Try this punch recipe from Paraguay & other tips to make life sweeter

If you want fresh punch for your next pool party, try this recipe for Clericó, a traditional drink in Paraguay with bananas, oranges, grapes and apples (or whatever is fresh!).

This is usually served at Christmas, which falls during the hottest part of the year in South America, so for those of us in the northern hemisphere, it’s perfect for Christmas in July.

Dogs love nature! Let's help them preserve it.

Carbon Pawprints

Your dog already deserves all the treats. Now, along with being the best snuggler or fetch player, you can help your pupper be the best steward of the environment with these tips to reduce their impact on the planet.

Discover the Best of Oaxaca

Mexico’s southern state of Oaxaca has a lot to offer adventurous travelers. Oaxaca (pronounced wah-hah-kah) is still off the beaten path for many vacationers. But it’s been gaining popularity thanks to everything from its local cuisine, like mole and fried grasshoppers, to the exuberant wedding celebrations that locals have in the streets.

The Magic of Friendship

Even if I died today, I’m sure that my children will be OK. They'll have a good life. Omeli Tabulo, Zambian mother and community organizer

Meet these inspiring best friends in Zambia to get a head start celebrating National Friendship Day on Sunday Aug. 4. These two mobilized women in their impoverished community so they could find teachers to educate their kids, grow food together and eventually become dairy farmers with the support of Heifer International.

Now that Omeli Tabulo has a steady income to buy food and blankets for her children, she’s full of hope. “Even if I died today, I’m sure that my children will be OK,” she said. “They’ll have a good life.”

What to Say When Bad Things Happen

When someone close to you is going through a major change in their life, it can be difficult to know what to say, especially if it’s something sad and scary, like a serious illness. But the Ring Theory makes it easier.

The Ring Theory can help you know best how to support loved ones.

Essentially, if a person is closer to a crisis than you (in the middle of the circle), only give words of support. If you want to express fear or worry, that’s OK. Just find someone farther away from the crisis than you to vent your negative feelings towards. By following this practical guide, you can better understand what words of comfort and support to offer and who you can turn to with your worries.

If you find yourself  in a moment of crisis, this dogsledder has tips to help – seriously, they’ll get you through any kind of high-intensity situation. Her experience literally crossing thin ice showed her that helping herself is all about reframing problems as normal parts of the process rather than seeing them as disasters. Her tips include: 

• Telling yourself: there’s always a solution.
• If you don’t have something, tell yourself you don’t need it. Focus on the tools in front of you, not on what you wish you had. 
• But always carry the basics. In other words, be prepared.
• Embrace temporary discomfort in order to achieve the best long-term solution.