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Life Kit

NPR

Everyone needs a little help being a human. From sleep to saving money to parenting and more, host Marielle Segarra talks to experts to get the best advice out there. Life Kit is here to help you get it together.

Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including sponsor-free listening and helpful curated playlists by topic for Life Kit.
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  • 38 episodes
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  • Avg 19 min
  • English

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Episodes 38

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  • Tuesday · 17 min

    Feeling insecure? Try this memory-update exercise

    Memories from your past can affect your self worth in the present. Marisa Franco, psychologist and author of the book Worth: The New Science of Self-Esteem and Secure Attachment, shares a memory-updating technique you can use daily to boost your self-esteem and feel more secure. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • Monday · 17 min

    Quitting is sometimes the right decision. Here's how to know when to walk away

    Quitting is often associated with failure. But choosing to walk away from a goal can help you save time, identify what you truly want and create space for other pursuits. This episode, how to evaluate your goal, figure out its cost and know when it's time to throw in the towel. This episode was originally published on Aug. 18, 2025. Show notes: Read a comic version of this episode here. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • September 10 · 18 min

    How to jumpstart your child's financial future

    If you're a new or soon-to-be parent, free time is at a premium. And sorting through different investment account options is confusing and time-consuming. On this episode, Life Kit reporter Andee Tagle walks you through different savings methods, from the new Trump accounts, to classic 529 plans, to custodial brokerage accounts, and will help you prioritize which method to use. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • September 8 · 21 min

    Want more intimacy in your relationships? Conflict could help

    Conflict is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it’s necessary for close, authentic relationships, says Priya Parker, a conflict resolution facilitator and the author of a new book, The Art of Fighting. But sometimes it can be hard to know if it's worth getting in the weeds with someone. In this episode of Life Kit, Parker shares questions to ask yourself before you bring up an issue, how to handle different conflict styles and why it's a good idea to schedule time to fight. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • September 7 · 23 min

    Boost your mood in 15 minutes

    Sometimes you're just feeling blah: maybe the weather's bad, you can't get out of bed and you're struggling to shake off that listlessness. In these moments, the solution is often simpler than we think. This episode, NPR's Science desk and Life Kit staff present research-backed mood boosters to instantly shake yourself out of a slump and turn your day around. This episode originally published September 3, 2024. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • September 3 · 15 min

    5 rituals to reclaim that back-to-school buzz

    Meal prep. Refresh your wardrobe. Make a new friend. You don't have to be headed to a classroom to harness the back-to-school buzz. In this episode of Life Kit, we bring you tactics and tips that will help you break old habits or start new ones — and reclaim the excitement of a new school year. Show notes: How to use avocados (or onions) to dye clothes Play Styles Quiz from the National Institute for Play Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • September 1 · 15 min

    The reasons you procrastinate -- and how to finally stop

    Want to finally stop doomscrolling and actually do the thing you've been putting off? Itamar Shatz, author of the book Solving Procrastination, explains the evolutionary reason we avoid difficult tasks and the research-backed methods that can help you take action. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 31 · 17 min

    Find your lost keys faster with these techniques

    Finding missing items isn't a matter of "looking harder." There's an art and a science to it. The next time you misplace your wedding ring, try these strategies to hunt it down. They'll make your search process faster, smoother and calmer. Life Kit digital editor Malaka Gharib talks with visual search experts, a metal detector enthusiast and a detective about their best tricks for finding what's lost. This episode originally published October 31, 2024. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 27 · 21 min

    How to stop fixating on your body in the era of GLP-1s

    It can be difficult to love how your body looks, or even like it. But what if you could expand the way you think about your body? This episode, psychologist Diana Hill shares how to practice body image flexibility and appreciate all of the ways your body allows you to experience the world. She gives mental exercises that help you fixate less on your appearance in an image-obsessed culture. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 25 · 21 min

    Mom needs a moment! How to pause parental rage

    Parenthood is exhausting. When a kid asks for snack for the millionth time while you're running on little sleep and trying to make dinner, it's easy to snap. Licensed marriage and family therapist Cassidy Freitas says the key is to find refuge in what she calls "the margins." In this episode, Freitas shares tools from her book Mom Needs A Moment: How to Stop Your Reaction Before It Starts and Become a Calmer, Happier, More Connected Parent. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 24 · 17 min

    5 questions that can save you from a bad purchase

    Sometimes we buy things that we later regret: a new sweater that's already falling apart, or a thrifted "vintage" vase that turns out to be a mass-produced dupe. In the moment, it's difficult to resist the temptation of making a purchase. But with a few pointed questions, you can make sure you've done your due diligence. This episode, financial experts offer a framework to help you decide whether or not something is worth buying. This episode originally published Dec.18, 2024. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 20 · 16 min

    Dear Life Kit: Should I put my life on hold for my partner?

    In this edition of Dear Life Kit, more wisdom from our vast archives to help you figure out: -Whether you can refuse a gift -If you should move in with your partner if they're not ready -How to feel like an actual "graduated" grown-up Send us your own Dear Life Kit questions at npr.org/dearlifekit Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 18 · 21 min

    Your perfectionism isn't a problem — if you know how to use it

    Are you a 'Parisian perfectionist'? How about a 'messy perfectionist'? Psychotherapist Katherine Morgan Schafler believes there are 5 kinds of perfectionists in the world. Find out which one you are with our quiz. This episode originally published January 30, 2023. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 17 · 17 min

    Is hormone therapy the cheat code to perimenopause?

    Perimenopause can be overwhelming. Mood swings, insomnia and hot flashes can make you feel like a completely different person. Hormone therapy is one way a lot of women are treating the symptoms. Life Kit’s Marielle Segarra talks with Dr. Mara Gordon of NPR’s Real Talk with a Doc column about the risks and benefits. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 13 · 23 min

    If sex is painful, you have options

    There are lots of reasons women may experience pain during or after sex. Whether you've just given birth, are experiencing hormonal changes, or are under a lot of stress, you have options to address the pain. In this episode of Life Kit, reporter Andee Tagle talks to pelvic floor physical therapist Janelle Frederick about how to communicate with sex partners about it, when to see a doctor or physical therapist and what exercises you can try at home to relieve the pain. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 11 · 18 min

    Feeling short on time? Do a time audit

    Many of us feel overwhelmed by life's obligations — work, family, friends and relationships. In a culture fixated on busyness, time always seems in short supply. What if we could find more time for what really matters to us? This episode, Niro Feliciano, psychotherapist and author of This Book Won’t Make You Happy: Eight Keys to Finding True Contentment, explains how to take a time audit of your life and ensure your time is going where you want it to. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 10 · 16 min

    Shrink your grocery bill

    Groceries aren't cheap, but there are ways beyond just looking for sales to make budget meals. To help cut down your grocery bill, we have practical tips for saving money on the food you cook at home. This episode original published May 30, 2023. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 6 · 13 min

    Tiny pep talks for everyday problems

    We use encouragement and support to get through life's big moments. But what about a little pep talk for those smaller moments, like when it's raining and your dog needs to go out? Or some inspiration to help you parallel park or send that email you've been avoiding? In this episode, Paula Skaggs and Josh Linden, co-authors of the book Tiny Pep Talks, share bite-sized motivation for everyday nuisances. This episode was originally published on Aug. 12, 2025. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 4 · 29 min

    Don't stop exercising just because you're pregnant

    Many people pause physical activity during pregnancy -- but research shows that exercising while pregnant is good for your health and your baby's health. If you're unsure which kinds of exercise are on the table, fear not. Life Kit reporter Andee Tagle takes you through the workout guidance for each trimester and how you can physically prepare for your due date. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 3 · 26 min

    Find your side quest

    In gaming, a side quest is a mission outside the main narrative or goal that players can take for fun. In life, it functions similarly. It's a hobby or activity that doesn't have any purpose other than bringing more whimsy, sparkle and exploration into your life. In this episode of Life Kit, host Marielle Segarra and Brittany Luse of NPR's It's Been a Minute talk to experts about how to find a side quest that builds your world's lore and brings you back to life. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

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