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Public Health

Dramatic video shows a woman confronting a harasser at the gym

That's how you do it.

gym, sexual harassment, workout, chelsie gleason, women,
via Chelsie Gleason/TikTok

Chelsie Gleason confronts a man who was harassing her.

In 2021, a video on TikTok posted by Chelsie Gleason garnered more than 12 million views because of the way she assertively told a man who who was harassing her to get away. Gleason was filming herself lifting weights when a man approached her attempting to strike up a conversation. She ignored him and was wearing earbuds, but the man didn't get the point.

"I was just trying to work out when this happens," a voiceover says in the video taken at a Crunch Fitness gym. "I've never met this guy and he's been harassing me for months." Finally, Gleason had enough and snapped at the man. "Don't come near me," she said confidently as she dropped her weights and took a step back. The man immediately turned and briskly walked away. You can tell she got her point across because he looked like he wanted to get out of there fast.

@_chesslee_

being a female is fun(:

Registered dietitian Carrie Taylor says that Gleason did the right thing by telling the man to stop while he was harassing her. She says that if you tell someone to stop harassing you at the gym and they persist, to immediately talk to the manager and threaten to call the police if swift action isn't taken.

She also says you should also get a restraining order if necessary. Do anything to stop the harassment because it could intensify. Gyms should also prominently post signs that warn people about sexual harassment so that these situations don't happen in the first place.

gym, man, harassment, workout, gym safetyMan at gym.Canva Photos

After the video went viral, Crunch Fitness announced it had found the man and banned him from its facilities.

"Our philosophy at Crunch is 'no judgments,' where we promote positive self-esteem and respect all races, cultures and nationalities in a fun atmosphere," a spokesperson for Crunch Fitness told Newsweek in 2021. "All of our gyms are committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment for all members."

"He's been found and as been banned! Thank you @CrunchFitness," Gleason wrote in the comment section.

One person in the comments made an important point about why this type of harassment is so dangerous: "Imagine if a shyer girl is walking to her car at night and he's out there...he needs to be kicked out," they wrote. Who knows what the man's intentions were and whether he was grooming her for something truly terrible?

This isn't the first time Gleason has faced harassment in the gym. She's tweeted about it several times in the past. It's clear from the video that she's hit a breaking point.

Four years on from the incident, Gleason keeps the video pinned at the top of her TikTok page. Unfortunately, this is necessary to keep raising awareness about unsafe situations for women at gyms and showing women how to handle themselves when these situations happen. A quick search on TikTok will return numerous videos of women in similar situations to Gleason confronting creepy men at the gym. Various publications have also written about women facing harassment at their gyms over the years, from feature writer Sirin Kale's 2020 piece about sexism, stalking, and surveillance in The Guardian, to the BBC 2023 feature, "The TikTok trends calling out gym harassment against women."

Earlier this year, WellHub published a survey they'd taken of over 150 women in the U.S. regarding their experience with in-gym harassment. Other publications such as The New York Post, have published pieces about what women have to face while working out, aptly calling it misogyny.

woman, gym, safety, workout, misogyny, harassmentWoman at the gym.Canva Photos

Gleason's brave decision to confront the man put an end to his creepy, threatening behavior in the moment. But the video may serve a greater purpose by showing women how to react to men who harass them. Further, it could also deter men from harassing women in the first place by showing them there are serious consequences for being a creep.

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.

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Joy

5 small things that made us smile this week

Your weekly cheat sheet to the best of the Internet

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Life can be bleak, so we’re going to be celebrating the small joys while we can—whether that’s a sweet snack that boosts your mood (courtesy of our friends at All In), or a tweet so perfectly timed it restores your faith in the algorithm (even if only for a second). These momentary mood boosters are everywhere you look—you just have to be able to find them underneath all the noise. And that’s where we come in.

Consider this weekly web series your cheat sheet to the best of the Internet—not just random memes to make you laugh, but examples of people truly finding something extraordinary in the mundane. Each Friday we'll be delivering five pieces of media that allow you to stop for a second, take a breath, and feel just a little bit brighter among the daily stress. (Think of us as your chronically online bestie who knows exactly how to make you smile, exactly when you need it the most.)

Ready to smile? Here we go.

1. Babies (mis)pronouncing foods 

@gdun

safe to say he likes apples 🤷🏻‍♂️

♬ original sound - gdun

There are few things more precious than a baby learning how to pronounce words (usually incorrectly), and TikTok creator gdun knows it. In a viral, multi-part series, this creator has captured his toddler trying to pronounce the names of different foods, and it’s almost impossible not to smile while you’re watching these. Peas are “peeeth,” pizza is “more this!” and pancakes are simply a terrified “no.” We could listen to these all day.

2. This tiny, lip-syncing diva 

@backyardchickendiaries 🐓🪞✨ #backyardchickens #midwest #fypシ #minnesota #coop #bokbok #eggs #poultry #birds #mybabies #chickens #mealworms #peckingorder #herechickychicky #weekend #treats #bean #millie #girdy #violet #five #australarp #barredrock #cuckoomaran #orpington #lavender #egger #silverlacedwyandotte #trend #viral #blowthisup #chickencrazy #mybabies #cluckcluck #featheredfriends#blowthisup #iwasjustthinkingaboutit #viral #trend #chickencrazy #chickencommunity #homestead #futurefarmer #gardening #sourdough #chickens #polish #followme #views #silkie ♬ original sound - FEEL GOOD SONGS

TikTok is known for creators who lip-sync along to their favorite tunes, but the star of these videos blows them all away. Brace yourselves–he’s a rooster.

You heard that right. TikTok creator backyardchickendiaries has managed to create several videos of his rooster lip-syncing to songs extremely convincingly, the rooster’s actions perfectly coordinated with the inflection of each individual note. The transitions, the close-ups—it’s a verifiable masterpiece. The entire video deserves a watch (and a standing ovation) but skip to 0:57 for the best part.

3. This small (but brilliant) shift in perspective 

This week in Central Park, our friends at All In are asking people “What brought you out here in the park today?” One of the answers they captured has us totally rethinking our perspective on life.

When posed with the question, Jessica Harrison (@howdyjess on Instagram) answered that as she and her friend were sitting and people-watching, they noticed that no matter how interesting or strange or quirky anyone was acting in a given moment, they were ultimately doing “the right thing for them.” This is a fantastic way to view the world, if you ask us—reserving judgement and just assuming that everyone is trying their best. Harrison calls this “aggressive benefit of the doubt,” or ABOD, and says in the video she’s going to “take that reframe and apply it to other areas of my life.” And you know what? Same.

4. David Attenborough's biggest (smallest) fan

Max Evans-Browning and a homemade birthday present for his hero, David Attenborough

ichef.bbci.co.uk

If you’ve ever seen the famous Life documentary series, you’re already familiar with the great David Attenborough—an English biologist who’s worked more than seventy years (70!) creating films that celebrate the natural world. Attenborough has been making documentaries about animals and nature since the early 1950s, and since then he’s used his platform to educate the masses about climate change and other environmental issues, hoping to protect Earth and the species who call it home. Last month, Attenborough turned 99, and to celebrate, fellow nature lover Max Evans-Browning made him a birthday present—an eight-page mural that features 99 of Attenborough’s favorite animals.

Evans-Browning’s mother, Samantha, said in an interview with the BBC that Max not only loves animals, he’s been a fan of Attenborough and his work “from the moment he could talk,” watching his documentaries and even dressing up like him for World Book Day. Max “spent hours” researching Attenborough’s favorite animals and is now hoping his pictures will reach the man himself. No word on whether that’s happened yet, but either way, this has to be the best birthday present he’s ever received.

5. The sacabambaspis is trending again

i.kym-cdn.com

Speaking of animals: this handsome fella is making a reappearance on social media—and, yes, he’s real. Feast your eyes on the sacabambaspis, a jawless, prehistoric fish that looks like a Pokemon and lived more than 450 million years ago.

According to Know Your Meme, the sacabambaspis started becoming widely known in August 2022, when Twitter user Kat Turk posted a picture of a reconstructed model of the fish on display at the Natural History Museum in Helsinki, Finland. The animal’s bizarre appearance not only caused Turk’s tweet to go viral, it also spawned a huge interest among internet users in China and Japan, who immediately started turning the sacabambaspis into merchandise, including stickers, t-shirts, and more. It’s been a meme ever since.

We’re not exactly sure why the sacabambaspis is going viral now, in June 2025, but you know what? We’re here for it.

For even more “extra”-ordinary moments, come find us on social media (@upworthy) or on upworthy.com!

For scrumptious snacks that add an extra boost of joy to your day, be sure to check out All In.

Family

Some names are music to our ears. Here are the 50 best sounding ones according to science.

Parents filled with baby name anxiety should learn about the Bouba-Kiki effect.

Photo credit: Canva

The science why some names, like Sophia, just sounds better than others.

Choosing a baby name is both fulfilling and precarious. Many parents rack their brains trying to come up with the perfect moniker—one that honors their lineage, where they were born, the personality they’ll hopefully have, or all of the above. Obviously, no easy feat.

To make things more complicated, more and more parents are experimenting with trendy or unique-sounding names, which at best can make their kid stand out, and at worse, leave them a bit isolated.

But maybe relying on science could be a more reliable strategy. As author Bill Sullivan, Ph.D., explained in an article for Psychology Today, parents can incorporate a phenomenon known as the Bouba/Kiki effect to help ensure that a name remains appealing throughout a child’s entire life, simply because it will always be pleasant sounding.

The term “Bouba/Kiki effect” emerged from a set of experiments in which people were presented with both a round and spikey shape, and asked to link the shapes to either the word “bouba,” or “kiki.” The discovery that people consistently agree that rounded shape = “bouba” and the spiky shape = kiki showed that people inherently make image associations for certain words. Collective synesthesia, if you will.

baby names, Bouba-Kiki effect, best sounding names, best girl names, best boy names, unique baby names, classic baby names, Kiki denotes sharpness, where bouba denotes softness. www.labvanced.com

This concept applies to names as well. Sullivan cited a 2015 study which noted that "bouba," or round, smooth sounding names, like “Bob or Molly,” tend to get associated with "easy-going" personalities. Whereas kiki names, like “Kirk and Kate,” tend to sound more abrupt and could be more likely to be seen as “rude.”

In 2022, Bodo Winter, an associate professor in cognitive linguistics at the University of Birmingham, and his team somewhat cemented this theory, after asking hundreds of participants to listen to a list of the 100 most popular names in the UK and the US, and then analyzing those emotional reactions.

There was a clear winner: "Sophia," originating in Greece and meaning "wisdom." While one could argue that the list, which mainly used only names popular in the UK and the US, was somewhat limiting, the name spans many times and cultures, becoming "Sophie" in France and Germany and even "Safiya" in the Muslim communities.

baby names, Bouba-Kiki effect, best sounding names, best girl names, best boy names, unique baby names, classic baby names, Sophias of the world, rejoice. Photo credit: Canva

History and symbolism aside, what really makes Sophia pop comes down to the “soft start of ‘s,’ a roundness offered by the ‘o,’ and a smooth ending with the ‘ia,’” Winter stated. This combination results in universal pleasantness.

If you’re curious as to whether or not your name is audibly pleasing, below are the 50 top ranking names for both boys and girls in the US, courtesy of My1stYears:

1. Matthew, Sophia

2. Julian, Zoe

3. William, Everly

4. Isiah, Sophia

5. Leo, Riley

6. Levi, Ivy

7. Joseph, Paisley

8. Theo, Willow

9. Isaac, Ellie

10. Samuel, Emily

11. Miles, Evelyn

12. James, Eva

13. Elijah, Elena

14. Luke, Chloe,

15. Noah, Nova

16. Santiago, Penelope

17. Owen, Lucy

18. Logan, Lily

19. Liam, Olivia

20. Roman, Naomi

21. Ryan, Emma

22. Cooper, Natalie

23. Jack, Sofia

24. Maverick, Eleanor

25. Anthony, Violet

26. Ezekiel, Bella

27. Carter, Luna

28. Benjamin, Ella

29. Lucas, Victoria

30. Henry, Isabella

31. Jacob, Maya

32. Lincoln, Natalia

33. Mason, Amelia

34. Nathan, Savannah

35. Asher, Charlotte

36. Jackson, Stela

37. Andrew, Hazel

38. Cameron, Athena

39. Alexander, Maria

40. Theodore, Autumn

41. Adam, Kennedy

42. Gabriel, Aurora

43. Kingston, Alice

44. Daniel, Aria

45. David, Harper

46. Hunter, Serenity

47. Dylan, Nora

48. Muhammed, Grace

49. Sebastian, Elizabeth

50. Adrian, Hannah

It probably goes without saying that our own personal preferences, among many other factors, might still influence what sounds appeal to us more (I for one prefer spiky names with a little gusto) but using the simple rules of linguistics could be an interesting, and perhaps less daunting, way for parents to choose a name that’s truly timeless.

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Fatherhood

Mark Wahlberg was praised for confronting a DJ at his 10-year-old daughter's dance party

Dad to the rescue.

The Ellen Show/YouTube

Mark Wahlberg on "The Ellen Show."

When his daughter Grace was 10 years old, actor Mark Wahlberg attended a daddy-daughter dance with her. Sadly, Grace had no interest in seeing her father strutting his stuff on the dance floor. "I didn't get one dance," Wahlberg told Ellen DeGeneres. "And I told her we were going to do the whole big circle and I was going to go off. And she said, 'Dad, if you embarrass me, I will never talk to you again.' But what she did do is she hung out with me."

No matter who your dad is, especially if you're a 10-year-old-girl, you have zero desire to see him dance in front of your friends. But the parents at the dance probably would have had a blast seeing Wahlberg bust out some of his old-school '90s Marky Mark moves. However, Wahlberg couldn't help but leave his mark on the music being played at the dance.

marky mark, mark wahlberg, good vibrationsMark Wahlberg was known as "Marky Mark" in the 90s.Giphy

Let's not forget, he didn't get famous for his acting but for showing off his abs in the "Good Vibrations" video.

Being that Wahlberg's time as a pop star was three decades ago, he couldn't believe it when he heard the music being played at the dance.

"[Grace] sat there on the edge of the stage, by the DJ. And then I'm sitting there with one other dad and I'm like, 'This is not an edited version of this song. There are explicit lyrics being played at a school dance for girls and I'm like no good,'" he said.

"I told the DJ and he's like, 'Oh, I thought it was.' I said, 'What are you doing?' I'm hearing F-bombs and this and that's not okay," Wahlberg said.

- YouTubeyoutu.be

He's right. There's no place for music with explicit lyrics at a dance for 10-year-old children.

Wahlberg says the DJ didn't know he wasn't playing the edited version, but it's probably more likely that he didn't even realize the song was a problem. Pop music these days is filled with a numbing amount of violent and misogynistic lyrics.

A recent study from the University of Missouri found that nearly one-third of pop songs contain lyrics that degrade or demean women by portraying them as submissive or sexually objectified.

Currently, three of the top five songs on the Billboard Top 40 contain the word "bitch." One of them is sung in Korean.

profanity, foul language, swearing"Your language is offensive!" Giphy

It's odd that Americans have become more sensitive to misogyny in pop culture in films, television, and comedy, but still have a huge cultural blind-spot when it comes to music.

That's not a good thing, especially when pop music is marketed to teenagers.

"We know that music has a strong impact on young people and how they view their role in society," said Cynthia Frisby, a professor in the Missouri School of Journalism.

"Unlike rap or hip-hop, pop music tends to have a bubbly, uplifting sound that is meant to draw listeners in," Frisby continued. "But that can be problematic if the lyrics beneath the sound are promoting violence and misogynistic behavior."

profanity, swearing, f-bombs, music lyricsMusic lyrics can be highly inappropriate for youngsters.Photo credit: Canva

Let's face it, pop stars are role models. Their examples show young people what to wear and how to behave. That's not to say that kids will blindly follow someone just because they like their music. But it has an undeniable effect.

Wahlberg, and any parent who monitors what their kids are listening to, deserve credit for protecting the minds and hearts of their kids.

Frisby has some great advice for parents concerned about negative imagery in pop music.

"Ask your daughters and sons what songs they like to listen to and have conversations about how the songs might impact their identity," Frisby said.

"For example, many songs might make young girls feel like they have to look and act provocative in order to get a boy to like them, when that isn't necessarily the case. If children and teens understand that what they are hearing isn't healthy behavior, then they might be more likely to challenge what they hear on the radio."

He's right. There's no place for music with explicit lyrics at a dance for 10-year-old children.

parental advisory, explicit content, explicit lyricsParental Advisory Explicit Content warnings are there for a reason.Giphy

Wahlberg says the DJ didn't know he wasn't playing the edited version, but it's probably more likely that he didn't even realize the song was a problem. Pop music these days is filled with a numbing amount of violent and misogynistic lyrics.

A recent study from the University of Missouri found that nearly one-third of pop songs contain lyrics that degrade or demean women by portraying them as submissive or sexually objectified.

Currently, three of the top five songs on the Billboard Top 40 contain the word "bitch." One of them is sung in Korean.

It's odd that Americans have become more sensitive to misogyny in pop culture in films, television, and comedy, but still have a huge cultural blind-spot when it comes to music.

That's not a good thing, especially when pop music is marketed to teenagers.

music lyrics, misogyny, pop culture, explicit contentPeople often brush off misogynistic lyrics in modern music.Photo credit: Canva

"We know that music has a strong impact on young people and how they view their role in society," said Cynthia Frisby, a professor in the Missouri School of Journalism.

"Unlike rap or hip-hop, pop music tends to have a bubbly, uplifting sound that is meant to draw listeners in," Frisby continued. "But that can be problematic if the lyrics beneath the sound are promoting violence and misogynistic behavior."

Let's face it, pop stars are role models. Their examples show young people what to wear and how to behave. That's not to say that kids will blindly follow someone just because they like their music. But it has an undeniable effect. Wahlberg, and any parent who monitors what their kids are listening to, deserve credit for protecting the minds and hearts of their kids.

Frisby has some great advice for parents concerned about negative imagery in pop music.

"Ask your daughters and sons what songs they like to listen to and have conversations about how the songs might impact their identity," Frisby said.

"For example, many songs might make young girls feel like they have to look and act provocative in order to get a boy to like them, when that isn't necessarily the case. If children and teens understand that what they are hearing isn't healthy behavior, then they might be more likely to challenge what they hear on the radio."

This article originally appeared five years ago.

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14 books that rewired people’s brains and completely changed the way they see the world

“Sometimes the best books aren’t bestsellers—they’re just the right words hitting us at the right time.”

Photo credit: Canva

Self-help books, philosophical novels, and children's classics abound.

In his (often misquoted) 1889 essay "The Decay of Lying: An Observation," Oscar Wilde boldly declares that “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life.” While this question has sparked countless philosophical debates, there remains an undeniable kernel of truth: in a beautiful moment of kismet, for some indescribable reason, a piece of art resonates with you. For Reddit user @_rahmatullah, that happened when they read a specific book. On the Subreddit “r/productivity”, they wrote,

“A few months ago, I stumbled upon a book (I won’t name it here to avoid biasing responses), and it triggered something I can’t fully explain. It didn’t just change how I think—it changed what I notice, how I react, and how I show up in life. Since then, I’ve made it a habit to collect these transformation stories—not summaries, not reviews—but real-life shifts triggered by reading a book. It’s incredible how the right book, read at the right moment, acts like a psychological lever.”

Then, they posed the following question: “I’m asking this out of pure curiosity (and maybe low-key research): Have you ever read a book that changed your internal wiring in any way—your mindset, habits, or how you see the world? … Sometimes, the best books aren’t bestsellers—they’re just the right words hitting us at the right time.”


reddit, screenshot, books, recommendations, life-changingQuestion posed on Reddit. Screenshot, Reddit

The comments were flooded with wonderful, life-changing book recommendations, from nonfiction epics about breaking through creative barriers to children’s books that remain on their mind. We’ve collected 14 of the most intriguing, below:


The War of Art by Steven Pressfield (2002)

One user describes the book: “It’s not super long, and it’s written in this really straightforward, almost no-nonsense way. But it hit hard. The whole idea is about Resistance, that sneaky little force that stops us from doing the stuff we actually care about. It made me realize how often I make excuses without even knowing it. And Pressfield’s take is simple but powerful, just show up, do the work and don’t wait for some magical moment.”

Others were quick to follow, with one person commenting, “The War of Art is the only book I have ever read more than once. Well worth the read” and another, “Do The Work is a solid follow up to it. It’s short and to the point. Can easily listen to the audiobook in one sitting when you need a boost to GSD (get sh*t done). It’s 90 min.”


The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey (1989)

One of the great self-help books from the late 1980s was recommended by multiple people. One commented, “If I wanted to suggest the ONE book anyone to read in their lifetime, it is it. The idea is simple—be proactive, live by your values, and focus on what’s in your control. It will change the way you think and approach life.”

Another agreed, writing, “7 Habits also changed my life years ago by making my interpersonal relationships better, even though it doesn’t talk much about it. The book just motivated me to be my authentic self, increase my self-worth, and hence improved my relationship with others as a side effect. I had also read how to win friends and influence people at that similar period, but that book didn’t add any value as much as 7 Habits did.”


book, book cover, recommendations, reddit, reading7 Habits of Highly Effective People book cover.Credit: Appnee.com



If the World Were a Village by David J. Smith (2002)

The first children’s book to grace the chat is a best-selling thought experiment that imagines the world’s 6.8 billion population as a village of just 100 people. One person describes it as a “short picture book, but [one that] completely changed how I see the life, world.”


They continue, “I was shocked how fortunate I was compared to all other people who do not even have basic food and water, and at the time, I was so ashamed that I took it for granted. Since then, I’ve traveled around the world, trying to interact with local people, and I try to learn about the history and the reality of these locations. (And I learned English to communicate.) I would not be who I am today without that book.”


The Anatomy of Anxiety by Ellen Vora (2022)

Acclaimed psychiatrist Dr. Ellen Vora’s nonfiction book helps readers understand how anxiety manifests itself in the body and mind as a fear mechanism—and walks them through steps they can take to overcome it. “Before reading this book, I’d been focusing lopsidedly on the spiritual side and suffering from years of anxiety problems and panic attacks,” writes one Reddit user. “This book is a turning point for me, enabling me to view the mechanism of anxiety in the body more objectively.”


anxiety, drawing, illustration, books, recommendationsEllen Vora presents a new way to view anxiety. Credit: www.polyinpictures.com


Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (1966)

First published as a short story in the April 1959 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (which won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story the following year), Flowers for Algernon is a powerful novel about the treatment of people who are mentally challenged. It explores the complicated relationship between intellect, emotion, and happiness. One person commented that the novel “really made me think about how we all judge and treat other people, especially how we as humans look down on other people in different, subtle ways. It actually made me sick in a way I’ll never forget” and “completely changed my view on how we treat ‘stupid’ people. It’s so profound, because it’s such a short text, but it just hits you like a bullet train. I never cried so much after reading a book before.”

book, book cover, sci-fi, reading, recommendationsFlowers for Algernon book cover.Credit: Blogspot


Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig (1947)

Pirsig narrates a summer motorcycle trip undertaken by a father and his son, which slowly morphs into a man’s search for meaning. “I can’t fully describe the feeling. Part of my love was his concept of ‘quality’ and it almost becomes religion-like,” commented one person. “It’s been probably 25 years since I read it. I should read it again.”


books, book cover, reading, zen, recommendations. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance book cover. Credit: live.staticflickr.com


Ishmael by David Quinn (1992)

“The metaphor about society being a faulty plane that is falling off a cliff but thinks it’s flying simply because it hasn’t hit the ground yet has always stuck with me,” wrote one Reddit user of the philosophical novel. Framed as a Socratic conversation between two characters, author David Quinn explores the ways modern human supremacy causes irreparable damage to the environment.

Another user echoed their praise, writing: “I read a ton of self-help, and all the ones mentioned in this thread I have rolled my eyes at because they reiterate common thought trends with an occasional light bulb moment. Not to say they aren’t helpful, just not necessarily 'change my life' kind of books. Ishmael made me THINK and put life in perspective. It was the book that changed my conservative thinking to a very much empathy based way of living with intention.”


ishmael, reading, book, books, recommendationsIshmael makes the distinctions between Leavers and Takers.Credit: Geoff Whaley


Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (161-180)

The Roman Emperor’s series of personal writings resounded with readers, with one who commented, “Some of the best thoughts on how to live and grow, and how to deal with adversity, mortality, and impermanence. Dude was pretty in touch with the universal human condition for an Emperor.”

Someone else replied, “I think I really need to give a copy of this to my brother… It really helped me out, and I think I see him struggling with things that could be easier for him with some tools he could gain from this.”


meditations, rome, marcus aurelius, author, bookMeditations book cover. Credit: 1.bp.blogspot.com


Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach (2004)

Reddit users are not the only ones who loved this book about embracing life through the heart of a Buddha; beloved Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh wrote, “Radical Acceptance offers us an invitation to embrace ourselves with all our pain, fear, and anxieties, and to step lightly yet firmly on the path of understanding and compassion.”

Similarly, people on the thread sung its praises, writing “Her RAIN method has literally saved my life and changed my perspective on how I interact with the world and how I treat myself. Thanks to her, I’m heading into a new chapter where trauma doesn’t rule my life,” and “This book helped me tremendously while navigating hard personal situations, including terminal disease in my family.”


The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy (1963)

One person found this book, which posits our subconscious dictates life events, to be tremendously powerful. “I’m a pragmatic person and would question this book would it be introduced to me now instead of when my mind was more open,” they begin. “Maybe it works because it makes you believe that all it takes is a wish and some work… I read it when I was about 15 and have had many things I wished for happen.”

subconscious, mind, book, book cover, recommendationsThe Power of Your Subconscious Mind book cover. Credit: c2.staticflickr.com


Siddhartha Herman Hesse (1922)

Hesse’s ninth novel follows the spiritual journey of a man during the time of the Gautama Buddha. Originally published in 1992, it was later published in the United States in 1951. One user writes, “We sometimes find ourselves most lost when we stop believing other people are going to be able to give us the mentorship we need. Often, literature can teach what straightforward non-fiction texts can’t.”


Siddhartha, books, recommendations, reading, RedditSiddhartha book cover. Credit: c1.staticflickr.com


Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It by Kamal Ravikant (2020)

For a user on the thread, Ravikant’s inspirational self-healing book “brought home how essential self-love is, and that it isn’t indulgent or narcissistic. It’s the foundation that makes everything else possible.”


The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1943)

One of the best-selling books of all time, The Little Prince comments on life, adults, and human nature. In particular, one part of the novel stood out for this Redditor: “The part in The Little Prince where the adult looks at his drawing and thinks it’s a top hat and the kid says ‘no, it’s a picture of a snake that just ate an elephant’ really helped little kid me understand how people can see the same things so differently. It seems small now, but as a little kid it’s hard to understand why adults ‘don’t get it’ when it seems obvious to kids. That helped me have patience for my parents/adults, and I think I carried it with me as a beginner builder of compassion for people in general.”


the little prince, book, book cover, readingThe Little Prince book cover. Credit: www.prindleinstitute.org


Get It Done by Aylet Fishbach (2022)

The final book recommendation came from a user’s friend. For them, psychologist and behavioral scientist Aylet Fishbach’s book “changed the way I think about how I manage my time and myself. I rarely think of ‘recovery’ and ‘productivity’ in the same sentence, and generally think in terms of opportunity costs or how to best use my time.”


reading, woman, tea, books, recommendationsSo many book recommendations, so little time. Photo credit: Canva

A fun and certainly thought-provoking round-up of book recommendations—the only difficult thing is knowing where to start!

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Joy

A Black woman and white man share a refreshing exchange and it offers healing for us all

She expected the worst when a white man approached her overheated vehicle. But what she received instead brought her to tears.

@realbillygotti/Instagram

We need more moments like these.

Of course, racism and hatred are very real issues, and ones that we must discuss in order to make progress. But with all the coverage of people behaving badly flooding our awareness through the media and online, it can be easy to write off humanity entirely. To believe that the world is inherently a divisive, dangerous, and ultimately declining place to live. When in reality, not everything is so bleak.

That’s what makes sharing this story so important.

In December of 2023, a Black woman named Jo'lee Shine was stuck in her overheated car in front of a stranger's house, waiting for a tow truck to arrive.

racism, karens, wholesome moments, southern hospitality, kindness, atlantaJo’lee preparing for the worst. @realbillygotti/Instagram

When a white man, the homeowner, began approaching her, Jo'lee immediately started recording the interaction. And thank goodness she did, because this was a moment worth immortalizing.

“I'm so sorry, my car ran hot,” she says in the clip, and begins trying to start the car to prove her situation.

And then, in the sweetest southern accent you ever heard, we hear “don’t try to crank it baby.”

When then hear him offer to put water in the car, made sure Jo'lee had coming to pick her up, and then…wait for it…asked if she wanted lunch.

"We’ll be eating lunch shortly. While we wait on [the tow truck] if we get everything set up I’ll come get you and we’ll have dinner,” he says.

This brings Jo’lee to instant tears. “That was so sweet,” she whimpers.

racism, karens, wholesome moments, southern hospitality, kindness, atlantaJo’lee in tears after being invited to share a meal. @realbillygotti/Instagram

With a chuckle, the man replies, “that’s the way we are.” he then shared how he just had 22 people over at his house the night before for “a family gathering.”

Jo’lee declines the lunch offer, but profusely thanks the kind stranger as she wipes the tears that continue to fall. Just before he goes, the man says that he’ll check back in, joking that the tow truck “might be delayed” and she might change her mind.

In her caption, Jo’lee wrote, “I wasn’t going to post this, but I wanted people to know that they’re still good people in this world.”

Seems like that mission was accomplished. The video, which has gotten over 176,000 likes on Instagram, gave everyone a little dose of hope. Just take a look at some of these lovely comments:

“This is who we are...it sucks that movies have put fear in people to that level. That makes me sad that there's fear and division keeping us all from sharing love that I KNOW is in all of us.”

“The media works to divide us, don't believe their lies. We love all people.. God Bless.”

"I'll come get you when we get dinner on the table?!!" ❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹🔥🔥🔥🔥🙌🙌”

“The way he called you baby without a mean tone in his soul.”

“This renews my faith in humanity. He tried to help her without any thought of race.”

“Just when we think humanity has died, this happens ♥️. Human kindness for the win.”

Indeed, the world has its’ Karens…and even worse characters. But it also has people who invite strangers to dinner, just because it’s a nice thing to do…because it’s the “way they are.” It’s the way a lot of us are, when we let ourselves be.

This article originally appeared two years ago

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Love Stories

A 30-year-old woman got dumped. Hundreds cheered her up with their later-in-life love stories.

You can still find the love of your life at 30, 40, and beyond.

via X
Couples who met after 30.

A lot of emotions rise to the surface after being dumped. It can leave a person feeling sad, lonely, confused, rejected and left with a sense that you’ll never find anyone again. People tend to think, “If that person couldn’t stick it out with me, then who will?” However, most of the time, it’s irrational worry. There are more than a few billion people on the planet to choose from, you just gotta put yourself out there. But that’s a hard thing to hear when your feelings are still raw.

A study reported by The New York Times found that today, the old “plenty of fish in the sea” cliche is growing truer by the day. We are nearing a point where there will be more unmarried adults in the U.S. than those who have tied the knot. The most recent Census data shows the share of American adults who were neither married nor living with a significant other had risen to 46.4%. That lines up with the demographics of dating app users; about 63% of the millions and millions of users are over 30.

So good news for you single folks, the dating pool just keeps getting deeper. Still, that doesn't mean it feels that way when you're in the thick of it.

kelsey huse, marriage after 30, real stories, love stories, marriage, love, relationships, dating, dating apps, relationshipsFirst dates are intimidating, especially as we get older. Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

In 2020, Kelsey Huse, a software engineer from Austin, Texas, broke up with her boyfriend and at the age of 30, felt like she was never going to meet anyone again.

It's an understandable feeling. Our culturally accepted notion of love is that you're going to meet the love of your life in college or your early 20s. After that, you'll be lucky to settle for companionship. Huse wanted to know if there was any hope in her future.

“My bf broke up with me this week and I just wanna hear happy stories of ppl who found their partner in their 30s thanks,” she wrote on X.

Huse received an avalanche of responses from people who shared pictures and stories about how they met their special people in their 30s and later, giving her plenty of hope for the future. Her tweet went mega-viral earning nearly 7,000 retweets and 150,000 likes.

Here are some of the best responses.

"I strongly believe getting married in your 20s should be illegal. Sort of kidding, but I met my husband at 32 at a funeral. We make each other laugh just by being ourselves. He is the kindest person I know. We celebrated our 13 year wedding anniversary this year," one user wrote.

"I met my wife in my 30’s and we got married in our 40’s. Love her," added another.


Stories poured in by the dozens to prove that, yes, it really is possible to not only date close to and after 30, but to find love, and even to find the love of your life.

That's not to say that dating after 30 doesn't have its challenges and differences. Experts recommend re-evaluating your approach as you get older. In your 30s it's probably time to ditch the games and be more direct about what you want. Don't waste time with people who don't want the same things in life and love as you, but you'll also have to learn to give people some grace and patience — everyone has scars and warts at this age, including you.

Huse couldn't believe the incredible responses she received and better yet, that they really did lift her spirits.


kelsey huse, marriage after 30, real stories, love stories, marriage, love, relationships, dating, dating apps, relationshipsYes, even us elder-millennials can meet someone new and fall in love at any point in life. Photo by Sean Stratton on Unsplash

Huse may not have known it at the time, but breaking up at 30 may have been a blessing in disguise. Studies show that people who get married later in life have better mental health than those who get hitched at a younger age.

According to family ecology researcher Matt Johnson, those who married at the same age as or later than their peers reported higher levels of happiness and self-esteem—and less depression—than those who married early.

"People who marry early tend not to get as much education, have kids earlier than is optimal, and as a result get locked into careers they hadn't aspired to. In mid-life they're a little more depressed—or have a lower sense of self-worth—not because they violated some societal norm, but because they started down the path to family life early,” Johnson said.

Huse's story shows that there is no time frame for love and that it’s possible to find the perfect person well after the age of 30. It also shows that even though Twitter/X gets a deserved bad rap for being a pretty hostile environment, every once in a while people come together to do something beautiful.

This article originally appeared three years ago. It has been updated.

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