you have to do is exercise regularly! We all know that exercising provides tons of health benefits. But, according to the Journal of Labor Research, there’s a direct correlation between exercise and earning power, too! 

The study looked at thousands of people who regularly exercised and thousands who did not. The result? The study found that, on average, those who exercised regularly made $25-thousand-dollars more per year.

And what if you’re doing high-intensity interval training? Those who go at it hard make an additional $13-thousand-dollars more per year than people who did low-intensity workouts. 
The study also found that people who exercise regularly describe themselves as happier, more optimistic, and a lot more sociable. 

So what’s the connection? It’s all about the personality traits of people who prioritize fitness. It’s indicative of dedication, goal setting and good decision-making. And all of those qualities can help you excel on the job…….as well as in the gym.  

Again there’s now a direct correlation between exercise and earning power.

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In case you need another reason to plan a vacation: Traveling is really great for your brain!

That’s according to neuropsychologist Dr. Paul Nussbaum, founder of the Brain Health Center in Pennsylvania. He says ANY time you expose your brain to new environments, your brain becomes more alert……and the more unusual the environment, the more areas of your brain will be activated.

That helps build new neural connections,. And Dr. Nussbaum says that’s an important way to ward off age-related cognitive decline…That’s why he recommends planning vacations that take you OUT of your comfort zone in some way……Whether that means trying new activities and cuisines, or immersing yourself in cultures and languages you’ve never experienced before! Because bottom line: The more novel and complex your travel experience, the better it is for your brain!

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Along the lines of “fake it ‘til you make it”…… Believing you’re creative can make you more creative! That’s according to researchers at the University of Maryland. 

They found that believing you’re creative increases your ability to come up with inventive solutions and original ideas. 

The researchers gathered hundreds of college students. One group was told to imagine themselves as a creative professional – like an artist, writer or designer. The other group was told to take on the mindset of someone in a more conventional, traditional profession – like an accountant or librarian. 

The students then completed the “Uses of Objects Task,” which is a standard psychological test measuring creativity. Basically, you brainstorm various alternate uses for ordinary objects – like a coffee mug or a brick. 

The result?

The students who imagined themselves as artists or writers were able to think of more uses for the objects – and more original uses – than the students who imagined themselves as accountants. 

Again from the study… believing you’re creative increases your ability to come up with original ideas. 

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Scientists have narrowed down some foods that are proven to make us more likely to be bitten by mosquitoes. Here are some of the highlights, according to the journal Chemical Senses:First: Salty foods – including French fries, potato chips, and peanuts. Sodium increases the amount of lactic acid released in your sweat……and lactic acid is a top mosquito magnet!

The same goes for pickles……or any fermented food, for that matter, including sauerkraut, yogurt, kombucha, and cheese. The fermentation process actually creates higher levels of lactic acid in food. So, mosquitoes will be drawn to you AND the food you’re eating!

Another bug bite magnet is alcohol. Whether you prefer beer or cocktails, they contain carbs that’ll ultimately be processed as sugar……And mosquitoes LOVE sugar! In fact, researchers say if insects can’t satisfy their sweet tooth on the rim of your glass, they’ll go after the sweet scent of sugar coming from your breath!

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Here’s a conversation starter for you.  It turns out we were right all the time. It’s just what we thought. Research from UC San Diego reveals that a lot of dog owners really do look like their pets. In a study of facial photographs, there was more resemblance between owner-pet photo pairs than pairs of pictures that were randomly matched.

And when study subjects were shown separate photos of pets and their owners, they were often able to match the two. So why would we look like our dogs?  It’s because we tend to be comforted by faces that match the one we see in the mirror……So we feel more at ease around a dog that looks like us than a dog that doesn’t.

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When it comes to first impressions, psychologist Dr. Phil Mcleer  says that our voice carries just as much weight as our looks. In fact, according to the Journal of Voice, when we hear someone speak, the first thing we do is form an opinion about them. So here’s how to use your voice to your advantage:

First: pay attention to the pitch of your voice. When we’re in a tense situation – like a job interview – stress can tighten our vocal chords making it come out strained and squeaky. So, Dr. McAleer recommends warming up our vocal cords by humming. The sound you hear is the natural pitch of your voice. Try that before heading into a stressful situation. 

Next, you’ll sound more likeable if you smile when you speak – even on the phone. Smiling raises the soft palate, making the sound waves we produce more fluid……And that makes our voice sound warm and friendly.

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That’s the name for a social group, where guys get together to build stuff – like furniture, bird feeders, park benches and – yes – sometimes actual sheds! Or, guys can learn how to build stuff, say, by taking welding classes, sewing or using power tools. 

According to Mark Winston, founder of the U.S. Men’s Shed Association, the point isn’t really to make things. It’s more about giving men a chance to do something productive and build new FRIENDSHIPS in the process! Because according to the latest Gallup data, today’s men have fewer friends than ever – with a shocking 1-in-7 adult men saying they have NO close friendships! Which means a lot of guys are at serious risk for loneliness and depression.

And where women tend to form new friendships by talking face-to-face, research shows that men prefer socializing while they’re side-by-side – say, watching sports or building things. It’s less threatening, psychologically. Because, in a man’s subconscious, being face-to-face is considered confrontational. 

Men’s Shed groups have been popular overseas for years…… And now they’re finally catching on across North America.

Want to check one out? Check out US Men’s Sheds dot org – or Men’s Sheds Canada dot CA. 

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Here’s a quick way to control your appetite when you go to the grocery store: Have a strong mint before you walk past the bakery section. That advice comes from the book “Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping” by psychologist Paco Underhill.

He says managers put the  bakery at the front of the store because they know studies show that simply smelling delicious food will make you buy more food. But if you have a eucalyptus lozenge or a strong mint in your mouth, you’ll kill that smell sensation and you’ll walk right by the sticky buns. 

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If you want to be happy, you may want to try some tips from the 18-hundreds!  In 1820, writer and philosopher Sydney Smith wrote a letter to his unhappy friend, Lady Morpeth. In it, he offered his tips for how to be happy……and his suggestions are as solid now as they were 200 years ago.

For example:“Go into the bath with water at a temperature low enough to give you a slight sensation of cold.” Smith is basically saying – try cold-water therapy! And we now know that even 30 seconds of a cold shower can kick-start our endorphins. 

Another piece of happiness advice from Smith: “Read amusing books.” And new research has found that reading a novel forces your brain to turn the words into mental images. That occupies your brain’s processing power, taking your mind off your worries, creating a kind of meditative state.

More advice from the 1800’s: “Be as much as you can in the open air.” Translation: Get out in nature! And according to the University Of Michigan, people who feel connected to nature have more positive attitudes – and overall, have higher levels of happiness.  

One final piece of advice from writer Sydney Smith back in 1820: “Don’t be too severe upon yourself.” The essence of that is to treat yourself kindly! And according to the University of Texas, people who practice self-compassion have less stress and depression, and more self-confidence. 

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Here’s an easy way to de-stress and feel calmer: Mow the lawn! That comes from researchers at the University of Queensland School of Biomedical Science. They found that the compounds released by freshly-cut grass soothe our brain’s anxiety center, and can help us feel calmer and more relaxed in as little as 2 minutes. 

It’s down to an organic chemical found in freshly-cut grass that affects the amygdala and hippocampus – the emotional parts of the brain – cutting production of the stress hormone cortisol, and releasing feel-good serotonin. In fact, some research suggests the compounds are as effective at warding off depression as taking Prozac!

If you don’t have a lawn to mow, the experts say you can just simply crush a few blades of grass between your fingers, and take a good whiff. Again, the compounds released by freshly-cut grass soothe will  help us feel calmer and more relaxed in as little as 2 minutes. 

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Getting good sleep can make or break your weight loss goals! That’s according to neuroscientist Dr. Matthew Walker from UC Berkeley. Here’s why: First: A good night’s sleep will reduce cravings for unhealthy food. It takes willpower to order a salad instead of pizza, and research shows a lack of sleep undercuts our willpower.

In Dr. Walker’s research, people who got 8 hours of sleep tended to prefer healthy foods. But when those same people pulled an all-nighter, their brains lit up like crazy in the presence of junk food! That’s because, when we’re sleep deprived, we have less energy. So our brain compels us to eat the highest calorie foods available to get our energy back.

Also… Good sleep helps us burn more calories when we’re awake. According to the Annals of Internal Medicine, being sleep-deprived disrupts our metabolism.. which means our body ends up storing more calories as fat, instead of burning them for energy. 

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No more  eating  processed meat, take a brisk walk every day, do the Sunday crossword, stick to one glass of wine at dinner, and avoid cigarettes. There you go!  the recipe for lowering your risk of Alzheimer’s by a full 60-percent.

And it comes from the latest report from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. They tracked thousands of people for a decade……and they found that those lifestyle choices can lower a person’s risk for Alzheimer’s, even if they’re genetically predisposed to the disease.

The researchers say they were “floored” by the “magnitude of the effect” from making these simple changes.  

Again, to dramatically lower your Alzheimer’s risk: Ditch processed meat, walk every day, do the Sunday crossword, stick to one glass of wine at dinner, and avoid cigarettes.

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If you want to catch up with a friend, talk business with a colleague, get to the bottom of a disagreement, or get to know a date – do it while you’re walking side by side. 

And there’s science behind it that suggestion…… According to the Journal of Environmental Psychology, during a “walk and talk,” conversation flows more easily. That’s because it’s less stressful to talk to someone while you’re side by side – instead of facing each other – which can feel confrontational. 

When you’re walking next to someone, a conversation becomes parallel play – where you’re both engaged in an activity separately, but also connected. Plus, you’re looking ahead – which is less intense than making direct eye contact. It allows people to feel attached but safely individual.  

A walk and talk also encourages easy conversation because you’re not in a hurry to get anywhere – the walk IS the destination. So the conversation is often more relaxed and open to tangents. Plus, it’s really hard to check your phone when you’re on a walk. And that puts more focus on the person you’re with and the conversation. 

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