Is Remote Work During the Holidays a Blessing or Curse?

A man remote working during Christmas, he sits at the kitchen table while his family gathers around the Christmas tree

How is remote work changing Americans’ approach to holiday travel? What are the benefits and hidden costs of working while traveling during the holidays? Remote work has fundamentally changed how Americans vacation, with nearly half of holiday travelers now mixing work and leisure. This shift is transforming traditional boundaries between professional obligations and personal time. Below, we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of remote working during the holidays.

Spirit Christmas: Why Pop-Up Retail Stores Are Successful

A cartoon image of a jack-o-lantern wearing a Santa hat

You’ve heard of Spirit Halloween, but have you heard about Spirit Christmas? How does the pop-up retail store model work? Each fall, Spirit Halloween stores emerge from retail’s graveyard, transforming abandoned storefronts into spooky wonderlands and becoming the unlikely success story of America’s evolving retail landscape. This year, the company expanded and opened its first Spirit Christmas stores. Here’s a look at the history of seasonal stores and Spirit Halloween’s business model.

The Water Fluoridation Controversy: A Look at Both Sides

A hand filling a glass with water from the sink faucet, displaying the water fluoridation controversy

Should water fluoridation be continued, stopped, or regulated? Are there benefits to the practice? Are there any health risks? Widespread water fluoridation is credited with significantly improving dental health in the US over the past 70 years. However, debate still flares up regularly due to concerns about fluoride’s safety, necessity, and the ethics of mandating its use. Here’s where all sides are coming from in the water fluoridation controversy.

Storyworthy: Book Overview, Tips, & More (Matthew Dicks)

The silhouette of a man standing on stage in front of an audience with stage lights pointed on him

Did you know that your life is full of stories worth sharing? How can you discover, craft, and share those stories with others? In the book Storyworthy, oral storytelling champion Matthew Dicks draws on his experience telling stories on stages around the world. He offers insights on how to shape ordinary moments into stories that spark profound human connections—plus tips for memorizing, practicing, and sharing your story on stage. Continue reading for an overview of Dicks’s insightful book.

The 3 Storytelling Steps From an Oral Storytelling Champion

A cartoon image of a woman on a stage in front of an audience, demonstrating the steps of storytelling

Do you know how to tell a story successfully? When should you make eye contact? Which tense should you use? In his book Storyworthy, storytelling champion Matthew Dicks shares the three storytelling steps. He also shares tips on things such as controlling your nerves, how to immerse an audience, how to navigate the use of offensive words, and much more. Here’s how to tell a story like a pro.

How to Build a Story: 6 Tips From a Storytelling Professional

An artistic image of a girl writing in a notebook in a cafe, learning how to build a story

Do you want to know how to build a story like a professional? How can you make a story come to life in someone’s mind? Matthew Dicks, an oral storytelling champion, shares his insights on how to find, write, and deliver a story. He teaches everything from how to build toward a satisfying conclusion, incorporate details, create emotional investment, keep the action moving, lie strategically, and incorporate humor. Let’s take a look at Dicks’s lessons, along with the advice of other writers such as Stephen King, Kurt Vonnegut, Robert McKee, and others.

How to Identify the Point of a Story You’re Writing

A man sitting at a writing desk in front of a window trying to identify the point of his story

How do you choose which life stories are the best ones to share? Which types of stories are the most relatable to audiences? How can you discover the point of a story to make it more significant? Well-written stories have an underlying core message that’s relatable to audiences. However, when you’re putting together a story, it can be difficult to identify which parts of your story will resonate with audiences. Here are Matthew Dicks two strategies for identifying your most storyworthy moments.

Why Storytelling Matters: Improve Your Relationships & Career

From behind, a woman is standing on a stage in front of a faceless crowd, signifying why storytelling matters

What makes true stories so powerful? Why should everyone share stories about their lives? Matthew Dicks is a champion oral storyteller and the author of Storyworthy. According to Dicks, there are more benefits to telling stories than just entertainment. Storytelling can boost your career, allow for personal growth, and facilitate intimacy. Here’s why storytelling matters and the benefits you can gain from sharing your experiences.

How to Identify Significant Moments to Share as a Story

A man surrounded by a group of friends telling a story about a significant moment in his life

When telling true stories, how can you identify significant moments to share? What makes a moment “storyworthy”? Matthew Dicks is a storytelling professional and the author of Storyworthy. He asserts that no matter what kind of life you lead, it’s likely full of stories that are worth sharing Here’s how to identify the most storyworthy moments in your life to share with others.

How to Build Suspense and Surprise in a Story: Methods & Tips

An audience of people gasping in surprise while listening to a story be told on stage

Want to know how to build suspense and surprise in a story? How can you leverage surprise to captivate an audience? Suspense and surprise are very important when it comes to keeping an audience dialed into your story. Matthew Dicks, an oral storytelling pro, shares techniques for doing both and why they’re so important. Here are two techniques for building suspense and an explanation of how to leverage surprise.