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Here's what volunteering at a hospital is really like. And why you should do it.

Here's what volunteering at a hospital is really like. And why you should do it.
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Clorox

Have you ever considered volunteering at a hospital? It's an important job that's often overlooked.

Photo by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade via WikiCommons.

When you think about the work done at hospitals and other care facilities, visions of doctors and nurses are probably first to come to mind. While these healthcare professionals do some of the most important work on the planet (and that's no overstatement), volunteers are an integral part of the hospital's ecosystem as well.

Volunteers greet visitors, run groups, provide support to patients, wash and change linens, clean rooms, restock supplies and help ensure that the hospital is running cleanly and smoothly so that those providing medical care can focus on the patient's physical health and continued well-being.

In short, volunteers are vital. They form real and lasting connections with patients, and help them get better in a clean, comforting environment.

We talked to three people to get their take on what it's like to work in care facilities, the challenges they've faced, and what the work they did taught them about themselves (and it taught them a lot). Read on to find out more.

Alia read to kids at her local hospital. It made her realize the difference a bedtime story could make.

Photo by Juhan Sonin via Flickr.

When she gave birth at 17, Alia was grateful that her child was strong and healthy. At the same time, she realized that other new parents weren't living that same experience.

"The idea that other families didn't have that really pained me," she writes in an email. I wanted to help them."

Alia would put her son to bed and then, when he was asleep and safely being looked after, drive to Fresno Children's Hospital, where she'd read bedtime stories to children who didn't have company and couldn't sleep at night. She expected the work to make her emotional, but was not at all prepared for the impact it ended up having on her.

"I would cry in my car after all of my shifts," she explains. "I wasn't equipped for the emotional weight of children with poor health. I have the utmost respect for people who can bear that weight comfortably."

It also taught her just how needed volunteers are. They're the people who fill in the gaps in care, fostering close connections with patients who are going through some of the hardest days and nights of their lives.

"I wish people knew how much need there is," she writes. "Walking those empty halls at night, you look into rooms and see people who are scared, lonely, and bored. A few more people in the hall making their way to connect with patients is a huge difference."

"I found the experience rewarding in a lot of capacities. The largest is probably the degree to which it taught me about myself. I valued my son and his health so much. I learned about my emotional limits. And I felt good because I was helping others."

Author Chuck Miceli helped people living in a long-term care facilities express themselves.

Photo by Elien Dumon on Unsplash

He co-coordinated a weekly Poetry group for patients and residents at the Southington Care Center, a rehabilitation and health care facility in Southington Connecticut.

In the group, the residents of the center were encouraged to write and share their own poetry, bring in poems that they enjoyed by their favorite authors, or just sit and listen to the work written by people who also lived there. For many, it was a watershed moment in their recovery. It provided a sense of purpose for one resident in particular — allowing her to see that she was still valued and needed.

"A friend of mine approached me to say that a mutual friend from our church, Joan LaRose, was at the facility," Chuck writes. "I hadn't seen her in years. Now, she was suffering from advanced Parkinson's disease and could not lift her head from her chest, but she still expended the time and effort to write poetry."

"I visited Joan and asked to see her poems. Rather than being bitter or remorseful, they were exceptionally uplifting and beautiful. That motivated me to see if others at the facility might also want to get involved, which prompted the creation of the poetry group."

The group eventually grew and Joan's poems were collected and published in a book that keeps her memory alive. The poetry group is something Chuck reflects on as one of the most positive experiences of his life. It's a reminder of the indomitableness of the human spirit.

"Walking into a nursing or health care facilities can be an intimidating and depressing experience because it is so easy to assume the hopelessness of people's situations," he explains. "It is easy to see what is missing: the physicality, the youthfulness, the mobility, the energy. It is what we don't see, however, that is most important: the potential, the desire to be useful, the lifetime of experience and wisdom, the yearning to be involved."

"Tapping into what's possible instead of being debilitated by what's missing is at once the greatest challenge and the greatest reward."

Jeaninne Escallier Kato, a teacher and writer, volunteered at hospitals during two points in her life. It taught her to think on her feet and let go of her ego.

Photo by Lenny DiFranza via Flickr.

"I have volunteered in hospitals twice in my life," notes Jeaninne. "My volunteer duties included: distributing food and books, feeding patients, teaching and reading to children, managing the play room and holding babies."

"It is all about patient care and compassion. When I was given the task to teach a bedridden child with extreme mental disabilities, I didn't feel like I could handle my emotions. Over time, I let my compassionate nature take over and began to feel the bonds of a strong relationship. That child was so appreciative of my time and attention once a week for three hours, I couldn't wait to get my Saturday hug."

"There's nothing like the feeling of making others comfortable and giving relief. It's another form of love. My advice to those who are considering this line of work is you have to take your ego out of everything because you will be asked to do some very disagreeable tasks."

"Don't do it for you, do it for others. You will soon learn your merit, which resides in the care and love you give freely, because it always comes back two-fold."

Caring for others in need is something we should all make more of an effort to focus on.

Providing comfort to those going through medical difficulties is one of the best ways to help make the world, a brighter, safer, happier place.

So, if you've been thinking of volunteering at a hospital, but had reservation, now might be the time to reconsider. You have no idea how much your efforts will mean to the patients you meet.

Clorox is committed to providing a gentle yet powerful clean, which is why they've partnered with Upworthy to promote those same traits in people, actions and ideas. Cleaning up and strength are important aspects of many of our social good stories. Check out the rest in the campaign to read more.

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Mom is completely embarrassed after kindergartner tells the teacher what she does for a living

“So I have to have a conversation with my son about how he tells people what I do for work."

via Canva/Photos

A mom is embarrassed by her child.

One of the great joys and stresses of parenting is that you never know what will come out of your child’s mouth. When you have kids who are young and inquisitive, they can say really inappropriate things to people without knowing that they were being rude or possibly offensive. TikTok influencer Aurora McCausland (@auroramccausland), known for her DIY cleaning tips, recently told a funny story on the platform about how her son believes she makes a living. The problem was that she heard about it from her child's teacher.


@auroramccausland

so this wasn’t on my bingo card 🥲 #momlife #momtok #sahm #sahmlife #funnyvideo #fypシ

 

Mom is embarrassed by her child

“The other day, I went and picked my five year old up from school and when I get to his classroom his teacher pulls me inside and says, ‘Hey, today he wanted to tell us about what Mommy does for work and said that Mommy makes videos in her bedroom but only when I'm [he’s] not at home,” McCausland recalled.

Given her body language while telling the story, McCausland was clearly mortified after hearing what her child said to his teacher. It makes it look like she may be posting videos to adult sites while her child is at work, which most people wouldn’t want their son’s teacher to know about.

The good news is that another teacher was there to clarify the young boy's comments by adding, “I think she makes TikTok videos.” The uncomfortable situation was a great invitation to chat with her son about what she does for a living. “So I have to have a conversation with my son about how he tells people what I do for work,” she finished her video.


 teacher, funny teacher, teacher posing, kindergarten, funny kids A teacher folding her hands.via Canva/Photos

 

The funny video went viral, earning over 1.7 million views on TikTok, and inspired many people to share the times when their children had funny ways of explaining their careers.

"My son told everyone that we were homeless (because we don’t own our home, we rent)," KBR wrote.

"I work in ortho.. my daughter told her teacher I steal people's knees bc she heard me talking to my husband about a knee replacement," Aingeal wrote.

"My son told a teacher we were living in our car over the summer. Camping. We went camping," Kera wrote.

"In kinder, my son thought Red Bull was alcohol and told his teacher I liked to have beer on the way to school," Ashley wrote.



My niece told her teacher her mom and dad work at the wh*re house. They work at the courthouse," Ellis wrote.

"My husband works as a table games dealer at a casino. Kindergartener, 'Daddy's a Dealer!' We now start every school year clearly stating he works at the casino," CMAC

"My son said we lived in a crack house…There’s a tiny chip in the wall from the doorknob," KNWerner wrote.

"My dad is a hospice chaplain and officiates a lot of funerals. My son and nephew were asked by their preschool teacher if their papa was retired or had a job. They told her his job was to kill people," Tiffyd wrote.

"My son said "my dad left me and I'm all alone" to a random person at the zoo. My husband was just at work," Shelby.
"I am now in my 70s. In my gradeschool, during the McCarthy era, I told my teacher my dad was a communist. He was an economist," Crackerbelly wrote.

"In Kindergarten, my daughter told her teacher that mommy drinks and drives all the time. Coffee. From Starbucks," Jessica wrote.

"Well I once told my kindergarden teacher a man climbs over our fence to visit my mom when her husband is not home... It was a handy man who came to fix gates when they were stuck," Annie wrote.

Ultimately, McCausland’s story is a fun reminder of how children see things through their own unique lens and, with total innocence, can say some of the funniest things. It’s also a great warning to parents everywhere: if you aren’t clear with your kids about what you do for a living, you may be setting yourself up for a very embarrassing misunderstanding.

This article originally appeared in March

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People over 70 share the best life advice they were given that actually stuck

"We have the privilege of being able to look back at a life well-lived."

Image via Canva

People over 70 years old share best life advice.

Gleaning knowledge and wisdom from older generations is a right of passage in life. The best life advice usually comes from people who have lived some solid years and have real experiences under their belts.

In a Reddit thread of people 70 years old or older, member LMO_TheBeginning asked their fellow septuagenarians: "Best life advice you were given? We have the privilege of being able to look back at a life well-lived," they wrote. "So what's a piece of advice you were given that you still hold onto this day and would like to pass on to others?"

The community had plenty of sage advice to share. These are 25 of the best pieces of life advice that truly stuck with people 70 or older.

 wisdom, wise, advice, life advice, maya angelou Maya Angelou Life GIF  Giphy  

"Mine would be 'the days are long but the years are short'. This definitely applied when the kids were young and we had so many weekend activities. I miss those younger days but boy have the years passed by quicker than I could have imagined!" —LMO_TheBeginning

"Told to me by an elderly man in a nursing home (I was there to repair his TV): 'I don't regret anything that I did in my life. But boy do I regret some of the things that I did not do...' Sage wisdom." —commathree4

"'Fail early, fail often' was another one. I was a perfectionist and do wish I took more risks." —LMO_TheBeginning

 fail, failure, failing, fail gif, bob dylan Fail Black And White GIF  Giphy  

"Life never gets easier: You just get better at it." —poetplaywright

"From a manager I had in my job shortly after getting married to my wife. In a marriage he said you should commit to the relationship more so than love. He said love will rise and fall depending on your emotions but if you are committed to the relationship you can weather the low points. This year my wife and I will celebrate 48 years together. I am more in love with my wife now than when we first married and couldn’t imagine life without her. Best advice I ever received." —Santatim_NC

"If you're on time, you're late. It's nice to get to a place 10-15 minutes early and leisurely stroll in to your appointment. And if something happens on the way, you have a buffer and don't have unnecessary stress." —LMO_TheBeginning

"My dad always told me to take care of my teeth. He said 'As the passions of life fade, the love, the work, the play, you will hold on to the joy of eating til the last. So always take care of your teeth.' He had all originals until his death, and that man loved to eat! So do I." —luckygirl54

 teeth, tooth, dental health, good teeth brush teeth Teeth Getting Up GIF by Paddington Bear  Giphy  

"My father taught me that you need to have your own principles and ethics, and not compromise them. I don't remember his exact words but the advice was along the lines of this country song by Aaron Tippin: 'You've got to stand for something, Or you'll fall for anything.' Thanks, Dad." —yarevande

"Women. Always be self sufficient." —sepstolm

"Happiness comes from inside and it is no one's responsibility other than your own. In a romantic relationship you should be able to be more of your true self... not less. Experiences satisfy longer than things. Family, whether it is the one you are born into or the one you make, is more important and will make you happier than almost anything else in life." —SultanOfSwave

 love yourself, happy, happiness, happy life, being happy Love Yourself Dancing GIF by Pose FX  Giphy  

"When your gas tank gets to 1/4 full, fill it up immediately! (Or you may wind up near empty when you're driving a woman in labor to the hospital in a snowstorm and have a flat tire.)" —ANameIWontHateLater

"'I am farmer not hunter'. Told to me when I was in my fifties and I didn't quite get it at first. The person telling me this was the owner of a shipping supply company and politely explained that his goal was not making a killing on the sale, but to nurture every sale with the idea this is a customer." —Lopsided-Solution-95

"Live beneath your means." —MisterMysterion

"'No' is a complete sentence." —No_Ice_4794

 no, saying no, no is a complete sentence, say no, no gif Disagree No Way GIF by Apple TV+  Giphy  

"I was working is a warehouse making $3.74 an hour in Canandaigua NY in 1974, and my wife was pregnant. One day, my supervisor jokingly said, 'The heck with this place, I'm joining the Army!' The next week, I signed up to join the Air Force. Best decision I ever made. Fifty years later, I'm retired after six years in the AF and 35 years as a federal contractor, life is good. PS That warehouse burned down two months after I left." —INTPaco

"In high school I had to read a book called Help Yourself to Happiness. My big take away that served me well in life was that no one can hurt your feelings (unless they stick a pencil in your ear and hit your limbic system) it is all how you process the situation. Take control of your response to any situation and choose to be happy!" —Icrad17

"It is what it is." —MaeWestFan

"Everyone is on their own path. You can help someone walk theirs but you cannot walk it for them." —cherith56

 walk, walking, own path, walk your path, walking gif Happy Feeling Good GIF  Giphy  

"My mom's motto was pick your battles. I'd add 'but don't let yourself become a doormat.'" —Sorry_Wonder5207

"When considering a bold move in my life. Some one said, 'try'. It worked out, and changed my life. Sometimes when in doubt, inviting people to dare; can be the best advice." —rodrigo-benenson

"My Nana told me before she died (at 94) 'You can always make more money, you cant make more time' - so take the holiday, spend the time with your kids, enjoying life is more important than just increasing your bank account." —Difficult-Desk5894

"Don’t get overwhelmed at first, things always come together like a puzzle. Basically don’t give up and see the job through." —Future_Ad5392

 never give up, dont give up, keep going, never quit, see job through I Dont Give Up GIF by SVU  Giphy  

"'Never ever EVER make anything worse, harder or more complicated. Angry? Fearful? Annoyed? Unsure? Do NOTHING until you feel better.' It’s incredible to me how much better life is when you’re not stuck rationalizing or cleaning up messes made when something unwanted happens. I have heeded this advice for 8 years now (small example: I have not sent an angry text message in all that time) and the biggest hardest challenge I'm facing today is from 3 years ago when I failed to implement this incredibly helpful advice." —louderharderfaster

"Two things. First: nothing takes the place of tenacity. And second: I can always wait tables." —kstravlr12

"Don’t let fear make your decisions for you." —coggiegirl

"Everything will work out one way or another." —Selmer1526

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A man found a strange egg and incubated it. 28 days later, it hatched and changed his life.

It's a love story straight out of a Pixar movie.

Courtesy of Riyadh Khalaf/Instagram (used with permission)
When Riyadh found an egg, he had no idea how much it would change his life.

When we come across something that's wrong or amiss, we often have a choice. Leave it for someone else to deal with, or do the right thing. Taking action is hard, but it's a risk that can have absolutely beautiful results.

The story of Riyadh and Spike starts like the opening to a children's book: "One day, a man was walking along and spotted a lone egg where an egg should not have been…" And between that beginning and the story's mostly sweet ending is a beautiful journey of curiosity, care, and connection that has captivated people all over the world.

Irish author, broadcaster, and activist Riyadh Khalaf was out walking in Devon, England, when he came upon an egg.

"We just found what we think is a duck egg," Riyadh says in a video showing the milky white egg sitting in a pile of dirt. "Just sitting here on its own. No nest. No other eggs."

 duck egg on the ground, duck egg in incubator, duckling just hatched, humanity, kindness, ducks, animals, wildlife, conservation What would you do if you found a lone egg on the ground?  Photo by Alexander Andrews on Unsplash  

Thinking there was no way it was going to survive on its own, Riyadh put the egg in a paper cup cushioned with a napkin and took it home to London, which entailed two car rides, a hotel stay, a train ride, a tube ride, and a bus ride. He said he used to breed chickens and pigeons, so he had some experience with birds. Knowing the egg could survive for a while in a dormant state, he ordered an incubator on Amazon. An incubator keeps eggs at a particular temperature and humidity range in order to allow them to continue growing. They mimic the warmth the egg receives from the mother birding sitting on it in the nest. Without that warmth, the fetus inside the egg will die.

With the egg tucked safely inside the warm incubator, te journey to see if the egg was viable began.

 
 

Even though it was "just an egg," Riyadh quickly became attached, and once it showed signs of life he took on the role of "duck dad."

Every day, the egg showed a drastic change in development. The incubator was working, and Riyadh's giddy joy at each new discovery—movement, a discernible eye, a beak outline—was palpable. He devoured information on ducks to learn as much as he could about the baby he was (hopefully) about to hatch and care for.


Finally, 28 days later, the shell of the egg began to crack. The baby was coming!

"I could see this very clear outline of the most gorgeous little round bill," Riyadh said—confirmation that it was, indeed, a duck as he had suspected. But duckling hatching is a process, and one they have to do it on their own. Ducklings instinctively know to turn the egg as it hatches so that the umbilical cord detaches, and the whole process can take up to 48 hours. Riyadh watched and monitored until he finally fell asleep, but at 4:51am, 29 hours after the egg had started to hatch, he awakened to the sound of tweets.

"There was just this little wet alien staring back at me," he said. "It was love at first sight."

Riyadh named his rescue duckling Spike. Once Spike was ready to leave the incubator, he moved into "Duckingham Palace," a setup with all of the things he would need to grow into a healthy, self-sufficient duck—including things that contribute to his mental health. (Apparently ducklings can die from poor mental health, which can happen when they don't have other ducks to interact with—who knew?)

"My son shall not only survive, but he shall thrive!" declared the proud papa.

Riyadh knew it would be impossible for Spike to not imprint on him somewhat, but he didn't want him to see him as his mother. Riyadh set up mirrors so that Spike could see another duckling (even though it was just himself) and used a surrogate stuffed duck to teach him how to do things like eat food with his beak.

He used a duck whistle and hid his face from Spike while feeding him, and he played duck sounds on his computer to accustom Spike to the sounds of his species. He knew that Spike could not stay and live with him forever, so he'd need to learn how to become a normal, every day duck.

"It's just such a fulfilling process to watch a small being learn," said Riyadh.

As Spike grew, Riyadh took him to the park to get him accustomed to the outdoors and gave him opportunities to swim in a small bath. He learned to forage and do all the things a duck needs to do. Throughout, Riyadh made sure that Spike was getting the proper balanced nutrition he needed as well.

In the wild, most ducks eat plants, small insects, seeds, grains, and fruits. Some species of ducks will even eat small fish. Contrary to popular belief, bread is not good for ducks. It's not inherently harmful, but it's basically candy to them — it has little to none of the nutrients their bodies need. So if they fill up on bread, they may eat less of the foods they really need. Riyadh had a lot to learn!

Check this out:

After 89 days, the day finally came for Spike to leave Riyadh's care and be integrated into a community of his kind "to learn how to properly be a duck."

A rehabilitation center welcomed him in and he joined a flock in an open-air facility where he would be able to choose whether to stay or to leave once he became accustomed to flying. Within a few weeks of being at the rehabilitation center, his signature mallard colors developed, marking his transition from adolescence. Spike has been thriving with his flock, and Riyadh was even able to share video of his first flight.

This is the where "And they all lived happily ever after" would be a fitting end to the story, but unfortunately, Spike and his fowl friends are living in trying times. The rehabilitation center was notified by the U.K. government in December of 2024 that the duck flock needed to be kept indoors for the time being to protect them from a bird flu outbreak and keep it from spreading.

Building an entire building for a flock of ducks is not a simple or cheap task, so Riyadh called on his community of "daunties" and "duncles" who had been following Spike's story to help with a fundraiser to build a "Duckingham Palace" for the whole flock. Riyadh's followers quickly raised over £11,000, which made a huge difference for the center's owners to be able to protect Spike and his friends.

All in all, Riyadh and Spike's story is a testament to what can happen when people genuinely care. If Riyadh had left that egg where it was, it may not have made it. If Spike hadn't survived and been moved to the rehab center, the ducks there would be in greater danger of the bird flu due to the costs of building an indoor shelter for them. Despite the ongoing bird flu threat, the story really does have a happy ending.

In an update from June 2025, Riyadh shares that Spike is currently living with Leanne Clarke, who built a rescue shelter called "The Quack Shack" in her home. Riyadh's story and fundraising made much of the construction possible. Spike is starting to remember Riyadh less and less, which is bittersweet, but means that Spike is thriving in his new safe, domesticated life.

Thank to Riyadh for sharing Spike's journey with us. (You can follow Riyadh on Instagram here.)

This article originally appeared in January. It has been updated.

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Divorce lawyer uses his own ex-wife as a perfect example of how to view love after marriage ends

A divorce attorney sheds his cynicism about marriage to give rock-solid advice.

Canva

A couple sits back to back seeming distressed.

 Divorce can be one of life's hardest experiences. The cold, hard truth that not all relationships are fixable can feel excruciating when what one thought would be a forever love comes crashing down instead. But just because some marriages (or love stories) end in a split, it doesn't mean there aren't lessons to be learned. In fact, the pain could actually propel a person in a better direction, and into the arms of the "right match."

Divorce attorney James Sexton, Esq. (who deems himself "America's Divorce Lawyer" on Instagram) gives many inspiring (and, of course, practical) talks on the matter. In a clip making the rounds online, he gets extra vulnerable, sharing the idea that if you can strip away your ego and all the jealousy that might come with it, you'll get precious hindsight, wiped clean with perspective.

Tami Wollensak's, who does client-based work in divorce law, shard a clip of Sexton getting personal, using the chyron, "The best relationship advice you'll hear," on Instagram In the clip, Sexton shares, "My ex-wife is married for over a decade now to a phenomenal guy. Who is perfect for her. And he's nothing like me, by the way. Like if you met him—if you met both of us—you'd go, 'Well, no one could love both of these guys.' Like if you like THIS flavor, you wouldn't like this flavor. Like I'm impatient, fast-talking, skip-to-the-end, we've gotta land this plane, c'mon."

Sexton slows down his speech and softens his voice. "And he's a therapist. He's chill. He's patient. And they're perfect together."

What he says next is extra heartfelt and eye-opening: "And I can say that as someone who loves her and loved her. And knows her, and knew her. And I think if we can radically view, honestly, without jealousy—look at it and just go, 'Yeah. This is the love this person needed.' It doesn't mean my love sucks. Just means it wasn't the right one for this person. Ya know?"

Wollensak writes her own commentary on the page: "Letting Go with Love & Respect. Divorce doesn’t have to mean hate. It’s possible to let go of a marriage while still respecting—and even loving—the person you once chose. Loving your ex in a new way doesn’t mean you wish you were still together. It means you honor what you shared, appreciate what you learned, and release each other with kindness." She adds:

✅ You can respect them without agreeing with them.
✅ You can love them as a co-parent or as part of your past, even if you no longer love them as a partner.
✅ You can move forward with peace instead of resentment.

These words seem to truly resonate in the comment section. One says quite profoundly, "I'm not going to find someone better than you. I'm going to find someone better for me."

A few ask for Sexton's number—some because they need divorce advice and others because they think he's cute.

Another writes, "This is such a refreshing perspective on love and letting go."

This person went in a little deeper: "If you truly loved someone, you would want the best for them, especially if it’s not you. It’s hard to find your 'perfect' match, and anyone who is jealous, angry, or wants you to suffer after you break up never truly loved you—they thought they were entitled to you."

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I talk to myself out loud a LOT and thought something was wrong with me. Turns out it's perfectly normal.

"I have fake conversations with people in my life and celebrities."

Canva

A woman talks to herself on her couch.

Ever since I can remember, I've had conversations with myself…out loud. Not always at top volume. Perhaps, at times, in a whisper. But definitely not just an inner monologue. Usually, I don't even realize I'm doing it until a good five minutes in. Sometimes it's an argument with a friend, but there are times it's just basic chitchat with a person who's very famous.

It will go something like this: "Oh, thanks for asking, Oprah. My favorite sweater this season is the Dior cashmere. In fact, all of you get one under your seats!" Sometimes, I'm on a political talk show: "And another thing about Keynesian economics," I'll argue with…could be anyone. Tucker Carlson. Anderson Cooper. Rachel Maddow.

 Oprah, Oprah Winfrey, self talk, talk show, gif Oprah Winfrey is very excited.  Giphy  

Maybe the most interesting part? I get so lost in these moments, my body reacts to them as though they're really happening. If I'm fighting with an invisible person, I feel rage. If someone, like let's say Ewan McGregor, is proposing marriage, I feel glee.

I've always assumed this to be odd behavior, to say the least. But it turns out, according to research, it is quite common and can actually even be healthy. In the article "The Surprising Benefits of Talking Out Loud to Yourself" by health and wellness editor for Time Magazine, Angela Haupt, psychology professor Gary Lupyan is cited, saying, "Talking out loud to yourself is perfectly normal—and even beneficial. It can facilitate problem-solving and improve how well you perform at a task."

Haupt also notes that talking out loud can be a big motivator. In sharing another study which researched the effect self-talk had on basketball players, she discusses how it can keep a person "focused, especially in a situation that requires lots of different steps."

But for me, it hasn't been about motivation. It's more the idea of self-regulating when I feel anxious, which is often. The article shares the ideas of psychology professor Thomas Brinthaupt, writing, "Studies have found that when you’re anxious or experiencing, for example, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, you’re much more likely to talk to yourself. Upsetting or disturbing experiences make people want to resolve or understand them—and self-talk is a tool that helps them do so."

I don't just do it when I'm stressed. On the contrary, it's often as if there's a storybook I've written in my head and I'm merely reading it out loud. (Like accepting someone's dazzling marriage proposal or nailing "Purple Rain" at karaoke.) Some could argue that this is a form of dissociation—and that's true. But for me, sometimes, that "other world" is where I'd prefer to be.

@thecarlinfamily

Should we call Hollywood?!😂 #fyp #funny #cutetoddler #viral #trending #foryou #comedy #happy #4u #foryoupage #trend

It's quite the popular topic on Reddit. On the thread, "Talking to yourself out loud," the OP writes, "I live alone and talking to myself out loud is helpful to clear my thoughts and slow my thinking down. It helps me ‘get my feelings out’ too—a bit like journaling or writing them down. Do you talk to yourself? About what? When? Curious to learn how many people do this, or on the other side—find it strange. Like, does anyone living alone not do this?"

There are hundreds of comments from those who do the same thing. One suggests, "I do this as a form of self-therapy. I record and talk for an hour without realizing. One of my greatest coping mechanisms."

This person does exactly what I do: "Always. I also have fake conversations with people in my life and celebrities. It’s super cathartic. I also work from home—so I have a fairly isolated life. There have been a few times I started talking out loud to myself when I have had people at my home or at the grocery store."

  Comedian Jeff Scheen jokes about talking out loud.   www.youtube.com, Jeff Scheen 

In the subreddit r/ADHD, some even identify this behavior as a symptom. As someone who was recently diagnosed (as many of us have been) with ADHD, I found this extra fascinating. Here, the original poster writes in part, "One thing I've done is talked to myself. A lot. I'm not talking about just saying 'Whoops, dropped my keys.' I have full, extended conversations with myself, discussing the intricacies of an idea. I'll often pace through the house, talking to myself about an idea I have for a book, or acting out an interview like I was a famous actor, or explaining to an invisible friend what ADHD is."

Quite interestingly, they continue, "The closest term I've found is "maladaptive daydreaming.' It definitely gets in the way of things I'm doing, and it's never the same thing every time. I'd just, for example, see a picture of a musician I look up to and start vocally daydreaming about being a famous musician. It never gets to the point where they become delusions that I believe are true, but it does consume an awful lot of my time."

Again, many comment that they too experience this and that it's a healthy form of regulation and self-therapy. Others back up the notion that, indeed, it can be "an ADHD thing."

"YES! IT IS AN ADHD THING! Here's Russell Barkley talking about the five executive deficits that people with ADHD have, and internal self-talk is one of them."

  Russell Barkley speaks about ADHD symptoms.   www.youtube.com, ADHD videos 

 Whether it is ADHD, anxiety, or just a wild imagination, it's nice to learn that having full conversations with no one is perfectly normal. Hearing other people's stories makes me feel seen...or I guess in this case—heard.

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