
Upworthy's weekly roundup of joy and delight from around the internet.
So, our family watched "Encanto" for the first time on Christmas day. We've watched it several more times since then, and like half the world, we've been singing "We Don't Talk About Bruno" every day for nearly two months. No exaggeration. Every. Single. Day.
Not that I'm complaining, because the song is legitimately fantastic. I didn't want to get sick of it, though, so I was thrilled when my kids pulled up a version Disney put together in 21 different languages. A whole new way to enjoy the song and celebrate some of the diversity of our human family at the same time. Win-win!
But that's just one of many smile-worthy finds this week.
From the pure joy of a momma dancing her heart out to a sweet mother-son reunion to an aggressively adorable baby emu, here are 10 things that will hopefully bring joy to your heart. Enjoy!
The emotional expression in this wee one's dancing is so moving.
Absolutely beautiful to see this young human showing his heart through his body, and even better to see how his peers encourage him.
When her sons put on her favorite song, this momma pulled out all the stops.
@guggin94 Instagram - Guggin94 👀
Her entire being lit up and she literally got younger and younger as she danced. So. Much. Joy. Read the full story of this delightful family here.
Street artist leaves little 3D chalk characters in public spaces.
David Zinn has a whole cast of characters he draws on sidewalks, in tree stumps, on bricks, on rocks—and each one is absolutely precious. I could spend hours pouring through his Instagram, Facebook and TikTok pages.
Parents mic’d up our their 4-year old-while snowboarding and adorableness ensued.
@chasing.sage We mic’d up our 4 year old while snowboarding.🥰 #fatherdaughter #dadlife #snowboarding #micdup #cuteness #wholesome #familytime #raddad #fatherhood
"I'm a stuck-asaurus." I can't. The cute is too much.
Speaking of too much cuteness, enjoy this babe emu's chaotic play.
Baby emu.. pic.twitter.com/ZIEQuFpKdW— Buitengebieden (@Buitengebieden) 1644353379
Baby emu is just so darn excited to have legs! (Sound up, too.)
Cat gets its own private, close-up view inside the aquarium.
So clever. It's like cat heaven. Read the full story here.
He hadn't seen his mom in three years and his fiancee surprised him with her at the airport.
The love in this video is palpable.
The healthy self-love of this 3-year-old is an inspiration to us all.
My 3 yo said goodnight to all of us tonight and then in the dark I heard her little voice say, \u201cGoodnight myself. I love you. [pause] I love you too.\u201d \n\nDon\u2019t let anyone take that from you, little one.— Jenny Nordbak (@Jenny Nordbak) 1643875235
Gah. Sometimes those little ones are so dang profound.
The "We Don't Talk About Bruno" version you'll want to talk about.
I mean, even if it weren't a good song, the seamlessness with which Disney put together 21 different languages in this video is impressive. (But it is a good song, so again, win-win!)
And finally, a sugar glider flying in slow motion just because.
Twitter needs this.. pic.twitter.com/ZTynihLYhe— Buitengebieden (@Buitengebieden) 1644184415
Let's all sail into the weekend like this little guy!
Hope that brought a smile to your face and put a pep in your step, friends! Come back next week for another roundup of joy and delight from around the internet.
- Yale's popular 'science of happiness' class is now available for free ... ›
- 31 Days of Happiness Countdown: where to find some real fantastic ... ›
- Scientists Discover One Of The Greatest Contributing Factors To ... ›
- 'Encanto' gets celestial in this wacky 'We Don't Talk About Pluto' parody - Upworthy ›
- Emmanuel, don't do it—people love this troublemaking emu ›
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."