Here’s the truth: Whether you’re freshly dating or have been attached at the hip for years, it’s really difficult to come up with a fun date idea, which is probably why so many of us end up at the same restaurant on a busy weekend week after week or, if we're being honest, streaming a TV series over a pint of ice cream. While we’re never going to tell you going to eat is a bad way to bond (food is delicious!), making our time with our partners too routine can make things feel a little stale.

That's why we’ve come up with some fun idea for ways to not only spend more time with your date, but also in the great outdoors. Sunshine, nature and a new activity — what more could you ask for? Here are a few outdoorsy date ideas to give a shot.

1. Ride a bike

If you’re feeling adventurous, hit up a local mountain bike trail. Want to keep it more low-key? Just ride to dinner and back.

2. Try an outdoor rock-climbing class

Ask your local climbing gym if they offer outdoor classes or check out the nearest REI or outdoor recreation store in your town to see if they have any upcoming events for beginners.

More: 12 Characteristics of Truly Happy Couples

3. Climb a mountain

Or a hill if that's all that's nearby. Or even take the stairs at the tallest building that will let you on the roof. Make it better by bringing a fancy snack to the top. A peak picnic is the best picnic.

4. Go kayaking

A little arm and ab strength and a life vest is all you need. You can share the kayak or get your own separate kayaks and race. Or knock into each other a few times. They’re basically bumper cars.

More: 10 Tips to Planning a Nontraditional Wedding

5. Drive through a national park

Obviously, if you want to get out and take a hike while you're there, go for it. But driving through a national park with the windows down is still a pretty incredible way to spend a day.

6. Plant a garden

Have you been meaning to have your own veggie patch for a while? Make time with your S.O. to get it done. Then plan a date to pick your harvest.

7. Give paddleboarding a shot

Yes, you will probably fall in. But the failure is part of the fun! And it means you get to do another outdoor activity: Go for a swim.

8. Take surf lessons

If you live near a good surfing beach but have never given the sport a try, you might as well start. Again, you’ll both probably embarrass yourselves, but it’ll be an excellent story to bond over later.

More: 7 Stunning National Parks to Visit This Summer — & Where to Stay While You're There

9. Take a walking tour

See if your town has a guided or do-it-yourself walking tour. Learn the history of your city like you’ve never done before and maybe find a new place to grab dinner.

10. Visit the zoo or a nearby animal sanctuary

See animals from all over the world or even just your own backyard, plus spend some time in the sunshine.

11. Hit a bull's-eye in archery

Ever tried shooting a bow and arrow? Look for a local archery range and see if they have beginner lessons.

Of course Oprah Winfrey has perfected her ideal date night plans with longtime partner Stedman Graham. Why would we expect any less from a true queen, a woman who manages to make all of our lives better through the work she does and the art she creates? On Wednesday, the world finally got to know what Winfrey's ideal date night plans were, and y'all, they combine two of the best things in the world: a little bit of food and a whole lot of TLC.

More: Oprah Winfrey's Latest Investment Is an Expansion Into the Restaurant Business

E! News reported that on Wednesday, Winfrey hopped on the O Magazine Twitter account during the #AskAStaffer segment to answer fan questions of all sorts, but it was her answer to the question about her perfect date night that caught our attention. 

For the two of them, it's all about food. Winfrey first explained just how much Graham loves her cooking and will literally marvel at anything she makes, even if it's store-bought. 

She said in a Twitter video, "Well, I am a really good cook and the wonderful thing about Stedman is in all the years that I've been cooking for him, Rachel, no matter what it is — even if it's a piece of toast — like the other day, I made an English muffin, and he's like, 'Where did you get this English muffin?' and I'm like, 'It's an English muffin.'"

Graham's enthusiasm for her cooking, even when she's cooking simply, has allowed her to perfect the date night menu to ensure that whatever happens once she and Graham finish eating is really, really good (wink, wink). 

"So, he is delighted with anything that I make, so my favorite date night is to make him black-eyed peas and cornbread as a surprise for dinner and then, honey, hush. That's all you need!" Winfrey said. "Perfect date night: me cooking and then it's on."

Oh, "it's on"? Get it, Oprah!

More: Oprah's Life Is Becoming a Museum Exhibit, & It's About Time

If this perfect date night plan can work for Winfrey and Graham, it could work for us, too. Let's all go test drive it and report back.

If you are the owner of a vagina and vulva, chances are you're familiar with the routine Pap test, also known as a Pap smear. Pap test results are either normal or abnormal, depending on whether abnormal cells are found, and while an abnormal test result can be frightening, it doesn't always mean you have cervical cancer. Here's what an abnormal Pap test actually means for those who get that phone call.

What is a Pap test?

If you've experienced a Pap test, you know the drill — you visit your doctor, assume the position (in stirrups) while they swipe cells from your cervix that will later be examined under a microscope. Cervical cancer screenings are a vital part of routine health care for those with a cervix. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology notes that it can take three to seven years for high-grade changes in cervical cells to turn into cancer — in other words, a Pap test can catch cancer before it really even starts. 

Current recommendations from the ACOG note that most women should have a Pap test every three years — but women who are aged 30 to 65 can stretch that to every five years if they also have an HPV test at the same time. Of course, certain circumstances will dictate more frequent screenings, such as prior history of cervical cancer or an HIV infection (talk to your doctor to find out how often you should go). 

More: Signs of Cervical Cancer You Might Miss

What does an abnormal Pap smear mean?

First of all, it's important not to fear the worst once you get the news, says Dr. Sherry Ross, an OB-GYN at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. "Abnormal Pap smears are very common," she tells SheKnows. "But the good news is it rarely means cancer. Millions and millions of women will experience an abnormal Pap smear in their lifetime. If you haven’t experienced one yet, chances are your BFF has."

That being said, an abnormal Pap test does merit attention, as it shows that your cervical cells may be going through some changes that may lead to cancer. That's definitely not always the case, though. Dr. Prudence Hall, an OB-GYN and author of Radiant — Again and Forever, tells SheKnows that there are a few different reasons an abnormal result might pop up. 

"It could be something mild, like a yeast infection," she explains. "Or it could be an STD. Or it could be something like a virus (the virus that most commonly causes an abnormal cervix is HPV)." She also notes that it could be due to something as simple as aging, because thinning vaginal walls and cervical tissue can cause a Pap test to look abnormal. 

Ross says it's also possible that the presence of blood can alter results, which means that it's vital not to go for a checkup while you're on your period, even if you're spotting. However, there are other reasons for an abnormal Pap that aren't a yeast infection or bleeding or aging — and these reasons include precancerous cells. 

Next steps for an abnormal Pap smear

No matter what the suspected cause is, cervical cell changes should always require a second glance, even if you or your doctor think it's nothing serious. Dr. Latasha N. Murphy, a gynecologist and surgeon at Mercy Medical Center, explains that abnormal Pap results fall somewhere on a spectrum from mild changes to more severe, all of which require different levels of follow-up or treatment. 

"There are mild dysplasia Pap smears, which may require simply repeating the Pap smear at some interval between six and 12 months," she tells SheKnows. "There are more severe abnormalities that require a cervical biopsy or deeper sampling of the cervical tissue."

If you fall into the latter range of the spectrum, however, you're definitely not alone. "Approximately 6 percent of the Pap smears obtained annually require further evaluation with colposcopy or biopsy," Murphy explains. "A colposcopy is an outpatient procedure where a provider looks at the cervix under a microscope for better evaluation of abnormalities." A biopsy is the direct sampling of cervical tissue that is then sent off to a lab for evaluation. 

More: Signs of Ovarian Cancer You Might Miss

The type of cells that are found via a biopsy will also dictate how your treatment goes, says Ross. "Moderate or severe precancer cells need to be removed," she explains. "But if the biopsies are completely normal, then more frequent Pap smears would be recommended."

The bottom line is that abnormal Pap smears are common, but it doesn't always lead to a cancer diagnosis — not by a long shot. It's crucial, though, to stick to your doctor's recommended timeline for your Pap tests and follow up any time you have an abnormal result. It may be nothing, but it can also be a prelude to cancer, so you want to get diagnosed and treated early.

By Candace Alnaji

In a piece for Maclean’s written earlier this year, Canadian writer Shannon Proudfoot tackled the problem with what she termed the “badass-working-parent meme.” According to Proudfoot, this phenomenon — often perpetuated by executives, politicians and other professionals — propagates unrealistic ideals and ignores the very real challenges many working parents face as they navigate the working world.  

While some may disagree with Proudfoot’s assessment, I found myself repeatedly nodding in agreement while reading her piece. To those who know me, that might seem contradictory. For one, I am a proud working-parents advocate. I’ve cochaired a working parents committee through the local chapter of my state women’s bar association for the past three years.

More: Chrissy Teigen Just Shared Pics of Her "Mom Bod," & We Officially Can't Love Her More

I am also a plaintiff-side employment discrimination attorney who has represented numerous working parents — primarily women who faced discrimination at work after becoming pregnant or giving birth. I’ve attended conferences on the rights of working parents. I’ve presented on workplace pregnancy and lactation rights. I write articles like this one about working parents.

Moreover, I myself am a working parent. When my first child was born three years ago, I was fortunate to receive four months of paid maternity leave followed by a flexible schedule upon my return to work. In the beginning, I worked from home on Wednesdays, balancing my caseload amid the needs of my infant son. Eventually, I worked from home more and more until I switched status with my firm to “of counsel” and began working from home exclusively — all with my son alongside me.

Three months ago, I gave birth to twins, and though I am now enjoying a long-term leave with the babies, I am also focusing on my writing career — from home. Not a single day has passed over the last three-plus years when I haven’t juggled work and kids in some manner.

My oldest has been to my downtown office on several occasions and loves visiting the “big building.” I’ve fielded phone calls with opposing attorneys, clients and even judges while my toddler babbled in the background. I’ve written threatening emails while rocking babies to sleep. I’ve drafted appellate briefs while wearing superhero masks and I’ve orchestrated networking events specifically for attorneys and their families.

In many ways, I am the epitome of the badass-working-parent meme, and yet I still wholeheartedly agree that this image high-achieving working parents portray can be problematic — for several reasons.

More: 3 Crucial Ways to Teach Your Daughter Not to Fear Failure

First, it completely disregards the need for a support system for working parents that includes things like paid parental leave and quality childcare. This is especially problematic in the United States, where there is no federal paid parental leave and where the various types of leave that are offered are frequently unpaid and not available to everyone.

It also ignores the fact that 1 in 4 women in this country return to work within two weeks of giving birth, a statistic that should shock every person with a conscience to their core.

The meme is problematic because it perpetuates the warped sense of pride in working moms that forces them to one-up each other in online comment sections over how soon they returned to work after birth.

I’ve seen it in the comment sections of articles I’ve written about problems with the U.S.’s nonexistent paid leave system — women boasting about how they “gave birth on Friday” and were “back to work doing payroll on Monday,” or how they didn’t take a single day off.

How and why is that OK, and why should that be something toward which we aspire? It shouldn’t. We shouldn’t actively participate in dehumanizing ourselves, painting those who took longer to recover or who took more time off after birth as indulgent or weak.

As a wise professor in law school once said, the problem with many Americans is that we look at others and we say, “Why them?” when we really should be saying, “Why not us?”

We should be looking at the paid parental leave and childcare systems offered around the world and saying, “Why don’t we have that, and how do we get that?” instead of angrily blustering that such a system would be untenable or unaffordable.

Moreover, the badass-working-parent meme also completely disregards the fact that we can’t do it all and that we shouldn’t be expected to do it all. I don’t know a single working parent who does it all alone. Every single one of them has a support structure of some kind.

It’s unrealistic to think that every working mom and dad should be a lone wolf and that success as a working parent requires winning some Darwinian survival-of-the-fittest contest.

Finally, like Proudfoot so aptly pointed out, one of the ugliest problems with this meme is that it completely excludes people of a lower socioeconomic status. As she stated, “[Y]ou’re never going to see a viral photo of a parent working a drive-thru window or mopping a floor with their infant strapped into a carrier, surrounded by co-workers and a shift manager smiling indulgently.”

In fact, where such workers do try to combine work and family, very different, much uglier outcomes can result, like the Rochester, New York, parents who were arrested in March 2017 after they left their children on a bench while they worked their shifts inside a shopping mall. They were charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child — quite a contrast to the adoration and admiration festooned upon working professionals of the upper echelon who bring their children to work.

Now, does all this mean we should stop taking advantage of flex schedules and family-friendly policies or that we shouldn’t feel proud of our accomplishments as working parents? Absolutely not.

More: Middle Children in the U.S. Are Going Extinct — & Workplaces May Suffer Because of It

However, it does mean we should be aware of our privilege if we find ourselves on the “winning” side of this meme and that we should work and call for action from our representatives for policies that support all working parents.

And, like Proudfoot stated — if you know or see a working parent out in the wild — lend them a hand. Though they might not admit it, they need and appreciate your help.

Finally, if you are self-proclaimed badass working parent, indulge us with some real talk. Here, I’ll do it for you: Working parenthood is not easy. It’s often hard and always challenging. It is not linear, either. There are ups and downs and scribbles all over the page. So don’t feel bad if your working parenthood looks a little messy. It looks that way for all of us.

Originally published on Fairygodboss.

You take the good. You take the bad. You take them both, and there you have — c’mon, you know the jingle — the facts of life! In yet another fortuitous turn for ‘80s babies and ‘90s kids, at least one more of our favorite childhood shows is in talks to be rebooted. And making the rumored revival of The Facts of Life even better? Leonardo DiCaprio and Jessica Biel will be teaming up for the project, albeit probably not in the way you might expect.

More: How Jessica Biel Stays Sane Even Amid the Chaos

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Sony Pictures Television (who owns the distribution rights) is already engaged in discussions about bringing back the nostalgic series. Although The Facts of Life originally ran on NBC for nine seasons, early reports indicate there is no network attached to the reboot yet.

But here’s where it gets really fun. Sources suggest that DiCaprio and Biel plan to act as co-executive producers through their individual production companies: Appian Way and Ocean Films, respectively.

More: Leonardo DiCaprio's Next Movie Role Is One We've All Been Waiting For

While it would undoubtedly thrill fans to see these stars onscreen in the reboot, settling for them behind the camera seems like a solid compromise. Biel notably produced last summer’s surprise smash, The Sinner, and will reprise that role for the upcoming second season. DiCaprio has 30 producing credits to his name, including another recently announced reboot, Captain Planet.

No word yet on whether The Facts of Life revival will bring back any of the original stars. 

Lisa Whelchel (Blair), Kim Fields (“Tootie”), Mindy Cohn (Natalie) and Nancy McKeon (Jo Polniaczek) have all continued acting in some capacity since the first run of the show went off the air in 1988.

More: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Is Getting a Musical Reboot

The series fifth star, Charlotte Rae, hasn’t taken on any new roles since 2015. However, the original “housemother” revealed last year that she had been diagnosed with bone cancer. Then 91 years old, she admitted she had “a decision to make” about whether to pursue treatment. Given her success years earlier in beating pancreatic cancer, though, the actress felt inclined to fight.  

Even if the reboot doesn’t cast any of the original stars, it will undoubtedly find a way to pay homage to the ‘80s version of the sentimental series.

Justin Timberlake doesn’t mess around when it comes to his friends. The singer came to fellow artist Pink’s defense this weekend after she caught major flak for being spotted on an Australian beach the day after a canceled tour stop. And, in having Pink’s back, JT made some pretty salient points about the culture of celebrity fandom.

Trouble began brewing for Pink on Thursday when she announced she would have to postpone the Sydney, Australia, leg of her Beautiful Trauma world tour. The “What About Us” singer cited illness for the unexpected cancellation, explaining that she would need a few days off to recuperate.

More: Pink & Her Kids on the Cover of People Just Made Our Week

When local headlines put her “chilling” at Byron Bay in Australia on Friday — the day of the canceled tour date — fans accused the pop star of essentially phoning in an excuse so she could soak up some sun.

Of course, there are always two sides to every story. Pink shared hers in response to the swift backlash, clarifying that what the paparazzi pics don’t show is “two doctor visits in Byron on two consecutive days, antibiotics, steroids, Vick’s, nose spray, throat spray, more steroids, NyQuil, a screaming baby in the middle of the night, every night, while mama gives him warm baths and tells her daughter everything is fine.”

She went on to stress that she takes her responsibility to her fans very seriously, and she performs and mothers with everything she has — or, in her words, “trying to do what was best for my children, while also putting on the best and most physically demanding and beautiful show of my life.”

More: Pink Says She's Raising Her Kids Gender-Neutral

The mother of two revealed that their beach day in Bryon Bay had been a preplanned excursion, largely as a fun outing for Pink and husband Carey Hart’s two children, Willow and Jameson. Suffice it to say, the day wasn’t nearly as relaxing for the family as they’d originally hoped.

“What they don’t show you in this picture is me drinking water and lying down while my friends try to entertain my 7 year old who is asking me why these creepy men are surrounding us and pacing back and forth and taking pictures of her every move,” Pink wrote.

Enter Timberlake, who is currently on his own Man of the Woods tour in Europe. In short, JT just wasn’t having it. The singer replied to Pink’s post, adding a bit of thoughtful commentary on the entire ordeal.

“As an artist who has had the fortune of sharing the stage twice on tour with this incomparable BADASS (once with ‘NSync and once as a solo artist), I’m here to tell you that you won’t find a harder working, more authentically talented, and more thankful for her place on that stage and her fans than this woman,” Timberlake said.

The situation resonated with Timberlake on a personal level, too. “And NOW,” he added, “as a parent on our tour as well, and as an artist who LOVES their fans just as much and wants to give them an unprecedented experience… AND is currently battling an injury, a sinus infection, and trying to be the Dad I want to be too?? I say HATS OFF to you, my friend. I don’t know how Moms/Artists like you exist."

More: Justin Timberlake Is '100 Percent Dad' — Even on Tour

And, well, he’s got a point. Do celebrities lead glamorous lifestyles? Sometimes, sure. But as any parent will tell you, there’s nothing glamorous about tending to your entire family when you aren’t feeling your best — and it’s even tougher when they’re sick as well.

We say kudos to Pink for wanting to give her fans the best possible show and for realizing there was no way for her to do that given her current circumstances.

In addition to helping prevent unwanted pregnancy, going on hormonal birth control pills can come with myriad side effects — from weight gain to nausea to irregular bleeding. Some of them are just annoying, but others can be downright debilitating. Finding the right oral contraceptive pill usually means sticking with the option with the fewest of these pesky occurrences. Unfortunately, finding one with no side effects at all is a rarity, especially because everybody responds to hormones differently. Thankfully, there are some lifestyle changes you can make to make things easier to deal with. 

To understand how to cope with your pill’s side effects, it’s important to understand why they happen in the first place. 

"The combined pills generally work by raising the levels of those hormones in a woman's blood to levels that are much higher than normal and that sort of in a way tricks the brain into thinking that the woman is pregnant and so stops her from ovulating,” Dr. Jonathan Schaffir, OB-GYN at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells SheKnows. "In some ways, the side effects can be similar to those of being pregnant.” 

The good news is, if the side effects of your particular pill become unbearable, there are other options on the market. “The beauty of the pill is finding the right one, because there are many, and depending on those annoying side effects, you can find a better pill,” OB-GYN Dr. Sherry Ross tells SheKnows. 

More: 5 Birth Control Delivery Services

According to Ross, the No. 1 reason people change their birth control is because of the side effects. "And now that we have so many options for contraception and options of different types of pills, you don’t have to be miserable. You don’t have to suffer,” she adds. 

Keep in mind that when you start on a new pill, you’ll likely experience some side effects while your body is adjusting to the hormones, Ross notes. They should go away after two to three months, but if they don’t, it may be time to switch up your pill. 

Read on for some of the most common side effects of hormonal birth control pills and what you can do to make them more manageable, whether with a few easy changes to your lifestyle or introducing a new pill altogether.

Bloating 

If you're feeling bloated a lot, before you blame the pill, first consider what you're eating.

“Look more closely at your diet and pull in foods that might not cause as much bloating effect,” says Ross. She suggests steering clear of vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower, which can cause bloating. She also notes that dairy products can be culprits, so going lactose-free might help balance things out.

Look for foods that have a diuretic quality in them, because swelling and bloating go hand in hand,” she says. "If you feel more bloated or swollen, you might want to eat more cucumbers, watermelon, tomatoes, asparagus or celery... [They] help get rid of that swelling effect — or even green tea.” And of course, remember to exercise regularly to help sweat out any water retention. 

More: 6 Things That Happen When You Ditch Hormonal Birth Control

Breast tenderness 

If your boobs are feeling sore, Ross suggests adding some vitamins into your daily regimen. “I’m a big fan of vitamins,” she says. “I think certain vitamins, like calcium, vitamin B, vitamin E and omega-3s are really good for bloating, swelling and breast tenderness… those are really helpful."

Irregular bleeding 

Spotting between periods is more likely related to when you’re taking the pill than the actual pill itself. “I think you have to be very disciplined when you take it,” Ross says. "You don’t have to take it at the same time every day, but I do think you have to be within a couple of hours of taking it daily.” 

Schaffir notes that the lower the dose of hormones you’re taking, the more likely you are to spot in between cycles, so switching to a higher dose might also help. 

Nausea

Nausea is kind of the worst, and unfortunately, it can happen when you're taking birth control pills.

"Nausea is a subtle and common side effect of the pill… I usually recommend women taking [the pill] at night or after dinner if they’re having a lot of nausea or sometimes starting with a lower dose of hormones or using something like the NuvaRing that goes into the vagina to bypass the stomach altogether so you don’t get that nauseous feeling,” Ross explains. 

Headaches 

If your head is pounding every so slightly every time you pop a pill, first try switching to an evening dose so the pain doesn’t get in the way of your daily life, Ross suggests. If it’s a real problem though, more significant measures may need to be taken. 

"If somebody is really having severe headaches or migraines, then they probably need to stop that birth control and find a different method of preventing pregnancy,” says Schaffir. "If it's something very mild, Tylenol or ibuprofen may be helpful, but otherwise, often just reducing the dose of estrogen or changing to a different formula of pill may be helpful."

Emotional issues

As anyone who has ever experienced a PMS meltdown knows, hormones and emotions go hand in hand. "If you get really depressed or you’re not sleeping well or you’re miserable, it can be hard to stay on a pill and put up with it unless you go on antidepressants, which sometimes that might be needed,” Ross says. In these situations, it may be easier to try a different formulation than adding a new medication to the mix. 

As with anything you put in your body, birth control pills affect different people in different ways. Just because your friend has a certain side effect when taking a particular brand of pill doesn't mean you will too. So discuss your options with your doctor, and if you're experiencing any side effects, it's best to mention it to determine if it's something you can handle yourself with some lifestyle changes or if it's best to switch to a different pill or method of birth control all together. 

Here’s the deal: I’m a trained chef, professional recipe developer and avid home cook — but even I don’t feel like cooking elaborate, time-consuming recipes all the time. I’m guessing some of you are in a similar boat. Just because you can spend six hours smoking brisket — or an entire afternoon piping, baking, filling, sculpting and adorning the perfect croquembouche — doesn’t mean you want to.

That’s why one of my go-to recipes during the summer (and kind of during any season) is a three-ingredient, no-bake cake that’s pretty much impossible to mess up. All you’ll need is Cool Whip, Oreos and some cocoa powder — oh, yeah, and a freezer.

More: Healthier Summer Cocktails That Actually Taste Great

This magical dessert I’m talking about is an icebox cake, which falls somewhere between an ice cream cake and a pudding. It’s essentially just cookie-filled Cool Whip layered with more cookies, and it’s an absolute crowd-pleaser.

If you’re turning up your nose at the idea of Cool Whip, I feel you. I used to be a total Cool Whip snob — refusing to use it in favor of hand-whipped cream. But I’ve since realized that it’s much easier to work with than freshly whipped cream since it holds its volume and texture even after getting mixed with other ingredients. And Oreos? Well, they make everything better.

If you want, you can leave the cocoa powder out. I think it makes the icebox cake look and taste more interesting, though.

First, you’ll mix Cool Whip with crushed Oreos in 2 separate bowls

• Crush 2/3 of the Oreos, and leave 1/3 intact.
• Set aside a handful of crushed Oreos to use as topping.
• In 1 bowl, mix 1/2 the remaining crushed Oreos with 1 tub of cool whip.
• In a second bowl, mix the remaining crushed Oreos, 1 tub of cool whip and the cocoa powder. (The cocoa powder is what sets the 2 bowls apart.)

Spread the Cool Whip/Oreo/cocoa powder mixture onto a freezer-safe plate, baking dish or Tupperware container

Arrange the uncrushed Oreos in a single layer on top of that

Then, spread the Cool Whip/Oreo mixture on top of the cookie layer & garnish your icebox cake with the crushed Oreos you set aside earlier

After about 3 hours in the freezer, the icebox cake will be ready to slice…

…and totally devour

The beauty of this icebox cake is that you can sub in any cookie you want or add other mix-ins. Once, I used Nutter Butters instead of Oreos and stirred natural peanut butter into half of the Cool Whip instead of cocoa powder. Chocolate chip cookies and espresso powder would also make a great combination.

Although you could probably throw together this no-bake cake from memory, here’s a recipe to read over if you need it.

3-ingredient cookies & cream icebox cake recipe

Serves 12

Prep time: 15 minutes | Total time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 (14-ounce) box Oreos
• 2 (8-ounce) tubs Cool Whip
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, use a fork or your fingers to crush 2/3 of the Oreos as finely or coarsely as you like. Set aside a handful of the crushed Oreos to use as a final garnish.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, fold together half the crushed Oreos, 1 tub of Cool Whip and the cocoa powder.
3. In another medium mixing bowl, fold together half the crushed Oreos and 1 tub of Cool Whip.
4. On a freezer-safe plate, baking dish, sheet pan or shallow Tupperware, spread the Oreo-Cool Whip-cocoa powder mixture in an even layer.
5. Arrange the uncrushed Oreos in an even layer over the Oreo-Cool Whip-cocoa powder mixture.
6. Spread the Oreo-Cool Whip mixture over the Oreo layer.
7. Top with the crushed Oreos you set aside at the beginning.
8. Freeze at least 3 hours to set.
9. Slice and serve immediately.

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake rocked Indonesia’s popular tourist destination of Lombok on Sunday, triggering a tsunami warning and sending locals to higher ground. But the effects of the large quake weren’t just felt in the immediate area. Fifty miles east in Bali, a neighboring island, Chrissy Teigen — despite admitting she was terrified — managed to handle the scary ordeal in the most Teigen way possible: live-tweeting.

More: Chrissy Teigen Feels "Super-Insecure" About Her Post-Baby Body

Teigen and her husband, John Legend, have been vacationing in Bali for the past week with daughter Luna, 2, and infant son Miles. Prior to the earthquake, the family seemed to be enjoying plenty of R&R, with Teigen posting sweet photos of their vacation memories.

But things took a turn from sentimental (and sometimes silly) to serious when Teigen took to Twitter to inform her 10.6 million followers of the natural disaster.

More: Chrissy Teigen's Fiercest Pregnancy Fashion

Early Sunday, she wrote, “oh my god,” and “Bali. Trembling. So long.” She quickly followed with a series of tweets expressing her initial reaction to the quake. 

At one point, she explained, she “very calmly walked outside saying clutching baby saying ‘I’m naked. I’m naked. I’m naked.’ Like a naked zombie.”

However, Teigen’s relief that the quake was over proved short-lived when the aftershocks set in.

Teigen’s last Twitter post went up hours later and read, “another one... small but please stop, earth.”

Although Teigen hasn’t yet posted on social media after this, we hope she and her family are OK. 

Sadly, though, 82 people died in the earthquake and thousands of people were also displaced after their homes were damaged, said Sutopo Nugroho, spokesman for Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency. No deaths have yet been reported in Bali, where Teigen’s family was vacationing.

If you need to “spice up your life,” look no further than Blake Lively for inspiration. On Saturday, the A Simple Favor star shared a throwback photo taken of her and a young girl at a Spice Girls concert, and it’s so 1997 — in the best possible way.

In the cute snapshot, a then-10-year-old Lively channels her best Baby Spice in Emma Bunton’s signature pigtails, pale blue mini dress and, naturally, white platform shoes that seem to defy gravity. And the story behind the photo is even better!

The young girl in the photo with Lively happens to be one of her fans now. However, they were both children at the time. Bria Madrid shared, “Found a picture when I was five at my first concert. #SpiceGirls and took a picture with a girl dressed up as Baby Spice who I just realized now was @blakelively.”

Lively was clearly excited about the find when she shared it on her own IG feed. “Pretending to be someone else... since 1997 (Thanks @briamadrid for the photo of us at the Spice Girls concert. Sorry -not sorry- I tricked you into thinking I was @emmaleebunton),” Lively captioned the nostalgic pic.

This is just the latest in a long line of instances proving Lively is basically all of us. Because, honestly, who among us didn’t fan-worship the Spice Girls in the ‘90s? Whether you were the Baby Spice or the Posh Spice in your groups of friends, odds are good you emulated (or Emma-lated, in Lively’s case) your favorite member of the iconic girl group at some point during that decade.

But here’s something that will really send your ‘90s heart aflutter: Bunton responded to Lively’s snapshot: “So cute, you’re rocking those pigtails,” she commented.

To which Lively responded understandably by fangirling out. “I’m officially [dead emoji]. Forever bowing down to you. I cannot believe you know who I am. This will never be normal,” she gushed.

This isn’t the first time Lively has let her diehard love for the Spice Girls slip. In 2012, she admitted to Marie Claire, “When I was a child, I probably should have been medicated about my obsession with the Spice Girls. I had the Buffalo shoes, a custom-made Baby Spice necklace — when I say custom-made, it was made out of plastic from the local mall — and a Union Jack dress.”

Same, Lively. Same.

Fans never want their favorite show to end, and fans of The Big Bang Theory are arguably more diehard than most. Although the popular comedy’s upcoming 12th season has widely been rumored to be its last, CBS apparently has other plans — for at least one more season.

On Sunday, network president Kelly Kahl revealed to reporters that CBS is in talks to keep the multicamera series going. “We don’t believe it’s the final year. We are in preliminary discussions to renew the show with Warner Bros.,” Kahl said. 

More: The Big Bang Theory Cast Is as Heartbroken Over the Show's Inevitable End as We Are

This news, while great for fans, still comes as quite a surprise. It did for the series’ executive producer and former showrunner, Bill Prady, who tweeted his confusion in response to Kahl’s comments. 

When a follower asked, “Don’t you have something to do with it?” Prady responded, “Nope.” 

However, in another response, Prady elaborated that it isn’t necessarily strange that he wasn’t made aware of the potential renewal beforehand. “It starts with a discussion between the network that airs the series (CBS) and the studio that produces it (Warner). After the network expresses interest, a series of simultaneous negotiations begin (networkstudio, studiocast/creatives). Renewal is dependent on all deals.” 

This isn’t the only suggestion of continuing the show that has been expressed. In May, CBS’ Senior EVP of Programming, Thom Sherman, told reporters, “As long as [co-creator] Chuck [Lorre] and his team think they have stories to tell, we’re on board. We hope to get at least two more years out of them. [The Big Bang Theory] is not slowing down anytime soon.” 

Of course, as Prady pointed out, it isn’t just the network that has a say in the matter. The studio will have to get the cast and creatives on board, which may be easier said than done for some. In January, Johnny Galecki — who plays Leonard — suggested that while the cast would be emotional to see the show end, it may also be time. 

More: Is Big Bang Theory Ready to Give Penny & Leonard a Baby?

“The only manner in which the cast has discussed wrapping [the show] has been that we’re all going to be very sad when that day comes,” Galecki told reporters at the winter TCA press tour. “But I think at this point everyone’s very comfortable with 12 seasons being a good time to go home and see our families.” 

Until a renewal is officially announced, fans still have Season 12 to look forward to, which premieres Monday, Sept. 24 at 8/7c on CBS. And, thanks to CBS’ persistence, there is now an increasing possibility for future seasons full of Sheldon and the gang shouting, “Bazinga!”

We talk a lot about limiting screen time for kids, don't we? As we navigate the digital age, it's normal to worry about a young, developing mind and what hours staring at a screen might do. However, it's not only a problem that kids have to contend with — adults can and do experience digital addiction. Here's how it happens, how it can affect your family and what you can do about it.

What is digital addiction, anyway?

Addiction, as far as drugs and alcohol go, is a chronic disorder in which people seek out and use drugs despite negative consequences according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. While digital addiction doesn't involve drugs or alcohol and hasn't found its place in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders quite yet, addictionlike behaviors in regard to the digital space have been a hot topic for several years. 

More: We Asked Tech-Savvy Kids to Go Without Phones for a Week

A paper published in the Bentham Science Current Psychiatry Reviews in 2012, for example, calls for the inclusion of "internet addiction" in the DSM, and even as far back as a couple of decades ago, it was brought up at the 1996 American Psychological Association meeting in Toronto. Even back then, there were concerns that internet addiction could lead to academic-, social- and work-related impairment, as people would opt for screen time instead of doing homework, interacting with others and keeping their minds on their work.  

What digital addiction can mean for adults

We chatted with Dr. Lisa Strohman, founder of The Digital Citizen Academy, to get a little deeper insight on digital addiction and what it can mean when you're a grown-up with a family. "Most of the teens and kids I talk to complain about their parents and the amount of time they are spending behind screens," she tells SheKnows. "This is not just a kid issue; adults have equal access and equal responsibility for allowing themselves to be pulled into the digital realm."

Adults often have a leg up on the kids when it comes to explaining their reliance on digital devices — but it's really to their detriment rather than to their advantage. "Adults tend to have better skills to negotiate a justification like work or life demands that kids don't have the same ability to do," Strohman explains.

Symptoms of a digital addiction can include a short temper, apathy to your life and the lives of those around you, increased anxiety and depressive symptoms, she shares. "The more a family uses devices, the more disconnected they become from each other, which can create a real issue of attachment disorder," Strohman says. 

This means you might find that family members lose respect and trust for one another, and in serious situations, family members can become ambivalent. They can also wind up avoiding developing other relationships — which, as you can imagine, is not all that great for family life. 

How can you fix a digital addiction?

The first step is to be aware that there is a problem with your digital life, Heidi McBain, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Texas, tells SheKnows. In addition to the symptoms listed above, ask yourself whether you feel like you can't be without your phone, or always need to have a screen pointed at your face. If so, there may be an issue.

Next, McBain suggests setting time limits — including utilizing timers if need be. Also, don't sleep next to your phone. "Get in the habit of plugging your phone into an outlet in a room you don’t frequent when you get home from work, and try not to disconnect it until the next morning when you leave for work," she says. 

More: What People Don't Understand About Addiction

Strohman also has some great suggestions. "Once a family realizes that they are not as connected as they once were, they can take steps to do something about it, like focus on family time with games, [take] walks without technology and even carve out days like tech-free Tuesdays, which can help the whole family focus on times they can disconnect to reconnect," she shares.

If your digital habit is too tough to break on your own, you have the option to seek help from a qualified professional, who can help you get back on track. "Therapy can also be a helpful place to learn how to break some of these unhealthy patterns in your life as well," McBain says.

A digital addiction may not be as deadly as other addictions, but it can certainly impact a family in a negative way. If you feel that you've developed an overreliance on screen time, maybe it's time to investigate new ways to connect with your family.

Even these two pop icons fangirl for one another. Céline Dion and Katy Perry met, and thankfully, they shared photos on Sunday for their fans to enjoy. They were lucky enough to interact backstage at Perry's concert at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, on Tuesday during Perry's "Witness: The Tour." Like Perry, Dion is currently in Australia, also touring for her "Celine Dion Live 2018" tour.

More: Katy Perry Flew Across the Country for Love (Kind Of)

Dion and Perry posted photos on Instagram of their meetup. Yes, the images are stunning to say the least. They both rocked bold outfits that speak to exactly who they are — talented queens. Based on how they captioned the pictures they shared, it's safe to say the musicians adore each other greatly. 

"A « California Girl » and a girl from Quebec meet in Australia! You’re the best Katy, thanks for the amazing show! Love you… - Céline xx…," Dion wrote. 

As for Perry, the singer gushed, "CELINE DION SHOWED ME HOW TO DO THE FAMOUS CHEST SLAP AND I DID IT TO HER WHILE SINGING FIREWORK AND I BECAME A FIREWORK."

For those who are fans of Dion's, you know she sometimes hits her chest when she's singing. "When I sing sometimes I get emotional and I hit myself, I don't know why," she once told Rosie O'Donnell during an appearance on The Rosie O'Donnell Show back in the day. You can see Dion hitting herself here. 

More: Céline Dion Needs to Do a Duet With Her Son Now That He's Releasing His Own Music

On Perry's Instagram Story, she also shared several videos of the duo's exciting moment. In one video of her hair being done, the "Firework" singer wrote, "Me getting ready to meet the queen." In another video of Dion taking photos with fans, Perry wrote, "My best friend Celine." Perry also posted a video on her IG Story of Dion strutting her stuff and captioned it with the hashtag: "#celinedijon." Finally, the artist shared a photo with Dion and wrote, "SHE IS MAGIC."

More: Katy Perry & Orlando Bloom Made Their Relationship Public for a Major Event

Perry's reaction to Dion really isn't surprising. In July 2017, Perry spotted Dion doing a photo shoot in France during Paris Fashion Week. She reacted like you'd expect (and like any other fan would). According to HelloGiggles, in an Instagram Story video of Dion taking photos on a balcony, Perry wrote, "Caught @celionedion living her best life in PARIS!" In the video, Perry was also heard exclaiming, "Céline Dion in Paris on a balcony. YASSS QUEEN! Work that leg. Work that leg. YASSS QUEEN! YASS!"

It would've been even more amazing if Dion and Perry performed together onstage, but we are very glad for the photos and videos posted. Maybe one day these two will collaborate together? All we have to say to that is, "YASSS QUEENS!"

The new Reelz true crime special Ted Bundy: Serial Monster, which premiered Sunday, explores the criminal profile of one of America's most notorious serial murderers. Self-described as "the most cold-hearted son of a bitch you'll ever meet," Bundy inspired the character "Buffalo Bill" in Silence of the Lambs. Whether you're interested in serial killers or not, you've likely heard Bundy's name. You may even know some of the details of the string of sexual assaults and murders he committed between 1974 and 1978, mostly across the Pacific Northwest.

More: There Might Be a New Suspect in the Making a Murderer Case

Unless you've taken the time to study Bundy, however, there are some details you may not know. If you're watching the two-night Ted Bundy: Serial Monster premiere, you'll appreciate this list of some of the stranger details of his crimes, as reported on the Parcast podcast Serial Killers' two-part Ted Bundy special in April 2017.

1. He had a complicated family history

Born Theodore Robert Cowell on Nov. 24, 1946, in Burlington, Vermont, to a single mom who listed his father as someone who may or may not exist, Bundy grew up believing lies about his family situation. When his mother realized she couldn't take care of him on her own, Serial Killers said, she took Bundy to her father and asked that he raise him in her place.

Bundy therefore grew up believing his grandparents were his birth parents and that his mother was his sister. According to the podcast, Bundy's grandfather was a violent man who abused his daughters, though there's no evidence that he was ever abusive toward Bundy himself. Still, being abusive "around Bundy" gave him early examples of abuse toward women.

2. He doesn't fit the pattern of other "lust killers"

Since there is no evidence that Bundy suffered abuse as a child — he merely witnessed it happening to those around him — Serial Killers noted that he doesn't fit the pattern of other "lust killers," or serial murderers who committed sexual atrocities in their crimes. Research has suggested that there is a direct correlation between serial killers and emotional, mental or physical abuse that was perpetrated against them in childhood; Bundy is, apparently, the exception.

More: Making a Murderer Subject Brendan Dassey Just Got Dealt Another Major Blow

3. He didn't learn the truth about his family until adulthood

After his college girlfriend, Diane Edwards, dumped him for his emotional immaturity after one year of dating, Bundy dropped out of the University of Washington and returned home to Burlington. Serial Killers reported that he went to City Hall to obtain a copy of his birth certificate, where he discovered his family's lies. The podcast noted that Edwards breaking up with him was the first major betrayal by a woman in Bundy's life; his mother lying to him about his parentage was the second. These betrayals likely fed into the psychosis that pushed him to rape and murder so many women.

4. He may have claimed his first victim early

When Ann Marie Burr went missing from her home at just 8 years old, Bundy was 14 and lived just a few blocks away. Although he was not considered a suspect in her disappearance at the time (her body was never found), many today believe that Bundy was responsible. According to a 2011 article in HuffPost, police evidence did not have enough amplifiable DNA to link Bundy to Burr's disappearance.

During Bundy's confessions, in which he claimed to have killed more than 50 women, King County detective Bob Keppel tried to get him to talk about his first murder. “We’ll have to bring that up, do that some other time. If there is another time,” Bundy told Keppel, per HuffPost's reporting on recorded confessions obtained by KIRO-TV. That other time never came. Burr's parents died in 2003 and 2008, not knowing what happened to their daughter.

5. He was a skilled peeping tom

According to Serial Killers, one of the reasons neighbors later believed Bundy may have kidnapped Burr was his reputation as a skilled peeping tom. The podcast noted that family members noticed someone "looking in the windows" in the weeks leading up to Burr's disappearance and that Bundy stalked his victims before attacking.

6. Some of his victims survived

One of Bundy's first known victims, Joni Lenz, was just 18 when he brutally beat her while she slept and sexually assaulted her with a metal bar removed from her bed frame, according to Serial Killers. Her roommates found her, covered in blood, the next morning. The attack left Lenz in a coma and did irreparable damage; the podcast noted that although she survived, she was permanently disabled.

Likewise, several of the women Bundy attacked at a Florida sorority house in 1978 survived that night but were left with permanent scars — mental, emotional and physical. Some of their experiences were recounted in a Washington Post op-ed from the day before Bundy's scheduled execution in 1989.

7. He appeared to be a normal, upstanding man

Bundy is one of many serial killers whose danger lurked beneath a "mask of sanity"; there seemed to be nothing abnormal about them. In fact, the Serial Killers podcast reported that Bundy was quite charming, which is a disturbing description of a man who maimed and killed so many.

In college, the podcast noted, Bundy even worked part-time at a suicide prevention hotline and often received praise from local police for his good citizenship. 

8. His romantic partners wouldn't tolerate his darker urges

According to Serial Killers, Bundy began dating widow Liz Kloepfer in 1969, a few years after Edwards, his college girlfriend, broke up with him. For a time, in 1973, he picked up his relationship with Edwards again while still dating Kloepfer. This was sustainable, according to the podcast, because Bundy kept these women so completely separated that they never knew the other existed. He employed the same tactic to separate his daily life from his murders.

Per the podcast, Kloepfer wouldn't abide Bundy's darker sexual urges. To satisfy those urges, he began attacking and murdering women — although, it's important to note, Kloepfer was not in any way to blame for Bundy's attacks. Serial Killers also reported that even though Kloepfer was in touch with police in Utah after Bundy was arrested on suspicion of murder, she stayed with Bundy for some time, likely because he was gaslighting her (convincing her that if she suspected anything, it was because she was "crazy" or because the way she perceived reality was wrong. Gaslighting is a common tactic abusers use to convince their victims that they are not actually being abused).

More: Gaslighting & 7 Other Toxic, Borderline Abusive Relationship Habits

9. He was arrested multiple times

According to Biography, Bundy was arrested twice in 1975: once when he was pulled over by police and a vehicle search revealed several burglary tools, a year after he moved to Utah for law school, and again following the kidnapping of Carol DaRonch. She immediately identified Bundy in a lineup, and he was sentenced to one to 15 years in jail.

In 1977, Bundy was indicted on murder charges in connection with the death of a young Colorado woman. He escaped through a window during a trip to the courthouse library. Later that year, he escaped from his prison cell by losing over 30 pounds and crawling through a tiny hole in the ceiling.

10. He acted as his own lawyer in court

Per Serial Killers, when Bundy was arrested in 1979 and sentenced to the death penalty, he represented himself in court wearing "a Seattle Mariners shirt, a suit jacket and a smirk." During the trial, his charm made him something of a celebrity; even the judge, after conferring two death sentences on Bundy for his crimes, called him "a bright young man" and said he would have liked to see him practice law.

The first part of Ted Bundy: Serial Monster aired Sunday at 9/8c on Reelz, and the second part airs Monday at 7/6c. Both parts repeat on Friday, starting at 8/7c.

Demi Lovato has spoken out for the first time since her hospitalization on July 24.

“I have always been transparent about my journey with addiction. What I’ve learned is that this illness is not something that disappears or fades with time. It is something I must continue to overcome and have not done yet,” Lovato wrote on Instagram on Sunday.

More: What We Know About Demi Lovato’s Hospitalization Following an Apparent Overdose

In her post, Lovato thanked God for keeping her “alive and well” and both her family and fans for their love and support.

“To my fans, I am forever grateful for all of your love and support throughout this past week and beyond. Your positive thoughts and prayers have helped me navigate through this difficult time. I [also] want to thank my family, my team, and the staff at Cedars-Sinai who have been by my side this entire time. Without them,” Lovato added, “I wouldn’t be here writing this letter to all of you.”

Lovato was rushed to Cedars-Sinai hospital last month following an overdose of an unknown substance. While news reports initially claimed Lovato took heroin, a source close to Lovato told People that it was not heroin-related. 

Regardless, Lovato was revived with Narcan, a drug that is often used to treat narcotic overdoses.

Lovato also told fans that when she is released from the hospital later this week, she will be focusing her full attention on herself and her recovery. “I now need time to heal and focus on my sobriety and road to recovery," she wrote on Instagram and, according to Us Weekly, she will be going straight to rehab.

More: What People Don't Understand About Addiction

This will not be Lovato’s first time seeking treatment. In 2010, Lovato entered an assistance facility for bipolar disorder, bulimia, self-harm and addiction, and in 2011, she entered a sober living facility.

That said, in spite of it all, Lovato remains optimistic. “I look forward to the day where I can say I came out on the other side,” and, she added, “I will keep fighting.”

We may never know the real reason Nikki Bella and John Cena officially ended their six-year relationship, especially since their breakup has been an ongoing drama since they called off their engagement in April. Last Tuesday, Bella confirmed the split is permanent, and three days later, Cena tweeted something cryptic that may hint at what finally ended their romance for good.

More: Nikki Bella & John Cena Are Officially Done for Real This Time

In a statement to Us Weekly, Bella said, “After I called off the engagement, we tried to work on our relationship to get back to where it was in order to move forward with our wedding. After much time and soul-searching alone, and together, we have decided to officially part ways. I had a beautiful and loving six-year relationship with a wonderful man. I have the utmost respect for John, but I know this is what’s best for me.”

Meanwhile, Cena tweeted on Friday, "Trust is a powerful thing. 'Don't trust anyone' closes the door on the experience of life. Learn to trust people, good and bad can come of this, but the more you trust, the more you get to know people for who they really are."

Is he talking about Bella? Is he talking about himself? We probably won't ever know, but this tweet certainly suggests that trust was on Cena's mind, and since he and Bella have shared vague messages on their respective social media feeds throughout their relationship, it seems likely that he could be talking about why they chose to go their separate ways.

More: John Cena & Nikki Bella Actually Aren’t Back Together Like We Thought

As reported in Us, after the couple called off their engagement in April, they seemed to briefly reconcile just a month later. In July, Bella posted a YouTube video stating that the two were "just friends." She noted that because her E! reality show, Total Bellas, airs a few months after events occurred in real-time, it can be especially confusing for fans to see the happier moments in their relationship juxtaposed against the headlines about their split.

After all the ups and downs of their relationship and the desperate hope they'd work things out after all, we respect that sometimes, these things just don't work out. We wish them both the best with whatever comes next, romantic or otherwise.

How caregivers can practice self-care

Whether it's for an ailing relative or a close friend, millions of Americans provide unpaid care for another person every day in the United States. Although it might be a noble and rewarding job, acting as a caregiver is hard work. It can lead to chronic stress and fatigue, which is why practicing self-care is vital.

“People think self-care is indulgent,” says Jennifer Kogan*, a licensed family therapist based in Washington, D.C.  “They think it means a trip to the spa or getting a mani-pedi. But self-care is just something you need to do as a human being to take care of yourself and live in the world.”

Generally, self-care means identifying one's own needs — physical, social or emotional — and taking steps to meet them. But for people in caregiving positions, this can be a challenge, as caregivers tend to overlook their own needs. Luckily, self-care can be practiced in many different ways, simply and for free. Here are four ways to start.

Practice compassion — with yourself

As a caregiver, you know all about practicing compassion with others. But because caring for a loved one can be time-consuming, you may forget to practice it with the person who sometimes needs it most: yourself.

“Self-compassion is connected to self-care,” Kogan says. “It relates to how you talk to yourself and how you move through your day. Either you can be kind to yourself, or you can think, 'You idiot!' when you make a mistake or run late. What you tell yourself matters, and it affects how you feel.”

To practice self-compassion, Kogan recommends starting with simple phrases and using neutral language. “You don't have to tell yourself really wonderful things. It might feel fake or phony to use really flowery language with yourself,” Kogan says. “Just start with something neutral, like 'I made a mistake, and I'll correct it tomorrow.'” Even neutral language can make a huge difference in how you feel about yourself.

Ultimately, self-compassion can help make people better at what they do, especially when it comes to something like caregiving. “People who are kinder to themselves tend to perform better and be more compassionate to other people,” says Kogan.

Find support from other caregivers

Although it centers around spending time with others, caregiving can still be lonely. And it can be hard to get the support you need from friends and family who may not be able to empathize.

Caregiver support groups, both online and in person, are an excellent way to connect to other caregivers. They can not only be an outlet for some much-needed relief, but they can also arm you with practical information that will make your job easier.

You can find online support groups at the Family Caregiver Alliance, Facebook, Caregiver Action Network or the AARP.** To find local support groups you can attend in person, try nearby hospitals and other local organizations. You can also hear stories from other caregivers at Let's Change the Conversation.

Spend quality time with yourself — and make it non-negotiable

Taking care of others requires focusing your energy almost entirely on the person in your care. But in order to care for yourself, you need to turn your attention to what you need, instead. Mindfulness — a term for practicing awareness of your thoughts and feelings in the present moment — can help you uncover your own emotional and physical needs apart from your loved ones.

“We can practice mindfulness by breathing deeply and noticing where we have feelings in our body,” says Kogan. “Then we can ask ourselves, what quality does this feeling have? Does it feel hot? Does it feel like a bunch of bricks sitting on my chest?” When people are mindful of their feelings, they can make healthy choices to deal with those feelings rather than letting them fester, build up and cause burnout. Regular mindfulness meditation has also been known to lower stress, bolster the immune system and improve concentration, all of which are crucial when you are in a high-stress situation.

Set boundaries with the people you care for

If you're exhausted, miserable and constantly giving more of yourself to take care of others, Kogan warns that some major boundary setting may be in order.

“A boundary is simply deciding what's OK and what's not OK,” Kogan says. “Boundaries are really hard for people to understand and to set, because some of us grow up thinking we should do everything we can for another person and never say no. But if you ignore your own needs, that's not healthy.”

For some caregivers, a boundary may be as simple as defining set hours of care and not veering outside those hours unless it’s an emergency. For others, it may be clarifying what is and is not an acceptable way to be spoken to and what the consequences will be if the behavior continues. Enforcing a boundary may feel harsh, but it’s what gives you time and space to take care of yourself as well as the ability to continue to do what you need to do well.

“Learning about how to set boundaries is tricky,” says Kogan. “Start by asking yourself, 'Does taking care of this person feel good or bad? Am I giving up all of my time to support this person?' Gauge how you feel so you can start taking care of yourself first.”

This post is sponsored by Lets Change the Conversation, an initiative brought to you by Alkermes.

*Jennifer Kogan is not affiliated with Let's Change the Conversation, but she does have experience helping caregivers and teaching them self-care practices to guard against burnout. 

**These organizations are not affiliated with Let's Change the Conversation.

ALKERMES is a registered trademark of Alkermes, Inc. ©2018. All rights reserved. VIV-004017

Beyoncé has built a career on embracing her place in history as one of the most visible and powerful Black women in the entertainment industry. As the cover star on the September 2018 issue of Vogue, she continues that legacy, not only in how she directed the shoot — after being given unprecedented control over the issue, per HuffPost — but in how she talks about being Black in America and how she's learned to embrace everything as she learns and grows as a performer, a mother and a person.

More: Beyoncé's 19 Most-Liked Instagram Posts of All Time

"When I first started, 21 years ago, I was told that it was hard for me to get onto covers of magazines because black people did not sell," Beyoncé told Vogue. "Clearly that has been proven a myth. Not only is an African American on the cover of the most important month for Vogue, this is the first ever Vogue cover shot by an African American photographer."

For the cover shoot, Beyoncé hired 23-year-old Tyler Mitchell, a New York-based photographer who Time reports is the magazine's first Black cover photographer in its 126-year run. “Until there is a mosaic of perspectives coming from different ethnicities behind the lens, we will continue to have a narrow approach and view of what the world actually looks like," Beyoncé said of her decision to hire Mitchell.

Choosing Mitchell for this unprecedented opportunity is part of Beyoncé's desire to open doors for a new generation of artists, which she also speaks about in the cover story: "There are so many cultural and societal barriers to entry that I like to do what I can to level the playing field, to present a different point of view for people who may feel like their voices don’t matter," she said, adding, "Imagine if someone hadn’t given a chance to the brilliant women who came before me: Josephine Baker, Nina Simone, Eartha Kitt, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, and the list goes on. They opened the doors for me, and I pray that I’m doing all I can to open doors for the next generation of talents."

More: Beyoncé Killed It at Coachella With History-Making Performance

Likewise, she hopes to open doors and leave behind a legacy for her three children. "My mother taught me the importance not just of being seen but of seeing myself," Beyoncé said. "As the mother of two girls, it’s important to me that they see themselves too—in books, films, and on runways. It’s important to me that they see themselves as CEOs, as bosses, and that they know they can write the script for their own lives—that they can speak their minds and they have no ceiling."

She added, "I want the same things for my son. I want him to know that he can be strong and brave but that he can also be sensitive and kind. I want my son to have a high emotional IQ where he is free to be caring, truthful, and honest. It’s everything a woman wants in a man, and yet we don’t teach it to our boys."

After the birth of Blue Ivy, Beyoncé said she felt pressured to lose weight and get back to her pre-pregnancy body, something she hasn't felt the same pressure to do since she had an emergency C-section to deliver twins Rumi and Sir. She said, "I think it’s important for women and men to see and appreciate the beauty in their natural bodies. That’s why I stripped away the wigs and hair extensions and used little makeup for this shoot."

Embracing who she is, for Beyoncé, means embracing her history, as well. She revealed that she recently researched her ancestry and discovered that she "come[s] from a slave owner who fell in love with and married a slave." She added, "I had to process that revelation over time. I questioned what it meant and tried to put it into perspective. I now believe it’s why God blessed me with my twins. Male and female energy was able to coexist and grow in my blood for the first time. I pray that I am able to break the generational curses in my family and that my children will have less complicated lives."

More: Beyoncé Shares Rare Photo of Twins Rumi & Sir on Vacation

September is a huge month for Vogue, so Beyoncé's cover is an incredible moment in the magazine's history. British Vogue also revealed Rihanna as its first-ever Black cover star for its September issue this year, and we are so here for these powerful women continuing to make waves in the industry.

So, apparently, "pregnancy lips" are a thing?

Serena Williams, Beyoncé and now Khloé Kardashian have all brought the issue of puffy, preggo, hormone-packed pouts into the spotlight. The three A-lister moms are all reported to have had naturally larger lips during their pregnancies — and Kardashian's even asking fans of the new season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians to be kind when it comes to her famous kisser. For real.

Khloé Kardashian says she can totally explain why her lips look larger in the new season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

The reality star issued her own public service announcement on Instagram about the appearance of her lips in the show, shutting down rumors that she had lip work done.

“PSA I was pregnant during the entire season of KUWTK,” she remarked on Instagram about new footage from the show. “Some women get ‘pregnancy lips.’ I was one of them. So my lips look crazy and massive. Trust me I know and I HATED it!”

More: Khloé Kardashian Shames for Leaving Baby True...With Baby True's Dad

Wait. Is it just us or is at least three-quarters of the Kardashian-Jenner fortune due to lip kits and lip plumpers and lip liners? This seems... well, a little ironic. Honestly, Khloé? We wouldn't have noticed a thing had you not mentioned it. In fact, we're still squinting at pregnancy pics of you and don't quite see it.

“A lot of wild shit happens to your body and face while pregnant. It’s out of our control,” Kardashian added in her Instagram treatise, saying that “most people don’t have to film during an entire pregnancy... just watch the show and be kind about my growing body and lips... Pregnant women should be off limits."

Off-limits for sure. But of course, this got us wondering: Are "pregnancy lips" a real thing? Why have we never heard of this before? 

Well, you learn something new every day: Gail Johnson, education advisor at the Royal College of Midwives, weighed in on the topic at Made for Mums:

“During pregnancy, the action of hormones means that blood vessels dilate more which can mean that the body retains more fluid in the tissues during pregnancy. This is often most common in the lower limbs, but can also happen elsewhere for example the fingers, the face and sometimes the lips," Johnson explained.

More: The Secret Meaning Behind Each of the Kardashian-Jenner Baby Names

"The lips have good surface blood vessels network which give the lips their colour and also are sensitive due to many nerve endings," she added. "The pregnancy hormones both increase the volume of blood circulating and relax blood vessels so they are fuller. In addition [estrogen] keeps the fullness of lips and of course this hormone is gradually increased all through the pregnancy."

Damn! It's real! It's science! Fortunately, Kardashian is done with pregnancy (at least for now) and traded in her plus-size lippage for now-3-month-old baby girl True back in April. She shares True with dad Tristan Thompson, player for the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, who was documented dallying with numerous women in compromising situations while Kardashian was pregnant. The couple is still together, though we're not-so-secretly hoping Kardashian will send him the way of those pregnancy lips. 

On July 18, Kristen Bell turned 38. And while inching forward that extra year on the age spectrum might make many of us more uneasy than we care to admit, Bell welcomed it. Aging, she told SheKnows a few days later, fills her with a sense of security. “When I understand things, I feel more comfortable — and I understand things better when I’m older. I feel like I have more wisdom, and that makes me more at ease in my life,” she explained. “That's why I actually like getting older.”

Bell admits that this ease with which she lives in her skin didn’t happen overnight. In fact, she’ll be the first to tell you that she’s a work in progress — but with every passing year, she becomes more self-assured, and the projects she chooses to take these days are a direct reflection of that.

More: Kristen Bell's Birthday Present to Herself Will Make You Cry

We caught up with Bell to discuss one of those roles — in her new film Like Father, written by Lauren Miller Rogen and co-starring Kelsey Grammer. Bell plays a young workaholic about to get married who unexpectedly winds up on a wild vacation with her absentee dad. Although there are plenty of laughs, the Netflix feature is also filled with a sort of intrinsic messiness: complicated relationships, raw emotion and the nuances of love.

As Bell tells it, she didn’t think twice about taking the project.

“Movies with a lot of complexity that have a tone closer to real life are my favorite because there are times when you smile and there are times when you cry — and to represent both is more difficult, I think, but it’s more exciting to watch,” she said.

It’s Bell's commitment to represent the complexities of real emotion that made Rogen seek her out for the part of Rachel, a fact that made Bell feel honored. Like Father isn’t just funny or just dramatic. It’s more dimensional than that, which is a hallmark of all of Bell’s favorite projects.

“I definitely gravitate toward those roles or those projects where something is different,” she told SheKnows. “It’s not standard. Like, in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I gravitated toward the villain — who I was playing, Sarah Marshall. I felt she was very likable, and I wanted to play her very likable. I didn’t want you to be angry at her; I wanted you to understand her and sympathize with her, even when she was being catty.”

The same can be said for Eleanor, Bell’s character on the NBC sitcom The Good Place. “You know, she’s not a good person, but she’s learning and she’s trying, and that’s an opportunity for me to ask people to root for her through my performance. I think that stuff is much more challenging and much more interesting,” she shared.

More: Kristen Bell Confesses Her Kids Busted In While She Was Having Sex

Bell particularly admires the redemptive nature of Like Father. “What I love about this movie is that it brings it full circle. You realize that humans have faults, and you can choose to be angry or you can choose to forgive,” she said.

As far as her own faults go, Bell confesses that she’s constantly readjusting her radar. When we ask if she is sometimes guilty of taking on too much and spreading herself too thin, the actor laughs. “I don’t sometimes take on too much, I always take on too much.”

She struggles with this to the point that one of her New Year’s resolutions was to “stop feeling responsible for everything.” 

You might recognize the pattern in your own life: She is asked to do something and feels compelled to say yes because she’s been lured with “esteem and flattery,” or because she gets the overwhelming fear she’ll disappoint someone if she says no.

So, Bell relies on a system of checks and balances to keep from spinning herself too fast in too many different directions, or simply spinning out altogether. 

“I have good people in my life, like my friends and my family and my publicist, who will say, ‘Look, if you don’t accept being a judge on Top Chef, they’re gonna find someone else. Top Chef is not going to fold because you said no,’” Bell said, laughing.

More: 7 Reasons We Love Kristen Bell

The rest is up to her. “You’ve got to (a) get your ego in check. And (b), if you want to spend time with your kids that day, then do it,” she explained, adding, “There are helpful, logical reminders I have coming at me from all angles, and I curate those people to stay close. They’re important things to hear because I am co-dependent and it’s hard for me to say no.”

Even so, Bell says it’s a day-to-day ordeal. Like her Like Father character, Rachel (and, well, most of us), untethering from technology is often easier said than done.

“It is still hard for me to put down my phone, whether it’s for work — which a lot of it is — or whether it’s just zoning out because I like looking at funny animal Instagram videos,” she told us. “It has to be a constant reminder to put it down, look in the sky, go in the pool with my kids... just stay present.”