Pick up the phone, stroll over to your neighbor’s house or visit a pal and talk about life, the kids, your goals and other issues that are important to you. When a research team from the University of Arizona and Washington University in St. Louis monitored the conversations of study volunteers, they found that the happiest folks spent a whopping 70% more time talking with others and had twice as many conversations about topics that were meaningful to them than the unhappiest participants. Why it works? Feeling connected to others appears to be an important part of being happy, and having meaningful conversations helps foster a feeling of connection to others, says study co-author Simine Vazire, Ph.D.
[photo: Dano]
Struggle to find fun activities to do during the summer that don’t break the bank? Not anymore! Here are dozens of fun summer freebies (or close to it) to keep your whole family entertained: 
Want to wow family and friends even more with your homemade lemonade, smoothies and milkshakes? Serve these drinks in a glass or mug rather than a plastic or paper cup. Sounds strange, but in a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, participants were convinced that beverages served to them in sturdy cups tasted better than those served in a flimsy cups—even though the beverages were the same. Why the difference? Our perception of how good or bad drinks taste is affected by how sturdy the container is—the firmer it is, the more we like what we’re drinking.
Do you have gold jewelry that you no longer wear or that’s broken? Now may be the time to sell it since the price of gold has hit a record high, over $1,200 an ounce! But don’t cash it in just anywhere or you could be getting less than it’s worth, warns Suzanne Martinez, co-owner of Lang Antiques in San Francisco. Here are her tips for getting the most money from your gold:
Next time you’re anxious about a job interview, exam or other stressor, try calling your mom. A new study out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows that simply hearing your mother’s voice triggers a profound soothing effect that zaps the stress hormone cortisol and raises your body’s level of the calming hormone oxytocin, making you feel instantly relaxed. In fact, in the study, girls who were stressed out by having to give a speech and answer math questions in front of a panel of strangers—a major stress-inducer for most people—experienced the same hormone changes whether their mother was physically comforting them in person or doing it remotely over the phone. Best of all, the stress-busting effect was long-lasting, sticking around hours after the task was over, the researchers found.
Think lucky people are born that way? Not according to psychologist Richard Wiseman, Ph.D., author of The Luck Factor. His research shows that people who generate good fortune tend to follow three easy habits. And, when volunteers tried them in a recent study, 80% turned their luck around after just one month. To up your luck, start by…
Next time your sweetie forgets to pick up the milk, plays Wii instead of cleans up the garage or does anything else that irritates you, instead of stewing, try saying a prayer for your mate’s good health and happiness. In a new study out of Florida State University, folks who prayed for their partner’s well-being felt closer to him or her and were more willing to overlook their honey’s flaws than those who didn’t pray. The reason? Regardless of your religious or non-religious beliefs, praying makes us feel instantly more compassionate and loving, which helps us let go of resentments more easily.
To start off on the right foot at a new place of employment, think positive! In a new study of over 500 recently hired workers from a wide range of fields, researchers found that those who expected to be successful at jumping right in and getting the hang of things were, in fact, more successful than their less positive peers. The reason? Their upbeat attitude made them more willing to seek out information about their workgroup, tasks and organization that helped get them up and running faster, explains study author Sarah Burke, Ph.D., a researcher at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.
Next time you twist your ankle, have menstrual cramps or are suffering another type of discomfort, try breathing slowly. Study volunteers who took in 50% fewer breaths per minute experienced significantly less pain when heat was applied to their palms than when they breathed normally, reports the journal PAIN. Research shows that breathing slow relaxes tense muscles and relieves anxiety—two factors that make pain sensations more intense.
Whether you’re flying off to your dream vacation or visiting your aunt just a car ride away, finding a drugstore, restaurant, wi-fi connection and other necessities within seconds is easy. For…
Love flowers, shrubs and trees, but steer clear of them because they trigger itchy, watery eyes and a runny nose? Good news: It’s easy to plant a colorful garden that doesn’t emit annoying allergens, says Thomas Leo Ogren, author of Allergy-Free Gardening. Start with…