The BrighterLife.ca weekly roundup of recommended reads about money, health, family, working life and retirement:

	Awaken with the birds and boost your productivity In an ode to the advantages of being an early riser, Youngandthrifty points to the benefits of starting your day with the larks. The financial benefits of waking up early
	Discover your writing gifts in the great outdoors Unleash your hidden Hemingway in a beautiful garden setting. The Hip & Urban Girl’s Guide recommends an al fresco writing workshop conducted by an experienced writer and teacher. Spend an afternoon writing in the garden
	Pregnancy: the big reveal When sharing news of a pregnancy, mum is in fact often the word – but for how long? Embrace the Chaos weighs the desire to wait against the ability to keep a secret, and factors in who needs to know and when. When did you tell the big news?
	Is Friday the 13th all in your head? The Toronto Sun says fear of Friday the 13th comes from a brain chemical that makes us see patterns and act on them – even if there’s no real causal connection. With so many on their guard, it might be the safest day of the year. Friday the 13th fear more OCD than phobia: Prof
	The changing retirement threshold A Washington Post chart shows how government retirement ages for drawing a state pension have been changing. Canada’s not on the list, but with age 65 now and age 67 to come we’re in the same boat as Germany and Greece.

Tweet of the week

5 Must-haves for getting them to the beach! ow.ly/c9bGE RT @momstownca: Best tips for a Family Beach Trip shar.es/t2e2Q

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BrighterLife.ca (@BrighterLifeCA) July 10, 2012