Health Tips Line

Let’s set the scene: You’re a hardworking nine-to-fiver who’s spent years climbing the corporate ladder. Maybe you’re in a good place financially (or at least getting there), but you’re so burned out from spreadsheets, client expectations and office politics—not to mention navigating a global pandemic while somehow still answering emails—that you’re legitimately ready to retire . The problem? Retirement is still decades away. More Americans find themselves in this position, yet fewer are waiting for their golden years to take that much-needed break. Instead, they’re opting for an adult gap year . A 2025 report from MyPerfectResume found that 47% of people have taken a career break of some kind. These gaps in employment are driven by layoffs, career transitions, caregiving responsibilities and, of course, mental burnout . To better understand the adult gap year trend, I spoke with two experts who have taken their own big career breaks and coached others through the process...

Go Ahead Tours Best for : Beginners For your first solo adventure, you’ll want to pick a tour group that will handle all the details. Go Ahead Tours offers specific tours for solo travelers that include private rooms, meals, a tour director, 24-7 support, local guides (to top sights and hidden gems) and everything else you’ll need. The group size is around 14 to 20 people, so it’s not too overwhelming—but not so small that there’s a risk you won’t click with anyone. “Group travel is a really good way to get started in solo travel, particularly if you’re feeling anxious or aren’t sure where to start,” says Ray, whose favorite solo trips have been to Spain. “We see a lot of widows, for example, who may have only traveled with their husbands and want to build confidence and new friendships on groups.” Although there isn’t a specific age range, Go Ahead Tours tends to skew a little older, with most travelers over 35. Solo travel tours are offered to Europe as well as more far-flun...

We all have that friend—the perpetually late Linda or the never-picks-up-his-phone Phil. These traits can be frustrating, to say the least. But they’re not necessarily friendship deal-breakers. (You’re on thin ice, Phil.) Recently, though, a new social faux pas has entered the group chat . People are calling her the “finger princess,” and it’s not exactly a compliment. Even if you haven’t heard this term yet, we bet you know one. Which leads to an uncomfortable question: Could you be the finger princess? Ahead, we explore what this annoying trait is and talk to licensed mental health clinician Trillion Small, PhD, and Chloë Bean, a licensed marriage and family therapist and somatic trauma therapist, to discover why people might engage in it. Because yes, being a finger princess is annoying, but it’s a lot more common than you might think. Read on to learn how to address this unbecoming behavior in a friend and how to stop doing it yourself. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read U...

Before the world enjoyed  Chuck Norris jokes , there was Chuck Norris—the man who could stare down a hurricane and make mullets look heroic. The man who delivered lines like, “I don’t initiate violence, I terminate it,” without a trace of irony. And the man who turned denim into a martial-arts uniform. Norris, the quintessential ’80s action star , passed away on March 19, 2026, leaving us in tears and wondering if Death was quaking in his boots now that Chuck was on the other side. Films like  The Delta Force gave us over-the-top heroics and classic one-liners, and the series Walker, Texas Ranger brought him into our homes for nearly a decade. But then the internet came along and gave us the best jokes poking fun at his legendary toughness, and our lives were truly complete. So let’s celebrate the legacy of a man who could do it all—including make us laugh. Read on for the ultimate roundup of Chuck Norris jokes that prove his legend lives on. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s...

Let me tell you about the Great Birthday Party Lie of 2022. An acquaintance—perfectly nice, zero threat level—invited me to her milestone birthday party. On a Thursday. Forty-five minutes away. With a dress code. It sounded fun, but not 45-minutes-and-actual-pants fun. So instead of saying that, I did what generations of my polite Midwestern ancestors have trained me to do: I lied. “Oh, I’m so sorry—I have a big work dinner that night,” I said, with the deeply sincere tone of someone who absolutely had nothing. “I wish I could make it!” She changed the date. I lied again, this time citing my kid’s sports match. Which might have worked, except she ran into my kid, wished them luck, and they had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. So she texted me: Great news! Must’ve been a mix-up—you can come, after all! The day arrived. I felt resentful and exhausted, so I claimed the flu. She brought me soup. Before her own party. I felt like an absolute villain at this point, so I tri...

Just the process of planning a getaway can boost your mood, from selecting a destination to mapping out what to do once you arrive. But one of the most important decisions is choosing where to stay. Yes, it can take a lot of time to sift through all those options, but doing a deep dive into what a hotel, Airbnb or other short-term rental offers is worth it since lodging can so often make or break a vacation. While most of us zero in on the comforts and perks we want—I always go for a place in the center of the action, and a recent stay at the boutique hotel Kadún in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, didn’t disappoint—many travelers overlook a key detail. And skipping it could literally be a matter of life and death. I spoke with three experts to find out that one thing every traveler should always check before booking a stay in any temporary home away from home—and again upon arrival. Here’s what you need to keep in mind when planning a trip. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up newsle...