Victoria M. Walker always overtips on vacation. The travel writer is of the opinion that “tipping should be second nature,” especially when staying at a hotel. Some of her friends don’t feel this way, an uncomfortable truth she learned while on a trip with them. “Some people I travel with aren’t big into tipping,” she … Read more
“Ambivalent relationships” or friendships with individuals who are prone to mood swings can be “pretty bad for your health”, according to an expert who has revealed how to identify and deal with ‘frenemies’. Science writer David Robson has explored the complex impact our relationships have on our physical health, suggesting that some outright “nasty” people … Read more
On every group trip I’ve ever been taken there has been at least one awkward meal. Usually it’s the breakfast after a night of arguments where someone dramatically declares they will be leaving early. Sometimes the relationships revert to their original forms once the vacation ends. Oftentimes, though, resentment lingers. Travel reporter Victoria M. Walker … Read more
There are plenty of guidelines for physical fitness — from getting in 10,000 steps to drinking eight glasses of water every single day — but we aren’t often given recommendations for keeping your social life in good health. Kasley Killam, a Harvard-trained social scientist and leading expert in social health, came up with a social … Read more
Historically, I’m not a fan of group trips. Someone always ends up inexplicably crying or taking personal offense to not every single person wanting to do an overpriced brewery tour. But one of the most stressful parts of traveling in a herd, to me, happens before the vacation even starts: when one person drops out … Read more
Renowned psychotherapist, author, podcast host and speaker Esther Perel has one, central message that she hopes her work communicates: “The quality of your relationships determines the quality of your life.” This applies not only to your personal life, but your professional one, too. “You could be doing a great job, be at a good company, … Read more
When Rubia Daniels heard a town in Italy was selling off abandoned homes for 1 euro each (or roughly $1.05), she had to take a look herself. The Berkeley, Calif., resident booked her first flight to Mussomeli, Sicily, in 2019 and quickly ended up buying not one, not two, but three crumbling properties at a … Read more
Meredith Tabbone first decided to buy and renovate a cheap home in Italy to reconnect with her family history. More than four years and nearly half a million dollars later, her 1-euro home journey has given her a new perspective on work, life, friendships and happiness. Tabbone, 44, is a financial advisor in Chicago. In … Read more
Scrolling through my Venmo transactions, it’s evident that requests for comically small amounts of money are almost always made by friends who were either born with or earn more money than me. The experience is curious and seemingly universal. “Rich people love to Venmo request you $4.72 for like half a bagel because they have … Read more
After a frustrating day at work or fight with your significant other, calling a friend to complain might seem like a good idea. Venting won’t help you manage your anger, though, according to a recent paper published in Clinical Psychology Review. Researchers studied how effective arousal-increasing activities, like venting or running, and arousal-decreasing activities, like … Read more
