Dieting every single day to lose weight is a challenging battle. Limiting your diet to just two days, however, is much more manageable and might be easier to sustain over a lifetime.
Residents near Slocan, B.C., have been told not drink their water after a tanker truck carrying helicopter fuel ended up in nearby Lemon Creek.
To date, Sonos owners have had to use iOS to stream music directly from a mobile device. They'll have a little more choice as of today: Sonos has updated its Android app to support direct streaming. If a device has a local audio library, the controller software can send tracks, albums, playlists and podcasts to any Sonos-equipped speaker in the home. Listeners with the most recent Sonos firmware just need to grab the updated Android app from the source link to start playing.
Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, HD
Via: Sonos Blog
Source: Google Play
The Interior Health Authority has taken away the community health nurse in a remote part of the Kootenays and relocated her to Nelson, in a move that has drawn the ire of residents.
Science is awesome. It explains how birds can fly, why the sky is blue, and how gravity works. However, you can also use science to perfect the tiny details of your everyday life—from sleeping better to working smarter and even cooking better food. Here are 10 ways sciences teaches us how to improve our daily lives.
uTorrent is a great app, but it can be annoying to have ads on your desktop apps. Fortunately, these can be disabled in the Advanced settings.
Imagine walking into a busy mall when someone approaches you with an open hand. “Would you have some coins to take the bus, please?” he asks. But in this case, the person is not a panhandler. The beggar is a PhD. As part of a French study, researchers wanted to know if they could change how much money people gave to a total stranger using just a few specially encoded words. They discovered a technique so simple and effective it doubled how much people gave.
You might think that a bad mood is tied to an event that impacted you negatively, but that's not necessarily the case. Understanding that your mood is often independent of your circumstances can help you avoid making bad decisions.
We've all been told at one point or another to trust our gut, Dr. Amy Johnson at Tiny Buddha warns against letting your gut guide you down the wrong path.
You see, you are always feeling your thinking. You are not necessarily always feeling “the truth,” or even your own personal truth.
Every emotion, feeling, or mood you experience follows directly from the thinking you are experiencing. That thinking is not always accurate or important. It does not always indicate what’s best for you.
In reality, your feelings are nothing more than feedback about your thinking.
Feelings are not feedback about your mental health, the state of your life, or whether you have the “right” job, partner, or dietary habits.
Before coming to this realization, Amy would try to change things in her life that she decided were causing her bad moods, creating a feedback loop that kept her from seeing clearly. For example, she'd notice that she was in a bad mood occasionally at her job, and so she started to only see the negative aspects of her work, and then decided she would only be happy if she found a new one.
In reality, her bad mood was just a random symptom of some negative thoughts. They happen, and we can't really control them. In fact, dwelling on the bad mood, and trying to change the things that caused it, will only serve to make it worse.
As it turns out, much of the negative experience of emotions is the cover-up. It’s when you resist, hide, or try to change those emotions that you experience them as painful.
When you do that, you’re playing with mental superglue again. You’re putting so much pressure and focus on those emotions that they are held in place. Remember, when you don’t hold on to thought and emotion, new thought and emotion rushes in.
The big takeaway here is to ride out the storm when you get in a bad mood, and try not to tie it to anyone or anything without sleeping on it first. If it keeps reoccurring, it might be time to think about making some life changes, but it's dangerously easy to make that determination prematurely.
Photo by imtmphoto (Shutterstock).
If the stress of day to day life gets to you now and again, the solution may be as simple as making sure you get a regular workout. Aside from the well-established health benefits of regular activity, new research suggests that exercise actually changes the part of our brains responsible for handling stress.
We've discussed what stress really does to you and how to handle it, and one thing that comes up over and over again is that you should make time to exercise. A new study published in The Journal of Neuroscience notes that when both sedentary mice and mice that were allowed and encouraged to run regularly were both put in mindly anxiety-inducing situations, the parts of the brain responsible for stress response lit up in both groups' brains. However, the mice that were regular runners adapted quickly and were able to "cope" with the anxiety much more rapidly than the sedentary mice, who still showed signs of stress and anxiety long after their counterpart group had calmed down.
What all of this suggests, says Elizabeth Gould, director of the Gould Lab at Princeton, who wrote the paper with her graduate student Timothy Schoenfeld, now at the National Institute of Mental Health, and others, “is that the hippocampus of runners is vastly different from that of sedentary animals. Not only are there more excitatory neurons and more excitatory synapses, but the inhibitory neurons are more likely to become activated, presumably to dampen the excitatory neurons, in response to stress.” The findings were published in The Journal of Neuroscience.
It’s important to note, she adds, that this study examined long-term training responses. The runners’ wheels had been locked for 24 hours before their cold bath, so they would gain no acute calming effect from exercise. Instead, the difference in stress response between the runners and the sedentary animals reflected fundamental remodeling of their brains.
Of course, as we all know, mice are not men or women. But, Dr. Gould says, other studies “show that physical exercise reduces anxiety in humans,” suggesting that similar remodeling takes place in the brains of people who work out.
“I think it’s not a huge stretch,” she concludes, “to suggest that the hippocampi of active people might be less susceptible to certain undesirable aspects of stress than those of sedentary people.”
Ultimately, stress is stress and it has the same effect on all of us, but regular exercise can rewire our brains to make us more adaptable and flexible when we're hit with stressful situations. Granted, the research here was conducted on mice, but even if humans are slightly different, it's not like the benefits of exercise are in doubt—you'll only do yourself a favor by getting active. You can read more about the study at the link below.
How Exercise Can Calm Anxiety | The New York Times
Photo by will ockenden.
There are a lot of different techniques for budgeting out there. There’s the standard “write out a budget” method presented in a ton of personal finance books. There’s the “envelope” method. There’s the electronic “You Need a Budget” method. I’m not going to get into the ins and outs of each type of budget, except
The post The Ballad of the Flexible Budget appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
You've seen inspirational quotes that encourage you to get out and do something strange—something you wouldn't normally do—but getting out of your routine just takes so much work. There's actually a lot of science that explains why it's so hard to break out of your comfort zone, and why it's good for you when you do it. With a little understanding and a few adjustments, you can break away from your routine and do great things.
It's important to push the boundaries of your comfort zone, and when you do, it's kind of a big deal. But what is the "comfort zone" exactly? Why is it that we tend to get comfortable with the familiar and our routines, but when we're introduced to new and interesting things, the glimmer fades so quickly? Finally, what benefit do we derive from breaking out of our comfort zone, and how do we do it? Answering those questions is a tall order, but it's not too hard to do. Let's get started.
Simply, your comfort zone is a behvioral space where your activities and behaviors fit a routine and pattern that minimizes stress and risk. It provides a state of mental security. You benefit in obvious ways: regular happiness, low anxiety, and reduced stress.
The idea of the comfort zone goes back to a classic experiment in psychology. Back in 1908, psychologists Robert M. Yerkes and John D. Dodson explained that a state of relative comfort created a steady level of performance In order to maximize performance, however, we need a state of relative anxiety—a space where our stress levels are slightly higher than normal. This space is called "Optimal Anxiety," and it's just outside our comfort zone. Too much anxiety and we're too stressed to be productive, and our performance drops off sharply.
The idea of optimal anxiety isn't anything new. Anyone who's ever pushed themselves to get to the next level or accomplish something knows that when you really challenge yourself, you can turn up amazing results. More than a few studies support the point. However, pushing too hard can actually cause a negative result, and reinforce the idea that challenging yourself is a bad idea. It's our natural tendency to return to an anxiety neutral, comfortable state. You can understand why it's so hard to kick your brain out of your comfort zone.
Even so, your comfort zone is neither a good or bad thing. It's a natural state that most people trend towards. Leaving it means increased risk and anxiety, which can have positive and negative results (which we'll get to in a moment), but don't demonize your comfort zone as something holding you back. We all need that head-space where we're least anxious and stressed so we can process the benefits we get when we leave it.
Optimal anxiety is that place where your mental productivity and performance reach their peak. Still, "increased performance" and "enhanced productivity" just sound like "do more stuff." What do you really get when you're willing to step outside of your comfort zone?
The benefits you get after stepping outside of your comfort zone can linger. There's the overall self-improvement you get through the skills you're learning, the new foods you're trying, the new country you're visiting, and the new job you're interviewing for. There's also the soft mental benefits you get from broadening your horizons.
Outside your comfort zone can be a good place to be, as long as you don't tip the scales too far. It's important to remember there's a difference between the kind of controlled anxiety we're talking about and the very real anxiety that many people struggle with every day. Everyone's comfort zone is different, and what may expand your horizons may paralyze someone else. Remember, optimal anxiety can bring out your best, but too much is a bad thing.
Here are some ways to break out (and by proxy, expand) your comfort zone without going too far:
There are lots of other ways to stretch your personal boundaries. You could learn a new language or skill. Learning a new language has multiple benefits, many of which extend to learning any new skill. Connect with people that inspire you, or volunteer with an organization that does great work. Travel, whether you go around the block or across the globe. If you've lived your whole life seeing the world from your front door, you're missing out. Visiting new and different places is perhaps one of the best ways to really broaden your perspectives, and it doesn't have to be expensive or difficult to do. The experiences you have may be mind-blowing or regrettable, but that doesn't matter. The point is that you're doing it, and you're pushing yourself past the mental blocks that tell you to do nothing.
Trying new things is difficult. If it weren't, breaking out of your comfort zone would be easy and we'd do it all the time. It's just as important to understand how habits form and how we can break them as it is to press yourself out of your comfort zone by doing specific things.
You can't live outside of your comfort zone all the time. You need to come back from time to time to process your experiences. The last thing you want is for the new and interesting to quickly become commonplace and boring. This phenomenon, called hedonistic adaptation , is the natural tendency to be impressed by new things only to have the incredible become ordinary after a short time. It's why we can have access to the greatest repository of human knowledge ever created (the internet) at our fingertips (on our smartphones) and still get so bored that all we think of is how quickly we can get newer, faster access. In one way it drives us forward, but in another it keeps us from appreciating the subtle and the everyday.
You can fight this by trying new, smaller things. Ordering something new at a restaurant where you get the same thing every visit can be eye-opening the same way visiting a new country can be, and both push you out of your comfortable spaces. Diversify the challenges you embrace so you don't just push your boundaries in the same direction. If you've been learning Latin-based languages and you find yourself bored, switch gears to a language with a completely different set of characters. If you've taken up running, instead of just trying to run longer and farther, try challenging yourself to run on different terrain. You still get the challenge, but you broaden your horizons in a different way.
The point of stepping out of your comfort zone is to embrace new experiences and to get to that state of optimal anxiety in a controlled, managed way, not to stress yourself out. Take time to reflect on your experiences so you can reap the benefits and apply them to your day to day activities. Then do something else interesting and new. Make it a habit if you can. Try something new every week, or every month. Our own Adam Dachis has committed himself to doing something weird and new every week, just to test his boundaries.
Similarly, don't limit yourself to big, huge experiences. Maybe meditation pushes you out of your comfort zone just as much as bungee jumping. Try the former if you've already done the latter. The goal isn't to become an adrenaline junkie—you just want to learn to learn what you're really capable of. That's another reason why it's important to return to a comfortable state sometimes and just relax. Just don't forget to bring back as much as you can carry from those inspired, creative, productive, and slightly uncomfortable moments when you do.
Photos by Alan Levine, Jason Priem, audi_insperation, and jeffr_travel.
Sunsets are one of the most photographed subjects on the planet, and for good reason. But because they're so photographed (and now, uploaded to Instagram), sunsets have become a bit of a photographic cliche. Although every sunset is unique, it can be a real challenge to capture them in a unique way.
It’s difficult to completely escape the cliched aspect of sunset images, but here are five things you can do to improve your odds of capturing something interesting.
We tend to go through life moving forward. Biologically, much of this comes from our physical makeup with our feet pointed forward and eyes in front of our heads. We don’t spend a lot of time looking behind us (or above us). Sometimes, however, the best things really are behind you. And this can be true of sunsets. The sun may be setting in front of you but maybe it’s those clouds behind you where all the visual action is happening, or, importantly, where there might be a more interesting composition.
Not familiar with the concept of leading lines? They're elements within your image that are used to compose and draw your viewer into the image. Notice in the first example below how I’ve used the line of the boardwalk, and to an extent the rocks on the left side, to give your eye a "path" to follow into the image. This is a classic way to engage the viewer.
Pictured above: Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve, Western Australia
In the second example (below), see how the lines of the beach ultimately draw you to the fisherman and boat in the distance?
Pictured above: Monkey Mia, Western Australia
A pretty picture is, well, just a pretty picture. Instead of simply a static image, what kind of story can you tell? Is there something going on around you that you can incorporate into the image to provide some interest for your viewers, make them think or ask questions? This is possibly the most important tip. Again, it’s about engaging your viewers.
Sunsets are great times to look for and make use of silhouettes. Silhouettes often come about naturally when including objects in sunset photos, but if you keep your eye and mind open, you never know what less obvious idea you might come up with. Many things can make great silhouettes, especially if they are recognizable or create interesting patterns. Trees are often good subjects for silhouettes, particularly in winter when all the leaves are gone.
Pictured above: Elliot Bay from Victor Steinbrueck Park, Seattle, WA
You may be witnessing the most brilliant sunset in the world but if all you’re showing in your photo is the sunset, your image is likely going to feel rather static, or like something is missing. Try placing something in the foreground. Foreground elements can add additional interest to a composition. Sunsets are rather distant subjects so placing something in the foreground can help to balance the composition as well.
Pictured above: Grass and sand dunes, Newport, OR
In the end, it’s possible to move beyond the cliche and get a good sunset photo. Remember, a good sunset photo isn’t necessarily about the sunset, but rather, how well you engage the people viewing it.
5 Ways to Take Better Sunset Photos While Traveling | foXnoMad
Darin Rogers is a freelance photographer specializing in culture, travel, and architecture. Originally from the States, he currently bases himself in Australia and the Philippines. He regularly travels the world, searching for awesome shots that will contribute to his becoming world famous. You can see more of his work in a copy of his ebook, Capturing The Journey and read his blog at http://www.darinrogers.net/. Darin can also be found on Facebook and Google+.
Want to see your work on Lifehacker? Email Tessa.
When someone is explaining a problem to you, it's a pretty common response to want to fix their problem and offer up advice. However, in the case of couples, The Wall Street Journal suggests you avoid giving that advice if you want to keep those relationships strong.
When you get to know someone really well, you also start to think you know what's best for them. Subsequently, you start offering advice when they don't really want it. According to The Wall Street Journal, you have a few better options:
One way to give better advice is to first make sure your spouse actually wants your help. You can do this by asking—a novel idea!—"Would you like some ideas on that?"
Consider what Dr. Lawrence, of the University of Iowa, calls the Platinum Rule: "Do unto others as they would have you do unto them." In other words, stop and listen. Sometimes listening can be even more effective than giving advice... Or try telling them a story. "This might not be appropriate for you, but what I did when I had a similar problem was…"
It's a pretty simple set of rules, and if you stick to them you'll likely find your communication channels are a bit more clear. Head over to The Wall Street Journal for a few more bits on both offering advice and asking (or not asking) for it.
The Perils of Giving Advice | The Wall Street Journal
Photo by John Walker .