A New Way to Deal with Financial Stress

We live in stressful times.

Pandemic stress. Political stress. Relationship stress.

Outside of all that, though, financial uncertainty is the number one source of stress for Americans, according to the American Psychological Association.

And in reality, the only thing you can do about financial stress is make more or spend less. Usually that means sacrifice in one form or another.

But thanks to the pandemic, people have found a new way to spend less by picking up and leaving for other locations. San Francisco and New York, for example, have lost scores of people to lower-cost areas like Austin and Nashville.

But frankly, Austin and Nashville aren’t all that inexpensive compared to some much more beautiful locations that aren’t as freaking hot. Places such as Boquete, Panama or Porto, Portugal.

There are a lot of things you can do to reduce stress, and you should do everything you can. But relocating to a less expensive part of the world may be the ultimate win-win.

Check out this Further Feature from Suzanna Perkins:

It’s Time to Get Serious About Reducing Stress

Generation Stressed

Speaking of stress, Gen X has had way more than its fair share. We started out with nukes and AIDS hanging over our young heads, then went into the first “jobless” recession, 9/11, the Great Recession, and then COVID-19. Something’s got to give, but as always, it’s up to us to work it out.

The Pandemic’s Negative — and Possibly Long-Term — Toll on Gen X

Tasty Waves, Cool Buzz

When we push limits in midlife, we get a much better idea of our actual physical capacity and needs. For the author of this piece, it was big-wave surfing at age 45. Cool story, bro.

Can You Pick Up Big-Wave Surfing in Middle Age?

Keep Your Mind ?

Findings from a Dutch study may eventually pave the way for many more of us to become “cognitive super-agers.” That’s what researchers call people approaching age 100 with brains that function like they’re 30 years younger.

The Secrets of ‘Cognitive Super-Agers’

Location Independence Day

Not only can you leave for a country with a lower cost of living, you can keep going from place to place and still save. Becoming a digital nomad is not new, but it’s gone from fringe to fairly mainstream. Sign me up.

The New Trend Of Wanderlust, Work-From-Anywhere Digital Nomads
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Plenty of relationships suffered from strain during the pandemic. Down below, Trudi tells you how to do a reset for a happier home life.

And did you know that the biggest-selling single in music history is Chubby Checker’s “The Twist?” In the Flashback, we revisit the second biggest-selling single of all time … and man, it’s a hot one.

Keep going-

Brian Clark

P.S. Nothing odd about this. Perfectly normal.

New to Further? Join us here.

Reset Your Relationship for a Happier Home Life

By Trudi Roth

The Great Pandemic Pause was a significant reset on many levels. Now that restrictions are lifting, most of us are eager to get back to “normal.”

Understandable, but not so fast. As Churchill once advised:

Never let a good crisis go to waste.

Sure, plenty of people are exploring different jobs or careers and, as Brian recently pointed out, embracing new beginnings. But that doesn’t necessarily take into account that living in lockdown has led to another brewing crisis: a rise in gray divorces.

In your haste to rekindle outward-facing passions, remember to stoke the home fires to buck the break-up trend. Now’s the perfect time to reflect on the last 16 months and set a course for a happier, more harmonious future with your mate.

Relationship Tolls

While it’s always easy to take your loved ones for granted, being homebound for so long has likely taken a toll on your marriage. As clinical psychologist Bryce Doehne points out:

During this time, couples may have been spending about as much time with each other as would normally be stretched across a two to three year period. And they’ve had to occupy multiple roles that would have been previously filled by others, like friends, which is impossible.

That’s an understatement. Even Lloyd Dobler would’ve dropped his boombox for a gander at anyone else’s eyes after months in pandemic-induced captivity.

Luckily, there’s an effective antidote to the sick-of-you blues: a relationship reset.

Reset Rules

Begin by having a review session with your spouse about what went down during quarantine. According to experts, an honest discussion about what worked — and what didn’t — is a great starting point.

Now that we’re free to go and do as we please, make the most of it. Enjoying some of your renewed freedom apart is an excellent (albeit counterintuitive) way to help you stay married. And put having fun together on the schedule, too, from going to parties to taking trips and having sex. After all, making time for intimacy is self-care you can share.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, let your partner know how much you appreciate them. According to an almost 30-year study on marriage and divorce conducted by social psychologist Terri Orbuch, Ph.D., a lack of kindness and thoughtfulness is a top “overlooked relationship-killer.”

So, Dr. Orbuch recommends the liberal use of “affective affirmation” to stay connected and content. Keep in mind that everyone’s love language is different, so knowing what resonates — be it words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, acts of service, or receiving gifts — is vital.

With the waning of the pandemic, rediscovery is on the rise. Use that renewed sense of excitement as a spark to reignite your relationship.

7 Ways to Reset Your Relationship (New York Times)