Have you ever forgotten a phone number, birthday, or why you walked into a room because you knew your phone would remember it for you? Many people joke about "digital dementia." While it isn't a real medical diagnosis, researchers are becoming increasingly concerned that our growing dependence on technology may be changing how we remember, think, and solve problems. https://www.neurocenternj.com/blog/digital-dementia-how-screens-and-digital-devices-impact-memory/

Most of us pay attention to our physical health and, increasingly, our mental health. But what about our social health? Research suggests the quality of your relationships may have a profound impact on your happiness, resilience, and even how long you live. Yet many people today have fewer close connections than ever before. Kasley Killam explains why social health matters so much and how to build stronger, more meaningful relationships. She has advised organizations including Google, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the World Economic Forum, and is author of The Art and Science of Connection: Why Our Social Health Is the Key to Living Longer, Healthier, and Happier (https://amzn.to/4cynFRi).

Where do great ideas come from? Is imagination something you're born with, or can you actually develop it? According to Albert Read, imagination is more like a muscle than a mysterious gift—it grows stronger the more you understand and use it. In this conversation, he explains how creativity works, why ideas sometimes seem to appear out of nowhere, and how anyone can become more imaginative. Albert is Managing Director of Condé Nast Britain and author of The Imagination Muscle: Where Good Ideas Come From (https://amzn.to/4cw9xrw).

Sending flowers to someone who is sick or recovering from surgery seems like a thoughtful gesture. But can flowers actually help someone heal? Surprisingly, research suggests they may do more than brighten a room—they may have measurable effects on mood, stress, and recovery. https://www.floweraura.com/blog/healing-power-get-well-soon-flowers-scientific-perspective

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Many ballpoint pens have a particular design feature intended to save your life – if necessary. It's one of those clever features most people never notice and hopefully never have to use yet millions of pens contain it. https://www.iflscience.com/theres-a-surprising-reason-why-pen-caps-have-holes-in-them-47723/

Most of us instinctively know that spending time outdoors feels good. A walk in the park, sitting on a patio, hiking a trail, or simply being outside seems to improve our mood. But scientists are discovering that the benefits go much deeper than just "feeling better." Modern humans spend the vast majority of their lives indoors, surrounded by artificial light, recycled air, screens, and environments our bodies were never designed for. What happens when we step outside—even for a few minutes—can have powerful effects on our brain, sleep, immune system, stress levels, and overall health. Dr. John LaPuma, a board-certified internist and author of Indoor Epidemic (https://amzn.to/4epGmtL), explains why being outdoors may be one of the most underappreciated health tools available—and why as little as 17 minutes can make a measurable difference.

The alphabet is one of the first things we learn as children, yet most of us never stop to wonder where it came from. Why is A the first letter? Why does Q almost always need a U? Why does C make different sounds in different words? Who decided these rules, and why have we kept them? As it turns out, our alphabet is the product of thousands of years of evolution, accidents, adaptations, and surprising historical twists. Danny Bate, linguist, broadcaster, and author of Why Q Needs U (https://amzn.to/3QZcJ9F), takes us on a fascinating journey through the hidden history of the letters we use every day and reveals why the alphabet is far stranger than it appears.

When it comes to attraction, many men assume women are primarily looking for physical traits like height, muscularity, or six-pack abs. The research tells a more interesting story. Some of the characteristics women consistently find most attractive aren't necessarily the ones most men spend their time worrying about. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10480979/

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Can you train yourself to become a night owl—or an early bird? Millions of people try. They force themselves to stay up later, wake up earlier, or work overnight because that's what life demands. But can your body really adapt? Or is there a biological clock inside you that simply refuses to cooperate?

Scientists now know that your circadian rhythm governs much more than when you feel sleepy. It helps regulate your energy, mood, memory, metabolism, immune system, hormones, and even your risk for a surprising number of chronic diseases. When that internal clock falls out of sync with the schedule you keep, the consequences can range from feeling groggy and unfocused to serious long-term health problems.

So how much control do you really have over your body clock? Why do some people naturally spring out of bed at dawn while others come alive after dark? What actually happens when you regularly ignore your body's signals? And what are the simple changes that can help you work with your circadian rhythm instead of constantly fighting it?

Russell Foster joins me to explain the remarkable science of the body's internal clock and why understanding it may be one of the most important—and overlooked—keys to better sleep, better health, and better performance.

Russell is Professor of Circadian Neuroscience and Director of the Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute at the University of Oxford. He is author of Life Time: Your Body Clock and Its Essential Roles in Good Health and Sleep (https://amzn.to/3QQGZ6v).

Whether you think of yourself as an early bird, a night owl, or somewhere in between, this conversation may completely change the way you think about sleep—and about time itself.

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People often assume that someone with brown eyes appears more trustworthy than someone with blue eyes. Research suggests there may be something to that belief—but not for the reason most people think. In fact, eye color may have very little to do with it. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3541379/

Pain seems simple. You get hurt, you feel pain. Problem solved. Except it isn't that simple at all. Why can two people experience the same injury yet report very different levels of pain? How can amputees feel excruciating pain in a limb that no longer exists? Scientists now understand that pain is not merely a signal sent from the body to the brain. Instead, pain is a complex experience shaped by biology, psychology, memory, expectations, emotions, and environment. Dr. Rachel Zoffness, a leading pain expert on the faculty at UCSF School of Medicine, joins me to explain what modern science has discovered about pain, why many traditional assumptions about it are wrong, and how understanding pain differently may help people suffer less. She is author of Tell Me Where It Hurts: The New Science of Pain and How to Heal (https://amzn.to/4afunMR).

Life has become incredibly convenient. We no longer unfold paper maps, collect ticket stubs, browse record stores, save newspaper clippings, or carry around many of the physical objects that once filled everyday life. Digital technology has made countless tasks faster and easier—but has something been lost along the way? Ian Bogost believes the answer is yes. He argues that many of the small physical experiences we've eliminated weren't just clutter or inefficiency. They added texture, meaning, memory, and satisfaction to life. In our conversation, he explains how the disappearance of these seemingly insignificant things may be quietly changing our relationship with the world and what we can do to reclaim some of what we've lost. Ian is a staff writer at The Atlantic and author of The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life (https://amzn.to/3SDVFXf).

You've probably heard the travel hack: search for airline tickets too many times and the price will go up. That's why some people clear their browser history, use incognito mode, or switch devices before booking a flight. But does any of that actually work? The answer may surprise you. https://nypost.com/2025/06/03/lifestyle/will-clearing-your-search-history-make-flight-prices-cheaper-experts-reveal-the-surprising-truth/

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The lottery is one of the few games where everyone knows the odds are terrible—and millions of people play anyway. Why? It turns out there are some fascinating psychological reasons people buy lottery tickets, along with a few surprising facts about the odds and strategies that most players never consider. https://www.wired.com/video/watch/lottery-strategy

When Uber launched, many people thought the idea was ridiculous. Let strangers drive you around in their personal cars? Airbnb faced similar skepticism. Why would anyone stay in a stranger's house? Yet these companies went on to reshape entire industries. The same is true of Twitter, Twitch, and many other breakthrough businesses. What separates ideas that change the world from ideas that never get off the ground? According to venture capitalist Mike Maples Jr., truly transformative companies don't succeed by being slightly better than the competition—they succeed by seeing the world differently. In this conversation, Mike explains the patterns behind history's most disruptive startups, why the best ideas often sound wrong at first, and what it takes to build something that changes the future. Mike is co-founder of Floodgate, one of Silicon Valley's premier seed-stage investment firms, host of the podcast Starting Greatness (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/starting-greatness/id1488560647), and author of Pattern Breakers: Why Some Start-Ups Change the Future (https://amzn.to/3W8BXlT).

Black holes may be the most mysterious objects in the universe. Their gravity is so powerful that not even light can escape. Yet despite their reputation as cosmic vacuum cleaners, black holes do much more than simply swallow things. In fact, astronomers now believe that the giant black hole at the center of our galaxy may have played a critical role in making life on Earth possible. How can something so destructive also be so important? Why does nearly every galaxy appear to have a supermassive black hole at its center? And what have scientists learned recently that is forcing them to rethink these extraordinary objects? Marcus Chown, former radio astronomer at Caltech and author of A Crack in Everything: How Black Holes Came in from the Cold and Took Cosmic Centre Stage (https://amzn.to/3W9cFUE), takes us on a fascinating tour of one of the strangest and most important discoveries in modern science.

Most people rely on sunscreen as their primary defense against skin cancer—and for good reason. Yet skin cancer rates continue to rise. Researchers are increasingly discovering that sun protection may involve more than what you put on your skin. Emerging evidence suggests that what you put on your plate could also influence how your skin responds to the sun. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/08/well/eat/diet-skin-cancer-risk-melanoma.html

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Nothing can ruin a meal faster than someone loudly slurping soup, coffee, or noodles. At least that's what many people think. Yet in some cultures, slurping isn't rude at all—it's expected. And as annoying as it may sound, there is actually a surprisingly good reason people do it. https://www.discovermagazine.com/its-not-rude-slurping-makes-food-taste-better-42739

Your beliefs do far more than influence how you see the world—they influence what happens next. The beliefs you hold about yourself, your abilities, other people, and the future affect the opportunities you notice, the risks you're willing to take, and even how successful you're likely to become. The remarkable thing is that many of our most important beliefs operate in the background, quietly steering our decisions without us even realizing it. Shawn Achor, one of the world's leading experts on mindset, happiness, and human potential, explains how beliefs shape our lives, where those beliefs come from, and how changing them can dramatically alter your path. Shawn's TED Talk has been viewed more than 25 million times, and he is author of The Power of Beliefs (https://amzn.to/4a1eR7m). Shawn’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work

When people talk about helping the environment, the conversation often sounds like a list of things you have to give up: drive less, fly less, consume less, turn down the thermostat, and generally make life a little less enjoyable. But what if that approach is backward? What if some of the best things you can do for the planet also happen to make you happier? Psychologist Elizabeth Dunn offers a refreshing alternative to guilt, sacrifice, and doom-and-gloom messaging. Elizabeth's work has appeared in major media outlets around the world, and she is co-author of Leave the Lights On: How Joyful Decisions Can Save Our Species (https://amzn.to/4oyXl09). Elizabeth’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_dunn_helping_others_makes_us_happier_but_it_matters_how_we_do_it

The English language is alive. Words and phrases that were once considered incorrect, awkward, or even ridiculous can become perfectly acceptable over time. In fact, some expressions we use every day would have made earlier generations cringe. The evolution of language offers a fascinating look at how culture changes—and how today's "mistakes" sometimes become tomorrow's rules. https://time.com/4293303/garner-common-words-mistakes/

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With all of the recent excitement surrounding the NBA & Stanley Cup finals and the World Cup you might wonder why do millions of people spend hours every week watching sports? Most people think of it as entertainment, a way to relax or pass the time. But what if watching sports is actually doing something good for your mind, your emotions, and even your health? That’s why today’s SYSK Trending topic is A lot of people look at sports fans and wonder what all the fuss is about. Why invest so much time and emotion in a team you don't play for and have no control over? Why let a win make your day or a loss ruin your mood?

It turns out there may be a lot more going on than simple entertainment.

Researchers have discovered that being a sports fan can provide surprising benefits for your physical health, mental wellbeing, and social life. Following a team can create a sense of belonging, strengthen social connections, reduce feelings of loneliness, and even help people cope with stress and adversity. In some cases, the benefits are remarkably similar to those that come from being part of a close-knit community.

Sports fandom also gives people something increasingly rare in modern life: a shared experience. In a world where entertainment, news, and social media are highly personalized, millions of people still gather around the same games, celebrate the same victories, and suffer through the same defeats together.

Larry Olmsted joins me to explain why sports fans may be happier, healthier, and more connected than non-fans. We discuss the science behind fandom, why rooting for a team can be good for your emotional health, how sports help build relationships, and why being a fan is about much more than the final score.

Larry is a journalist and author of Fans: How Watching Sports Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Understanding (https://amzn.to/2T6YUs1).

Whether you're a die-hard fan, a casual observer, or someone who has never understood sports at all, this conversation may change the way you think about what it means to be a fan.

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Ever notice when you hear someone talking on the phone nearby it’s hard not to listen? You are only hearing one-side of the conversation and that can drive your brain crazy. It’s not just annoying and distracting it can actually be dangerous. https://now.uiowa.edu/news/2017/06/ui-study-explores-why-cell-phone-use-leads-distracted-driving

It’s hard to imagine life without GPS. But now it has become so woven into daily life that most of us never think about it. We use it to navigate, order food, track packages, find rides, locate our phones and even synchronize financial transactions. Yet GPS wasn't created for that. It began as a military technology and evolved into one of the most important—and expensive—infrastructure systems ever built. How does GPS actually know where you are? Why is it free to use? Who pays for it? Is it spying on you? Here to explain is Katherine Dunn, business reporter, editor and author of the book Little Blue Dot: How GPS Shaped the Modern World (https://amzn.to/4uvtk2M).

Why is it that millions of people experience chronic pain, fatigue, digestive problems and other ailments that doctors and medical tests often fail to explain? Too often they're told "it's all in your head." But according to psychiatrist Susan Trachman, that phrase badly misunderstands what's happening. The connection between the brain and body is far more powerful than most people realize. Thoughts, emotions and stress can trigger genuine physical symptoms—and understanding how can be the key to finding relief. Susan has spent more than 30 years treating medically unexplained illnesses. She is author of the popular Psychology Today blog and the book It's Not Just in Your Head. (https://amzn.to/4oqvjDP)

Listen to a tennis match or walk through a gym and you'll hear it everywhere: grunting. Sometimes really loud grunting. It seems odd. Maybe even unnecessary. So why do athletes do it? Is it habit? Showmanship? Or is there something else going on? https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a64691561/grunting-power-output-study/

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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.

QUINCE: Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!

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A great burger looks simple—but barbecue experts know there is a surprising amount of science and technique behind getting it just right. From choosing the meat to handling the patties to what happens on the grill, a few small mistakes can mean the difference between a memorable burger and a disappointing one. Source: Steve Raichlen, author of The Barbecue Bible (https://amzn.to/4bgBEcM)

Life has a way of speeding up. One day you're making plans for someday, and before you know it, months or years have gone by. That's why so many people eventually find themselves wondering: Did I spend my time on the things that really mattered? According to Jodi Wellman, avoiding regret isn't about quitting your job, moving to a tropical island, or making dramatic life changes. Instead, it comes from being intentional about how you spend your days and paying attention to the experiences, relationships, and opportunities that give life meaning. In this conversation, she shares a refreshing perspective on how to stop living on autopilot, make the most of the time you have, and create a life you'll look back on with satisfaction rather than regret. Jodi is a former corporate executive, executive coach, and author of You Only Die Once: How to Make It to the End with No Regrets (https://amzn.to/3KUdQ3Z). Learn more at https://fourthousandmondays.com/

Swear words are among the most powerful words in any language. They can shock, offend, amuse, bond people together, relieve pain, and communicate emotion in ways ordinary words often can't. But where do these words come from? Why are some words considered offensive while others are perfectly acceptable? And why does every generation seem to have a different idea about what language is inappropriate? Writer and language expert Jess Zafarris takes us on a fascinating journey through the history of profanity, insults, taboo language, and the darker corners of English vocabulary. She is author of Words from Hell: Unearthing the Darkest Secrets of English Etymology (https://amzn.to/4cafvyc).

Grandma's health advice was often well-intentioned—but not always correct. Some of the most common health "facts" people still repeat today have been thoroughly debunked by modern science. Yet these myths continue to survive because they sound so believable. https://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/slideshow-10-health-myths-debunked

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POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000

AIR DOCTOR: Head to ⁠⁠https://AirDoctorPro.com⁠⁠ and use promo code SYSK to get $250 off select AirDoctor air purifiers, including the 3500, 4000, and 5500 models. Plus, you’ll receive a free 3year warranty! 

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.

QUINCE: Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!

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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Why do mosquitoes seem to love some people and completely ignore others? It isn't your imagination. Researchers have identified several factors that make certain people especially attractive to mosquitoes—and some of them are things you have little control over. https://theweek.com/articles/462191/5-things-that-make-irresistible-mosquitoes

Most of us believe we make rational decisions when we shop. But behavioral scientists have discovered that many purchasing decisions are influenced by factors we barely notice. The way a product is described, where it is placed, how many alternatives are offered, what price is shown first, and even seemingly irrelevant details can dramatically affect what we buy. Richard Shotton has spent years studying the hidden psychological forces that shape consumer behavior. In this conversation, he explains why our choices are often less objective than we think, how marketers use these insights to influence us, and what you can do to become a smarter consumer. Richard is a behavioral scientist and author of The Illusion of Choice: 16½ Psychological Biases That Influence What We Buy (https://amzn.to/3q2Vne9).

Ice seems so ordinary that it's easy to forget what a miracle it once was. Today, ice is available instantly at the push of a button. But not that long ago, obtaining ice was a massive undertaking involving dangerous harvests, international shipping routes, fortunes made and lost, and an industry that helped reshape the modern world. In fact, long before electric refrigeration existed, people were cutting huge blocks of ice from frozen lakes and transporting them thousands of miles. How did this unlikely commodity transform the way we eat, drink, preserve food, and live? Amy Brady, executive director of Orion magazine and author of Ice: From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks—A Cool History of a Hot Commodity (https://amzn.to/3MKX7Rc), reveals the remarkable story behind something most of us never think twice about.

Finding a green potato chip in the bag can be a little unsettling. Is it safe to eat? And what about those unusually dark brown chips that occasionally show up? The answers have everything to do with how potatoes grow, how they're stored, and what happens before they ever become chips. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/30746/whats-those-green-potato-chips-you-sometimes-find

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000

AIR DOCTOR: Head to ⁠⁠https://AirDoctorPro.com⁠⁠ and use promo code SYSK to get $250 off select AirDoctor air purifiers, including the 3500, 4000, and 5500 models. Plus, you’ll receive a free 3year warranty! 

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.

QUINCE: Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever bought something because it was "almost sold out" or because a sale was ending at midnight? If so, you're not alone. Scarcity is one of the most powerful forces influencing human behavior. When something becomes difficult to get, we often value it more—even if we weren't interested in it before.

Marketers know this. That's why you'll see messages like "Only 3 left in stock," "Limited-time offer," or "Sale ends tonight." Sometimes those claims reflect genuine scarcity. Other times, they are carefully designed to create urgency and push you toward a decision.

In this episode, we explore why scarcity is so effective, how it taps into fundamental human psychology, and the many ways businesses use it to influence what you buy. Joining me is Mindy Weinstein, a marketing instructor at Grand Canyon University and the University of Denver, as well as a program leader for The Wharton School and Columbia Business School. She is also author of the book The Power of Scarcity: Leveraging Urgency and Demand to Influence Customer Decisions (https://amzn.to/3QizF3u).

What you'll discover:

• Why scarce products and opportunities instantly become more attractive.
• The difference between real scarcity and manufactured scarcity.
• How fear of missing out (FOMO) drives purchasing decisions.
• Why limited choices can sometimes make people more likely to act.
• Practical ways to recognize and resist scarcity-based manipulation.

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000

AIR DOCTOR: Head to ⁠⁠https://AirDoctorPro.com⁠⁠ and use promo code SYSK to get $250 off select AirDoctor air purifiers, including the 3500, 4000, and 5500 models. Plus, you’ll receive a free 3year warranty! 

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.

QUINCE: Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices