Likewise, some parents take boundaries to such an extreme they’re denying their children the experience to learn and grow on their own. I’m talking about “helicopter parents,” the ones who are constantly putting down new boundaries. As in, letting a child play only in the backyard because it …

As a doctoral student, I devoured every book on vocal pedagogy I could get my hands on. However contrasting their approaches were for cultivating skill in breathing, vocal production, and articulation, they all emphasized good alignment as foundational for the development of technique. Some offered extensive physiological descriptions of the …

Don’t ever stop to wonder whether the universe has stacked itself against you. If you’ve ever been forced by a crowd of reverential fans to stop and sign autographs on the way into Mr. Chows, you already know the answer is yes. There are all those press people …

As explained, you need someone’s full attention if you want to be able to hypnotize them. Keeping this in mind, there are a number of different techniques you can use to hypnotize someone covertly while you are in conversation with them. These techniques will help you to put someone …

Years before Jim Carrey became a world-renowned actor, he wrote himself a check for $10 million dollars for “acting services rendered” and kept it in his wallet. At night, he would drive up on Mulholland Drive, park his car on a vista overlooking the city of Los Angeles, and remove …

In September 2017, Puerto Rico was just beginning to recover from one of the worst multiyear droughts in its history. Faced with severe water shortages during the height of the drought, the island’s government rationed water use for two hundred thousand residents in the San Juan area, a drastic …

I pray that you’re doing well. I have been thinking a lot about my life since the interview. I felt nervous and did my best to answer your questions, but now I feel that there were more details I should have mentioned. It’s sort of hard for me …

Wildfire smoke is aggravating chronic illnesses hundreds of miles away from the flames. Air pollution, worsened by fossil fuel burning, kills more than nineteen thousand people a day, making it one of the leading causes of death in nearly every country on Earth. Young people growing up today are seeking …

When King Giaffer, ruler of the ancient country of Serendip (an Old Persian name for Sri Lanka) became concerned that his three sons were too sheltered, privileged, and unprepared for the challenges of ruling the kingdom, he decided to send them on a journey on whichthey would learn some important …

In 2017, $410 billion was contributed to nonprofit organizations, and 70 percent of that giving came from individuals. Charitable giving is an important source of revenue for nonprofits. Although on average, only 13 percent of nonprofit organizations’ income comes from charitable donations , this average conceals substantial variation. Some nonprofits use …

In a state of tension, it’s hard to be present – but it is possible. Tension blocks presence as it constricts us inside. When our body and emotions are squeezed, so is our life view in that moment. Tension can obscure our perspective, impact our breathing and unbalance the nervous …

Eye contact is a sign of interest. If someone at a party looked into your eyes for longer than usual, you’d think the person was interested in you, and you would probably consider him or her attractive.

Some people avoid eye contact. They may be painfully shy, or possibly …

Just as there are many ways to appreciate the outdoors, there are many ways to camp. The choices range from amenity-packed recreational vehicle (such as a camper van) camping to an ultralight ramble with just a tarp and some cord to rig a makeshift shelter. The more luxurious the camping …

Treehouses are not generally considered essential for life. Most people do not use them as a primary home, but rather as a temporary getaway. Practically speaking, they are not the most efficient structures we can build. They are generally less energy efficient because the floor is exposed to variable weather …