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What would you say if you could truly converse with your pet? People's answers are so wholesome.

Time for a smile break.

what tail wags mean, different cat purrs, if pets could talk
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"Are you hungry? Do you want outside? WHAT DOES IT MEAN?"

As loving pet owners, we do our best to become highly skilled animal translators. We know that not all meows are created equal. We can sense the difference between a happy tail wag and an anxious one. But still, what if we could just have a conversation with our beloved beasties? What would they say? And what would we ask them?

communicating with pets"Why are they looking at us like that? I know we're cute and all, but..." Photo by Louis-Philippe Poitras on Unsplash

In a since-deleted Reddit post, someone posed this very question. The Reddit user asked:

“You're gifted 24 straight hours where you and your pet are suddenly able to understand each other…What would you want to tell them?”

There were hundreds of responses. Some were lighthearted, like kindly asking to not throw up on the carpet or requesting explanation for [insert odd behavior here]. Others seemed eager to reassure their pets that yes, the vet really is a safe place to be, and no, leaving the house doesn’t mean they’ll be gone forever.

Despite the myriad answers, one theme prevailed: love. For the most part, pet owners have immense fondness for their fur babies, and really do want to provide the best life possible for them. We might not be able to use actual words (doesn’t stop us from using the baby voice though) but we humans will never stop finding different ways to thank our animals for filling our hearts with so much joy.

Enjoy 14 of the funniest, most heartwarming and all around smile-inducing answers:

“I would tell our cat how much we love him and how lovable he is. I would tell him that I value every second with him. I would tell him that we don't let him outside because he has a medical condition not because we choose not to let him outside. I would tell him that we disappear all day, most days, because we have to to earn our keep not because we want to…I would ask him if he is okay and happy, whether he feels well, whether he's in pain at all, what we could do to make him happier. I would stroke and cuddle him the whole time.” -@fishfingerchipbean

“I would reassure my dog that the people walking in the street aren't going to hurt us. Delivery drivers are not evil. The people at the vet are very nice and will never hurt you. They help keep you healthy.” -@FluffySharkBird

“I would profusely apologize for ever stomping on their tails and swear on my mother's life it was always an accident.” -@gudbote

“Talk about dog life and how it’s like…what do they do when left unsupervised, and maybe go on a walk and talk about anything and everything.” -@SecurityCrisis141


“I would love to know what they dream about.” -@Dry-Explanation-9464

what cats think, what dogs think

Dreaming about a utopia of nothing but amazon boxes.

Photo by Aleksandar Cvetanovic on Unsplash

“I think my cat would absolutely ROAST me first for 24 hours.” -@StraberryBob69

“Please let me know how to be a better friend to you because you deserve everything.” -@boywithtwoarms

“I'd ask him about what his life was like before he was picked up by the shelter (he was a stray when they found him). I'd also tell him how proud I am of him learning new things. I'd reassure him that he doesn't need to feel anxious or afraid when he sees other dogs on our walk (he's leash reactive, we're working on it).” -@makuniverse

ask reddit pets

"Will you love me forever?"

Photo by Madeline Bowen on Unsplash

“I'd ask them for their preferences on literally everything. What do they want to eat? What litter do they like? What toys, if any, do they actually enjoy playing with, and how can I make playtime with them more enjoyable? Which nap space is the best? Is the water fountain ever going to get used again, or should I just stick to cups of water laid out on the kitchen floor for them to pick from? Do they enjoy cuddle time at all (or, maybe for my own selfish sake, can i at least get SOME on occasion)?” -@in_the_low_life

“Why do you beg for treats, then sometimes don't even eat them but line them up on your bed in a certain order? And did you really eat that whole chicken, bones and all?” -@Lucinnda

“What’s up with the food thing? Today you love chicken pate and tomorrow it’s poison? WTF?” -Expensive_Ferret-339

if pets could talk

"Hm. No. Ask me again tomorrow."

Photo by Piotr Musioł on Unsplash

“If you need to throw up please get off the bed. Better yet, get on the tile. Love you. Thanks for never scratching the kids when they're being crazy.” -@Likeomgitscrystal

“I love you so much and I would literally die for you, Oh and why do you get zoomies everyday and bite me everytime!!!!!” -@curator_557

“Tbh I would just love to hear her tell stories of her favorite memories from her point of view. Maybe I'd tell her mine too. I really would just like to catch up like old friends lol. Also I would want to tell her that even though we go away on vacation sometimes I hope she knows that we'll always come back because we love her and we miss her lots while we're away.” -@Vanilla_Chinchilla96

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5 ways people are going "All In" this week

From the silly to the sentimental, here are five ways people across the internet are giving it their all.

True

When you hear the words “all in,” what do you think? You might picture a color-coordinated, fairy-themed surprise proposal that took months to create, or maybe you think of a singer who went on stage and nailed the perfect high note in front of everyone (like this girl). Whatever you picture, the idea is the same: Going “all in” means doing something with total commitment—literally giving it your “all” and going completely over the top. No second guessing, no holding back—just full-throttle enthusiasm with some creativity and flair thrown in. That’s how we get those viral internet moments we can’t stop watching.

This week, we've found a handful of hilarious and heart-warming videos that perfectly capture what it's like to go "all in"—moments where passion, creativity, and commitment take center stage and something truly special happens as a result. Here are five of our favorite examples.

1. This "Sports Car" singalong

@_julianabba Replying to @courtney_azbell I’m okay @tate mcrae @t8 hq #tate #tatemcrae #tatemcraetour #sportscar #soclosetowhat #misspossesive #misspossesivetour #tatemcrae1 ♬ original sound - jules

The viral song “Sports Car” by Tate McRae has become an absolute viral hit, and it’s not hard to see why. Not only is the song super catchy, but her performance is show-stopping (you might even say she and her backup dancers go all in). Everyone is singing and dancing along—although this content creator’s rendition of the song might be the most passionate one. He gets a little too caught up, as you’ll see at the end of this video—and, well, his reenactment becomes "show stopping" in a different way. (Don't worry, though, he's totally fine.)

2. A little bit of everything, according to Reddit (but especially personal growth) 

This week, the team at All In asked Reddit users what they go “all in” on in their own lives, and the responses were entertaining and inspiring (and sometimes both). One commenter shared that they go all in on blue cheese dressing when they’re eating buffalo wings (respect), while another shared that they go all in on saving up their retirement (we love to see people reaching for big goals). Turns out you can go “all in” on everything from maintaining a healthy marriage to putting salt on your cucumbers. Our favorite responses, though, were people who went in on personal growth and learning. Click here to see what they had to say (and click here to snag a box of All In bars—for free!).

3. Pursuing a life-long dream 

@kynder.jpg that's my mom! 💙⛸️ #iceskating #followyourdreams #figureskating #lifeover50 ♬ No One - Aly & AJ

If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking you’re “too old” to follow your dreams, watch this video, because this midlife mom will prove you wrong. This video shows a woman skating in her first figure skating competition—and she’s about to turn 50. The daughter, who filmed and posted the video to TikTok, says that ice skating has always been her mother’s lifelong dream, and recently she just decided to go for it. The costume, the composition, and the passion are all first-rate, but the best part is that the commenters are going crazy for her, too. One of them wrote, “As a former competitive figure skater, nothing makes me tear up like videos of people getting into skating later in life. The ice was my first love, it was home. Welcome home.”

4. These infectious dance moves

@itz_sokizzy

♬ Some Nights - Fun.

Okay, so unlike the figure skating mom, there’s nothing technically impressive about this woman dancing—as in, she’s not a professional dancer. She doesn’t use choreography or sparkly costumes—but what’s great about these videos is that her passion and enthusiasm just can’t be denied. It’s just her in her bonnet, dancing along to upbeat classics like “Some Nights,” by Fun, and somehow you can’t help but be completely mesmerized—and maybe start dancing along yourself. We watched a bunch of her videos—there are tons, and they’re all equally enthusiastic—and we couldn’t help but laugh and groove right along with her. That’s what’s great about going “all in”—it inspires other people, too.

Song re-enactments...with a surprising guest star 

@animallover.zx123 if you're done with your ex move on#just move on#ex #move on with your life #fyp #fyp #fyp #fyp ♬ Gladdest Done with your ex - GLAD FAMILY

People can sometimes be “extra” when it comes to their pets (like dressing up their dog as a cowboy or a mailman for Halloween). But there’s being “extra” with your pet, and then there’s going “all in,” which this TikTok creator undoubtedly does. King Guinea Adventures (@animallover.zx123) has built a platform on staging re-enactments of popular songs, but with a twist: the star of the show is a guinea pig. These hilarious videos show the guinea pig acting out the lyrics of popular songs such as “Video Games” by Lana Del Ray and “Whiskey Lullaby” by Braid Paisley and Alison Kraus. The literalism of these videos is what makes them actually hilarious, and it shows how much thought the creator put into making them (In “Video Games,” for example, when Lana sings “Swinging in the backyard / pull up in your fast car,” you see a literal toy car appear in the swing next to him. When she gets to the lyric “video games,” you see a Nintendo Switch pop up.) It’s creative, it’s funny, it’s fun—and best of all, this creator takes their love of pop culture (and the love of her pet guinea pig) and truly goes “all in.”

Snag a free (!!) box of All In snack bars here while this deal lasts. Just pick up a box at Sprouts and text a pic of your receipt to get it for free. Enoy!

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What makes kids popular in high school? Researchers found they share the same personality trait.

It's not looks, athletics, or grades.

via Canva/Photos

A girl is crowned prom queen.

Every high school has a few "popular" students that almost everyone likes. They are often chosen to be prom king or queen and elected to the student council. They are the folks that everyone waves to in the hallways, and they are usually confident and friendly.

So, what are the traits that make certain people popular and others slink by with little recognition? Are the most likable kids also the most athletic? Do they have a higher GPA? Are they more extroverted? Are they funnier? Are they more attractive?

Communications expert Vanessa Van Edwards was recently on The Dan Buettner Podcast, where she shared the common trait that popular kids have in common. Van Edwards, who describes herself as a recovering awkward person, teaches communication skills at Harvard University.

Researchers discovered the trait after interviewing thousands of high school students and asking them to list the people they liked at school. It revealed a significant finding: popular kids had the longest lists of people they liked.

What traits do popular kids in high school share?



The findings are straightforward: if you like a lot of people, many of them are likely to like you back.

Even though you may no longer be in high school, there are benefits to being popular in your workplace, church, or neighborhood. Van Edwards says we should all learn how to like other people if we want to be likable ourselves.

“Learn how to like," she told Buettner. "In fact, be free with your likes. The most popular kids were the ones who were first likers. In other words, they walked down the hallway and they say, ‘Hey, Dan. Hey, Sarah. Hey, Joy.’ They're the ones who walk into a class and be like, ‘Hey, you want to sit with me?’ They are inviters. They are likers. They are looking for good. And in that way, I think that we can train ourselves to be more likable by searching and hunting for likes."

@steven

Body language expert Vanessa Van Edwards reveals what makes kids popular and the common trait that all of them have 👀 Full episode on The Diary Of A CEO #podcast #podcastclip #interview #bodylanguage #tips #advice #tip #vanessavanedwards #expert #doctor #dr #didyouknow #popular #friends #diaryofaceo

There’s something very positive about the fact that people who like others are liked in return. It’s a great excuse to have an open attitude when meeting new people and to look for the good in everyone around you, even if they may be a little challenging to get along with.

What is the reciprocity of liking?

There is a concept in psychology known as the reciprocity of liking, which states that if someone likes you, you tend to like them back. Because when someone likes you, they are usually kind and supportive. Therefore, most people like those who like them.

However, there is one big caveat to this truth: People with low self-esteem often dislike themselves, so if someone shows them affection, they may not reciprocate because it makes them feel out of balance.

Ultimately, if you want to be the popular kid in any of your social or professional circles, you have to like yourself first. Because when you like yourself, there’s a much greater chance that you will like other people. This leads to a virtuous cycle of friendship growth, where you expand your social circle in a wonderfully positive way.

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People rally for plane passenger who defended his right to sit in the seat he paid for

A mom had given her child the man's seat with the flight attendant's blessing.

Photo credit: Canva

People rally for passenger who demanded his seat from a mom

Boarding a plane is always awkward, especially if you're in the later boarding zones. It's inevitable someone is going to sit in the wrong seat, usually by accident, causing a silly scooching and standing routine. But what happens when someone is in your seat on purpose? Not just any someone, a child whose mother informed them that they were allowed to sit there.

This is what happened to Osaac Summers when he flew with American Airlines recently. Upon boarding his flight he noticed a child sitting in his seat so he continued walking, possibly assuming that was not his seat. Summers is fairly tall, standing at 6' 2" which makes sitting in enclosed seats uncomfortable which is why he paid extra for an aisle seat. But since a child was occupying his seat he was prepared to allow the child to stay there while he found a vacant seat.

airplane seat; plane seat; entitled parents; man takes seat back; airlines; flight attendant Passengers seated on a plane, ready for takeoff.Photo credit: Canva

Summers tells the child's mother that next time she should ask the person the seat belongs to if they would mind swapping seats.

"I'm like ma'am, I really don't want to take the seat from you and your child but next time it'll be the best thing to ask before taking a seat. You know like just ask because I don't have no problem giving the seat to you if you want to sit by your family but right now you got me standing up, you know in the middle of the plane. Everybody looking at me and I'm just sitting here waiting on a seat or for you to get up and nobody's doing anything about it," Summers recalls in his video.

Instead of getting upset, the man says he went to find another seat on the aisle but was told by a flight attendant that he couldn't sit there. Summers explains to the flight attendant that he's long and needs to be an aisle seat which is why he picked his original seat. But was then met with the flight attendant telling him that the woman and child boarded the plane first, implying that their boarding order gave them permission to occupy the chair he paid for. When he reminded the attendant that the seats were assigned she then told him he could take his seat back.

@lalawright2

Respectfully they should’ve asked him if it was coo first cause he did pay for that seat.

This is where things go a little off the track. After explaining that he would feel bad for taking the seat the flight attendant allegedly told him that he would be the "bad guy" for sitting in the seat he paid to sit in. It was then that Summers told the attendant that he wanted his seat that he paid for to which the flight attendant responded poorly saying that the now seatless man could be removed from the flight.

The mother who witnessed the interaction did not move her child to the correct seat, instead she allowed her child to stay in Summers' rightful chair. Eventually another passenger offered the mother their seat so she could sit with her child but not before the woman's sister told Summers to shut up. Another flight attendant did come to the frustrated man's aid to attempt to calm the situation prior to him getting his seat back.

@osaacsummer

Visit TikTok to discover videos!

Someone uploaded a video of the incident on social media showing Summers responding angrily to someone who was upset he retrieved his seat. Another passenger told the story from her point of view which matched what Summers had already recounted. While passengers on the plane seemed upset that Summers wanted his seat back, people online were solidly on his side.

"So... you paid for the seat They tried to steal it then the flight attendant came and consoled them for NOT being successful in their crime? ok..." one person writes.

"So by the flight attendant logic, if I get on the flight and there's an open seat in first class, I get it because I was there first," another says.

@lalawright2

here y’all go

"You should report the flight attendants to the airline and demand an apology. You paid for the seat, they can't just claim it," someone else chimes in.

One commenter confirms "You weren’t remotely the bad guy here. They were incredibly entitled. They don’t get to use their kid to be rude."

Another person writes, "Let’s normalize when booking your flight you pick seats for you and your children to sit together. If not do not expect someone to give you their seat. I would’ve told her to rise up like the sun and get out my seat."

This article originally appeared in July.

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Budget shoppers share tips for spending $100 or less on groceries a week

Beat insane grocery prices with this frugal grocery advice.

Image via Canva/97

How to spend under $100 a week on groceries.

Grocery prices these days are astronomical. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices have been on an uphill climb since 2020.

The average American family of four spends anywhere from $996-1,603 on groceries, but frugal people and budget shoppers are finding creative ways to save money on groceries with a weekly grocery budget of just $100.

Yeah, you read that right: keeping your grocery bill at $100 or less is possible. Budget grocery shoppers shared their best advice for how to save big on groceries on the subreddit r/budget.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"Frozen veggies. It’s a myth they are less healthy than fresh. Get the $1 variety bags from aldi. No chopping needed. Each bag is like 4 servings. Dump a bit straight into the pan and cook for like 12 min and you’re good to go." - Dismal_Pop2092

"Go on fb marketplace and get an instant pot. For $20-$40. The key to saving on groceries is a little more time cooking so you don’t have to buy the expensive ready made stuff. Instant pot makes it so you can set and forget which is super helpful. The only way I can afford meat anymore is buying whole chicken and putting it in the instant pot (it’s also the tastiest prep imo!)" - Dismal_Pop2092

"Cut the junk food. Seriously. It’s a farce that eating healthy is expensive. I promise if you just buy INGREDIENTS and not PRODUCTS your grocery bill will go down significantly." - Dismal_Pop2092

"I've been keeping track of our spending for the last 12 months and on average, we were blowing through $825 a month on groceries....and $400 on take out. So I immediately made a menu up for the remainder of the month (this happened in sept 9th) and a grocery list of anything I might need, plus some staples we needed. Then I combined menu planning with freezer cooking. I have the rest of sept meals planned out, prepped and/or frozen. I have all of October meals planned out as well but haven't gone grocery shopping yet. Ive cut our monthly grocery budget down to $400 a month (family of 5) and our takeout budget to $0. And so far.... im $47 under budget for the month and already have all the meals planned." - rickrolled_gay_swan

"Bread makers can also be found for cheap at thrift stores, and for basic loaves (including whole wheat) older models work fine. You can make 3-5 loaves of your own bread for the cost of 1 at the store, and you can save even more if you buy things like flour, yeast and eggs in bulk. I have a kid here with gluten intolerance, and making GF bread at home is a huge savings - but just FYI for the GF folks, most older bread makers are not good at making GF bread unless you use them for only the mix and rise and then finish them in your own oven. Oatmeal and other grains are your friend fellow shopper! You can buy them in bulk for cheap." - SunLillyFairy

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"I also save my fats. bacon grease, chicken smaltz. got little jars for all of it. I also only buy the big generic oil. gave up wasting money on olive oil. just keep a neutral/high smoke point oil around. whatever is cheapest per volume. And I also save my scraps from veggies. i have a ziplock bag for onion and carrot ends, or celery nubs, and on the weekend, will bake a chicken, and make stock the next day." - oneWeek2024

"My tip: Make whatever the hell you want in a quarter portion than usual, and then lay it over a bed of rice, beans, lentils, potatoes, pasta, or corn. Does not apply if you’re low-carb. I love carbs. They’re the body’s preferred source of energy, very delicious, and very cheap. I do limit my fats, usually a tsp or two of oil gets the whole pot slick. I prefer lean meats, and they have been very affordable from Costco. $2.77 chicken breast, $3.18 93% ground turkey, $5.40 91% ground beef. Turkey can be subbed for most of my beef recipes." - katie4

"Something I’ve found super helpful living alone and trying to budget is I like to get a bang for my buck. Meaning that I will go to Safeway or Costco (I don’t have an Aldi’s) to buy the big azz tub of spinach/greens for $5. I eat a huge amount of it during the week, but the rest I know I can’t finish (at least 1/3 of it), I will freeze. Then, I don’t waste it. I can then add in amounts with my protein powder and soy milk. 😀 I also do this with my nutpod creamer. If I go to sprouts, sometimes they have a BOGO so you spend $6 for 2. What I do is I have a separate large ice cube tray specific for the nutpod creamer. I will probably drink half of it during the week and the other half I can’t finish in 1.5 weeks before it goes bad. So I save the rest in the ice cube trays. I know these are saving cents or some dollars, but it goes a long way!" - healthnut270

"These tips are gold! I'd add: shop your pantry first because I used to rebuy stuff I forgot I had like some grocery store amnesia patient." - PaycheckWizard

"I shop around at various stores between TJ’s, Aldi, and Kroger and basically follow the ideas above. I spend about $30-35/wk as a single person. A biggie is cutting the snacks- I don’t buy chips, granola bars, cookies, etc. I also don’t buy drinks, with the exception being Diet Coke when it’s on a major sale at kroger. I do a lot of crockpot meals that I divide up into six servings or so, eating a couple during the week and freezing the rest for later. I always have meal options in the freezer when I want to not buy groceries for a bit. It’s pretty painless once you get the hang of it. I normally only cook once a week or so. I also eat healthier this way when things are planned ahead and in portions." - momthom427

@a1qb2x

Heres what $100 can get you at ALDI #fypage #savingmoney #groceryhaul #money #budget #financialfreedom

Money-saving grocery tips from financial experts

Looking for even more ways to save on your grocery bill? Financial experts offer nine additional tips.

1. Start a garden.
"Growing even a small amount of food at home can make a difference. Herbs, lettuce, and tomatoes on a balcony or windowsill are inexpensive to start and keep paying off," David Kindness, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), tax expert, and personal finance writer at BestMoney.com, tells Upworthy.

2. Buy 'ugly' produce.
"I also suggest looking for discounted or 'ugly' produce. Stores mark these down heavily, but the quality is usually just fine once you cook with them," says Kindness.

3. Check the sell-by date.
"Another smart move is shopping for items that are close to their sell-by date. Bread, dairy, or meats can often be frozen or used right away," says Kindness.

4. Timing matters too.
"Another trick is to look for discounts on fresh items close to closing time. Stores often reduce prices on produce, baked goods, or meats to clear shelves, and those markdowns add up fast," Ashley Akin, CPA, tax consultant specializing in tax compliance services, and the Senior Contributor at CEP DC, tells Upworthy.

5. Don't sleep on rewards and savings programs.
On top of that, cashback and rewards apps, or even mystery dining programs can help you earn money back on top of your savings. These are often overlooked but they add up over time," Kindness says.

6. Compare unit prices.
"I also tell people to check unit prices rather than just the sticker price." Akin says. "Sometimes the bigger package is cheaper, but not always, so comparing saves you from paying extra just because of packaging."

7. Budget for meals vs. snacks.
"I also remind people to separate their meal budget from their snack budget. It may sound small, but it stops impulse purchases from eating into what you really need," says Kindness.

8. Eat before you shop.
"And whenever possible, shop alone and never on an empty stomach," says Kindness. "It is the easiest way to avoid unplanned extras."

9. Get low.
"Even checking the bottom shelves can reveal the best value items that stores place out of sight," adds Kindness.

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If the total amount of money held by Americans was distributed evenly, how much would you get?

What if you got an equal slice of the country's wealth?

via Canva/Photos

A woman with hundred dollar bills.

The United States has more money held by private citizens than any other country in the world. According to the Federal Reserve, U.S. households hold a total of $160.35 trillion, which is the value of each person’s assets minus their liabilities. However, many Americans are perplexed by the fact that, in a country with such wealth, so many people still struggle to make ends meet.

Although Americans hold the largest amount of privately held wealth in the world, many of us still struggle with financial stress. A recent report found that 68% don’t have enough money to retire, 56% are struggling to keep up with the cost of living, and 45% are worried about their debt levels. A significant reason is that a small number of people hold a large portion of the privately held wealth in the U.S..

Nearly two-thirds of America’s private wealth is held by the top 10% of people, leaving the remaining one-third to be divided among 90% of the population.

elon musk, richest americans, elon musk black hat, elon musk sunglasses, doge Elon Musk at CPAC.via Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons

What if America divided its privately held money evenly?

With so many people struggling in America, while a few at the top are unbelievably wealthy, what would happen if the money were magically divided evenly among the 340 million people who live in the United States? If everyone received a truly equal share of the American pie, every person would receive approximately $471,465. That’s $942,930 per couple and $1.89 million for those with two kids.

With that chunk of change, the couple could easily pay off the average U.S. mortgage and have plenty of resources to save for a good retirement and send both kids to a decent college or trade school. The billionaire who once had more assets than they knew what to do with would probably have to move into a middle-class neighborhood.

couple with money, middle class money, cash money, couple on couch, man and woman A couple with cash sitting on a couch.via Canva/Photos

However, such a drastic redistribution of wealth would be cataclysmic for the economy, as people would have to liquidate their investments to give their assets to others. The sudden increase in wealth for many, without a corresponding increase in goods and services, would lead to incredibly high inflation. The dramatic reconfiguring of the economy would also disincentivize some from working and others from innovating. Some posit that if everyone were equal, in just a few months, those with wealth-generating skills would immediately begin rising to the top again, while others would fall behind.

What programs reduce poverty?

Although it seems that a massive redistribution of wealth isn’t in the cards for many reasons, we do have some evidence from recent history on how programs that give people money can help lift them out of poverty. Government stimulus programs during the COVID-19 pandemic brought the U.S. poverty level to a record low of 7.8% in 2021. Child poverty was also helped by the American Rescue Plan’s Child Tax credit expansion, which drove child poverty to an all-time low of 5.2%. It’s also worth noting that the trillions in government stimulus had a downside, as it was partially responsible for a historic rise in inflation.

While for many, the notion that there are billionaires while others can hardly get by feels obscene, redistributing America’s wealth is more of a thought experiment than something that would realistically happen. But it highlights an important truth: massive wealth inequality exists in the world’s wealthiest nation. While perfect equality will never exist, that shouldn't stop us from making targeted efforts to reduce poverty that make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

This article originally appeared in July

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Communications expert shares how to confidently interrupt someone who won't stop talking

The key here is acknowledgement.

via Canva/Photos

A woman falls asleep during boring conversation.

People who talk too much are doubly rude because they put the person they're talking to in a terrible situation. First, they have to listen to them go on and on with little care for their feelings. Second, they make the person listening feel rude when they eventually have to tell them to be quiet or walk away from the conversation.

Whether it’s someone at a party who wants to tell you all about their trip to Switzerland or a coworker in a meeting who gives 45-minute answers to simple questions, everyone has to deal with a chatterbox from time to time. The good news is that Jessica Chen is here to show us how to confidently (and politely) interrupt someone who won’t stop talking and redirect the conversation.

Chen is a global communications expert, keynote speaker, former Emmy-award-winning TV journalist, and author of Smart, Not Loud: How to Get Noticed at Work for All the Right Reasons.

@jessicachenpage

How to speak over loud people #Communication #CareerTips #SoulcastMedia #CareerAdvice #Communications #PowerfulSpeaker #Conversation #CareerSuccess

“People who are extremely loud and dominant in a conversation, it's because they love the sound of their own voice, and they feel like what they have to say is so darn important,” she said in a TikTok video. “Doesn't mean that you sit back and you just kind of, like, let it be. You still gotta be top of mind. And it's finding that split-second moment to insert yourself in the conversation, but acknowledging what they said.”

Chen believes that if you pop in when they take a breath and acknowledge what they said, they won’t be upset when cut off, because they got what they needed from the interaction. In a recent CNBC article, she shared a script on how to interrupt a chatterbox and redirect them.

meeting, talking too much, women at meeting, high rise building, business clothes People in a business meeting.via Canva/Photos

How to stop someone who talks too much

“So say the person’s name firmly and politely. This combination showcases both confidence and presence without coming across as confrontational,” she wrote. “Next, reroute the conversation to what you want to talk about. Be strategic by showing that you’re collaborative and trying to expand on their thoughts. People love to feel like their ideas were acknowledged, and it also creates a seamless conversational flow.”

For example:

“John, your thoughts on how to address the billing situation remind me of a similar problem we had last year…”

“Alison, that’s wonderful. I never knew that about vacationing in Paris. Last year, I took a trip to the Bay Area…”

If you’re not sure how to address the chatterbox, you can use this generic transition: ″[Person’s name], can I jump in real quick here? I’d love to open up the conversation…”

bored woman, boring conversation, boring date, blonde woman, chatterbox A woman looking bored in a meeting.via Canva/Photos

Why do some people talk too much?

According to Michelle C. Brooten-Brooks, LMFT, there are several reasons why some people talk excessively. It could merely be a personality trait if they are an extrovert or if they have high levels of anxiety and neuroticism. Additionally, individuals with high levels of disagreeableness may speak excessively to convey their point. Excessive talking can also be a symptom of autism, social anxiety disorder, or ADHD.

Ultimately, we shouldn’t feel bad about interrupting people who talk too much because they chose to be inconsiderate of your time and attention in the first place. Unless a mental disorder causes their excessive talking, then you shouldn’t feel bad about cutting off someone who is forcing you to be overly generous with your time and attention.

This article originally appeared in July

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