August 06, 2019 at 10:15AM by CWC “Skills” are kind of like Pokémon cards for adults. You collect ’em and earn clout among your fellow players—or, in this case, colleagues—depending on which ones you have in your collection. Such savviness usually gets defined as big ticket accomplishments, like the ability to speak Japanese or practicing ambidexterity. That’s not always the case, however: “micromastery”—the practice of collecting small skills and abilities—builds your repertoire in a big way. “Micromastery wants you to get rid of the essential boring element that’s in learning,” says Robert Twigger, author of Micromastery: Learn Small, Learn Fast, and Unlock Your Potential to Achieve Anything, in a recent episode of The Art of Manliness podcast. “It doesn’t have to really be that way. So that’s the starting point. Once I’d working out you could really find these micromasteries everywhere, I looked for things which definitely have a fun element.” In other words, it’s all about reframing learning from being a major endeavor to being a series of small projects that you can master, tweak, show off, and—finally—translate into larger abilities. ad_intervals[‘413127_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘413127_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Cooking is one example. Instead of declaring that you will be the next Julia Child and finding yourself utterly baffled by the soufflés, escargots, and beef bourguignon required to become a true chef, start with mastering the humble omelette. “An omelette has…in making it, almost all the skills you need for far more complicated kinds
Month: August 2019
Polar’s chic new fitness tracker is like having a meditation and recovery expert on your wrist
August 06, 2019 at 10:01AM by CWC When you’re in the market to buy a fitness tracker, your prime incentive for splurging is probably for all the advanced tech that helps you get the most out of your workouts. And while built-in heart rate monitors and calorie burns can be useful in helping you stay in tip-top shape, one new release caught my eye not because of its focus on mental health. Polar’s latest release—the Polar Ignite fitness watch ($230)—is completely waterproof, comes equipped with GPS perfect for tracking runs, an impressively accurate built-in heart rate monitor, and a training guide with ready-made, on-demand workouts. While the fitness features check off plenty of boxes, that’s not what impressed me the most. What makes this watch stand out is its goal to help users find a more balanced, healthy life beyond working out, and that’s why features that focus on recovery and mental well-being are just as easy to access as your standard fitness tracker must-haves. ad_intervals[‘412930_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘412930_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); Beyond the focus on what you do while you’re awake, Polar thinks about recovery with Nightly Recharge, which promises to measure two things: how well you sleep and how well your autonomic nervous system calms down as you sleep. Based on your measurements, you get tips the following day, such as whether your body is ready for a hard workout or you should take it easy. The Sleep Plus Stages give you
4 tips for reining in your know-it-all tendencies (even if you really do think you know it all)
August 06, 2019 at 09:42AM by CWC Knowledge may well be power, and when you’re incredibly informed (or at least think you are), you want to share your know-how with everyone in your presence. And what’s wrong with that? Well, when you steamroll every conversation with your know-it-all opinions, it’s a bad look that can come across as equal parts rude, pretentious, and self-centered. Even if you contend that you do know what you’re talking about at all times, à la Bethenny Frankel on The Real Housewives of New York City, you can probably understand that in effect, this can be grating to everyone around you—in your personal and professional life. For instance, when my new roommate’s parents came recently visited our Brooklyn apartment, I felt compelled to lay out every positive attribute of Greenpoint, as if I were running for city council. And even though I’m factually correct in my contention that our proximity to Monsignor McGolrick Park offers psychological benefits, they were entitled to their IDGAF stance about my argument with no one, and I don’t think I likened myself to them anymore as a result of the interaction. ad_intervals[‘413143_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘413143_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); But, I was right! (And, I now know I need some help for reining in my know-it-all tendencies.) If you, too, feel you’re a know-it-all, and you suspect it’s driving everyone in your life crazy, all hope isn’t lost. Here’s an expert-informed four-pronged approach to curb
Please, let’s all take a moment to swoon over Keanu Reeves’ beauty routine
August 06, 2019 at 09:00AM by CWC Much like hair scrunchies and Birkenstocks, Keanu Reeves has—thanks to all that is good and pure in the universe—become “trendy” again. He’s currently considered the “Internet’s boyfriend” after playing a parodied version of himself in Always Be My Maybe (and the voice of Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4), and an increasing number of fan stories are coming out that solidify the fact that Reeves is truly a bona fide Nice Guy™. But I would like to take a second pivot everyone’s focus away from Reeves’ sparkling personality and wildly successful career to two equally impressive, yet oft overlooked, things: his skin and his hair. I initially began swooning over Reeves during my teenage years, when first I laid eyes on him in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. But I’ll admit he faded as a focal point of my romantic daydreams somewhere around The Matrix era, and then I sorta forgot about him altogether when I started to date dudes IRL and stopped pining over celebrities. Le sigh. His resurgence is exciting, though, and I’m thrilled to see that his perfect hair and dewy complexion have remained exactly the same over the past two decades. Like, he has not aged. At all. ad_intervals[‘411549_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘411549_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); But after some extensive research by way of online stalking (in the name of #journalism, of course) I can’t find a single article detailing anything that Reeves has ever revealed about his
How to shop for the most comfortable underwear ever, according to a lingerie pro
August 06, 2019 at 07:00AM by CWC As Wesley from The Princess Bride put it, life is pain, and “anyone who says otherwise is selling something.” While the sentiment is definitely a dark one (… sorry), it seems to ring true—especially when we’re talking about underwear. Because in my personal experience, the cuter a pair of them are on the hanger, the less comfortable they feel when you put ’em on. I’ve asked myself time and time again just how much discomfort I’m willing to put up with for the sake of my undergarments, and the answer is “none.” At this point, my tolerance for being uncomfortable is lower than the success rate of my Hinge dates, which is why my underwear drawer is basically just bralettes and granny panties (though I will argue that granny panties can be both comfortable and sexy). The worst surprise (other than finding out your date is a conspiracy theorist) is putting on a pair of underwear that you thought were going to be comfortable, only to find yourself being pinched and wedgied all day long. No thank you. So I asked Maggie Mee, Trunk Club’s Head of Merchandising, to share her tips on how to shop for underwear that’s actually comfortable. ad_intervals[‘410147_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘410147_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); “When you look at your underwear drawer, think about the context that you’ll be wearing them. We encourage people to have four different categories: everyday, seamless, workout, and sexy,”
How To Eat Plant Based When You Eat All The Things
August 02, 2019 Welcome to our first-ever segment of So What?, where we follow along as wellness and lifestyle blogger Minna Lee makes sense of some of the hottest sustainability topics today. Our planet is experiencing some big, real-time challenges, and we know it’s unrealistic to right this ship overnight. But easy, doable steps that steer us in the right direction every day do exist—simply choosing Earth-friendly foods like So Delicious Dairy Free beverages and desserts is one way to get on it. Up first, Minna gets a fresh perspective on plant-based eating, plus some practical tips on actually making it happen for those who love eating all the things. Advertisement Author | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
Pearl is the antioxidant-packed way to hydrate and brighten skin all at once
August 06, 2019 at 06:04AM by CWC There are plenty of glamorous ingredients finding their way into our skin-care routines of late, with gold-flecked face masks and diamond-infused body washes doing their part to make us all feel like a million bucks. And one skin-saving gem in particular seems to have migrated from our necks and earlobes into our serums thanks to its numerous beauty-boosting benefits. Pearl has been used in traditional skin-care treatments in Asia, dating back for centuries. Charlotte Cho, a K-beauty expert and Soko Glam founder, attributes this to the active properties in the gem, which keep the skin acidic to help slow the aging process, while simultaneously keeping it hydrated and firm. As of late, pearl has made its way into Western skin care, and we’ve seen it popping up in our products more and more—for good reason. ‘”Pearl extract’ or ‘pearl powder’ is rich in amino acids and trace minerals that are highly moisturizing, soothing, and brightening,” says Cho. “Pearl is great for dry and sensitive skin types and for those looking for anti-aging ingredients. With a high concentration of antioxidants, pearl helps to protect skin against free-radicals.” In other words, diamonds may get all the credit, but what you really want is to shine bright like a pearl. ad_intervals[‘412630_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘412630_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); Dermatopathologist Gretchen Frieling, MD, points out that it can also function as a rich exfoliant. “Crushed pearls help polish the skin by providing
Unlock the secrets to your career success using your 10th house astrological energy
August 06, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC While you hardly have to be an astrology guru to know your sun sign (what you typically look to when you read your daily horoscope), and you may also be able to rattle off your moon and rising signs without missing a beat, that’s really just scratching the surface of your birth chart and all the intel you can glean from it. For instance, do you know your 10th house in astrology? Well, if not, you’d be wise to learn, since according to Liz Tran, astrologer and founder of New York City-based corporate-wellness-coaching studio Reset, it points to your career and public reputation. First things first, your birth chart (which you can run for free here!) breaks down into 12 sections—or houses, with each representing a different section of your life. Your 10th house in astrology can illuminate features that will be helpful in your career, and also the very fields in which you may work well. ad_intervals[‘405951_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘405951_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Of course, these are just broad strokes, and not an exact blueprint for you to follow. “Look at the qualities and the aspects and the preferences of the sign in the 10th house, and use that to shape your work environment,” Tran says. Check out exactly what she means below. What it means if your 10th house in astrology is in the following signs: Capricorn “Capricorn is the business person who puts on their suit
Woke up with a stiff neck? These 4 pro-approved stretches should help loosen it up
August 06, 2019 at 03:00AM by CWC If I could count the number of times that I’ve woken up with a terrible, no good, very bad crick in my neck, I’d… have enough money for a massage. It’s the worst situation—not only because it hurts like heck, but because I have never known how to deal with the thing. Everything I’ve tried in the past winds up making the stifnesss even worse. So for the sake of all of us crick-getters, I’m getting help from the pros. Although these knots seem to come out of thin air, they typically happen overnight—and there’s a reason for that. “Waking up with a crick in the neck is almost always due to sleeping in a compromised position,” says Jeff Brannigan, program director at Stretch*d. “If the head is leaning toward one side for multiple hours, the muscles that are contracted are going to seize up and tighten much more than the opposing side.” While I tend to use this situation as a legit excuse to skip the gym and hit up the couch, you don’t necessarily have to use crick days as rest days. Brannigan says it depends on the severity of the issue. “If your neck is feeling stiff in the morning, take a few extra minutes before your workout to do some stretches—give yourself some extra sets and repetitions if you need it—and you’ll be prepped for the workout,” he says. That said, if you’re in a lot of pain, it’s
Why you should add watermelon to your list of gut-friendly foods
August 06, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-hNpK-gM-0] Watermelon is in season right now—watch this video for the 411 on its benefits. Maybe it’s just me, but when I think of gut-friendly foods, I typically picture sauerkraut, Greek yogurt, prunes, and anything else that’s rich in probiotics or fiber. So imagine my surprise when I learned that watermelon—yes, really!—could also be added to that list. In the latest episode of You Versus Food, dietitian Tracy Lockwood-Beckerman explains that watermelon has fiber, which can help with bloating, digestion, inflammation, and gut health. The average woman needs about 25 grams of fiber a day, and you’ll get just over 4 percent of that from a two cup-serving of cubed watermelon. ad_intervals[‘413102_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘413102_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); On top of that, watermelon is made of 92 percent water, Beckerman says. Obviously water can keep your skin looking hydrated, but it can also help ease constipation by, ahem, keeping things moving through your digestive tract. The water plus the fiber make the summer fruit clutch for optimal gut health. Even with watermelon, though, Beckerman says you can have too much of a good thing. “Due to its high lycopene and vitamin-C content, eating too much watermelon can result in diarrhea, indigestion, and bloating,” she explains. Stick with a two-cup serving and you’re good to go. To learn everything else watermelon can do for your health, watch the full video above. And subscribe to our YouTube channel so you never