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Unsolicited Advice

Why wait for readers to ask questions before suggesting solutions? An advice column that cuts out the middleman.

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Three things that help with impostor syndrome

Three things that help with impostor syndrome

1. Understand that literally everyone, however famous and lauded, feels this way. Here's an amazing (brief!) story of Neil Gaiman's experience with impostor syndrome.

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Deal with passive-aggression by wilfully assuming the best intentions

Deal with passive-aggression by wilfully assuming the best intentions

I really don't like it when people don't tell me if I've hurt their feelings, but I can't bring myself to just cheerfully assume they're not hurt if they won't say.

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How to be considerate: three factors

How to be considerate: three factors

The obvious element is nice-ness - wanting to make someone's day a bit easier and being willing to do it. But there are two other elements that don't get talked about much.

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The secret to successful spinsterhood / living alone

The secret to successful spinsterhood / living alone

People usually put more effort into day-to-day life stuff when they do it with a partner. Successful spinsterhood is when you put that effort in for yourself.

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The perfect $0 gift for the host of a party/event

The perfect $0 gift for the host of a party/event

I know it's perfect because I received it, loved it, and now I'm going to plagiarise it.

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I hate good listeners

I hate good listeners

When someone does that intense, focused listening thing at you, suddenly you feel like you better say something worth the amount of attention they’re devoting to it.

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How to be arrogant without annoying people too much

How to be arrogant without annoying people too much

There’s almost no limit to how highly you can think of yourself, if you think of other people just as highly.

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Never do sit-ups (seriously they're bad for your back)

Never do sit-ups (seriously they're bad for your back)

Stuart McGill, professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, did an extensive series of studies, and they're just trash for your back.

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is it normal for couples not to fight?

"Is there something wrong with couples who don't fight? Does it mean my partner and I lack passion?"

I would agree that normal couples fight but please remember that about 90% of couples should probably break up.

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accepting invitations in advance and getting overwhelmed

Think carefully before accepting invitations that are weeks or months in advance

When someone invites you to something in the distant future, ask: Would I say Yes to it if it was this weekend?