Is there a reason we have eyebrows? Pretty much every part of the human body has a reason for being there and eyebrows actually have three reasons. I begin this episode by explaining what they are. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/58424/why-do-we-have-eyebrows

Every relationship in your life started with small talk. Personal or professional, every encounter begins this way. Yet, as important as it is, a lot of people hate small talk and think they are not very good at it. Here with some great advice is Debra Fine. She is one of the foremost experts on small talk and she is author of the book, The Fine Art of Small Talk (https://amzn.to/3wSdl3t). She has some simple techniques that will make anyone more comfortable making small talk.

Have you ever done something or said something and later wondered why you did it? It turns out that a lot of what drives human action and reaction can be hard to figure out. Here to explain why that happens is Helena Boschi. She is a psychologist and author of a book called Why We Do What We Do (https://amzn.to/3RE47kL). Listen as she reveals some of the inner workings of your brain that cause you to do things that seem hard to understand.

When people take liquid medicine, it is common to just grab a spoon out of the silverware drawer to measure it. This is not a good idea. Listen as I explain a few common mistakes people make when taking medicines at home that can really mess things up. https://www.hmpgloballearningnetwork.com/site/pln/blogs/pln/michael-cawley-pharmd-rrt-cpft-fccm/december-31-2014/medication-errors-among-children-are

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How many times have you wanted to ask for a raise but didn’t bother because you knew the answer would be no? Well, you probably should’ve asked anyway. This episode begins with some surprising statistics about the power of asking for a raise. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/getting-a-raise_n_6429324

The animal kingdom can teach us a lot about improving human health. For example, elephants almost never get cancer – yet humans do. Why is that? Pigs can teach us how to control pain. Dogs can teach us to manage stress and there are a lot more examples as you are about to hear from my guest Dr. David Agus. He is a medical oncologist, and one of the world's pioneering biomedical researchers. David is the Founding CEO of the Ellison Medical Institute and a professor of medicine and engineering at the University of Southern California.He is also the author of The Book of Animal Secrets: Nature's Lessons for a Long and Happy Life (https://amzn.to/4ghXL5b)

We’ve all had moments when our emotions got the best of us. Whether we get so angry, or anxious or sad that it gets in the way of daily living, damages relationships or gets us into serious trouble. While some people seem good at keeping their emotions under control, many of us could use some help. And here to share his insight into this is Ethan Kross, one of the world’s leading experts on emotion regulation. Ethan is an award-winning professor at the University of Michigan and his work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, and The New England Journal of Medicine. He is the author of a book called Shift: Managing Your Emotions So They Don’t Manage You (https://amzn.to/3CAxQYU).

“Tech neck” is a real condition that results from always looking down at your phone. Listen as I explain how that little tilt in your neck can mess up your posture and cause real problems. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/effect-of-technology-on-your-neck

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Seems like no matter how hard you try you never pick the fastest checkout line in the supermarket. Why is that? This episode begins by explaining why that often seems to happen and why it probably isn’t a problem worth concerning yourself with. https://fetch.com/blog/smart-shopping/why-we-always-pick-the-slowest-checkout-line

At some point in your life, you have likely regretted NOT doing something because you just couldn’t muster up the courage. Being courageous is hard – yet we so admire courage in other people. It turns out we can all build our courage muscle according to Margie Warrell. She is a leadership advisor and keynote speaker who has worked with NASA, Dell, Morgan Stanley, HP, Google, and Johnson & Johnson and others. She is the author of several books – including The Courage Gap: 5 Steps to Braver Action (https://amzn.to/3PTp23q). Listen as she reveals the secrets for leading a courageous life.

Are you good at tidying up? Is your living space or workspace easy to navigate? Can you find the things you need because they are where they are supposed to be? The benefits of tidying can be tremendous – not only for its efficiency but also for your mental state. And tidying up is a lot easier than most of us think. That’s according to my guest Tyler Moore. He is the creator of the popular “Tidy Dad” Instagram, TikTok, and website. Tyler is also a public school teacher in New York City, who has been featured on Good Morning America and in The Washington Post and New York Post and he is author of the book Tidy Up Your Life (https://amzn.to/40Bt8SH).

Ever have really weird or disturbing dreams – I mean weirder than normal? Listen as I explain what one prominent sleep researcher said is the reason this happens to us and how to prevent it. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/08/dreaming-depression-and-how-sleep-affects-emotions/261051/

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We humans love novelty. We seek it out. While that can be good, it can also get us in trouble. This episode begins by exploring why we seek out new things, places and experiences and what happens after we do. Source: Winifred Gallagher author of the book New (https://amzn.to/3XsAxRb)

Did you know that one of the reasons we gesture with our hands when we talk is to help us figure out what to say next? That is just one example of how thinking isn’t all about what goes on in the brain, according to my guest Annie Murphy Paul. She is science writer whose work has appeared in the Boston Globe, Scientific American, Slate, Time magazine and she is author of the bestselling book The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain (https://amzn.to/3Hp3k3R)

Imagine if you followed and studied a group of people for decades and watched how they lived? You would discover a lot about what makes people healthy and happy over time. That’s what The Harvard Study of Adult Development is all about. Researchers have followed the lives of two generations of individuals from the same families for more than 80 years. Listen and you will be amazed by what they found. My guest is Robert J. Waldinger, who directs the study and is author of the book, The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness (https://amzn.to/3HpbFVc)

Where are you on the introvert/extrovert scale? Listen as I explain the difference between extroversion and introversion and how to tell which one you are. You will also discover the difference between being shy and being introverted. And it’s a big difference. Source: Susan Cain author Quiet (https://amzn.to/3XQUH7d)

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After television, a big part of the ad budget for fast-food restaurants’ is spent on outdoor advertising like billboards. This episode begins with the impact of that advertising and some insight into how fast-food restaurants get you to eat their food.

https://www.apa.org/topics/obesity/food-advertising-children

You have undoubtedly had people in your life who inspired you. What was it that made them so inspiring? What are the necessary traits of an inspiring person? How can you be more inspiring to others? That is what Adam Galinsky is here to discuss, and it is something he knows a lot about. Adam is social psychologist and Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School as well as the author of the book Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others (https://amzn.to/3EeUYN6).

Nature has a lot of rules and regulations. And those rules are what allow all the creatures and plants on earth to co-exist. We humans rely on other plants and species to do what they do to help create an environment that allows us to survive and thrive. Many of these other species we never interact with or even know about – but we are all following the rules. Here to explains these rules of how life works is Sean B. Carroll, an award-winning scientist who is vice president for science education at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and professor of molecular biology and genetics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is author of the book The Serengeti Rules: The Quest to Discover How Life Works and Why It Matters (https://amzn.to/3E69uq8).

What makes a relationship work? Listen to discover what 700 married couples said was most important for a long and happy relationship – and they are things that are so simple. Source: Dr. Karl Pillemer, author of 30 Lessons For Loving (https://amzn.to/3EcsovL).

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Traffic accidents are an inevitable part of life. However, there are a few simple things you can do to improve your chances of NOT getting in an accident. Listen as I offer several proven strategies that will keep you and your car safer in traffic. https://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-editors-tips-to-prevent-a-car-accident.html

Serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins are 4 brain chemicals that can make you happy or make you miserable. And there are ways to regulate these brain chemicals by making changes in the way you live your life. That is according to neuroscientist TJ Power who is co-founder of Neurify, an organization providing scientifically backed teachings to enhance mental health. TJ is also author of the book, The Dose Effect (https://amzn.to/3E42cDr). You will be fascinated to hear how these chemicals work in your brain and control your thoughts and feelings.

We all have our own thoughts about money and what it represents. As a result, some people are cautious with their money while others are less so. Some people think of money as evil others think money will bring happiness. You individual attitudes about money come from somewhere and they can have a big impact on your financial success. Here to help you understand more about your relationship with money is Vicky Reynal. She is a financial psychotherapist in private practice who has been featured in the Financial Times, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health. She is also author of the book Money on Your Mind: The Unconscious Beliefs That Sabotage Your Financial Well-Being—and How to Break Free (https://amzn.to/4gbitDX).

It is very hard to keep track of more than 3 things at once. It just is. It is a limitation of the human brain. Listen as I reveal why this is important and the interesting ways we cope with it. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/571010

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The origins of the names for popular food products often make interesting stories. For instance, why are they called marshmallows? Why is Spam called Spam? What do gators have to do with Gatorade? This episode begins with the origin stories of some iconic foods. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tagged/health/at-home/odd-facts-7-iconic-products-164000529.html

Some inventions have had profound effects on how humans see themselves and our place in the world. For example, the mirror, photography, television, and the smartphone have all significantly changed our perception of ourselves. Here to explain this and the significance of it all is Susan Denham Wade author of the book A History of Seeing in Eleven Inventions (https://amzn.to/3vZdj9k)

The most difficult decisions we most often make are about love and money. So how can we improve our ability to make these important decisions? Here with some great insight and advice is Myra Strober. She is a labor economist, Professor Emerita at Stanford University and author of the book Money and Love: An Intelligent Roadmap for Life’s Biggest Decisions (https://amzn.to/3H34xNO)

Your gym teacher probably told you to stand up straight and suck in your gut. It turns out half of that advice is good – the other half isn’t. Listen as I explain why. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/11/12/how-to-stop-holding-in-stomach/

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When you use sarcasm in an email or text message, you are skating on thin ice. This episode begins by revealing the dangers of sarcasm in electronic communication and why it can get you in trouble. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/perceptual-asymmetries/201501/do-you-use-sarcasm-in-e-mails

Universally, people love cute things. When you see a baby or a puppy or kitten, you react in a unique way. So, what is it about cuteness that we are attracted to? What happens to us internally when we see something cute? And why is it important? Here to explain this is Joshua Paul Dale, a professor at Chuo University in Tokyo and who has been featured as an expert on cuteness in The New York Times, CNN, National Geographic and The Guardian. He is also author of the book, Irresistible: How Cuteness Wired Our Brains and Conquered the World (https://amzn.to/4hkNMgw).

You engage in conversations every day with people without thinking a lot about it. But there is an art and science to good conversation and the more you understand it, the better your conversation skills become. Here to dive into the anatomy of good conversation is Alison Wood Brooks. She is a professor at Harvard Business School where she created and teaches a course called TALK. As a behavioral scientist, she is a leading expert on the science of conversation. Alison is author of the book TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves (https://amzn.to/4gVF88z).

When you see a car with a flat tire you might figure they hit a nail or the tire was punctured by something. But the most common reason for a tire to blow out is not puncture. Listen as I reveal the most common reason tires fail and how to prevent it. https://blog.openbay.com/post/104697132412/5-facts-you-didnt-know-about-your-tires

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HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk

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Do you know your IQ? Can you raise the number up or – are stuck with whatever that number is? This episode begins with some insight into your IQ including some of the unusual things that seem to affect it. Source: Psychologist Andy Williams author of How Do You Compare? (https://amzn.to/3E1Daor).

Your body is an amazing machine. And when you understand some of the ways it works it becomes more of a marvel. Here to take you and me on a tour of important parts of your body is Dr. Jonathan Reisman. He is a doctor of internal medicine and pediatrics and author of the book The Unseen Body: A Doctor’s Journey Through the Hidden Wonders of Human Anatomy (https://amzn.to/37vUz8u). You will learn things about body parts and body fluids you never knew. Listen as he explains about body parts and bodily fluids – and it’s really kinda fun.

Doctors tend to be pretty grounded in science. Yet many of them have stories of medical miracles and other experiences that science simply cannot explain. Some of the stories you are about to hear may just give you chills. Dr. Scott Kolbaba is one doctor who has had some strange experiences, so he decided to reach out to other doctors to see if they did as well. And indeed they did! Scott is author of a book called Physicians Untold Stories: Miraculous Experiences Doctors are Hesitant to Share with their Patients or Anyone (https://amzn.to/3v7Ci9O). Listen as he shares these remarkable stories with you.

t is human nature to worry – but not all the time. Particularly because so much of what we worry about never happens. Listen as I explain how one leading expert puts worry in its proper place. Source: Dr. Martin Rossman author of The Worry Solution (https://amzn.to/3xmjZAs)

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HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk

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Ever notice when you are nervous or stressed, the pitch of your voice goes up? Yet a lower pitch would likely be more useful in most cases because we associate a lower pitch voice with dominance and calm. This episode begins with some insight on how to tame your voice in stressful situations and not be betrayed by your own voice. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/communications-matter/202101/why-you-need-pitch-your-voice-lower

There certainly seems to be a fascination with the human butt. It makes you wonder why there is so much interest in butts and why a lot of people seem dissatisfied with the one they have. What is it that makes a butt attractive or unattractive? Does the type of butt you have really meaning anything? Here to explore this is Heather Radke author of the book Butts: A Backstory (https://amzn.to/3IDCndo)

It would be hard to get through life without having to apologize. We all must do it and many of us are not very good at it. And, a bad apology can actually make a situation worse than it was before. So, what is the anatomy of the perfect apology? And how do people usually screw it up? Here with some insight is Marjorie Ingall, co-author of the book Sorry, Sorry, Sorry: The Case for Good Apologies (https://amzn.to/3vTllk9).

When you leave a tip at a restaurant, you send a message. Given that, how much should you leave? How do you calculate it? Should you ever leave NO tip at all? Listen as I reveal some things to consider when deciding how to tip. Source: Steve Dublanica author of Keep The Change (https://amzn.to/3Wjelut)

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