Let's set the record straight right from the beginning: Growing your nails actually means not breaking them. Generally speaking, you can't magically make your nails grow faster, but you can get the strong and less prone to breaking, so they stay long and beautiful. That being said, there are a couple of products that claim to promote nail growth:   Nail hardeners. These are clear "polishes" that use formalin (methylene glycol dissolved in water) as the strengthening agent. They're like nail polish, only with a shield and a machete.  Growth gel. Does it work? Well, maybe. Sally Hansen's VitaSurge Growth Gel says, "The multi-active bead infused formula instantly releases a surge of nourishing Vitamins A, C & E to nourish and treat nails for healthy growth." Multi-active bead infused formula? Sure. Take that for what it's worth. While it won't speed up the growing process, Biotin has been linked to stronger, less-breakable nails. If you suffer from brittle nails that just won't grow out, it's possible this could help. You might see a change in your hair and skin, too! This is available in some dietary supplements -- but it'll probably involve reading the "ingredient" label. Look for vitamins and supplements that claim to improve the look of your hair, skin, and nails; they probably have Biotin in them. It's a long-held opinion that your diet determines what your nails look like (amongst other things). Well, that's true to a point. The fact of the matter is that if you live in a first world country in today's day and age, you probably get enough of everything. So while a better diet -- more protein specifically -- can make a difference, take it with a grain of salt. "Not getting enough protein" is hardly an issue for most of us anymore, vegetarians included. That being said, it's never a bad idea to ensure that your diet is balanced for general health purposes. The more nutrients and vitamins you get, the better your body will look overall, nails included. If you're into long, beautiful nails, you've probably heard that there are right and wrong ways to file your nails. When you take your file or emery board to each finger, go toward the center on each side. It doesn't matter what shape you do, just make sure you go from right to center and left to center, not back and forth.  And while we're at the "don'ts," don't cut your cuticles, either. Push them back, sure, but don't cut them. That's your skin's last and final barrier against bacteria (it's on your entire body, after all) -- don't mess with it. Though it's ultimately a matter of personal preference, you may want to stick to round nails. Square one have more of a tendency to catch, ultimately breaking more easily and more often. If you're painting them, that is. It's probably best if they're bare (polishes can eat away at your nail), but we all know how tempting color can be. If you can't imagine possible having nude nails, always use base and topcoat. Just plain polish keeps your nails from being able to breathe, ultimately weakening them. Applying a base beforehand and a topcoat after provides that barrier and the topcoat keeps the polish looking good, keeps you from picking at it, and tops your nail off with a seal-like finish. Watch out for polishes that have chemicals -- they won't do your hands any favors. If it's something you're concerned about, you can find colors that are "natural," "vegan," or "chemical-free." Putting formaldehyde on your nails? No thanks!

Summary: Consider nail hardeners and growth gel. Take a Biotin supplement. Consider upping your protein intake. Don't saw your nails back and forth. Always use base and topcoat.


Do you remember the first time you saw dinosaur bones at the museum? Or the first time you ate a really good peach? Your world expanded at that moment by a fraction and you became a little wiser. The Buddhist concept of "beginner's mind" refers to the approach of a person just starting out, filled with the wonder of new learning, and being challenged anew by it. Always keep a curious and open mind. Rather than prejudging situations, learn to keep your mind open and tell yourself "I don't know what to expect," which will allow you to learn and gain wisdom. When you cease to have a fixed idea of people, things, and situations surrounding you, you grow in wisdom by soaking up changes, new ideas, and don't set any person above or beneath you. . Learning doesn't stop just because you might have graduated from high school or college, or that you've got kids and have lots of experience you'd like to teach them. Even if you're a teacher at the highest level or an expert in your field, you're not done learning. A wise person questions their motivations, questions widely accepted knowledge, and learns to love asking questions in moments of ignorance, because a wise person knows when it is time to learn.  Anais Nin neatly summed up this need to continue learning: "Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death." When you share knowledge, you also learn better since you recognize your own understanding and how you may organize the information better. . Be still at least once a day, to allow yourself time to rest and to stop taking in the rush of the world. Being constantly busy and worrying incessantly about being seen as inadequate may make you a paragon of workplace virtue but it does not make you wise. Stop. Stand still. Take in what the unhurried perspective brings to you. Fill your time with contemplation. Fill your free time with learning rather than distractions. If you find yourself filling downtime with television or video games, try to substitute an hour of television with 1 hour of reading or choose instead to watch a nature documentary you've been meaning to watch. Better yet, go outside and go for a hike in the woods. . It's not always important to voice your opinion in a group or to contribute something just because you can. Wise people don't always need to prove their knowledge. If your opinion is necessary, give it. An old adage goes, "The best samurai lets the sword rust in its scabbard." This isn't to say you should withdraw socially or never speak. Rather, be receptive to others and be a good listener. Don't just wait for your turn to speak because you think you're wiser than everyone else in the room. That's not wisdom, that's egotism.
Summary: Cultivate the mind of a beginner. Ask lots of questions Slow down Think first and talk second