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5 tips for how to actually start running
Left: Photograph by Drew Reynolds; Right: Avery Publishing Group

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Life Kit

5 tips for how to actually start running

Running is a classic form of exercise for a reason. It gets you from point A to point B, you don't need equipment or a gym membership and it provides cardiovascular benefits. But many people are told that running is not for them because of their body type. We talk to Martinus Evans, author of "Slow AF Run Club," about how you can start running in the body you have. We cover motivation, equipment, pace, form, cross-training and more.

5 tips for how to actually start running

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AI-generated images are everywhere. Here's how to spot them
Photographs Unsplash; Collage by NPR

Life Kit

AI-generated images are everywhere. Here's how to spot them

It's easy to be fooled by AI-generated images and other content. We talk about how to identify them, how media literacy can help, plus how to use these tools responsibly.

AI-generated images are everywhere. Here's how to spot them

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Renters have rights. Here's what to know
Meredith Miotke for NPR

Life Kit

Renters have rights. Here's what to know

Does your landlord have to fix that leak? Should you be worried about that clause in your lease? If you live in one of the nearly 44.1 million renter households in the U.S., here's how to spot rental red flags, learn how to speak the language of landlords and how to decode a lease.

Renters have rights. Here's what to know

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How to protect yourself from poor air quality
Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Life Kit

How to protect yourself from poor air quality

Canadian wildfires are causing poor air quality in parts of the U.S. The health effects of smoke and poor air quality are dangerous. Here's how to stay safe when the air quality is unhealthy.

How to protect yourself from poor air quality

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Dear Life Kit: I'm happily married but hate our sex life. Should I ask for a divorce?
Photographs by Spacejoy/Unsplash, Namrata Shah/Unsplash, József Szabó/Unsplash; Collage by Kaz Fantone/NPR

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Life Kit

Dear Life Kit: I'm happily married but hate our sex life. Should I ask for a divorce?

I've been in a loving relationship with my husband for years. We're incredibly compatible except for our sex life. The sex started off great, became less interesting over the years, and now it's non-existent. I'm considering divorce even though the rest of our relationship is fine. Initiating a divorce feels cruel, but I also feel like I'm settling and watching time slip away.

Dear Life Kit: I'm happily married but hate our sex life. Should I ask for a divorce?

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If you want to fix your own clothes, try this easy style of mending

Tools for visible mending. Arounna Khounnoraj, Visible Mending, © BOOKHOU 2023 hide caption

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Arounna Khounnoraj, Visible Mending, © BOOKHOU 2023

Life Kit

If you want to fix your own clothes, try this easy style of mending

There's no need to give up on a sweater with a hole in the elbow or a shirt with a tear in the collar. Visible mending is beginner friendly, highly creative and helps extend the life of your clothes.

If you want to fix your own clothes, try this easy style of mending

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SOS! I'm feeling anxious — what can I do?
Kaz Fantone/NPR

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Life Kit

SOS! I'm feeling anxious — what can I do?

Anxiety can feel awful and overwhelming. But it can also be a helpful warning signal — telling us when we're in danger or out of alignment with our true feelings. We share tips on how to turn down the dial on your anxiety symptoms, so you can listen to what they're trying to tell you.

SOS! I'm feeling anxious — what can I do?

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The idea of 'the one' actually makes dating much harder
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Life Kit

The idea of 'the one' actually makes dating much harder

Dating in search of "the one"? Relationship therapist Jeff Guenther, known as Therapy Jeff on TikTok, says that might not be practical. If your goal is a successful, long-term partnership, having realistic expectations and a clear understanding of your values is vital. We'll help you break up with your fantasy partner, do some relationship math and learn what it takes to build a successful partnership based in reality.

The idea of 'the one' actually makes dating much harder

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5 easy tips for making friends as an adult
Kaz Fantone/NPR

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Life Kit

5 easy tips for making friends as an adult

Whether you're moving into a summer sublet or your forever home, friendships are important to feeling settled in a new place. So how do we do that? A friendship coach walks us through how we can be more vulnerable and resourceful in adult friendships.

5 easy tips for making friends as an adult

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It's never too late to explore your gender identity. Here's how to start
Connie Hanzhang Jin/NPR

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Life Kit

It's never too late to explore your gender identity. Here's how to start

If you're an adult starting to explore your gender identity, it can be tough knowing where to begin. Here's some advice from trans people to help you on this intimate and powerful journey.

It's never too late to explore your gender identity. Here's how to start

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Do you freeze up in front of your doctor? Here's how to talk to your physician
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Life Kit

Do you freeze up in front of your doctor? Here's how to talk to your physician

Ever leave the doctor's office confused or with unanswered questions? Talking to doctors and other medical professionals can be hard — whether they're good at their jobs or not. We'll give you the tools to get more out of your appointments. We'll talk about how to choose a provider, prepare for your visit, ask the right questions, and get your provider's attention if they're not hearing you.

Do you freeze up in front of your doctor? Here's how to talk to your physician

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Deciding when it's time to end therapy
Stefania Pelfini, La Waziya Photography/Getty Images

Life Kit

Deciding when it's time to end therapy

Getting into therapy comes with its own hurdles, but what about knowing when to stop it? Moraya Seeger DeGeare, a licensed marriage and family therapist, has advice on how to figure out when it's time to end therapy and what actually to say when you do. Depending on the situation, ending with your therapist could involve anything from ghosting to a sit-down conversation.

Deciding when it's time to end therapy

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Don't have the energy to clean today? Just tidy up these 5 things
Photo Illustration by Becky Harlan/NPR

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Life Kit

Don't have the energy to clean today? Just tidy up these 5 things

Therapist and author KC Davis shares a framework to help you get a messy room back to functional quickly. She says that in any space, there are really only five things: trash, dishes, laundry, things that have a place, and things that don't have a place. We help you tackle them, one by one.

Don't have the energy to clean today? Just tidy up these 5 things

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So you don't want kids. Here's how to respond to unwanted comments
Ana Galvañ for NPR

Perspective

Life Kit

So you don't want kids. Here's how to respond to unwanted comments

If you've decided not to have kids, your life will look different from what you might have seen growing up. Here's how to build your child-free life, with or without a long-term partner. We talk about finding community, planning for the future, making a financial plan and responding to some of the comments and judgments of other people.

So you don't want kids. Here's how to respond to unwanted comments

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A big misconception about debt — and how to tackle it
Angela Hsieh/NPR

Life Kit

A big misconception about debt — and how to tackle it

Life happens, and so does debt. Unexpected car trouble, the high price of food, a family emergency — there is no shortage of reasons why debt can pile up. In this episode, we offer shame-free solutions for digging out of debt.

A big misconception about debt — and how to tackle it

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4 tips for saying goodbye to someone you love
PM Images/Getty Images

Life Kit

4 tips for saying goodbye to someone you love

Saying goodbye can be tough, especially if you're parting ways for good. But grief counselor and patient advocate Isabel Stenzel Byrnes says the art of saying goodbye to loved ones can be learned and practiced.

4 tips for saying goodbye to someone you love

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Dear Life Kit: My boyfriend's parents pay for everything. It makes me uncomfortable
Photographs by Fabrizio Frigeni/Unsplash; Markus Winkler/Unsplash; Collage by NPR

Dear Life Kit

Dear Life Kit: My boyfriend's parents pay for everything. It makes me uncomfortable

She loves her boyfriend's parents, but their generosity feels inappropriate. Maya Lau, host of the podcast Other People's Pockets, weighs in on how to move forward.

Dear Life Kit: My boyfriend's parents pay for everything. It makes me uncomfortable

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