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Imagine you’re on a first date. You’re going to see a comedy. Very soon, you’re laughing so hard you are in tears. Yet your date hasn't chuckled even once. It seems he doesn’t get the jokes. ‘You can probably imagine that he’s not feeling very drawn to you - and maybe you’re not attracted to him,’ says researcher Christian Hahn, who studies humour in relationships. ‘Wherever you go, if you ask people what’s attractive you think it’s going to be tall, dark, and handsome, but more often than not it’s funny,’ Hahn told Love Matters. “I want someone with a good sense of humour.” But what is a good sense of humour, actually? Probably one that’s similar to yours. ‘Similarity in humour seems to push that attraction even further than it already is,’ Hahn explains. We’re attracted to people who make us laugh, plenty of research already suggests. But how does this play out once two people are in a committed relationship? Hahn wondered if people actually want to spend their lives with funny p...

Imagine you’re on a first date. You’re going to see a comedy. Very soon, you’re laughing so hard you are in tears. Yet your date hasn't chuckled even once. It seems he doesn’t get the jokes. ‘You can probably imagine that he’s not feeling very drawn to you - and maybe you’re not attracted to him,’ says researcher Christian Hahn, who studies humour in relationships. ‘Wherever you go, if you ask people what’s attractive you think it’s going to be tall, dark, and handsome, but more often than not it’s funny,’ Hahn told Love Matters. “I want someone with a good sense of humour.” But what is a good sense of humour, actually? Probably one that’s similar to yours. ‘Similarity in humour seems to push that attraction even further than it already is,’ Hahn explains. We’re attracted to people who make us laugh, plenty of research already suggests. But how does this play out once two people are in a committed relationship? Hahn wondered if people actually want to spend their lives with ...

DO... Gather information Sometimes, a bit of online research can be a good thing. This way, you’ll get a better idea of who they are and if you have similar interests. And, you may also avoid disappointments, such as finding out that he or she is married. Talk beforehand Chat on social media or talk on the phone. If you find out that you don’t agree on things that are important to you, or you don’t feel comfortable talking to each other, it may not be worth going on a date. Get a description Send your date a message before you meet and ask what colour shirt they are wearing and what their hair looks like. You can even agree on a sign, like a flower or certain newspaper on the table. That will make it easier to spot them in a crowd of strangers . Think of what to talk about Sitting across from someone you barely know can make talking a bit difficult. To avoid awkward pauses, think about questions to ask and things to chat about before you arrive. Let a friend know To stay on the safe si...

DO... Gather information Sometimes, a bit of online research can be a good thing. This way, you’ll get a better idea of who they are and if you have similar interests. And, you may also avoid disappointments, such as finding out that he or she is married. Talk beforehand Chat on social media or talk on the phone. If you find out that you don’t agree on things that are important to you, or you don’t feel comfortable talking to each other, it may not be worth going on a date. Get a description Send your date a message before you meet and ask what colour shirt they are wearing and what their hair looks like. You can even agree on a sign, like a flower or certain newspaper on the table. That will make it easier to spot them in a crowd of strangers . Think of what to talk about Sitting across from someone you barely know can make talking a bit difficult. To avoid awkward pauses, think about questions to ask and things to chat about before you arrive. Let a friend know To stay on the safe...

HOW TO KEEP LOVING FROM THE HEART, NOT THE HEAD Love: It’s one of the few things in life that can create  intense pleasure  — or intense pain. It has the power to put you on top of the clouds or in a deep, dark hole. (And no matter how much experience we gain, it seems like we’re all still trying to figure it out.) When you are in the midst of deep love, when the world is filled with rainbows and butterflies, everything your partner does is right. This is where the term “Love is blind” comes from — you are “blinded” by love and cannot see any of your lover’s flaws.  Image credit © Guas /shutterstock In this heightened state of attraction, we tend to give our partners more leeway. There’s more space for them to make mistakes because the rules we have created within the relationships are different, and we have fewer of them. And in many cases, you don’t have any rules — you’re just thrilled to be in the same room with them, to have the opportunity to make them happy. Here’s a t...

HOW TO KEEP LOVING FROM THE HEART, NOT THE HEAD Love: It’s one of the few things in life that can create  intense pleasure  — or intense pain. It has the power to put you on top of the clouds or in a deep, dark hole. (And no matter how much experience we gain, it seems like we’re all still trying to figure it out.) When you are in the midst of deep love, when the world is filled with rainbows and butterflies, everything your partner does is right. This is where the term “Love is blind” comes from — you are “blinded” by love and cannot see any of your lover’s flaws.  Image credit © Guas /shutterstock In this heightened state of attraction, we tend to give our partners more leeway. There’s more space for them to make mistakes because the rules we have created within the relationships are different, and we have fewer of them. And in many cases, you don’t have any rules — you’re just thrilled to be in the same room with them, to have the opportunity to make them happy. ...

“You are such a slob. You just expect me to clean up after you.” “You are always working. Work is more important to you than your family.” “You are so frivolous. You just think money grows on trees.” Sound familiar? Arguments about housework, priorities and money are nothing new. In fact, for many couples, they are weekly challenges. But that is exactly why choosing the right words during an argument is so important. Even when you have the best of intentions, what you say can escalate an argument into a full-blown fight and really hurt the one you love. And one of the most common mistakes those in a relationship make with their language is the use of “you-statements.” WHAT IS A “YOU-STATEMENT?” “You-statements,” such as those listed above, are phrases that begin with the pronoun “you” and imply that the listener is responsible for something. They show no ownership of emotions, but rather, blame, accuse and assume the receiver. This type of statement is more likely to make your partner ...

“You are such a slob. You just expect me to clean up after you.” “You are always working. Work is more important to you than your family.” “You are so frivolous. You just think money grows on trees.” Sound familiar? Arguments about housework, priorities and money are nothing new. In fact, for many couples, they are weekly challenges. But that is exactly why choosing the right words during an argument is so important. Even when you have the best of intentions, what you say can escalate an argument into a full-blown fight and really hurt the one you love. And one of the most common mistakes those in a relationship make with their language is the use of “you-statements.” WHAT IS A “YOU-STATEMENT?” “You-statements,” such as those listed above, are phrases that begin with the pronoun “you” and imply that the listener is responsible for something. They show no ownership of emotions, but rather, blame, accuse and assume the receiver. This type of statement is more likely to make y...

We live in a culture of appearances. Think, for a moment, about how many people you know — including yourself — who are constantly striving to project a certain image in order to impress, to communicate or even to connect with others. When it comes to social media, when is the last time you posted a photo that reflects your reality? Whether it’s a filter you used to enhance the aesthetic, or an image that is more of a momentary glimpse of time than an accurate representation of your life, we select and post photos that we want others to base their perceptions upon. And while this may seem benign enough, when you consider that social media is a mere microcosm of the world we live in, the implications become a little more meaningful. We have been conditioned to put on a façade when we want to give off a certain impression, or to tell people exactly what they want to hear. But in the long run, this effort to be anyone other than your authentic self is actually counterintuitive. Because he...

We live in a culture of appearances. Think, for a moment, about how many people you know — including yourself — who are constantly striving to project a certain image in order to impress, to communicate or even to connect with others. When it comes to social media, when is the last time you posted a photo that reflects your reality? Whether it’s a filter you used to enhance the aesthetic, or an image that is more of a momentary glimpse of time than an accurate representation of your life, we select and post photos that we want others to base their perceptions upon. And while this may seem benign enough, when you consider that social media is a mere microcosm of the world we live in, the implications become a little more meaningful. We have been conditioned to put on a façade when we want to give off a certain impression, or to tell people exactly what they want to hear. But in the long run, this effort to be anyone other than your authentic self is actually counterintuitive. Beca...

Everyone wants to enhance their quality of life. Everyone wants to be more fulfilled. But almost all of us get stuck at times in our limiting beliefs and emotional patterns. We make habits out of feeling frustrated, worried, sad or overwhelmed. But it is these disempowering habits that prevent us from doing what we are really capable of – even if that something is just being happy. While we cannot control the events that happen in our lives, we  can  master  how  we experience these events. People are always going to encounter stressful times. It could be losing a job, losing your health or even losing a loved one. Something happens that is outside our control, and it knocks us down. But stress, anger, sadness – these feelings don’t come from the facts, they come from the meaning that we give the facts. Of course, the terrible things that happen are real. But the question is, how are you going to allow that to shape your life? Are you going to let it tear you down, o...

Everyone wants to enhance their quality of life. Everyone wants to be more fulfilled. But almost all of us get stuck at times in our limiting beliefs and emotional patterns. We make habits out of feeling frustrated, worried, sad or overwhelmed. But it is these disempowering habits that prevent us from doing what we are really capable of – even if that something is just being happy. While we cannot control the events that happen in our lives, we  can  master  how  we experience these events. People are always going to encounter stressful times. It could be losing a job, losing your health or even losing a loved one. Something happens that is outside our control, and it knocks us down. But stress, anger, sadness – these feelings don’t come from the facts, they come from the meaning that we give the facts. Of course, the terrible things that happen are real. But the question is, how are you going to allow that to shape your life? Are you going to let it tear you down...

W elcome, Player One, to a strategy guide for the game known as Life. As you’ve undoubtedly discovered, the game of Life is often quite difficult. You will face unexpected challenges and long periods of frustration. You will often struggle with self-doubt, feel overwhelmed by helplessness and loss, and sometimes take a shit when you’re out of toilet paper. Yes, Life is hard, as the saying goes. But fear not, this short guide is designed to help you complete your missions and complete the game at the highest possible level. HOW TO WIN AT LIFE Don’t worry, Champ, you got this. The goal of Life is simple: it is to Level Up as much as possible. Each Level in life presents a particular challenge that you must overcome. Once you overcome that challenge, you get to move on to the next Level. The goal is to complete as many levels as possible. At the end of the game, the person at the highest level gets to have the best funeral. There are five levels in life: Level 1 – Find food; find a bed to...