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Julia Furlan
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Julia Furlan

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Monday

Perspective

How to make space for fun in life

NPR's Julia Furlan talks with Catherine Price, author of "The Power of Fun" for an episode of Life Kit about differentiating between true and fake fun and creating more fun in life.

How to make space for fun in life

Listen · 8:03
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Thursday

How to have real fun — even when life's got you down
Ana Galvañ for NPR

Life Kit

How to have real fun — even when life's got you down

Do you have enough fun in life? Catherine Price, author of The Power of Fun, explains the three components of true fun and how to tap into this powerful, everyday source of joy.

How to have real fun — even when life's got you down

Listen · 17:12
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Wednesday

22 tips for 2022: To listen better, try — you guessed it — not talking
Andrea D'Aquino for NPR

22 tips for 2022

22 tips for 2022: To listen better, try — you guessed it — not talking

If you want to be a better listener, the first step is to stop talking.

22 tips for 2022: To listen better, try — you guessed it — not talking

Listen · 21:48
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Tuesday

5 tips to help you stop being so late (or at least make you more honest about it)
PM Images/Getty Images

Life Kit

5 tips to help you stop being so late (or at least make you more honest about it)

People are late for lots of reasons — being overly optimistic, not accurately gauging how much time it takes to actually get somewhere, even being afraid of being early. Time management coach Rashelle Isip shares some tactics that can help you embrace punctuality and avoid that awkward apology for being tardy ... again.

5 tips to help you stop being so late (or at least make you more honest about it)

Listen · 17:50
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Thursday

Receiving Feedback Doesn't Have To Be Scary. Here's How You Can Get Most Out Of It
Photo Illustration by Becky Harlan/NPR

Life Kit

Receiving Feedback Doesn't Have To Be Scary. Here's How You Can Get Most Out Of It

Receiving feedback doesn't necessarily have to be terrifying, according to Shanita Williams, a feedback coach, professor and author of Feedback Mentality.

Receiving Feedback Doesn't Have To Be Scary. Here's How You Can Get Most Out Of It

Listen · 16:20
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Saturday

Monday

5 Tips To Help You Give Good Feedback
Javier Zayas Photography/Getty Images

Life Kit

5 Tips To Help You Give Good Feedback

Massella Dukuly understands that the simple act of giving somebody feedback can be terrifying. But her job as director of learning and development at LifeLabs Learning is to teach people how to give good feedback.

5 Tips To Help You Give Good Feedback

Listen · 23:34
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Sunday

'Where We Come From': By Any Other Name

Podcast host and author Luvvie Ajayi Jones. Elton Anderson Jr. hide caption

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Elton Anderson Jr.

Code Switch

'Where We Come From': By Any Other Name

Anyone with a name that isn't super common in the United States will tell you that the simple act of introducing yourself can lead to a whole interrogation: Where are you from? What does your name mean? Help me pronounce it using words I understand! So on this bonus episode from our friends at the "Where We Come From" series, we're getting into what, exactly, is in a name — and what names can tell us about where we've been and where we're going.

'Where We Come From': By Any Other Name

Listen · 17:17
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Tuesday

'Where We Come From': Priya And Ritu Krishna On Indian Cooking And Assimilation

Priya and Ritu Krishna in their Dallas kitchen. NPR hide caption

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NPR

It's Been a Minute

'Where We Come From': Priya And Ritu Krishna On Indian Cooking And Assimilation

Where do you come from? It's a question that immigrant communities of color get asked constantly. But the answer is often not simply about a place on a map. It can be tied to identity, immigration, career, family... and even food. In this episode from NPR's audio and video series Where We Come From, New York Times food writer Priya Krishna tackles this question with her mother, Ritu. They explore assimilation through food and why dal represents comfort for their family.

'Where We Come From': Priya And Ritu Krishna On Indian Cooking And Assimilation

Listen · 26:30
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Sunday

'Where We Come From': Emily Kwong's Story

Emily Kwong, age 2, and her grandparents, Hui and Edgar Kwong. Emily Kwong hide caption

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Emily Kwong

Short Wave

'Where We Come From': Emily Kwong's Story

Nearly 1 billion people speak Mandarin Chinese. But Short Wave host Emily Kwong is not among them. As a third generation Chinese American, Emily's heritage language was lost through the years when her father, Christopher Kwong, stopped speaking the language at a young age in order to adjust to life in the U.S. Now, at age 30, Emily's trying to reclaim Chinese by attending virtual Mandarin classes for the first time. In conversation with her father, Emily explores how being 'Chinese enough' gets tied up in language fluency, and how language is a bridge that can be broken and rebuilt between generations — as an act of love and reclamation.

'Where We Come From': Emily Kwong's Story

Listen · 24:30
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Wednesday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Where Are You Really From?

Immigration activist and temporary protected status holder César Magaña Linares poses for a portrait. Michael Zamora/NPR hide caption

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Michael Zamora/NPR

Code Switch

Where Are You Really From?

If you're a person of color living in the United States, chances are you've been asked more than you care to remember where you're from — no, where you're really from. In her new series "Where We Come From," NPR's Anjuli Sastry lets immigrants of color answer that question broadly, with the space and context it deserves.

Where Are You Really From?

Listen · 37:38
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Tuesday

Want to listen better? Turn down your thoughts and tune in to others
Andrea D'Aquino for NPR

Life Kit

Want to listen better? Turn down your thoughts and tune in to others

Actively listening is tough, but it can transform your conversations and improve your relationships. Here's some advice.

Want to listen better? Turn down your thoughts and tune in to others

Listen · 21:48
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Tuesday

How to set boundaries with family — and stick to them
Cha Pornea for NPR

Life Kit

How to set boundaries with family — and stick to them

Maintaining healthy boundaries is a way of taking care of your closest relationships, but setting those boundaries with family can be hard. The process starts with asking yourself what you need.

How to set boundaries with family — and stick to them

Listen · 20:27
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Thursday

This holiday, spend less on gifts but make them more thoughtful
Francesco Carta/Getty Images

Life Kit

This holiday, spend less on gifts but make them more thoughtful

Human connection can seem out of reach this year, but there are still ways to show your loved ones that you care. Harper's Bazaar editor Tiffany Dodson joins Julia Furlan to talk about how to give better, more thoughtful gifts — while spending less.

This holiday, spend less on gifts but make them more thoughtful

Listen · 19:19
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Wednesday

The Lessons Of Pets.com
Bob Riha Jr./Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

The Lessons Of Pets.com

The tech bubble of the 90s was a time when companies with weak business models and flashy advertising secured massive investments. This is the story of perhaps the most infamous case study: Pets.com.

The Lessons Of Pets.com

Listen · 9:59
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Monday

Want to make all your arguments win-win? Stop fighting and start brainstorming
Robin Lewallen for NPR

Life Kit

Want to make all your arguments win-win? Stop fighting and start brainstorming

It's normal to avoid conflict. This episode gives you tools for turning what could be a heated argument into a constructive brainstorming session — so both parties feel like they are working together instead of against each other.

Want to make all your arguments win-win? Stop fighting and start brainstorming

Listen · 19:57
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Thursday

If you're new to camping, here's how to get started
Photo Illustration by Becky Harlan/NPR

Life Kit

If you're new to camping, here's how to get started

Attention new campers! This episode will get you ready for your first car camping trip so you'll feel comfortable and confident in being a responsible member of the outdoor community. We'll discuss what to bring camping, how to make meals, how to stay safe and how to honor the land.

If you're new to camping, here's how to get started

Listen · 22:15
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Tuesday

How To Start A Book Club That Actually Meets
Clare Schneider/NPR

Life Kit

How To Start A Book Club That Actually Meets

Here's how to start a book club that actually meets, has a focus, fosters good discussion and steers clear of logistical nightmares.

How To Start A Book Club That Actually Meets

Listen · 10:18
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Thursday

How To Focus While Reading
Becky Harlan/NPR

Life Kit

How To Focus While Reading

If you'd like to read more, but you're finding it difficult — maybe you can't focus, you feel slow or like you're not enjoying the books you tried — don't give up! These four reading strategies will help make reading a little easier and more fun.

How To Focus While Reading

Listen · 11:54
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Tuesday

Tuesday

Dealing With Holidays At Work: Forced Cheer And Awkward Parties
Bronson Arcuri and Becky Harlan/NPR

Life Kit

Dealing With Holidays At Work: Forced Cheer And Awkward Parties

Holiday parties, gift exchanges — dealing with the holidays at work can be awkward and fraught. Alison Green of Ask a Manager shares advice on workplace etiquette around the holidays.

Dealing With Holidays At Work: Forced Cheer And Awkward Parties

Listen · 19:59
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