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Jul 3, 2009

Posted by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

This quotation about how your brain works is one of my all-time favorites:

Whenever you read a book or have a conversation, the experience causes physical changes in your brain,” says science writer George Johnson, author of In the Palaces of Memory. “It's a little frightening to think that every time you walk away from an encounter, your brain has been altered, sometimes permanently.”

Not only do reading and conversing affect your brain health -- research shows that over the counter medications and environmental toxins can decrease your memory, affect thinking skills, and even cause cognitive impairment. The healthier your brain, the less risk of Alzheimer's and other dementia-type diseases you face as you age!

Resources for Brain Health, Memory, and Cognition

  1. How to Improve Your Brain Health
  2. Foods That Make You Smarter
  3. How Stress Affects Your Memory
  4. 8 Tips for Coping With Stress
  5. How to Increase Your Brain Power
  6. 7 Anti-Aging Foods and Tips
  7. 10 Brain Fitness Tips to Reduce Memory Loss
  8. Anorexics' Brains are Different
  9. How Playing and Watching Hockey Boosts Brain Power

If you have any questions or thoughts about these articles about brain health, memory, and cognition -- please comment below!



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Jun 22, 2009

Posted by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

It's no surprise that people with chronic stress report shorter sleep duration, worse sleep quality, and more daytime functioning impairments! And, poor sleep may cause psychological, physical, and emotional stress. People who report more fatigue and less total sleep are more likely to report more stress. The sleep-stress cycle is a difficult one to break, but these articles will help you sleep better! They're based on psychological research and input from sleep experts. Resources for Sleeping Better and Overcoming Insomnia
  1. How Sleeplessness Leads to a Poor Marriage
  2. Sleep Help: How to Rest Better and Snore Less
  3. How to Get a Better Sleep Without Medication
  4. 10 Ways to Cure Insomnia
  5. If You Can't Fall Asleep Fast
  6. How Acupuncture Helps You Stop Snoring
  7. Sleep Eating Disorders
  8. The Effects of Sleep Deprivation
  9. Better Sleep Tips From Specialists
I welcome your questions or comments on getting a better's nights sleep, decreasing stress, and overcoming insomnia below...


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Jun 10, 2009

Posted by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

New research shows that babies can decrease marital happiness, especially right after a child's birth. However, not all couples experience dissatisfaction after their baby is born (so don't let this stop you from having kids!).

Married couples are less likely to be unhappy after their first child is born if they've been married longer and have higher incomes. If you can wait a few years before you have kids, your marital happiness levels might increase for the long haul!

To keep your home and hearth happy, here are my most popular articles on marriage, intimacy, and overcoming infidelity...

Top 10 Articles on Marital Happiness

  1. What To Do When He Doesn't Love You Anymore
  2. Fear of Intimacy in Relationships
  3. Overcoming Fear of Intimacy
  4. 6 Signs of Emotional Cheating
  5. Tips for Surviving an Emotional Affair
  6. 3 Ways to Affair Proof Your Marriage
  7. Resolving Conflict in Marriage
  8. Financial Infidelity in Marriage
  9. How to be a Great Husband
  10. 15 Meaningful Ways to Say "I Love You"

If you have any comments or questions about these articles on marital happiness, please use the form below!



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May 30, 2009

Posted by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

Here's my favorite type of comment on my articles about introverted personality traits:

"I always thought I was weird or stupid -- I didn't know that introverts just aren't into socializing and are drained by spending time with other people! Now that I know what being introverted really means, I feel normal."

Extroverts and introverts are just different personality types. One isn't better than the other - or more normal than the other. Both extroverts and introverts can be financially successful, enjoy healthy intimate relationships, and have a strong network of friends!

Whether you're introverted or extroverted (or wondering about your introverted or extroverted children, spouse, sister, etc) -- the most important thing is understanding.

Here's a summary of my most current and my most popular articles about extroverts and introverts.

Articles About Introverts

A Test for Introverted Personality Traits

The Introvert's Personality Traits

7 Job Interview Strategies for Introverts

Tips for Networking Successfully for Introverts

Accepting Your Introverted Traits

Articles About Extroverts

The Extrovert's Personality Traits

7 Tips for Saving Money for Extroverts

Introverts and Extroverts in Love

Personality Traits That Predict Longevity

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share them below!



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May 25, 2009

Posted by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

New research reveals the irony about money and debt: financial problems and money worries can make us spend more, rack up our credit cards, and get further into debt! It's a downward spiral that can lead to serious family, health, and career problems.

Here's a roundup of my most popular articles about paying off debt, saving money, and even borrowing money to invest!

Top 10 Articles on Paying Off Debt and Saving Money

Articles About Paying Off Debt and Saving Money

  1. 5 Ways to Pay Off Credit Card Debt
  2. 7 Tips for Saving Money on Cooking at Home
  3. How to Protect Your Credit Scores
  4. 9 Tips for Building an Emergency Fund
  5. Tips for Borrowing Money to Invest

Articles About Money, Family, and Friends

  1. Financial Infidelity in Marriage
  2. Tips for Lending Money to Friends or Family Members
  3. 10 Ways Money Can Improve Your Love Life

Articles About Saving Money on Travel

  1. 7 Tips for Saving Money at Disneyland or Disneyworld
  2. Green Travel Tips That Save Money

Bonus Article About Money: Why You Make Expensive Purchases



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May 22, 2009

Posted by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

Some of my most popular articles are about emotional infidelity and cheating -- especially how to survive it and rebuild a healthy, happy relationship!

This comprehensive list of articles about emotional affairs includes a brief description of each article. If you don't find what you're looking for here, please comment below. I'll do my best to find what you need and answer your questions.

Resources for Emotional Infidelity and Cheating

Emotional Affairs - explains what emotional infidelity is, and how cheating involves more than sex.

How Emotional Cheating Starts - offers 6 mistakes that lead to a lack of intimacy in marriage.

6 Signs of Emotional Cheating - helps you recognize if your partner is having an emotional affair.

Avoiding Emotional Infidelity - includes 10 rules that protect your marriage from emotional affairs.

3 Ways to Affair Proof Your Marriage - shares marriage counselor Gary Neuman's advice for avoiding emotional and physical infidelity (from the Oprah Winfrey show).

10 Ways to Improve a Bad Relationship - to help you fall in love with your partner all over again (even if emotional infidelity isn't an issue)

Overcoming Your Marital Infidelity - explains how to save your marriage after cheating on your spouse.

Tips for Surviving an Emotional Affair - describes 8 ways to reconnect with your partner.

11 Tips for Fighting Fair in Marriage - includes advice from a marraige therapist, on how to build healthy communication into your marriage.

15 Meaningful Ways to Say "I Love You" - describes ways to show your love in ways your spouse will value.

Again - if you have any questions or comments about emotional affairs in relationships, please don't hesitate to ask below!



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Apr 15, 2009

Posted by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

A reader just commented on my The Introvert's Personality Traits article, saying it helped her understand her child better. She's an extroverted parent; her son is an introvert. She didn't understand him - she thought he was sad because he liked to spend time alone - and as an extrovert, she doesn't view spending time alone the same way!

If introverts and extroverts don't understand each other, they have a hard time connecting. It's possible to build a strong, healthy relationship between introverts and extroverts - it just requires knowledge. To help you better understand your introverted children if you're an extroverted parent (or to understand your introverted parents if you're an extroverted child!), read Accepting Your Introverted Traits or How Introverts Communicate.



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Feb 11, 2009

Posted by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

Surrounding yourself with happy photos, memorabilia, and cartoons encourages a positive mood, which allows you to step back emotionally and understand the big picture. Researchers Aparna A. Labroo from the University of Chicago and Vanessa M. Patrick from the University of Georgia write, “A positive mood enhances efforts to attain future well-being, encourages broader and flexible thinking, and increases openness to thinking.”
In this study, participants described either the happiest or unhappiest days of their lives, which induced positive or negative moods. They then filled out questionnaires that measured levels of abstract versus concrete thinking. The researchers found that participants in good moods engaged in more abstract thinking, which influences goals and motivation.
Labroo and Patrick explain that people in positive moods not only adopt higher-order future goals, they also work harder to achieve them.
When it comes to eating and weight loss, feeling good can motivate you to make healthier food choices (apples and low-fat cheddar instead of brownies and ice cream!). So if you’re serious about a healthy lifestyle, decorate your kitchen with things that make you smile. This research was published in the November, 2008 issue of Journal of Consumer Research.


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