10 things that made us smile this week
Dive into a pool of joy with these delightful finds from around the internet.
Upworthy's weekly roundup of joy
It's 10 things day! Officially the best day, this week and every week.
While these roundups of joy may initially come across as light and fluffy, they serve an important purpose. We all need a respite from the troubling headlines and negative news that bombards us each day. The "information age" can be tough to navigate, as it's so easy to get bogged down in all the things we wish we could change, but that don't have easy or quick fixes. Maintaining hope is vital to fighting the good fight, and finding positivity to keep our energy up is neither a small nor insignificant thing.
Stories of human triumph, compassionate connection, impressive ingenuity—and yes, even entertaining animal antics—can serve as fuel to keep us going through difficult or dark times. We hope these offerings will lift your spirits and remind you that there's good to be found all around us.
Hope this week's list brings a smile or 10 to your face!
1. Cat interrupts girl's opera singing to perform a 'meowpurra' of his own
from MadeMeSmile
I don't care what anyone says, that cat is singing.
2. Pediatrician and father of seven explains why 8-year-old girls are the very best humans
@dr_mikem I think all kids are great ( obviously) but there is no doubt that 8 yr old girls embody all of the best human qualities. #kidsrock #pediatrics #pediatrician #pediatriciansoftiktok
It's true. If we all acted with the magnanimity, empathy and compassion of 8-year-old girls, the world would surely be a better place. (And yes, he also explained what makes 8-year-old boys awesome, too. Read the full story here.)
3. 106-year-old tattoo artist becomes the oldest Vogue cover model and her story is something
Swipe through the slides to learn about the extraordinary Apo Whang-Od.
4. Witness the magical land art of Andy Goldsworthy, made just with nature itself
\u201cAndy Goldsworthy is an artist that produces site-specific sculptures and land art using natural materials, ephemeral and transient because it returns back to nature . Here are some sycamore leaves around tree roots and Sumach leaves art \n\n\ud83d\udcf8Andy Goldsworthy\u201d— Science girl (@Science girl) 1680807660
Incredible what some perfectly placed leaves can do for the imagination. See more of Andy Goldsworthy's work here.
5. Trevor Noah and Roger Federer made what might be the greatest tourism ad ever.
Not only is it enjoyable to watch, it's also incredibly effective. Who doesn't want to take a train ride through Switzerland after that? See more from behind the scenes of this fabulous collaboration here.
6. Mom creates epic Tokyo Alley Market sleepover space for her daughter
Cardboard Queen, indeed. Wow.
7. Let's take a moment to appreciate the amount of disciplined training it takes to do something like this
\u201cThis took 17 years of training to accomplish \ud83c\udff9 \n\nI started gymnastics when I was 6 \u263a\ufe0f\n\u201d— Shannen \ud83c\udf49 (@Shannen \ud83c\udf49) 1680576682
The things humans can do when they put their minds to it. Dang.
8. Watch this student's family react as he finds out if any Ivy League schools have accepted him
Young Zimbabwean guy getting his university letters
by u/Studog in MadeMeSmile
The culmination of years of hard work—and clearly some joyous support from his family.
9. Michael Che played a hilarious prank on Colin Jost during SNL's 'Weekend Update' and they can't keep it together
The worst thing for a comedian is to have your jokes bomb, so Che asking the audience to limit their laughter during Jost's segments totally got him. (Thankfully, it's all in good fun with these two, who are always playing jokes on one another. Read the full story here.)
10. May we all find something we love as much as this guy loves trains.
@francis.bourgeois 56098 and 50007 at Shawford Station and then Leamington Spa Station! @GB Railfreight #trains
Francis Bourgeois has gained a huge social media following for his child-like passion for trains. He's downright giddy, every time. A delightful reminder to find something you love and go all in on the joy it brings you.
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Overwhelmed with emotion.
Stressed at the desk, seeking a moment of calm.
Storytime circle with kids and teachers in the classroom.
Man sitting on chair covering his eyes.Photo by 
Dishwasher and dishes.via 
A woman washing dishes.via
Communications expert shares the 7-word phrase to shoot down anyone being disrespectful
Try this method next time someone says something rude.
A woman can't believe what she just heard.
Getting caught off guard by a rude comment from a coworker, family member, or total stranger can throw you for a loop. You immediately start wondering how you should respond. Should I insult the person right back or play it cool without stooping to their level? Everyone is going to be thrown by a disrespectful comment at some point, so it’s good to have a response in your back pocket for that moment when it comes.
Communications expert Jefferson Fisher provided a great response that we can all use recently on the Mel Robbins Podcast. Fisher is a Texas board-certified personal injury attorney and one of the most respected voices on argumentation and communication in the world. He is also the bestselling author of The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More.
How to respond to a rude or disrespectful comment
Fisher told Robbins that the first step in responding to the comment is nonverbal. You say nothing. “A lot of silence. So often, if you just wait 10 seconds that you're gonna add distance between what they said and how you're going to respond,” Fisher said. “They're saying this to get something out of you, cause in that moment, they're feeling something, whether it's a fear or an insecurity, whatever it is, you're not going to deliver on that same plane that they are.”
The next step is to let the rude person know that their behavior will not be tolerated in a confident manner.
“So somebody says something disrespectful, you give enough silence to make sure that it's a little awkward, and then you're going to say something to the effect of, ‘That's below my standard for a response.’ All of a sudden, you're now making it clear that what you just said was beneath me. And I don't respond to things that are beneath me in that way.”
Throw it back on them
If you prefer to put someone back on their heels instead of squelching the situation as Fisher recommends, John Bowe, a speech trainer, award-winning journalist, and author of I Have Something to Say: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking in the Age of DisconnectionI Have Something to Say: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking in the Age of Disconnection, says that you should respond with a question: “Do you really mean that?”
“Say it with outrage or dripping sarcasm, with raised eyebrows or deadpan calm. It doesn’t matter. This phrase is quietly disarming and deceptively powerful,” Bowe writes for CNBC. Bowe says the response does two great things for you. First, it gives them a chance to reconsider their words because most rude comments are said without thinking. “By responding with curiosity instead of defensiveness, you’re holding up a mirror. Often, that’s all it takes for the other person to walk back their offense,” he writes.
After the person is asked if they meant what they said, they can double down on their rude comment, but they are probably more likely to backpedal or apologize.
Unfortunately, it’s a fact of life that, unless you live under a rock, you’ll have to deal with people making rude comments. But the best thing you can do is to prepare yourself to confidently put someone in their place so they’ll think twice about ever being rude to you again.