January 28, 2019 at 07:02AM by CWC Ever wondered what it would be like to swap your spreadsheets for saucepans? Or daydreamed about leaving your desk job to become a dog walker? Or wished your business card read “Pilates instructor” instead of “publicist?” If you’ve seriously contemplated a career switch, you’re not alone: According to one 2013 Harris survey, 80 percent of workers in their twenties and 64 percent of workers in their thirties want to change fields. No matter the reason you’re unsatisfied with your current career—be it boredom or burnout or something else entirely—you don’t have to stay the course. Despite what you may think, it’s totally possible to switch paths no matter how many years you’ve already been in the workforce. With some savvy strategizing and expectation management, you can have that dream job. Here’s how, according to a career coach. Want to change career lanes—or even make a professional U-turn? Keep reading for 6 tips to make it happen. Photo: Getty Images/Morsa Images 1. Figure out why you’re craving a change First things first: Do a little soul-searching and ask yourself, “why now?” “Find out what’s actually driving your decision to switch careers,” says certified professional career coach David Wiacek. “Is it the boss? Is it the toxic environment? Is it the commute? Maybe you’ve been at the same company for years. If you did the same job at a different company that’s more innovative, it could re-spark the professional drive you lost. Sometimes you don’t necessarily
Category: 2019 Health
Is it a red flag for texting frequency to be low early on in a relationship?
January 28, 2019 at 06:00AM by CWC I have strong gut reaction to many—maybe even most—dating inquiries. For example, I’m a firm believer that you should wear what makes you comfortable on a first date, you should always be forthcoming with what you’re looking for in a relationship, and you should never sleep with someone who is iffy about using protection. But when people ask me how often they should be texting in a new relationship, I’m usually honest: I have no freakin’ idea. I’m also constantly questioning whether or not the guy who I’m interested in is texting me enough, or whether I’m being annoying with my own texting habits. After consulting an expert about the communication conundrum, I learned there’s unfortunately no clear-cut answer. “There are no universal rules when it comes to communication, be it digital or face-to-face,” says sexologist Jess O’Reilly, PhD. “Text as often as you’d like, but don’t play games.” That means no manipulation, no waiting 15 minutes to answer a text that he took 15 minutes to send, and definitely no writing and rewriting your text messages with your friends. (Hey, no judgment—I’ve been guilty of it too.) “There are no universal rules when it comes to communication, be it digital or face-to-face. Text as often as you’d like, but don’t play games.” —sexologist Jess O’Reilly, PhD The only thing you really should be doing, according to Dr. O’Reilly, is being mindful of your new partner’s texting habits. If you’re someone who sends
Look for *these* ingredients depending on your shampoo bottle’s promise
January 28, 2019 at 05:00AM by CWC If you’ve spent way too long making your way down the skin-care aisle carefully going through every ingredient listed on each bottle, you’re not alone. It’s an intense, time-consuming process, and it’s crucial in choosing a product that’s going to benefit your skin—not harm it. But can you read shampoo bottles the same way you would your balms and serums? Whatever your skin-care products are promising to do—be it “anti-aging” or “brightening”—there are generally active ingredients listed that give you the results you’re looking for. And just like you’re set to snag a beauty product that will address your skin’s needs, you probably want a shampoo that does the same for your hair, whether that’s helping with breakage, dandruff, or frizz. Good news: New York City dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, says you can treat hair and skin similarly when it comes to your products. Essentially, you’ll want to choose the ingredients that best address the needs of your hair, and here’s exactly what you should be looking for depending on what those might be. Keep scrolling for the 411. Graphic: Well+Good Creative Boosting volume If you want an extra dose of volume and body, start by looking for ingredients that are going to properly cleanse your hair. “Micellar water and surfactants are the best ingredients to keep hair clean, fresh, and free-flowing. Clean hair has more body and volume than hair that’s dirty and weighed down,” says Rachel Zipperian, chief beauty scientist at Herbal Essences. In
Wellness is growing faster than the global economy. Here’s why
January 28, 2019 at 03:30AM by CWC How big is the wellness economy? “Gargantuan” doesn’t begin to describe it. At the Global Wellness Institute, we’ve measured this industry and shared our findings in the 2018 Global Wellness Economy Monitor. If there’s one takeaway you should know, it’s that wellness is an incredibly healthy business. Yes, the pun is intended, but the numbers don’t lie. The wellness industry was valued at $4.2 trillion in 2017, clocking 12.8% growth from 2015. Let’s put this in perspective: Wellness is growing roughly twice as fast as the global economy–which means spending on wellness is now more than half as large as total global health expenditures ($7.3 trillion)! The infographic below gives a comprehensive overview of industries that encourage people to incorporate wellness activities and lifestyles into their daily lives. Each of the 10 bubbles represents a wellness sector, which is sized in proportion to how much it contributes to the annual global wellness economy. Curious to know more? The following descriptions capture what is included in each of the bubbles, moving from the smallest wellness market to the largest. Workplace wellness: To attract and retain superstar employees, an increasing number of companies are spending more on health and wellness programs, services, activities and equipment. It’s a$48 billion market, growing 4.8% a year. Thermal/mineral springs: Is there something magic in the water? Yes, to the tune of $56 billion. The recreational and therapeutic uses of water with special properties—including thermal water, mineral water, and seawater—are
Treating dating like a takeout order is leaving us hungry for more
January 27, 2019 at 08:30AM by CWC When I was 24, in a classic 24-year-old move, I started hooking up with the Tinder Emperor of my borough. His cyber seduction skills checked every box in your list of dating app clichés: We’re talking shirtless selfies, topless pic requests—things I would scoff at (and then hike to Bushwick to meet up anyway like a damn fool). But what I couldn’t get over is that I was number 84 on his list of conquests. (He had a literal list of every woman he’d been with; he showed me once.) Eighty-four. When his number would flash on my phone, I’d wonder, “Did he scroll through all those names and think, Hmm, I’m in the mood for #84 tonight? Like I’m a McDonald’s order?” Shocker: This tryst ended with a disastrous heartbreak. But I’ve been able to keep that bit of the past behind me. Until, that is, a new dating trend like “cookie jarring”—when a dater keeps one hand in the proverbial cookie jar, making sure to always have someone on reserve in case their main squeeze doesn’t work out—crops up in my feed, and it all comes rushing back. Suddenly, I remember…Online dating is just Seamless for People. Let me put forth a scenario for you: It’s Tuesday night, you’re home from an arduous day of work, and the couch is calling. You figure you should do that whole dinner thing, and maybe even did some healthy meal prep over the weekend. But oh, Chinese food
Why body-inclusivity hero Dana Falsetti is over Instagram
January 27, 2019 at 07:44AM by CWC As a leading voice in the body-inclusivity movement, yoga teacher Dana Falsetti’s @nolatrees posts have been a must-read among the healthy-living Instagram world for years. But not anymore. And it’s not because she’s any less thoughtful, challenging, or influential. It’s because she’s not going to post anymore. Via Instagram Stories, Falsetti told her 316,000 followers that the social media platform is an “abusive relationship” from which she needs to heal. “There has been a lot of trauma. Visible and not. As much as I regularly wish I could, I can’t will trauma not to have its impact.” —Dana Falsetti “I am grieving, realizing my relationship with this community and this work is the most intense one I’ve ever been in and I tie every memory back to this account and how it all began. Through therapy I’ve come to realize it’s been a five-year abusive relationship, even with all it’s given me,” she says. “There has been a lot of trauma. Visible and not. As much as I regularly wish I could, I can’t will trauma not to have its impact. Being in these spaces re-traumatizes me so quickly that my mental health plummets just as fast. I need to heal.” Photo: Cheyenne Gil What’s next for her? She admits that it’s scary to close this door, but feels it’s necessary. “Change is fucking scary. Right now it means accepting that beautiful things don’t have to last to any semblance of permanence to be
Halp! What should I do if I’ve burned my tongue?
January 27, 2019 at 05:00AM by CWC There’s a high price to pay for wanting to feel cozy. As we try to get our hygge on, swaddled in a weighted blanket, it takes all of 0.02 seconds before—ack—you burned your GD tongue. That’s what you get for wanting a nostalgia-imbibing cup of cocoa or, God forbid, tea within 15 minutes of boiling it. Pop goes the hygge bubble, because when you burn your mouth, it feels like you’re dying and you never want to eat food again. First thing’s first: how legit is this burn? Even if it feels like someone committed arson in your mouth, there’s a slight chance you could be getting too worked up. Put the pizza down and pause…is this a sharp sting, or are you blistering? “Often times when eating hot foods, like pizza or coffee, you can experience a superficial burn of the mucosal lining of the mouth,” says Payam Daneshrad, MD, of Daneshrad Clinic ENT. “If a blister forms, it is best to leave it intact. If the blisters ruptures, a non-water soluble salve like Bag Balm can protect the raw area.” Next step: Cool down the mouth But maybe skip the sucking-on-an-ice-cube thing. There have been more than a handful of studies that frown on using ice to aid in the healing process, and the general consensus is that you want to use something that has graduated to liquid form. Yup, go the route of H20 or something decidedly refreshing. “Drink something cold
Believe it or not, we’re halfway through winter—here’s why that’s a big deal astrologically
January 27, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC The midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, known as Imbolc, happens this week. Yay! Are we still shivering out here in these streets? Most definitely. But spring energy is starting to bloom—and heads up, it may feel explosive, says astrologer Jennifer Racioppi. Monday, January 28 The week begins with the moon waning in Scorpio, a fixed water sign closely related to secrets, sexuality, and a desire for intimacy. Simultaneously, Venus, who rules love, makes a positive angle known as a trine to Eris, the dwarf planet of feminine discord and strife. This cosmic combination amplifies your ability to own and integrate your shadow. Leverage the sexy-noir overtones of the day. This week has some explosive tendencies and simultaneously some remarkably harmonious aspects too. Yes, it’s Monday. But! If you can find your turn-on, and become the seductress of your self-care, do it. This week has some explosive tendencies and simultaneously some remarkably harmonious aspects too. Staying in your power, feeling nourished and alive, supports you immensely. Tap into your desires, and make peace with your dark side. Tuesday, January 29 The planet of communication, Mercury, conjoins the sun in Aquarius today, amplifying the capacity to think both creatively and intuitively. With the sun and Mercury at 9 degrees of Aquarius (the sign of the water bearer), big-picture thinking and expansive visioning go a long way. Beyond just thinking about what you want to create, consider your why. How will getting what you
I tried the 4-7-8 technique to fall asleep fast and my god, it worked like a dream
January 26, 2019 at 09:19AM by CWC Maybe it’s the existential dread or the mediocre mattress, but I’m not sleeping well these days. In fact, my nights asleep are so the opposite of good that when I stumble upon the 4-7-8 technique, I’m like, “Exhaling myself to sleep? Sure, what the hell.” Dubbed a “natural tranquilizer for the nervous system” by Dr. Andrew Weil, I can’t help but be seduced by an insta-sleep hack that can knock me out before my mind wanders. The 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise is adopted from the yogic practice of pranayama, meaning “regulation of breath.” Dr. Weil has since developed it as a way to lull the body into a state of deep relaxation. It’s meant to diminish stress and bring balance to the body, all the while giving your organs and tissues a much-needed oxygen boost. You can practice the technique while sitting or lying down comfortably, maintaining good posture. But since I’m specifically testing this out to fall asleep fast , I decided to try it lying down in my bed. From there, I put the tip of my tongue where the ridge of the gum meets my upper front teeth before exhaling forcefully through my mouth to make a whooshing sound. Then, I close your mouth and inhale through my nose for a count of four. Next, I hold my breath to a count of seven, then exhale through my mouth making the same whoosh sound for a count of eight. That’s one
If you’re looking to get in bed with more eco-friendly brands, here are 15 to start
January 26, 2019 at 06:31AM by CWC When Queen Elizabeth decided to give Buckingham Palac a plastic detox almost exactly one year ago, I realized it might be time for me to get truly serious about doing the same. In the 12 months since, I’ve been working hard to eradicate plastic from my apartment, use only the cleanest of cleaning products so as to avoid releasing ever-more toxins into the air, and take other such measures to protect myself and the environment. As I audited my sustainable-home situation, however, I realized I’m still spending eight hours a night in cheap cotton sheets manufactured with more chemicals than conscience. (Cotton is one of the world’s dirtiest crops!) To remedy the situation, I performed a deep dive into the best in eco-friendly bedding and found some truly innovative companies working hard to create cozy sheets, comforters, and more so that conscientious consumers can sleep soundly. Below are 15 brands to keep in mind when shopping for sustainable, eco-friendly bedding and linens. 1. Alterra Pure Alterra Pure’s bedding is made from organic percale grown on renewable cotton farms that rely on rainwater, not irrigation. All water used in production is recycled, and the finishing solutions used are sustainable. 2. Anna Sova Anna Sova is an ecologically-conscious home goods brand that produces sheets made from GOTS-certified organic cotton. The company also produces silk bedding made via a 2,000-year-old process that replaces the typical use of formaldehyde and silicone with au natural Indian nut soap. 3.