BEST KEPT SECRETS

Whether it's local gossip or global world secrets, there is a desire in the human psyche to uncover them. There are also numerous quasi-secrets and conspiracy theories. Even made-up stories and gossip for those who will believe in them. But the real and true secrets, which can reveal wisdom and knowledge, replace experience, save time, bring love, secure money, and much more, are hard to come by.

8. SECRETS OF A GOOD HOUSEWIFE

Clothes stains are a big problem not only for children but also in the world of adults, especially those who buy branded and expensive clothes. How to successfully remove stains? The first rule is: as soon as possible, apply the detergent to remove the stain and let it sit. Then before putting it in the washing machine, rub the stain well under water. The second rule is: never put a stained piece of clothing in the washing machine before you at least “get the stain out”. And the secret we heard from our grandmother from the time when there were no detergents to remove stains is: dish detergent is the most effective for removing stains on fabrics.

7. BEAUTY SECRETS

There aren't many perfectly beautiful people in the world as it seems in the media. It is common knowledge that anyone can look like a Hollywood actor/actress if they apply the photo retouching technique. Also, after a few hours of hair and make-up, even ordinary mortals would hardly look as beautiful and well-groomed as stars from show business. But there is also a beauty secret that those who know it have made sure to preserve. The secret of beauty is kept by those who cheated nature and went under the surgical knife to correct their nose, iron wrinkles or get implants. So, the next time you see beautiful, unusually colored eyes, take a closer look: it is most likely that the person wears colored contact lenses.

We witness less drastic examples every day. When someone gives you a beautiful smile, it is most likely that that person has devoted months to fixing their teeth. And when you compare a person who is over seventy years old, whose face is free of wrinkles and freckles, with their cousin of the same age who lives in the countryside and whose skin has aged prematurely, the secret is probably in the use of protective creams against the harmful rays of the sun, not in genetics.

6. EMPLOYER'S SECRET

Young people fresh out of school and eager to prove themselves at work are not aware that no employer expects 100% productivity from them. And that high productivity at work is equally dangerous for both the employee and the employer, due to the so-called "cracking under too much pressure". It has been proven that employees who are overburdened and under stress make more mistakes, are less productive, go on sick leave more often, and quit their job... The "70%" rule applies to productivity at work, which states that employees achieve the best possible productivity not when they work as much as they can day after day, but when they work at a slower pace and have a balanced private life in relation to work.

5. THE SECRET OF A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE

It is common knowledge that a successful marriage requires mutual respect and trust between the spouses and that it is necessary to constantly work on the relationship for the marriage to survive. We also know that it is extremely important to sacrifice some of your interests to satisfy the interests of your spouse. But some of the lesser-known secrets to a successful marriage are ability for quickly forgiving and forgetting past mistakes in order to move forward, and that sharing humor and laughter is more important than sex in marriage. One of the best-kept secrets of a good marriage is to keep your standards and expectations high because those who ask for more receive more. Moreover, research says that people who have idealistic standards and look for love, romance, and passion in marriage - that's the kind of marriage they get.

Read more about the secrets of a successful marriage in SAN Magazine Issue 19, Winter 2019/2020, at sanmagazine.ca

4. THE SECRET OF THE FIRST IMPRESSION

No matter how fantastic the house you want to sell looks, a potential buyer will form their opinion in the first 60 seconds, often before they even set foot in the house. Real estate agents will give you tips on how to make your house as neat as a pharmacy, how to remove magnets from the fridge, and tidy up the front yard. But hardly any real estate agent will draw your attention to remove items and decorations that are eye-popping at first glance. Items that are characteristics of your culture or one of your passions, because the future buyer may be repulsed by identification with the features of your culture or hobby.

A similar rule applies to the first impression when meeting someone or the first impression at work, etc. Even if your passion is motorcycle riding, it is not advisable to come to your new job on the first day in a black leather motorcycle suit. If your passion is collecting guns and rifles, it is not recommended to reveal your hobby on the first date with a girl. When it comes to women, they often forget about the power of wardrobe when getting acquainted, on the first day at work, etc.

However, society and trends in it change over time, so it is necessary to be up to date. For example, nowadays in Toronto, many companies provide locker rooms with showers, as well as dedicated bicycle parking facilities. If you cycle to work, you are likely to be trendy and "cool" which would have been unthinkable before the 21^st century. Don't forget that the first impression you make greatly influences the decision. There isn’t such a thing as a repeat first impression!

3. THE SECRET OF MATERIAL WEALTH

Wealth in the Western world is acquired through a pyramid scheme. Those who have money have even more, and those who don't remain poor. But how to cross the line between poverty and wealth? Even those who didn't have the best grades in math know the "double a cent" formula for making millions in just a month. So, if you start from one cent and double your savings every next day compared to the previous one, in 15 days you will have $163, on the twentieth day you will have $5,243, and at the end of the month as much as $5,368,709! Everyone knows about the formula "from one cent to millions", but hardly anyone has managed to implement it.

The secret is this: in Western societies where the economy is strong, virtual money with strong coverage is used. The secret to getting rich is in borrowing virtual money from financial institutions. People who come from economically and politically insecure societies (like immigrants from the Balkans) need a several years to relax and understand that smart investment of borrowed money (with mandatory education, research of the market, and economic trends) leads to successful acquisition of even modest wealth during just one generation.

In today's Western world, it is increasingly being forgotten that there is also spiritual wealth, so even societies that do not belong to the so-called "Western" world is increasingly equated with the West, because capitalism as a system has largely "won" across the planet. However, we can lose material goods, but no one can take away the spiritual wealth that we carry within us.

2. THE SECRET OF LONGEVITY

The widely known secrets of longevity are related to a healthy diet, physical activity, controlling body weight, as well as avoiding smoking, alcohol, and drugs. We know that longevity is influenced by hereditary factors, lifestyle (avoidance of stress, regular sleep, contentment, happiness, etc.), as well as climate (there are places on the planet where it has been statistically proven that people experience old age to a greater extent, such as Japan, Macau, Sardinia, Iceland, California, etc.).

But how do you explain that there are people who live to a very old age even though they consumed unhealthy food, smoked, drank wine every day, had parents who died young, and lived in polluted cities? The secret is to keep under control the conditions that most affect longevity, i.e. these which to the high extent could influence not experiencing longevity. One example is controlling your participation in traffic. Another example is to avoid unnecessary exposure to dangerous activities or dangerous locations that statistically lead to a higher percentage of deaths. And, finally, there is personal health that should be monitored regularly. Everyone will eventually get sick and die from something, but many will live to be a hundred years old with chronic and even deadly diseases under control. A timely and correct diagnosis of the disease is one of the keys to longevity.

1. SECRET TO REVEALING A SECRET

And, finally, the #1 ranked secret, the secret of all of them! The secret to revealing the secret! The key to its discovery is that you will learn the secret mostly when you are not searching for it, and most often from a completely unexpected source. You might learn some good information about tax filing from the owner of a local restaurant, from the accountant about the check-up item that everyone forgets when buying a used car, and from the car dealer you get a recipe for your favorite dish from the aforementioned restaurant. If the secret is professional, you will not learn it from a professional, unless you pay a high fee, and each of the professional secrets has its price. The secret will "leak out" from the one who has no interest in keeping it.