How To Understand People

Can you guess what product people largely abstained from buying last year -- thanks to COVID-19 -- but are purchasing in droves now that vaccines are widely available and the pandemic appears to be receding? I'll give you a minute to "make up" your mind. (Note: That was a subtle hint...) If you guessed lipstick, you hit the nail on the head. Lips for the most part remained out of sight last year because they were being concealed by our face coverings.  But consumers (presumably vaccinated ones) must be feeling more comfortable about stepping out without a mask because lipstick sales hit a whopping 34 million in April. That's an 80% from the same period a year ago.  While that's 40% lower than pre-pandemic levels, it's still a marked improvement and suggests the economy is beginning to turn the corner.  The fact that the CDC announced last week that vaccinated folks no longer have to wear masks or practice social distancing indoors or outdoors (with a few excep...

Have you noticed how, in the pandemic era, people have been panic buying, stockpiling, and hoarding more than usual? Panic buying is when consumers buy unusually large amounts of a product in any of these scenarios: In anticipation of a disaster or perceived disaster following a disaster  in anticipation of an incredibly large price increase or shortage The irony of it all is that there tends to be no shortage to begin with; the panic buying itself precipitates the very shortage people fear. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts. That, in turn, causes prices to soar and, in the worst cases, price gouging. Talk about a terrible domino effect! Here are four things people have bought in droves at some point within the past 14 months: 1. Toilet Paper and Hand Sanitizer. We witnessed both of these fly off the shelves like hotcakes almost immediately after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. My wife and I ventured far and wide to snag toilet paper, to no avail. It says a lot that we ha...

If I were to ask you to name something you do far more today than you did a year or two ago, what would you say? You might mention shopping on Amazon, or ordering food through delivery services like DoorDash or Uber Eats, trends undoubtedly accelerated by the pandemic. But there's no question that streaming content via Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, and other platforms was becoming a way of life for most people even before COVID-19 arrived and upended everything. You'd be hard-pressed to find a person who doesn't consume TV shows and movies through at least one of these services while you're bound to encounter individuals who have ditched cable for good.  Here are just a few of the reasons why streaming content is all the rage: You have more control over the content you watch You can skip commercials  You can binge watch shows and movies you may have missed when they premiered  You can do it all in the comfort of your own home  Gone are the days when we had to settle f...

Do you feel the urge to yawn almost immediately after seeing someone else do it?  You're not alone.  As it turns out, though, yawning is far from the only behavior we can deem contagious.  A study published recently in the Journal of Ethology made a startling finding: The same psychological process that makes yawns contagious also influences people to check their smartphones. People have a need to follow the norms imposed on them by others. No one wishes to be the lone outsider who defies social norms.  In turn, it prompts them to mirror as closely as possible the actions of those in their orbit. This is known as the chameleon effect. As another example, you've probably noticed how people tend pick up each others’ gestures or mood during a conversation. I suppose these findings shouldn't strike us as a total surprise. After all, people seem to LIVE on their phones. Whether they're walking to school, in the bathroom, watching a game, eating dinner, or, most frighteni...

Ever heard the saying "It's not about the journey, but the destination"? If don't allow ourselves the freedom to enjoy the ride -- even if we don't reach said destination when we want (if ever), happiness will always lie out of reach.  That being said, we should never attach our happiness to outcomes.  In other words, don't set your expectations sky high so as to set yourself up for disappointment in the event things don't work out as planned.  We all want to have lifelong relationships, to have a lot of money, to have the perfect job. While some people may be lucky enough to have one or more of the above, chances are you may hit snags along the way that prompt several detours. Our lives will never be perfect. What we imagine in our minds doesn't always materialize, and that's okay.  Though miserable at first, we may realize later that where we ended up was the vastly superior path.  For example, your 15-year relationship may end abruptly. After pr...

Your thoughts, positive or negative, trigger certain emotions.  Sometimes you may not understand why you're experiencing a certain feeling -- be it rage, regret, or optimism -- until you do a little mental gymnastics. Ask yourself this question: What specific thoughts crossed my mind to spark these feelings? Maybe it was thinking about your boss dropping a project on you at the last minute. Perhaps a commercial ran that you remembered first aired five years ago while you were having a terrible fight with your ex-spouse about his drinking habit, which ultimately derailed the marriage. Maybe your friend's putting in a good word at work for the new sales manager position you've been eying elevated your mood. Sometimes the most seemingly inconsequential event can stir up a range of emotions. I, for example, often find myself feeling a bit glum on cloudy days. Yet, you can probably relate to feeling rather ecstatic at the thought of Friday being just a few hours away.  Whether i...

Do you consider yourself an animal lover? Do you own a cat or dog? A bird, maybe? Some people take their love for animals to new heights, throwing them birthday parties and dressing them in the purr-fect outfits. (I couldn't resist using an animal pun.) I myself have been a cat lover my entire life, owning several of varying genders, sizes, and personalities. At present, I have a sassy Calico named Callie who seems intent on finding (and claiming) the most unexpected nooks and crannies in my apartment for lounging.  Cats have a special affinity with writers like myself. Their quiet, often lazy disposition makes them ideal companions, especially when we're typing away at the keyboard.  I respect dog lovers -- and they're abundant -- who want nothing to do with cats. Frankly, I like dogs, but there's no arguing the fact that they're much higher maintenance than their feline counterparts. A day doesn't go by where a dog in my complex passes up the opportunity to en...

When did you last come across a rude individual? Was it at the office? While getting the mail? In the elevator on the way to your dentist appointment? It happens to the best of us. There's a preponderance of rude folks in the world, and there's little we can do about it. We do, however, exert control over how we respond to the ones in our orbit.  To be fair, we ourselves can be rude to others as times. We're only human. The key is for the person to recognize the offensive behavior, apologize, and prevent displaying such behavior in the future to the best of their ability.  Some people are, well, naturally rude. It's as if a day that goes by where they don't exhibit rudeness raises alarm. It could just be in their genes, it may be a product of their environment/upbringing, or a melding of the two. I speak of the folks who cut others off on the road, don't hold the door for those behind them, and lambast their co-workers.  In some cases, they may just be having a ...