While most of the psychological literature has painted such mind wandering as a detrimental “failure of executive control” or a “dysfunctional cognitive state,” a new study led by Paul Seli, a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow working in the lab of Dan Schacter, suggests that in some cases there’s no harm in allowing the mind to wander. The first-of-its-kind study showed that, when performing a task that didn’t demand constant attention, people were able to strategically allow their minds to wander without an impact on task performance....

What makes this post most interesting is that they followed up their report with these last two lines: “So! Next time you are in pain, try out a swear or two, like “the s-word” or “the f-word.” And if that doesn’t work, just meditate.” They then linked out to another story they’d written about a study about how meditation can be more effective than morphine. Read Mind over Pain, our news item about sensitivity to pain and meditation....

2. Honor the Elements Every piece of food we eat has its own rich origin story, which we usually don’t think about. Next time you sit down for a meal, take a moment to acknowledge everything that went into the food on your plate. Consider the people who made it, bought the ingredients, stocked the store shelves, delivered it, harvested it, and all the natural elements of sun, rain, soil, and wind that allowed it to grow....

14 Short Straight Hairstyles We Love 14 Short Straight Hairstyles We Love 1. Mushroom Haircut The mushroom cut is, essentially, one long layer of hair falls over a boy cut. This is one of a few fabulous short hairstyles for fine straight hair, as it really showcases straight tresses. You can up the style by going platinum, or even use a creative color on your top strands, giving your ‘do a cool high-contrast feel....

When looking at what hairstyles will be big in 2022, we’re seeing the laidback, effortless style carry into the new year, however, there’s a bit of a twist. Many of these looks focus on two opposites: a lot of texture or sleek and smooth. What both styles have in common though are the blunt cuts that accompany the texture. From blunt straight bobs to blunt layered looks, many of our favorite looks are getting an upgrade....