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Part of the reason is that I was raised in Tennessee, where good manners—being exceptionally polite, deferential to a fault, even if you don’t mean it—are expected. If someone bumps into me, I will instinctively say, “Oh my goodness, I am so sorry!” like it was my bad. This is the type of needless apology I’m supposed to disavow, I think. But it’s a habit. And life is hard. And people need compassion....

That’s why it’s an even better idea to shop a sale full of discounted comfy sneakers, like Zappos’ Spring Sale that is taking place now and includes more than 1,200 sneakers up to 50 percent off. A total of more than 3,800 shoe markdowns are currently live at Zappos—including boots, flats, and slippers—but with top brands like Adidas, Cole Haan, and the podiatrist-loved Vionic all marked down, the sneaker section is one you really shouldn’t miss....

This is especially true in the luxury market, where a luxury clothing item or piece of jewelry can be worth more years after its initial purchase. This isn’t always the case, and some people prefer to hold on to their luxury purchases and pass them on to friends or family members. But for those who consider shopping a form of investing—likely types who love being on-trend or even ahead of them, and who thus need to swap out their collection of clothing and accessories often—selling off items from luxury brands once they’re finished wearing them can be a lucrative endeavor....

The Tao of Raven: An Alaska Native Memoir In her first book, Blonde Indian, Ernestine Hayes, recounts her journey of returning to her Tlingit home in Juneau, Alaska after many years away. In The Tao of Raven, Hayes digs deeper into this experience, combining elements of memoir and fiction to express frustration at the prejudices still facing Alaskan Natives on their own land. Connecting time and space in the Indigenous worldview, Hayes reflects on her own life—graduating from college in her fifties and becoming a professor and writer—and the legacy she will leave behind to future generations....

According to data recently released by the Good Food Institute and the Plant Based Foods Association, vegan food sales are growing twice as fast as overall food sales, increasing by 27 percent in 2020, and 43 percent in the last two years. In fact, between 2018 and 2020, plant-based sales increased by 250 percent overall. Additionally, Whole Foods (yes that Whole Foods) released its first plant-based trends report in May 2021 and predicted a rise in vegan foods for kids—yet another indication that consumers want to cut back on the amount of meat and animal products they (and their families) consume....

Baked Camembert and Balsamic Strawberries Look no further than the latest food trend of the season: baked Camembert cheese with balsamic strawberries. This is one of those show-stopping appetizers that is perfect for entertaining, and tastes just as good as it looks. Camembert, like brie, is a soft cheese with a sometimes wrinkly rind, and has a smooth, earthy, buttery flavor. It pairs wonderfully with fruit, pecans, and hazelnuts. This appetizer combo is warm, comforting, savory, sweet, and the balsamic strawberries are bursting with zingy bright flavor....

Part of what makes decluttering difficult (besides the time it takes and the literal heavy lifting required), is the emotional weight objects carry. Letting go of a gift may make us feel guilty, while throwing away childhood belongings may make us feel sad or nostalgic. To deal with your clutter and finally let it go, begin by identifying the types of emotional clutter in your home, using the list below as a starting point....

Read on to find what you’ll reap from your favorite chocolate desserts, like Chocolate-covered strawberries, Hot chocolate bombs, Truffles, and Flourless spiced hot chocolate cake (yes, please). And a quick word to the wise: Going overboard on the sugary stuff will counteract cacao’s health-promoting properties. For the biggest flavonoid bang for your caloric buck, Gellman recommends choosing high quality, semi-sweet dark chocolate with the highest cocoa content that suits your palate....

Suzanne Holmes, a manager of the Product Evaluation Laboratory at Cotton Incorporated (a research and promotion company for the U.S. cotton industry), has five easy laundry routine changes that can extend the lives of clothes—no special detergents, laundry hacks, or tools necessary. “They definitely are more than suggestions,” Holmes says. “Clothing items get tested based on those instructions that are included in the care labels.” Holmes says carefully reading and deciphering those laundry tag symbols—and actually doing what they say, even if that does mean hand-washing a few items—can help keep clothes, especially nicer blouses or undergarments, look newer longer....

Why is that important? “Having strong coping skills is like having a flashlight to help you navigate through the darkness. It allows you to see the path ahead much clearer and with purpose,” says Lissette LaRue, MS, NCC, LPC, CHT, a psychotherapist, trauma release specialist, and founder of Healing From Within LLC. Good coping mechanisms help reduce the physiological, physical, and social-emotional impact of whatever it is you may be going through, explains Amanda Jurist, LCSW, a board-certified licensed clinical social worker who specializes in child, adolescent, family, and adult psychotherapy....

This guilt-free potato recipe uses only five simple ingredients and is baked in the oven. The best part? They’re ready in less than an hour from start to finish. I must warn you, the scent of savory garlic and parmesan will have your family swarming the kitchen.

Social media safety isn’t just about avoiding the wrong people: It’s also about avoiding crossing personal and private boundaries with your workmates, clients, or other professional associations. The last thing you want is your income affected by a stupid post or picture. By following a few simple tips, you’ll be able to navigate these potentially awkward situations on social media more easily. Every social media app or website has different privacy permissions, and some have more specific options that allow you to tailor which posts are shared even among your followers and friends....

We tend to ask ourselves the wrong questions when deciding what to keep and get rid of: “Could this be useful one day? Did someone give this to me? Did I pay a lot of money for this item?” Instead, Shira Gill, a professional organizer known for her transformative closet makeovers, asks us to think differently. “These questions are rooted in guilt, obligation, and fear,” she says, “and will provide you with the justification to keep just about anything!...

If you’re washing the windows yourself, consider investing in squeegees with expandable poles so you can avoid getting on a ladder. Remember to choose a wind-free, overcast day (a sunny day will create more streaks). If you have particularly high windows or aren’t sure you want to take on the project yourself, it’s a smart idea to be safe and hire a professional. Because of the danger of climbing on ladders and also the chance of coming into contact with dead animals, it’s safest to leave gutter cleaning to the professionals....

But climatarians—people who stick to a diet that’s focused on reducing their carbon footprint—shop a bit differently. And as it turns out, transforming your trip to the store into a more productive and eco-friendly activity is much easier than you might think. Here are a few simple ways to ditch wasteful habits and start shopping like a true climatarian. Perhaps the most challenging part of using reusable bags is making sure you don’t forget them at home....

Kantrowitz recommends allocated investments in the 529 based on how old your child is. This means choosing a more aggressive investment mix—like 80 percent or more in stocks— when your kid is young, so if the market does crash, you have time to recover and the losses will be minimal. “As college approaches, you should shift into a mix of investments where there is low or no risk of loss, to lock in the savings,” says Kantrowitz....

To get the lowdown on the best drugstore skincare products available nationwide, we asked Shereene Idriss, MD, a board certified dermatologist at Union Square Dermatology in New York City to reveal her six favorite beauty buys. Known for her #pillowtalkderm sessions on Instagram stories (you can follow her at @shereeneidriss), the mom of two makes sciencey skin info easy to understand. Here, Dr. Idriss offers up her most trusted skincare suggestions....