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Life Kit Tools to help you get it together.
Life Kit

Life Kit

Tools To Help You Get It Together
An animated, stop motion gif of paper cut-outs shows a high angle close-up of a dinner table with flowers, coffee cups, candle sticks, and hands, and then question marks and sparkles tumble down onto the table, representing magical questions that unlock meaningful connection and conversation

"A magical question is a question that everyone in your group is interested in answering" and hearing the responses to, says Priya Parker, a conflict resolution facilitator and author of the 2020 book The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters. Anjali Kamat for NPR hide caption

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Anjali Kamat for NPR

Your Life Kit for love and relationships

Want to cut through small talk? Try asking a 'magical question'

These creative questions are fun to answer and can help reveal people's personalities. Conflict resolution facilitator Priya Parker shares her favorites and explains how to come up with your own.

The connecting power of 'magical questions'

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It's never too late to become a strong swimmer. Here's how to start
Kaz Fantone/NPR

It's never too late to become a strong swimmer. Here's how to start

Knowing how to swim can help you have fun at the pool or beach this summer. But it could also save your life. Here are some tips to start swimming at any age.

It's never too late to become a strong swimmer. Here's how to start

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A photograph shows two pink frames covered in sparkly heart, star and smiley face stickers, each holding a photograph of two friends. On the left the frame shows a photo of two children wearing party hats, one with red hair and one with blonde hair, that's slightly out of focus. On the right, the photo shows the same people posing for a photograph as young adults, symbolizing a long-term friendship progressing and enduring over the years.
Photo illustration by Tsering Bista/NPR

The secret to staying BFFs? Don't keep score

To maintain old friends, focus less on what they're doing (or not doing) for the relationship and focus on your own efforts, says Nina Badzin, host of a friendship podcast.

How to keep old friends

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A swim instructor teaches a 3-year-old boy how to swim in an outdoor swimming pool.

Swimming lessons can be a powerful tool to prevent drowning. carlofranco/Getty Images/iStockphoto hide caption

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carlofranco/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Need a refresher on kids' water safety? Take this quiz

As many pools reopen on Memorial Day weekend, test your knowledge on kids' water safety. Drowning is the No. 1 cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 in the U.S. — and these tips may save a life.

A photograph shows two people peeking over a light wooden fence, a blue sky overhead, as though they're spying on their neighbors. One is wearing a hat and they are both wearing sunglasses.
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Dear Life Kit: My neighbor's Christmas lights are still up. Should I call the HOA?

An NPR listener writes: "We live in a nice neighborhood that has homeowner association rules, and our neighbor is violating them." Social etiquette experts weigh in.

Dear Life Kit: I'm having neighbor drama

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Studio photograph shows a large, black, ceramic dinner plate on a yellow background. A metal fork and knife with red plastic handles are on the right and left of the plate and a a small, white alarm clock rests on the black plate.
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5 eating habits that can help you sleep better at night

What you eat during the day can affect how well you sleep at night. Sleep researchers explain the impact of diet, caffeine and alcohol on sleep health, and share a list of sleep-supporting foods.

What to eat for better sleep

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A photograph shows people line dancing in a darkened warehouse with a disco ball and red lights.

Kitty Horblit (left), Karli Manship (center) and Hannah Bruns (right) dance at Stud Country, a national queer line dancing event, on March 25, 2025, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Nickolai Hammar/NPR hide caption

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Nickolai Hammar/NPR

New to your queerness? Here's how to find a supportive community in your area

It can be intimidating to enter a new queer space, especially if you're starting to explore your gender and sexuality. Organizers share advice on how to find a support network with confidence.

How to find a supportive queer community

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An illustration that shows a tired, frazzled-looking mom in pajamas sitting on the toilet holding her crying baby on her lap. She also holds a phone to her ear and a speech bubble comes out of it saying, "You probably don't want to karaoke with us tonight, right?"
Malaka Gharib/NPR

Why some friendships end after kids come into the picture

It can be tough to navigate relationships when our friends start having kids. This guide can help both parents and child-free folks figure out how to stay connected in a new life stage.

How to maintain friendships after kids

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A high-angle, close-up photograph shows a person holding and reviewing a grocery store receipt in the parking lot, and their grocery cart full of purchased food sits in the background.

A practical tip from NPR reader Lisa Gluskin: check your receipt before you leave the parking lot of the grocery store. If you spot an error at home, you will be less likely to go back to the store to right the wrong. urbazon/Getty Images hide caption

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urbazon/Getty Images

NPR listeners share their best money-saving grocery store tips

Check your receipt. Grow your own veggies. Ask about senior discounts. NPR readers share their top tips on cutting costs at the grocery store.

How to save big on groceries

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A close-up photograph showing a hand with long, manicured, light pink nails and the wrist of a leather jacket visible, holding a karaoke microphone in a dark room with lights that have a purple cast.
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What should I sing? How to pick the perfect karaoke song

It can be hard to pick a good karaoke song. You want it to be something you know well enough to pull off onstage, but also something you actually like. Here's how to narrow down your options.

How to bring the house down at karaoke

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An illustration showing a person wearing a baseball cap and carrying an unzipped backpack on one shoulder, as they look over their shoulder. Items essential for a "go bag" for emergencies float into the bag from the top-right corner of the frame, including a lighter, a rope, duct tape, a charger, medication, menstrual products, a pocket knife, a flashlight, nonperishable foods, documents and water.

"You do not have to spend hundreds of dollars to be prepared," says Alyssa Provencio, an emergency management expert. Dig around your junk drawer for batteries and candles. Buy used gear like a headlamp. And save on nonperishable food by buying in bulk. Olivia Fields for NPR hide caption

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Olivia Fields for NPR

Cheap and easy ways to stock your emergency go bag

Putting together a go bag doesn't have to be daunting or expensive. Here's how to create a functional kit that doesn't require much money, time or effort.

How to pack a go bag for emergencies

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Illustration that shows a large pie chart divided into different sections. From the sections, lines connect the slices to various pop-up boxes that depict things people spend money on, like groceries, medication, bills, and stocks. A hand holding a pencil hovers over the pie chart, re-drawing the slices to adapt to economic uncertainty due to tariffs.

When the economy is hard to predict, tried-and-true financial advice will serve you well, says Lauryn Williams, a certified financial planner and founder of Worth Winning. Wenjing Yang for NPR hide caption

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Wenjing Yang for NPR

Tariffs making you anxious about money? Here's some advice from a financial expert

With stock market volatility and fears of price increases driven by the new tariffs, you may be worried about your finances. A certified financial planner explains how to navigate these tricky times.

How to handle your money during tariff uncertainty

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Composite sketch image artwork collage of two young red lips mouth incognito person couple friends gossip together talk rumor rest relax.
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Dear Life Kit: I'm not sure about her sexuality. Should I try to kiss her anyway?

An NPR listener writes: "We've briefly discussed sexuality, but I have no idea how fluid she may be, if at all. " Plus: A woman wants to marry her partner, but his family constantly belittles her. Is the relationship doomed?

DLK: In our relationship, her dog comes first. Now I'm having doubts about us

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A colorful, whimsical illustration showing a writing desk covered with tools used to write letters, including an inkwell, a letter opener, a feathered pen, scissors, stationery, stamps, washi tape, and a seal.

"Correspondence is a leap of faith, and that is part of what makes it wonderful," says Rachel Syme, author of Syme's Letter Writer: A Guide to Modern Correspondence. "You may never know if the person you are writing to will write you back." Illustration © by Joana Avillez, Reprinted with permission from Syme's Letter Writer by Rachel Syme/Clarkson Potter Publishers hide caption

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Illustration © by Joana Avillez, Reprinted with permission from Syme's Letter Writer by Rachel Syme/Clarkson Potter Publishers

The delightfully analog art of letter-writing

Tired of texting? Send your loved ones some snail mail instead. Rachel Syme, author of "Syme's Letter Writer: A Guide to Modern Correspondence," shares whimsical ways to start a letter-writing habit.

The art and pleasure of writing a letter

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How to make your nature walks even more restorative, according to science
Adam Hester/Getty Images

How to make your nature walks even more restorative, according to science

Studies have shown that "forest bathing," or spending time in the forest, can significantly improve mood and reduce stress. Here's how to reap these benefits on your next hike.

How to make your nature walks even more restorative, according to science

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Cutout of woman's mouth surrounded by instant message speech bubbles on green background
We Are/Getty Images/Digital Vision

Why it's OK not to reply to your text messages right away

Tips on how to manage common texting conundrums, from dealing with a chaotic group chat to getting an unresponsive friend to message you back.

The etiquette of texting

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Macro photograph of various over-the-counter pain medicines, including Aleve, Tylenol, Advil and various other NSAIDs and acetaminophen pills, that are a variety of colors, including white, orange, brown and light blue, and that range from circles to elongated ovals, close up on a bright blue backdrop.

Many over-the-counter pain medications are available, but are they all the same? And how much should you really take? Photo illustration by Beck Harlan/NPR hide caption

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Photo illustration by Beck Harlan/NPR

You're probably taking over-the-counter painkillers incorrectly

People often use the wrong painkiller or take too much too quickly, increasing the risk of side effects, say pharmacists. Here are safer and more effective ways to take drugs like Advil and Tylenol.

Over-the-counter pain medications 101

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4 mental health issues Asian Americans face — and how to overcome them
Kim Ryu for NPR

4 mental health issues Asian Americans face — and how to overcome them

Saying 'no,' speaking up for yourself and being less than perfect can be hard for many Asian Americans to do. Psychologist Jenny Wang has tips on how to address them with yourself and your loved ones.

4 mental health issues Asian Americans face — and how to overcome them

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A collage that shows an adult woman nuzzling her face into a small fluffy dog. The dog is looking over her shoulder. The woman is rendered in transparent tones and illustrated hearts hover over her and the dog's faces. Another woman, seen from behind, looks on to the scene from the side as white squiggles emanate from her, symbolizing jealousy.
Getty Images; Photo collage by NPR

Dear Life Kit: I'm jealous of my new girlfriend's dog. Should I call it quits?

"I find myself wishing she didn't have him," writes an NPR listener of his new girlfriend's dog. Podcasters Haley Nahman and Danny Nelson weigh in.

DLK: In our relationship, the dog comes first. Now I'm having doubts about us

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A photo collage showing paper-cutouts of three speech bubbles. One speech bubble has canned smoked salmon, one has a stack of soap and one has a push lawn mower. The bubbles represent items that are being bartered or traded. The background is green.

From soap to canned smoked salmon to lawn work, bartering can help you get what you need without using cash. Photographs by Getty, Alannah Hurley, and Cyndi Benitez/Collage by NPR hide caption

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Photographs by Getty, Alannah Hurley, and Cyndi Benitez/Collage by NPR

How to get what you want without using cash (you read that right)

For many of us, when we see something we want, we pull out our cards and swipe for it. Instead, try this resourceful approach.

How to get what you want without using cash (you read that right)

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Earth Day 2025: 8 ways to live more sustainably
Malte Mueller/Getty Images/fStop

Earth Day 2025: 8 ways to live more sustainably

Climate change calls for long-term, systemic solutions, but that doesn't mean we can't all strive to live more sustainably. Life Kit is here with solutions from your kitchen to your closet.

Earth Day 2025: 8 ways to live more sustainably

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