In a revealing interview with Steven Bartlett on his “Dairy of a CEO” podcast, former Secret Service Special Agent Evy Poumpouras shared how to get people to do what you want them to do.The key, according to Poumpouras, is to understand what motivates them. Once you know the psychological framework behind what makes them tick, you can persuade them to behave as you like. Poumpouras is the co-host of Bravo TV’s “Spy Games” competition series and author of “Becoming Bulletproof: Protect Yourself, Read People, Influence Situations, Live Fearlessly.” She served in the Secret Service’s Presidential Protective Division for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama and protected George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush.Poumpouras says that to get a “good read” on someone, it’s essential to listen.Former U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Evy Poumpouras shares how to get someone to do what you want @steven Former U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Evy Poumpouras shares how to get someone to do what you want ? #podcast #podcastclips #stevenbartlett #diaryofaceo #specialagent #secretservice #security #evypoumpouras The biggest mistake people make is they talk a lot,” Poumpouras said in the video clip. “Steven, if I'm doing all the talking and you're doing all the listening, you're learning everything about me. You're learning about what I care about, my values, my belief systems, getting a good read on me and I'm learning nothing about you.”The former Secret Service Agent says that you should listen to determine the subject's motivational mindset. Are they motivated by money, sex, admiration, status, freedom, relationships, or safety?“Everybody's motivated by something different. But I have to hear you and pay attention to you to understand what that is. Everybody's purpose is different,” she continued. “If you give people enough space, they will reveal themselves to you.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Evy Poumpouras (@evypoumpouras) It’s also a wonderful tactic because your subject will have no idea they are part of a manipulation because they are the ones doing the talking. It’s nearly impossible to give yourself away when you’re sitting in silence.Understanding what motivates people is essential when protecting the safety of the nation’s most important assets and dealing with shady, dangerous people. However, it can also benefit the layperson by giving us a framework to understand people better. Knowing what motivates someone is very important, whether you’re on a date, in a business deal, or in a leadership role at work.It’s also very important when raising children or training an animal.Understanding your personal motivators is also essential for making the best choices in life. It helps us determine which actions will be genuinely beneficial. It’s also a great way to ensure that we are involved with people, organizations, and activities for the right reasons.Productivity consultant Ashley Janssen says the key to understanding your motives is knowing your values."When you know what you value, you can identify how an activity or goal will support and foster those values," Janssen writes. "When you decide to try something, consider whether it’s what you think you should want to do or what someone else has said you should do. Those conditions are often not enough to sustain a behavior or activity. It’s hard to keep moving forward on something that you don’t really care about or are not invested in."This article originally appeared on 6.14.24

If you’re a Gen Xer or older, one surprising habit the younger generations developed is their love of subtitles or closed-captioning while watching TV. To older generations, closed-captioning was only for grandparents, the hearing impaired, or when watching the news in a restaurant or gym.But these days, studies show that Millenials and Gen Z are big fans of captions and regularly turn them on when watching their favorite streaming platforms. A recent study found that more than half of Gen Z and Millenials prefer captions on when watching television.It’s believed that their preference for subtitles stems from the ubiquity of captioning on social media sites such as TikTok or Instagram.This generational change perplexed TikTokker, teacher and Gen X mother, Kelly Gibson.Always leaning! #genx #millennial #caption #learning @gibsonishere Always leaning! #genx #millennial #caption #learning "I have three daughters, and they were here. Two of them are young millennials; the other one is an older Gen Z," Gibson explained in a video with over 400,000 views. "All of them were like, 'Why don't you have the captions on?'”The mother couldn’t believe that her young kids preferred to watch TV like her grandparents. It just did not compute."My Gen X butt was shocked to find out that these young people have decided it's absolutely OK to watch movies with the captions going the whole time," she said jokingly.But like a good mother, Gibson asked her girls why they preferred to watch TV with captioning, and their reason was straightforward. With subtitles, it’s easier not to lose track of the dialog if people in the room start talking."They get more out of it," Gibson explained. "If somebody talks to them in the middle of the show, they can still read and get what's going on even if they can't hear clearly. Why are young people so much smarter than us?"At the end of the video, Gibson asked her followers whether they watch TV with subtitles on or off. "How many of you out there that are Millennials actually do this? And how many of you Gen Xers are so excited that this is potentially an option?" she asked.Gibson received over 8,400 responses to her question, and people have a lot of different reasons for preferring to watch TV with captions.“Millennial here. I have ADHD along with the occasional audio processing issues. I love captions. Also, sometimes I like crunchy movie snacks,” Jessileemorgan wrote. “We use the captions because I (GenX) hate the inability of the movie makers to keep sound consistent. Ex: explosions too loud conversation to quiet,” Lara Lytle added.“My kids do this and since we can’t figure out how to turn it off when they leave, it’s become a staple. GenX here!” Kelly Piller wrote.The interesting takeaway from the debate is that anti-caption people often believe that having writing on the screen distracts them from the movie. They’re too busy reading the bottom of the screen to feel the film's emotional impact or enjoy the acting and cinematography. However, those who are pro-caption say that it makes the film easier to understand and helps them stay involved with the film when there are distractions.So who’s right? The person holding the remote.This article originally appeared on 1.11.24

People are seriously considering switching careers after finding out how much can be made as a UPS delivery driver. Back in October, Skyler Stutzman, an Oregon-based UPS delivery driver went viral after sharing his weekly pay stub on TikTok.In the clip, Stutzman showed that for 42 hours of work, and at a pay rate of $44.26 per hour, he earned $2,004 before taxes, and ultimately took home $1,300 after deductions. This both shocked the nearly 12 million viewers who saw the video…not to mention it stirred their jealousy a bit. Several couldn’t help but compare Stutzman’s salary to their own—especially those in professions requiring degrees and certifications. “Not me realizing that a UPS driver makes more than I do. 20 years in my field with a degree!” one person lamented. Another added, “$44? I’m a dang nurse only making $32 ?♀️” @skylerleestutzman UPS Driver Paystub Breakdown… #upspay #upswages #teamsters #ups ♬ original sound - Skyler Stutzman Many even joked (or perhaps half-joked) about applying to become drivers themselves. But as Stutzman pointed out in multiple follow-up videos, earning his rate takes patience.According to one of those clips, it took almost six years before he was offered a full time position, followed by a four year progression of wage increases until he started earning what he earns today. That’s around a decade, which one person pointed out was around the same time it takes to become a doctor.Stutzman added that, depending on the location, you would be required to work in a UPS warehouse before working as a driver. So while his paycheck might have you considering taking on the job yourself, just know that it’s not exactly taking the easy route. And we haven’t even touched on the amount of manual labor that goes into the job…rain or shine. Stutzman also said that he shared his current paycheck in the spirit of transparency, which is a value that the teamsters upheld as they fought for increased wages and better working conditions earlier this year. @skylerleestutzman Here are my THEORETICAL thoughts… “Why would you show your paystub like that?” #upsdriver #ups #upswages #teamster #upspay ♬ original sound - Skyler Stutzman After months of tense negotiations, as well as a threat to enact what would have been the largest single employer strike in U.S. history, disrupting deliveries across the country, the postal workers union reached an agreement with UPS.The deal included air conditioning and ventilation improvements to delivery vehicles as well as full-time UPS drivers earning an average of $170,000 in annual pay, plus benefits. By the end of the contract, part-time union drivers would also make at least $25.75 per hour while receiving full health care and pension benefits,” according to UPS CEO Carol Tomé.From Stutzman’s perspective, his earnings shouldn’t cause envy among those in other industries, but reflect a shared need for increased wages across the board to keep up with inflation. Big takeaways here: earning good money doesn’t always require a degree, unions are powerful, don’t underestimate the value of skilled labor…and UPS drivers deserve respect.This article originally appeared on 12.12.23

The music of Queen has a profound visceral effect on everyone. Few pieces of art can cause complete strangers to put aside their differences and come together in song, but by golly, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is one of them. It would be cheesy if it weren’t so absolutely beautiful.This pertains even to non-English-speaking countries, it appears. Recently, thousands of Harry Styles concertgoers in Warsaw, Poland, began cheering as those iconic beginning piano notes penetrated the air.It wasn’t long before the entire stadium was singing along to that beloved tune and acing every single lyric. As one person commented on YouTube, even though most people in Warsaw don’t speak English, “they sing Queen.”The passionate impromptu performance serves as a reminder of how special both Queen and the late Freddie Mercury remain today. “No other band will ever come close to Queen. They were lightning in a bottle and Freddie was a whale in a teardrop. Once people keep singing his words, FM will live on forever,” another YouTube viewer wrote.Indeed, seeing an entire stadium come alive with “Bohemian Rhapsody,” you can’t help but feel Mercury’s soul return to the mortal plane, as if we’ve all been transported back to that historic Live Aid concert in 1985 when he had the entirety of Wembley Stadium wrapped around his finger for 21 glorious minutes.Watch below, and try not to sing along. Scratch that—sing your heart out.This article originally appeared on 7.14.23

Sure, candlelit dinners and hot air balloon rides are a lovely way to stir up some romance. But there can be just as much love found in everyday gestures. Love languages, be it acts of service or physical touch, are just as potent when whispered than when shouted over the rooftops. And in some ways, they could even be more impactful, since they can consistently strengthen a relationship day in and day out. Just ask these happy couples on Reddit, who shared the “small, everyday gestures” that make all the difference in their own relationships. Goodness, these comments were really sweet. And if you are currently in a relationship, you just might find yourself thinking “hey, my partner and I do these things all the time! I guess we’re doing okay” after reading. Keep scrolling to enjoy some of our faves:1. “Tidying up your shared space without seeking recognition for it.” -TheDadThatGrills2. “Don’t save the ‘thank you’s for only the big stuff, you and your partner should be thanking another for the little things too. It makes such a huge difference!” -Kotoriichi3. “Honestly, just putting your phone down when they’re talking. It’s the little things.” -sweetyBooby21To that, Tournamentdecides replied:"Or if you’re on your phones, and they go to show you a video or a meme…don’t shut them down by saying you’ve seen it. They’re excited!” "Wow, honey. I certainly haven't seen this meme a million times before!" Photo credit: Canva4. “I sent my husband surprise flowers when he was in the office for his one day a week. Lol he spent the whole day fielding questions like 'Ooooh what has she bought?' ' What has she done now...' The photo he sent of him grinning with his flowers was fabulous lol.” -SuspiciousParagraph5. “Remembering things that they say they like, want to try, and surprising them with it later.”-Gerrylovesgym6. “Random hugs from behind. Doesn’t matter what you’re doing, it’s always a vibe.” A hug from behind is an instant mood booster. Photo credit: Canva-Slim_babyLove217. “I work in a dive bar. My boyfriend will come down, rain, shine, or snow, whether it's 1am or 3am, and help me close. He will come down if I have customers or if it's empty. He doesn't like the idea of me being here alone that late, especially with some of the strangers that pass through town. It's not a form of control either. It's sweet, and it makes me feel safe.” -JellyBeanBonanza298. “Forehead kiss.” -vxcfgfhfghrftrt9. “One time my fiancé cried because I made her a quesadilla without her asking.” -turokzelda10. “My husband fills my tumbler with ice and water every day when I get home.” -SKULLDIVERGURL11. “Checking in.’How's your day? Any problems? Anything you want to get off your chest?’ Being sincere and listening goes a long way.” -AudibleNod12. “Doing your part…if the trash is full…take it out…who cares whose turn it is…if you’re both hungry…cook, pick something up, suggest a delivery…just feed yourselves…basically just do your part of whatever needs to be done that day for you, for your partner…just show up! Be someone your partner can rely on. I guarantee if you did this…in most relationships…this would eliminate maybe 70% of relationship issues.” -iiam_Human13. "When they notice you’re stressed and just start doing things to help out. No words needed.” -HOty_Cuty12314. “Remembering something I mentioned to them in passing a long time ago. Nothing says I love you like those small things you'd think they'd forget.” -DakotahBlueX15. “Sharing snacks while binge-watching is a big deal!! It’s like saying you care without actually saying it, ya know?” Snacks + Netflix = LOVEPhoto credit: Canva-oheartlixi16. “I don't do it every day. But every few weeks I'll slip in a cute note with my wife's lunch when she has to go into the office.” -domlemmons17. “Hubby holding the door for me. He has been doing that since the day we met, 39 years ago.“-brsb518. "My husband makes coffee and brings me a cup while I’m still in bed. I start the day knowing I’m loved.” -Stripmallbars19. “Telling me things you wouldn't tell anyone else. Even little things. Honesty is the foundation of trust, and trust is the basis of every relationship.” -Generico30020. “My wife would make my lunches, and she would draw smiley faces or other fun stuff in my bananas every single day....it made me so happy, especially when I was struggling with my new promotion at work. So I would take a picture of it every time. Over the course of a year, I made a gif with her banana smilies and sent it to her as a little thank you. It's the little things that make it worth it.?” -Weedenski21. “Every night my partner sets out a mug, plate, and knife for me so I can easily make matcha and toast in the morning without having to fumble in the cabinets. Every morning it makes me smile and feel loved and cared for.” -helicopteraresexy22. “The best simple advice I ever got was to kiss your partner every single time you separate and every time you reunite...NO MATTER WHAT. It's a small reminder that you love each other. I've literally been in arguments with my partners where they had to leave and we will kiss no matter how mad we are.” It's amazing how much of a postive impact kissing makes on a relationship…even during hard times. Photo credit: Canva-esoteric_enigmaAnd last but certainly not least…23. “Love taps on the buttocks. Right cheek. Stay consistent.” -urcrazyifurnormalHere’s to all the ways, both big and small, to say “I love you.” And to the ones that make us feel profoundly loved even in the mundanity of regular life.

There are a lot of reasons to feel a twinge of nostalgia for the final days of the 20th century. Rampant inflation, the aftermath of a global pandemic and continued political unrest have created a sense of uneasiness about the future that has everyone feeling a bit down.There’s also a feeling that the current state of pop culture is lacking as well. Nobody listens to new music anymore and unless you’re into superheroes, it seems like creativity is seriously missing from the silver screen. But, you gotta admit, that TV is still pretty damn good.A lot of folks feel Americans have become a lot harsher to one another due to political divides, which seem to be widening by the day due to the power of the internet and partisan media.Given today's feeling of malaise, there are a lot of people who miss the 1990s or, as some call it, “the best decade ever.” Why? The 1990s was economically prosperous, crime was on its way down after the violent ’70s and ’80s, and pop culture was soaring with indie films, grunge rock and hip-hop all in their golden eras.The rest of the world was feeling hopeful as globalization brought prosperity and Communism fell in Europe and Asia.The mood in America would swiftly change at the turn of the century when the dot-com bubble burst in 2000 and the 2001 9/11 attacks would lead to the never-ending "war on terror."A Reddit user by the name purplekat20 was clearly feeling some ’90s nostalgia on May 16 when they asked the online forum to share “What ’90s trend would you bring back?” A lot of people noted that it was a lot cheaper to get by in the ’90s, especially considering gas and rent prices. Others missed living in the real world instead of having one foot in reality and the other online.Here are 17 things people would love to bring back from the 1990s.1. "Inflatable furniture and transparent electronics." — Dabbles-In-Irony2."Hope." — DeadOnBalllsaccurateTo which HowardMoo responded: "I hate this despair thing that's all the rage these days. I miss optimism."3. "The '90s web was the best web. People actually made their own home pages. Now it's all social media." — IBeTrippin4. "Affordable housing." — Amiramaha5. "Ninety nine cent per gallon gas." — Maxwyfe6. "The 'mean people suck' statement everywhere. People seemed generally a lot happier and kinder back then. It was a nice reminder to be kind." — simplyintentional7. "Being detached. Not being attached to an electronic gadget every minute of every day." — SuperArppis8. "Calling fake-ass people 'poser.' The state of social media and 'reality' tv demands that this word be taken out of retirement." — rumpusbutnotwild9. "Grunge music." — ofsquire10. "I want movies to be the same caliber as '90s." — waqasnaseem07Cremmitquada nailed it on the head with their response, "Everything has been redone. It's all recycled ideas now."11. "Pants that didn't have to be super-tight to be in style." — chad-beer-31612. "People really expressing themselves. Very few people take any risks with style anymore, or they do something 'different' that's just enough to still conform. In the '80s and '90s there were people doing crazy things with hair and piercing and just didn't give a fuck. I don't think I'll ever see that come back." — FewWill13. "Great animated TV. Spongebob started in the 90s (99 but it counts), Hey Arnold, X-Men, Batman, Justice League, Dexter's Lab, Powerpuff Girls, Boomerang cartoons... the list goes on." — Phreedom Phighter14. "Fast food restaurant interiors." — Glum-Leg-1886 Another fantastic photo of Taco Bell in the 1990s, before the disease of modernismpic.twitter.com/GIiAyNWxiu — Jules (@Jules) 1590273071 15. "Hypercolor shirts and neon puff paint designs on t-shirts. But here in a few months, that'll be changed to abortion and voting rights, probably." — TheDoctorisen16. "News that was news instead of rage bait." — nmj9512317. "We had a stable country with a vigorous economy. In fact, we drew a budget surplus some of those years." — jeremyxtThis article originally appeared on 05.17.22

When the attack on Pearl Harbor began, Doris "Dorie" Miller was working laundry duty on the USS West Virginia.He'd enlisted in the Navy at age 19 to explore life outside of Waco, Texas, and to make some extra money for his family. But the Navy was segregated at the time, so Miller, an African-American, and other sailors of color like him weren't allowed to serve in combat positions. Instead, they worked as cooks, stewards, cabin boys, and mess attendants. They received no weapons training and were prohibited from firing guns.As the first torpedoes fell, Dorie Miller had an impossible choice: follow the rules or help defend the ship?For Miller, the choice was obvious.First, he reportedly carried wounded sailors to safety, including his own captain. But there was more to be done.In the heat of the aerial attack, Miller saw an abandoned Browning .50 caliber anti-aircraft machine gun on deck and immediately decided to fly in the face of segregation and military rules to help defend his ship and country.Though he had no training, he manned the weapon and shot at the enemy aircraft until his gun ran out of ammunition, potentially downing as many as six Japanese planes. In the melee, even Miller himself didn't know his effort was successful."It wasn't hard," he said after the battle. "I just pulled the trigger and she worked fine. I had watched the others with these guns. I guess I fired her for about 15 minutes. I think I got one of those [Japanese] planes. They were diving pretty close to us."Original newspaper reports heralded a hero "Negro messman" at Pearl Harbor, but no one knew who Miller was.The Pittsburgh Courier, an African-American paper in wide circulation, sent a reporter to track down and identify the brave sailor, but it took months of digging to uncover the messman's identity.Eventually, Miller was identified. He was called a hero by Americans of all stripes and colors. He appeared on radio shows and became a celebrity in his own right.Miller's heroism and bravery didn't go unnoticed in Washington, D.C., either.In March 1942, Rep. John Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan, introduced a bill authorizing the president to present Miller with the Congressional Medal of Honor. Sen. James Mead introduced a similar measure in the Senate. While Miller did not receive the Congressional Medal of Honor, he became the first African-American sailor to receive the Navy Cross."This marks the first time in this conflict that such high tribute has been made in the Pacific Fleet to a member of his race, and I'm sure that the future will see others similarly honored for brave acts," said Pacific Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz following Miller's pinning ceremony.Following a brief tour of the country, giving speeches and pushing war bonds, Miller returned to Navy life.In May 1943, Miller reported for duty on the Liscome Bay, an escort carrier.On Nov. 24, during Operation Galvanic, a Japanese torpedo struck the Liscome Bay, sinking the ship. 644 men were presumed dead. 272 survived. Miller did not.On Dec. 7, 1943, two years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Millers' parents received word of their son's death.Doris "Dorie" Miller gave his life for a country that didn't always love him back.Miller posthumously received a Purple Heart, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp, and the World War II Victory Medal. There is also a frigate and a neighborhood on the U.S. Naval Base in Pearl Harbor named in his honor.Though his Navy Cross was never elevated to a Congressional Medal of Honor, as recently as 2014, the Congressional Black Caucus moved to waive the statute of limitations to make it possible.While there are medals, movies, and statues celebrating Miller, it's important to remember and honor the man himself — a 22-year-old black sailor who set aside the rules to do what's right.Poet Gwendolyn Brooks wrote a poem from Miller's perspective, the conclusion of which perfectly captures the young hero's courage in the face of bigotry and uncertainty:Naturally, the important thing is, I helped to save them,them and a part of their democracy,Even if I had to kick their law into their teeth in order to do that for them.And I am feeling well and settled in myself because I believe it was a good job,Despite this possible horror: that they might prefer thePreservation of their law in all its sick dignity and their knivesTo the continuation of their creedAnd their lives.This article originally appeared on 12.06.16

When I saw these incredible photos Angelo Merendino took of his wife, Jennifer, as she battled breast cancer, I felt that I shouldn't be seeing this snapshot of their intimate, private lives.The photos humanize the face of cancer and capture the difficulty, fear, and pain that they experienced during the difficult time.But as Angelo commented: "These photographs do not define us, but they are us."This article originally appeared on 11.5.13

Matt Diaz has worked extremely hard to lose 270 pounds over the past six years. But his proudest moment came in March 2015 when he decided to film himself with his shirt off to prove an important point about body positivity and self-love.Matt had lap-band surgery in 2009 at age 16.Through the course of his weight-loss journey, Matt became passionate about promoting body positivity for people of all shapes and sizes.To stay motivated, he started sharing his journey on social media, posting before-and-after photos, answering questions and giving support to followers, and even sharing his meals and favorite workouts. Six years later, Matt is down over 270 pounds and is a very active voice in the online body-positivity movement.But in all his years of sharing his story, the one thing he's never done is showed what his body looks like after 200+ pounds of weight loss. So he uploaded the video above to show his followers his true self.Shortly after he posted the video online, originally to Tumblr, it quickly went viral and garnered thousands of shares and comments from people around the web. I was one of the thousands touched by the video, so I reached out to Matt to find out more about what motivated him and what he hopes others can take away from his story. Here's what he had to say:Why was it so important for you to post this video?"I'm a really big advocate for self-love and body positivity. I think it's important that we learn to love the bodies we're in, even if we don't necessarily like every little thing about them. However, in the time I'd been writing and talking about it, I'd never actually shown my excess skin to anyone. It felt dishonest somehow, to others and to myself. I couldn't tell others that I wanted them to love themselves and keep myself hidden away and ashamed of my skin.""I know what it feels like to hate your body, and to be depressed about it, and I never want anyone to feel that way again. So, if making myself vulnerable can help one person, why not?"— Matt DiazWhat's the response been like? Anything particularly unexpected?"I think that putting any opinion on the Internet will garner a certain amount of negativity and cynicism, but I haven't seen anything like that at all. I've read every comment and message since the video has gone up, literally thousands, and they're all so thoughtful.A really surprising side-effect were the number of transgender people who've thanked me saying that they understood my struggle, even though their body-related insecurity grew from different roots. I'd never even begun to [think] of what that must be like, and the fact that my message could help even though my problems began somewhere else is really incredible.”What advice or words of encouragement do you have for someone who's struggling to love their body?"I know it's difficult, especially when you're starting out. I want you to remember that you are not the problem, certain aspects of society are the problem. You'll constantly be told that you're too heavy or too tall to be attractive, or you're not masculine or feminine enough, or that your skin isn't the right tone or your hair isn't the right color, and these people are always always always wrong.Luckily, we're slowly starting to see these ideas get phased out by modernity. Plus-sized, un-retouched models are getting more attention in major brands, more attention is being put on the alternative scene for high fashion, it's becoming clear that these negative ideas are not going to last, though it's going to take a while.""Understand that to love yourself is to contest the negative things that were put into your head. Every smile, tattoo, bathing suit, and crop top is a small revolution. Tell yourself you're beautiful every day, and I promise you will be."— Matt DiazWatch video below:Matt's story is a personal one, but it's one we can all learn from.I think the most important thing to take away here is that self-love takes time and is different for everyone no matter what they look like. It's also worth noting that for Matt, losing weight was an important part of his journey, but that might not be the case for everyone. Even so, our society has such incredibly high and unrealistic body standards that even many of those who do work to lose weight end up feeling uncomfortable or being shamed for not having "perfect bodies" once they've lost weight.There's no such thing as a "perfect body" because everyone is different, which is what makes us beautiful and great! I'm glad there are people like Matt in the world who are not only willing to share their stories but also to inspire others by showing that body confidence comes in all shapes and sizes, and that everyone deserves to feel good about who they are. Here's hoping Matt's inspiring words can help others begin to love and accept themselves, no matter where they're at in their journey.This story originally appeared on 03.18.15.

Are you the type of person who is always waiting on someone in the shower, or are you the one holding everyone up with your epic shower songs? Either way, Elisabeth Buecher has the perfect shower curtain for you. The London-based artist created an inflatable shower curtain that fills soft spikes with air if the shower is on too long. After four minutes of running water, a sensor on the tap triggers an inflator for the spikes, and the bather is immediately reminded that it's time to get out.Buecher created the installation to raise awareness about water conservation."They aim at provoking a debate around water issues and making people more aware of their consumption," the artist said on her website.Check out the steps from peaceful showering to an alarming wake-up call below.This article originally appeared on 09.23.17