Something You Should Know

Most people think they're good listeners. After all, they stay quiet, make eye contact, and let the other person finish speaking. But truly connecting with someone requires more than simply hearing their words.

One of the most powerful—and overlooked—communication skills is validation.

Validation doesn't mean agreeing with someone. It doesn't mean approving of their behavior or telling them they're right. It means helping people feel heard, understood, and acknowledged. And when that happens, conversations change dramatically. Defensiveness drops. Trust grows. Relationships strengthen.

According to Michael Sorensen, many of the conflicts and frustrations we experience with spouses, children, coworkers, friends, and even strangers stem from a simple problem: people don't feel understood. In this conversation, he explains why validation is such a powerful interpersonal tool, how to use it in everyday conversations, and why a few simple changes in how you respond to others can dramatically improve your relationships.

Michael Sorensen is a coach, podcaster, and author of I Hear You: The Surprisingly Simple Skill Behind Extraordinary Relationships (https://amzn.to/2Kao7JL). He also hosts the I Hear You Podcast, where he explores communication, connection, and relationship skills. https://michaelssorensen.com/i-hear-you-podcast/

If you've ever struggled to get through to someone, calm an argument, strengthen a relationship, or simply make people feel more comfortable talking to you, this conversation offers a remarkably practical skill you can start using immediately.

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That little white folded box Chinese takeout comes in may be one of the cleverest pieces of food packaging ever invented. What’s funny is—it isn’t Chinese at all. It was never originally designed to hold noodles or fried rice, and its origin story is far stranger and more American than most people realize. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster_pail

People are constantly communicating—even when they never say a word. A glance, a shift in posture, crossed arms, the position of the feet, how long someone holds eye contact… body language can reveal confidence, discomfort, attraction, deception, status, and emotion in ways most people completely miss. But many popular beliefs about body language are also wrong or overly simplistic. Joe Navarro, former FBI counterintelligence and counterterrorism agent and one of the world’s leading experts on nonverbal communication, explains how body language really works, how to better read the people around you, and how understanding nonverbal behavior can dramatically improve your relationships and communication. He is author of Mastering Connections: Build Stronger Relationships with the Science of Body Language (https://amzn.to/4uB0PBo).

Some people always seem rushed, overwhelmed, and behind—while others somehow manage to get an incredible amount done without appearing frantic. The difference may have less to do with time itself and more to do with how people think about time. Laura Vanderkam has spent years studying highly productive people and says many of us approach time completely backward. In our conversation, she explains why feeling “time poor” has become so common, how small changes in priorities can radically change your sense of control, and why having more time may actually begin with changing the story you tell yourself about it. Laura is author of Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance (https://amzn.to/4x0cawK).

Birdsong does more than create a pleasant soundtrack outdoors. Researchers have discovered that simply listening to birds sing can measurably reduce stress, anxiety, and even feelings associated with paranoia. Discover how listening to birds sing is truly music for your brain. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-20841-0

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RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

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DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Most people think of romantic music as background noise for dates, movies, or weddings. But researchers have found that music can actually influence romantic behavior and attraction in measurable ways. Listen to discover how love songs may be doing more than simply setting the mood. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100618112139.htm

Take a look around you and notice how many buttons surround you. Elevator buttons. Crosswalk buttons. Remote controls. Keyboards. Car dashboards. Humans push buttons all day long—and often repeatedly, even when pushing again does absolutely nothing. There’s something deeply satisfying and psychologically powerful about pressing a button and getting an immediate response. But buttons are a surprisingly recent invention, and they fundamentally changed how humans interact with machines, technology, and even each other. Rachel Plotnick, associate professor of Cinema and Media Studies at Indiana University, explores the strange history and psychology of buttons, why people are so drawn to them, and how “push-button culture” transformed modern life. She is author of Power Button: A History of Pleasure, Panic, and the Politics of Pushing (https://amzn.to/3xvIj5j).

Humans don’t just enjoy games—we seem to need them. From sports and gambling to video games, puzzles, and board games, people everywhere devote enormous amounts of time and energy to play. But games may be doing far more than entertaining us. Neuroscientist and physicist Kelly Clancy explains how games shape human behavior, influence culture, teach strategy, reward risk-taking, and even help societies evolve. In our conversation, she reveals why games are woven so deeply into human nature and why understanding games may help explain the way humans learn, compete, cooperate, and make decisions. Kelly is author of Playing with Reality: How Games Have Shaped Our World (https://amzn.to/3W02BNR).

Online product reviews have become incredibly influential. A surprisingly large number of people now trust reviews from strangers almost as much as recommendations from friends. We discuss how those reviews can dramatically affect what consumers buy, avoid, or return. https://www.cardrates.com/news/consumers-rely-on-online-reviews-study/

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DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠⁠⁠

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People will go to ridiculous lengths to avoid paying fees. Adding extra items to an online order just to get “free” shipping. Avoiding ATM fees like they’re a personal insult. Or driving across town to save a few cents on gas. There’s actually a fascinating psychology behind why humans hate fees so much—and why “free” has such unusual power over our decisions. https://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/page-one-economics/2025/apr/psychology-of-free-how-price-of-zero-influences-decisionmaking

Most people dismiss the idea of “love at first sight.” How can you fall deeply for someone you barely know? Yet for some people, intense romantic attachment happens incredibly fast—and repeatedly. Researchers call this tendency “emophilia,” and it can dramatically affect relationships, judgment, and emotional wellbeing. Daniel Jones, who studies romantic attraction, personality, and deception at the University of Nevada Reno, explains why some people are wired to fall in love quickly, why those relationships can feel so powerful, and why understanding emophilia may help explain a lot of modern dating behavior. He is author of Falling Fast: The Perils and Possibilities of Emophilia (https://amzn.to/49gvbk9).

Recently, the U.S. government has released videos and images showing unidentified aerial phenomena—objects moving in ways that appear difficult to explain with known technology. Some people see proof of extraterrestrial visitors. Others think there must be more conventional explanations. But what do the videos actually tell us? And what don’t they tell us? Robert Powell, founding board member of the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies and an engineer with decades of experience in advanced technology development, joins me to separate speculation from science and explain what experts really know about these strange sightings and what is known about alien visitors. He is author of UFOs: A Scientist Explains What We Know (And Don’t Know) (https://amzn.to/3RtNwEe).

While it is pretty common to bring leftovers home from a restaurant, there is a danger associated with doing that. If you don’t handle that food and reheat it the right way, there could be some real problems. And they are problems you can easily avoid. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/fried-rice-syndrome

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RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

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DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠⁠⁠

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Fear can save your life—or quietly ruin it.. Fear keeps you alert, helps you avoid danger, and in many situations can literally save your life. Without fear, humans probably wouldn’t survive very long. But fear also has another side.

Sometimes the fear response kicks in when there is no real danger at all—or at least not enough danger to justify the level of anxiety we feel. Worry about money, health, relationships, social situations, or the future can become overwhelming and begin to shape the way we live our lives. In some cases, fear becomes less of a protector and more of a prison.

Dr. Arash Javanbakht, psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and director of the Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic at Wayne State University School of Medicine, studies how fear and anxiety work inside the brain. In our conversation, he explains why humans evolved to be fearful, why modern life can trigger anxiety so easily, and how understanding fear may help you gain more control over it rather than letting it control you.

If you’ve ever wondered why your mind sometimes reacts so strongly—or why anxiety can feel impossible to shut off—this discussion offers a fascinating look at what fear is actually trying to do for you and how to keep it from getting in the way of living a full life. Dr. Javanbakht is author of Afraid: Understanding the Purpose of Fear and Harnessing the Power of Anxiety (https://amzn.to/3LDJ93K).

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RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!

DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠⁠⁠

SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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