7 Things You Should Always Say To Family

Huffingtonpost - Most of us see or talk to our families at least once a week. But how often does the chitchat include letting them know how much they mean to you?

That's the question we asked ourselves after seeing the heartfelt, bittersweet new movie Philomena, which tells the true story of Philomena Lee, a 78-year-old Irish woman (played by Judi Dench) who spends her entire adult life searching for the long lost son she was forced to give up when she was young and unmarried.

Read on for our list of the most important things that should never be left unsaid when it comes to family.

1. "I love you"

Perhaps the most powerful words in the English language. Saying “I love you” lets your family member know she is not alone and that you care. The words also can help decrease fear in kids, and increase trust. As for the health benefits, simply holding someone’s hand relieves pain and makes you feel better, so if you find yourself tongue tied, give a hand squeeze to let your family member know how important she is to you.

2. "Thank you"

Not only does saying ”Thank you” make your family member feel appreciated and acknowledged, researchers at the University of California Davis found that people who show gratitude feel better about their lives, are more optimistic and in better health than people who aren’t.

3. "I could use your help"

Asking for help isn't always easy—we don’t want to be seen as a burden or weak. However, asking for assistance from family members gives them the opportunity to do a kind act, and be a star. By showing vulnerability you can also help a relationship feel more equal and bring you closer together. The other hidden benefit of asking for help: Research shows that kids do better when they ask for help, rather than being shown immediately how to do something—so your asking for help models good behavior for them.

4. "I love to watch you play"

What is the best thing you can say to your grandchild who is an aspiring athlete? In their article “What Makes A Nightmare Sports Parent and What Makes a Great One" former coaches Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching LLC compiled decades of research from college students and found that the single best thing a parent (or grandparent!) can say is “I love watching you play.” In this culture of super-competitive sports and pressure to achieve, telling your grandchild how much you just enjoy him or her doing the sport they love is the best compliment you can give.

5. "I was wrong"

Accepting responsibility and owning up to our mistakes is one of the most important things we can do with family members. It is a way to mend relationships that are problematic. Apologizing can also help you feel better physically, according to research by Carol Osborn, Ph.D., author of 21 books about the boomer generation. Dr. Osborn studied 100 baby boomer women whom she considered to be well-adjusted role models for her book The Silver Pearl. She found that the main characteristic the women all shared was their knack for apologizing and straightening out problematic situations. Apologizing makes you feel better!

6. "I've never told you that..."

Sometimes it’s difficult for us to tell the people we care about most how much they mean to us. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by that prospect, just pick out one aspect of their personality and focus on that. Say, “I’ve never told you that I love the way you cook,” or “I’ve never told you that you have the best smile.” Giving a compliment makes the other person feel good about himself and appreciated. And when people feel appreciated, they are happier, which can boost health mentally and physically.

7. "You made my day!"

Perhaps the greatest gift we can give someone is to let him or her know how their actions affected us—how something they did made us happier, stronger, better. Letting them know they have made a difference is good for you and good for them.

What Exactly Is Deja Vu?

What your dog’s breed says about you

Foxnews.com - Not only does your neighbor George bear a striking resemblance to his bulldog Barry, but chances are, their resemblance is more than skin deep. Turns out that pet owners may also share their dogs' personalities, according to new research.

Researchers from Bath Spa University in England surveyed 1,000 dog owners to determine their personality types. Based on their answers, pet owners were categorized into one or more of these five personality types: extroverted, agreeable, conscientious, emotionally stable, and intelligent and creative.

Researchers then drew connections between owners' personality types and what kind of dog they owned. (Does your dog never listen to you? It’s probably not his personality—it’s how he’s been trained.

Here’s what your dog’s breed may be saying about your personality:

1. Toy dogs (Chihuahuas, Yorkies, Poodles, and Pugs): Though Chihuahua-toting Hollywood starlets may not be the first group you’d think of as being the sharpest crayons in the box, people who own toy dogs are more likely to be intelligent. They also earn high marks for being creative.

2. Pastoral pooches (German Shepherds, Collies, and Corgis): If you share your bed with a border Collie, you’ve likely never met a crowd you weren’t comfortable in, you classic extrovert, you. 

3. Gun dogs (Irish Setters, Golden Retrievers, and Spaniels): You and your pooch are happy watching a movie, taking a walk, and really just doing whatever the day dictates—it doesn’t get more agreeable than gun dog owners.

4. Utility dogs (Dalmatians,  Bulldogs, and Bishon Frises): The fact that George never fails to scoop up Barry's poop isn’t a mere coincidence: People with utility dogs come out on top for being conscientious.

5. Terriers (Jack Russells, Carin Terriers, and Miniature Schnauzers): Now don’t take this the wrong way, but owners of terriers were shown to be—how can we put this delicately—rather low on the emotional stability scale. On the plus side, you’ve got a super-cute companion to help you through any funks. 

6. Working dogs (Boxers, Rottweilers, and Great Danes):
Anyone with a Great Dane as a roommate would have to be easygoing and clever to make things work without getting claustrophobic. Not surprisingly, working dog owners are agreeable and intelligent.

7. Hounds (Beagles, Basset Hounds, Greyhounds, and Dachshunds):
Even if you ain’t nothing but a hound dog, good news: Hound dog owners are emotionally stable.

The connection between an owner’s personality and the type of pooch she owns may be due to the simple fact that certain personality types are more attracted to certain breeds, says study author Lance Workman.

Regardless, the next time you feel like no one understands you, look no further than your four-legged pal: He totally gets you.

The World's Most Depressed People Watch the Most TV

We're presented with an interesting conundrum this fine afternoon. Exhibit A: A new study says unhappy people watch more TV. Exhibit B: People dealing with the switch from analog to digital TV are probably the most unhappy TV watchers on the planet right now, next to anyone who's been hoodwinked by the HDTV department at Best Buy. There was even a NASCAR wreck this week because of digital TV.

So, if we use the powerful forces of logic on this little puzzle, we can deduce that the digital switch is making analog TV owners unhappy, which makes them want to watch more TV, which they soon will be unable to do because the signal is about to get cut off. There have been wars started for less, so we anticipate come February 2009, the world is going to end, three years earlier that predicted. Take THAT, Mayans!

The 30-year study, published by the fine folks at the University of Maryland, also discovered that people who read and socialize well are happier on average, and watch watch less TV. This is actually in line with my own research findings, The Jack Loftus Method, which found people are generally happier when having sex with other people, and not their television screens.

And finally, from the Duh! department, comes this gem from Maryland researcher and sociologist John Robinson:

"TV doesn't really seem to satisfy people over the long haul the way that social involvement or reading a newspaper does," said Robinson, who was also the study co-author. "It's more passive and may provide escape - especially when the news is as depressing as the economy itself. The data suggest to us that the TV habit may offer short-run pleasure at the expense of long-term malaise."

Unless, of course, you're watching porn. Then we all win.