MODERN LIVING
MONTHLY • ISSUE 247 • OCTOBER 2025
5 Morning Habits That Changed Everything
Is Your Home Happy? New Research Says Maybe Not
The Truth About Sleep: One Woman's Review
SPECIAL: The Butter Crisis Explained

YOUR BEST LIFE STARTS HERE

5 Morning Habits That Changed Everything
Start your day the right way
We spoke to successful people about their morning routines, and the results might surprise you. Sarah M., a marketing executive, swears by waking up at 4:47 AM every day. "The specificity is important," she explains. "Any earlier and you're still technically asleep. Any later and you've already missed it."

She begins her routine in complete darkness, even though sunrise isn't far off. "You have to earn the light," Sarah tells us over coffee that she describes as "necessary but not enjoyed."
Morning routine
Sarah M. begins her morning routine. "The specificity is what matters most."
James K. drinks exactly 12 ounces of room temperature water before allowing himself to blink. "The eyes need to earn their moisture," he says, crediting this habit with his promotion last year.

Meanwhile, Dr. Rebecca Torres recommends screaming silently into your pillow for 90 seconds. "It's about releasing the excess," she notes, though she declined to elaborate on what the excess was. When pressed, she simply smiled and said, "You'll know when you start."
BetterButter™
NOW 30% PLANTS
BetterButter product
You spoke. We listened. For years, you told us you were paying too much. That real butter was too expensive, too temperamental, too… real. We heard you, and we made a change.

Introducing NEW BetterButter—now with 30% plants. We've significantly reduced our plant content to bring you the rich, smooth taste of butter at a price that makes sense. All the creaminess you love, now more affordable than ever.

Contains: Plant matter (30%), modified dairy components, stabilizing compounds, and other ingredients. Not technically butter. Not technically not butter either.
FINALLY AFFORDABLE
Letter from the Editor
Welcome to Issue 247 of Modern Living Monthly.

This month, we're focusing on what matters: improvement. Not change—improvement. There's a difference, though we're still working out what it is.

Our readers have been with us for years, and we've noticed something interesting. You keep coming back. Month after month, you return to these pages looking for something. We're not entirely sure what it is yet, but we promise we're getting closer to figuring it out.

Thank you for being here. We're still here too.

— Editorial Staff
MODERN LIVING MONTHLY • ISSUE 247 • PAGE 1 OF 3
MODERN LIVING
ISSUE 247 • OCTOBER 2025
Is Your Home Happy?
New study reveals what your walls aren't telling you
According to research from the Institute of Domestic Wellness, 73% of homes report feelings of dissatisfaction with their occupants. The study, which surveyed over 10,000 residences, found that homes prefer when people leave for extended periods.

"We were surprised by how vocal the homes were once we asked the right questions," says lead researcher Dr. Martin Webb. The methodology involved placing sensors throughout each home and monitoring various metrics. "Temperature fluctuations, settling sounds, the way doors close—it all tells a story."
Empty living room
Researchers found homes responded most positively to extended periods of vacancy.
The solution? The institute recommends apologizing to your home daily and keeping at least one room completely empty as a gesture of respect. "Think of it as giving your house space to breathe," explains Dr. Webb.

Some participants reported immediate improvements. "My house hasn't creaked at night since I started saying thank you to the walls," says Jennifer R. from Milwaukee. "The pipes stopped making that sound. I don't miss it."
"After we emptied the guest room, the whole house felt different. Calmer. Like it had been holding its breath." — Michael T., Portland
73%
of homes report dissatisfaction with current occupants
QUICK WELLNESS TIPS
Try smiling at yourself in the mirror until it stops feeling natural. This helps identify your baseline.
Replace one meal per day with anticipation. You'll be surprised how filling it can be.
Practice holding your breath—you're better at it than you think. Time yourself. Then add 10 seconds.
Hydrate! Your body is asking for something. Water usually works.
Count your teeth twice daily to ensure consistency. Don't worry if the number changes—just keep track.
Sleep in a different position than usual. Your bed will appreciate the variety.
Listen to the silence in your home. Really listen. Notice when it changes texture.
The Routine Revolution
Why sameness is your secret weapon
There's something deeply comforting about doing the same thing every day. The same breakfast, the same route to work, the same thoughts at the same times. Experts say variety is overrated.

"The human brain craves repetition," explains cognitive specialist Dr. Lisa Morrison. "When you eliminate choice, you eliminate anxiety. When you eliminate change, you eliminate risk." She recommends finding one perfect day and simply repeating it indefinitely.
Tuesday calendar
David K. photographs his breakfast daily. "I haven't changed anything in 127 days. Why would I?"
Try it yourself: Pick a Tuesday (it's always a Tuesday) and live it fully. Then wake up and do it again. And again. You'll be amazed how quickly it stops feeling strange and starts feeling like the only thing that ever made sense.

"The first week is hard," admits David K., who has been living the same Tuesday for four months. "But by week three, the deviation is what feels wrong. Now I can't imagine doing anything else. I tried ordering a different coffee once and felt sick for hours."
Reader Testimonials: What Changed?
"I stopped questioning it." — Rachel M.

"After following the morning routine article from Issue 245, something shifted. I can't explain what, but I stopped needing explanations. Things just are now. It's peaceful, in a way."
"The walls listen now." — Anonymous

"I thought the home happiness article was a joke at first. But after apologizing to my apartment for three days straight, the weird noises stopped. I can't prove causation, but I'm not stopping."
"My family doesn't understand." — Tom L.

"They think I'm being ridiculous with the empty room. But the house knows. I can feel it. The temperature is more stable now. The shadows fall differently. They'll understand eventually."
"BetterButter saved my marriage." — Patricia K.

"We were fighting about grocery bills constantly. Real butter was breaking us. Then we switched to BetterButter and everything got easier. It tastes fine. We don't talk about what's in it."
MODERN LIVING MONTHLY • ISSUE 247 • PAGE 2 OF 3
MODERN LIVING
ISSUE 247 • OCTOBER 2025
Product Review: SleepBetter Pillow
★★★★★
"Life-changing" — Review by Amanda K.
I've been using the SleepBetter Pillow for three weeks now, and I genuinely cannot remember what sleep was like before. In fact, I'm having trouble remembering what happened yesterday, or who I was supposed to call.

The pillow arrives vacuum-sealed in a surprisingly small box. The instructions say to open it in a well-ventilated area and allow 24-48 hours for full expansion. Mine took longer. Much longer.
SleepBetter pillow
The SleepBetter Pillow on day 17. "It's still expanding, but my sleep has never been better."
By day five, it had outgrown the standard pillowcase. By day ten, it was taking up most of the bed. I don't mind sharing the space. It's cool to the touch, which is nice, though I do wake up each morning in a different position than I fell asleep in. Sometimes I wake up on the floor.

The care instructions are specific: never wash it, never expose it to direct sunlight, and keep it away from other pillows. I'm not sure why, but I'm too well-rested to question it. My dreams have been so vivid lately—almost like they're happening to someone else. Or maybe to everyone else.

Five stars, would recommend, can't stop recommending actually, please buy this pillow. I think it wants more people to buy it. I think it wants company.
Remember Butter?
It's still here. We promise it's still good.
Real butter
We've noticed you haven't been buying butter lately. Real butter. The kind your grandmother used. The kind that comes from cows.

We understand there are... other options now. More affordable options. Options that last longer on the shelf. Options with percentages that make sense to you.

But butter is still here. Real butter. Made the old way. From actual dairy cows that eat actual grass. It still exists. You can still buy it. Please.

We're not saying the other products are wrong. We can't say that. But we can say that butter is real. It's been real for thousands of years. It remembers when you loved it.

Paid for by the American Dairy Council. Butter: It Used To Be Enough.
WE'RE STILL HERE
COMMUNITY BOARD
FOUND: Set of house keys near Riverside Park. No identifying information. Keys keep appearing in my pocket even after I throw them away. If yours, please claim them. Please.
SEEKING: Others who wake up at 4:47 AM. Group forming to discuss the importance of specificity. First meeting is at 4:47 AM on Tuesday. Every Tuesday. Forever.
FOR SALE: Mirrors (7). All from my home. I don't need them anymore. I know what I look like. $5 each or best offer. Will deliver but cannot make eye contact.
LOST: Sense of time. Last seen Wednesday, or maybe it was Thursday. If found, please don't return it. I don't think I want it back.
FREE: Room in my house. Fully furnished but must stay empty. Serious inquiries only. House requires it. I don't make the rules.
WANTED: Someone to explain why my BetterButter container is always full no matter how much I use. Not complaining, just curious. It's been three months.
Next Month in Modern Living
Issue 248

• Why Your Reflection Looks Different
• BetterButter: Now 25% Plants
• The SleepBetter Pillow Recall That Never Happened
• What Do Your Walls Want?
Subscribe Today

12 issues for the price of 12 issues. Cancel anytime you remember to. We'll keep sending them anyway.
Contact Us

Letters to: Modern Living Monthly
P.O. Box 247
[City Removed], [State Removed]
We read every letter. Every single one.
Thank you for reading Issue 247 of Modern Living Monthly.

We hope you found what you were looking for.

If you didn't, it will find you anyway.

See you next month. You will see us next month.

— The Editorial Team
MODERN LIVING MONTHLY • ISSUE 247 • PAGE 3 OF 3