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Life Kit

Life Kit

Tools To Help You Get It Together
Reframe your relationship with dread: 5 exercises to help accept what scares you
Sol Cotti for NPR

Reframe your relationship with dread: 5 exercises to help accept what scares you

Worried about deadlines, errands or your holiday to-do list? Reframe your relationship with dread with these simple exercises, from drawing the things that scare you to scheduling worry time.

Reframe your relationship with dread: 5 exercises to help accept what scares you

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A photograph of a senior father and his adult son photographed from behind. They are sitting on the sand at the beach and looking out at the ocean at sunset while having a deep conversation.

“In my conversations with my family members and knowing their history and their struggle, I remember that I'm somebody and [they’re] somebody. And that's a very powerful thing,” says author Min Jin Lee, who has been interviewing family members for her first nonfiction book.
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Ippei Naoi/Getty Images/Moment RF

Perspective

How to reveal a parent's hidden story

Writers share advice on how to sensitively interview family members about painful or traumatic memories. These conversations may get loved ones to open up — and deepen our connections with them.

How to talk to a parent about their past

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Want to be a better ally to disabled people? Here's how

Detail from the cover of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally by Emily Ladau. Tyler Feder/Ten Speed Press hide caption

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Tyler Feder/Ten Speed Press

Want to be a better ally to disabled people? Here's how

July is Disability Pride Month. Do you find yourself avoiding conversations on disabilities? A disability rights activist shares ways to be a better ally and to destigmatize disability in America.

Want to be a better ally to disabled people? Here's how

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Is your kid misbehaving? Instead of time-out, try 'connecting' with them first
Tilda Rose for NPR

Perspective

Is your kid misbehaving? Instead of time-out, try 'connecting' with them first

It all starts with the assumption that your kids have good intentions and want to do the right thing, says Becky Kennedy, a psychologist and host of the Good Inside parenting podcast.

Is your kid misbehaving? Instead of time-out, try 'connecting' with them first

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A man orders surf and turf while everyone gets a salad and hopes that his party will split the check with him.
Malaka Gharib/NPR

Dining out with a big group? Learn the social etiquette of splitting the check

Five common scenarios you may encounter while dining out with a large party — and how to handle the bill fairly while being considerate of your server.

Check, please! How to fairly split the tab

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Two red felt hearts balance atop two separate stacks of gold coins against a light blue backdrop, representing people in a romantic relationship merging finances.

Joint bank account or separate? The approach you choose depends on you and your partner's financial history and goals, says financial therapist Lindsay Bryan-Podvin. Pixelimage/Getty Images/iStockphoto hide caption

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Pixelimage/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Love and money: Why a joint bank account often makes sense in a relationship

First comes love ... then comes money management discussions? Financial therapist Lindsay Bryan-Podvin discusses three common approaches that couples use to merge their money.

Illustration of a man relaxing on a hamster wheel, symbolizing taking a break from the daily grind to refresh yourself and appreciate life.

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Malte Mueller/fStop/Getty Images

Stuck in a rut? How to appreciate your life again, according to science

After a while, even the most exciting relationships, jobs and environments lose their spark. But cognitive neuroscientist Tali Sharot says it's possible to fall back in love with life's small joys.

Why we become bored with our lives (and how to find joy again)

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Marker style illustration of man with colored waves. The concept of creative mind, brainstorm and learning.

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Eugene Mymrin/Getty Images

Forgot where you put the keys? Experts (and a trivia buff) share tips to boost memory

"With practice, absolutely everyone can make their memory stronger," says Monica Thieu, a memory researcher and a four-time Jeopardy! contestant. Techniques to get you started.

Where did I put the keys? Tips to improve memory

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COMIC: How to make peace with your guilty feelings

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Malaka Gharib

COMIC: How to make peace with your guilty feelings

Exercises to help you cope with negative feelings around guilt (like shame or embarrassment) — and motivate better behavior in the future.

COMIC: How to make peace with your guilty feelings

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Taylor Swift joked that 'jet lag is a choice.' A sleep expert has thoughts about that

Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs embraces Taylor Swift after defeating the San Francisco 49ers during this year's Super Bowl in Las Vegas. Swift, who flew in from Tokyo to attend the game, jokingly told him, "jet lag is a choice." Ezra Shaw/Getty Images hide caption

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Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Taylor Swift joked that 'jet lag is a choice.' A sleep expert has thoughts about that

Plus, six tips on how to stay alert and minimize sluggishness when traveling rapidly across multiple time zones.

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