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Pilot writes note to the tooth fairy, saves the day after girl loses her tooth on flight

Because tooth fairies don't fly commercial.

pilot; tooth fairy; kindness
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Pilot writes note to tooth fairy.

At some point, all kids lose their teeth and usually that comes with a few coins or dollars under your pillow. But 6-year-old Lena's tooth fell out at 35,000 feet, which prompted the sweetest gesture from the pilot. Good Morning America shared the story, and it's so cute, we had to share as well.

Lena and her mom, Lauren Larmon, were recently on a flight from New York to South Carolina when the little girl fell asleep and awoke to a missing tooth. She was in a bit of a panic. Do tooth fairies even fly coach? Lena told Good Morning America, “I was sleeping on the airplane. My mom woke me up…and we were going to go pick our suitcases up. And I said, ‘Mommy, mommy, I think my tooth fell out.’”

Having a wiggly tooth doesn’t always mean the tooth is ready to fall out, so it was a surprise to Lena after going through a few long travel days. When they realized Lena was missing one of her bottom teeth, the mother and daughter tried to get back on the plane but security had closed the doors. Lena told GMA that she was “very emotional” and “crying” due to her tooth likely still being on the plane. She said “I was like, ‘We’re never gonna find my tooth again!’”

Turns out, Lena wouldn’t have to find her tooth to get her special visit from the tooth fairy. The United Airlines pilot of the flight she was on, Captain Josh Duchow, swooped in to save the day. “Captain Josh,” as Lena calls him, offered to write the tooth fairy a letter explaining why there would be no tooth under the 6-year-old’s pillow that night. The note read, “Dear Tooth Fairy, Lena had a tooth fall out on our flight to Greenville, please take this note in place of her tooth.” It was signed “Captain Josh.”

Surely the tooth fairy will take the word of an airline captain. Tooth fairies may not need planes, but for people who do, who better to trust than the captain of the flight? To Lena’s delight, the tooth fairy accepted the note from Duchow and Lena received a note in response, according to GMA. The response read, “Lena, it is OK that you have lost your tooth on the airplane. I will get it. Keep brushing.”

Larmon shared the story about the letter-writing pilot to her Facebook and Instagram pages, where her caption read, "In a world full of bad airline stories, @united came through when Lena fell asleep on her flight home and woke up without a tooth. Very concerned that The Tooth Fairy would not show up because the tooth is somewhere on the airplane, the pilot saw Lena trying to go back through security to get her tooth and helped her out. Thank you, Captain Josh! I'm sure the Tooth Fairy will accept this note in lieu of a tiny tooth. ✈️"

This is just the sweetest interaction between a quick-thinking pilot and an upset child. We’re so happy the tooth fairy was understanding and we’re sure Lena will take the tooth fairy’s advice to “keep brushing.”

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The Levi Strauss Foundation advances the human rights and well-being of underserved people in places where the company has a business presence
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How humanitarian parole programs help migrant families in crisis

Through her work as a humanitarian parole sponsor, Sandra McAnany has helped uplift more than a dozen Latin American migrants and changed lives in the process.

Sandra visiting E’s family in Georgia (2023)

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Sandra McAnany isn’t one to sit on the sidelines. A 58-year-old grandmother from Wisconsin, McAnany spends her days teaching soft skills classes to adults and spending time with her family. Outside the classroom, however, she’s taken on a role that’s helping people in a big way: serving as a humanitarian parole sponsor and personally taking on the financial responsibility of supporting families fleeing from persecution, violence, and instability.

Since 2023, McAnany has welcomed 17 migrants—11 adults and six children through the CHNV humanitarian parole program, which allows individuals and families from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to live and work temporarily in the United States with the support of an approved sponsor.

“Everyone has their own views and perspectives, but every person I sponsored is thriving and doing well here,” McAnany said.

McAnany didn’t know any of the parolees before sponsoring them, but she had a commitment to helping families from Venezuela specifically, hoping to reunite them with their families who were already living in the United States. After “praying a lot along the way” and communicating with the applicants through WhatsApp, she decided to apply as a sponsor and help them settle into the United States.

“I have a bedroom and a bathroom in my basement,” McAnany says. “My door is open and will always be open for any of the people I sponsored, if they ever have a need for housing.”

Sandra’s granddaughter, E’s daughter, and another friend at an indoor park (July 2025)

At the time, McAnany decided to volunteer as a sponsor to make friends and help other people through hardship. Now, her mission has grown: Seeing how humanitarian parole programs have changed her parole beneficiaries’ lives—as well as her own—for the better.

Humanitarian parole: A long history

Humanitarian parole programs are nothing new. Since 1952, both Democratic and Republican administrations have used humanitarian parole to provide a safer, lawful pathway for noncitizens to enter and live temporarily in the United States. In recent years, through different programs, people from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Cuba, Haiti, and other countries have been able to come to the U.S. to escape urgent crises in their own countries, such as political instability or war.

Coming to the United States through humanitarian parole is no easy feat. The process has its own strict criteria and involves extensive applications and vetting for both beneficiaries and their sponsors. Parolees don’t need to qualify for any other immigration benefit like asylum, but they need to meet the standard for humanitarian parole and successfully pass vetting requirements.

According to Refugees International, 532,000 people have been granted parole through the CHNV program.

A life-changing experience

From the moment she met her first parole beneficiaries at the airport—two families —McAnany already knew it would be a life-changing experience. “It immediately felt like family, like we were lifelong friends,” she said. But she could also sense that it was a culture shock for the parolees. On the way home from the airport, McAnany pulled into a nearby McDonald's and encouraged them to order dinner. Hearing the word “Big Mac,” the families smiled in recognition.

Despite the culture shock, McAnany’s parole beneficiaries had to adapt quickly to life in the United States. Once they were settled, McAnany worked “nonstop” to help the families acclimate to their new lives, answering questions about school and vaccinations while also helping them create resumes, search for jobs, and find English classes online.

It was through this process that McAnany realized just how resilient people could be, and was amazed “not only how hard it was for individuals to leave their loved ones behind, but the amount of work they did to come to the country and remain here.” McAnany also realized how fortunate she was to have her own family living nearby. “I can’t imagine any one of us leaving a country and being apart for an unknown length of time,” she said.

Eventually, and as circumstances changed—one of the parolees found a new job in another city, for example, and was able to move out. But no matter the length of time they spent with each other, McAnany says that with every parolee they formed a bond built for life. One woman, who she refers to as ‘E,’ has even become “like an adopted daughter.” McAnany has traveled to Georgia, where E now lives, three times to visit her.

Uncertain ground: What’s next for humanitarian parole programs

Despite being a critical part of immigration policy in the United States for the last 73 years, humanitarian parole programs are under threat. Immigrant justice nonprofits Justice Action Center and Human Rights First are currently suing the federal government to protect humanitarian parole programs and allow parole beneficiaries to remain in the country for the duration of their parole. McAnany is a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

One of the ladies Sandra sponsored from Venezuela and her partner during Sandra’s first visit to meet her (December 2023)

Participating in the lawsuit has only further bolstered McAnany’s belief in and support for humanitarian parole programs. She hopes the lawsuit will be successful, she says, so that parole beneficiaries and their families can finally have some stability.

“We don’t know what the future is,” she says, “but I want to be optimistic and hopeful that every person I sponsored will be able to stay here safely in the U.S. and continue to thrive.”

This article is part of Upworthy’s “The Threads Between U.S.” series that highlights what we have in common thanks to the generous support from the Levi Strauss Foundation, whose grantmaking is committed to creating a culture of belonging.


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Expert reveals the one question to ask to make a great first impression in 9 seconds

There should be one focus when you meet someone new.

via Canva/Photos

A woman talking to people she just met.

It’s essential to make a great first impression with someone, whether it's a job interview, buying someone a drink at a bar, or serving someone a meal at a restaurant. The problem is that people form a concrete judgment of someone in just seven seconds, which can be incredibly hard to shake.

“Human beings are built to size each other up quickly,” Psychology Today says. "These first impressions are influenced by a number of factors, such as facial shape, vocal inflection, attractiveness, and general emotional state. People tend to get attached to their initial impressions of others and find it very difficult to change their opinion, even when presented with lots of evidence to the contrary.”

While it can feel impossible to combat such a snap judgment, Sally Hogshead says that when we interact with people for the first time, we should only have one question on our minds: “How can I add value to this person?” Hogshead is a New York Times bestselling author, National Speakers Association Hall of Fame speaker, chief executive officer of How to Fascinate (Fascinate, Inc.), and a former advertising executive.

introduction, first imrpession, business card, networking event, handshake, eye contact A man handing a woman his business card at an event.via Canva/Photos

Ask yourself: How can I add value to this person?

It makes sense. When someone meets you for the first time, they don’t know anything about you. The other person is asking themselves the big WIIFM: What’s in it for me? It feels a little negative to suggest that everyone is out for themselves, but we only have so much time and effort to give to others. What can you bring to the table?

“You want your listener to come away from the conversation feeling good about their investment of time and energy,” Hogshead writes for Inc. “The key here is to add value to every interaction, so that you’re not just occupying conversational space.” Hogshead adds that we don’t have a lot of time to gain the other person's attention, so it’s best to start strong. “Here’s the problem with that approach: Today, the average attention span is about nine seconds. Every time you introduce yourself, you have about nine seconds to engage your listener. When it comes to first impressions, a weak start leads to a poor impression.”

drinks, attraction, first impression, smiling woman, charming man, bar A man and woman sharing a drink at a bar.via Canva/Photos

If you’re not adding value, you’re taking up space

Value will vary depending on the situation and your desired social outcome. When approaching someone for a drink, you can add value by boosting their self-esteem with a compliment. “I think you have really lovely eyes,” or “Is that an old-fashioned you’re drinking? You’ve got great taste, they make good ones here.”

At a networking event, you can introduce yourself and discuss a recent development in the industry. “Hey, I’m Lisa. Have you heard about how Acme Paper Company is using AI to learn the best trees to cut?” Or, “Hey, it’s Malcom, is your company having trouble figuring out which trees to cut? I’ve found a cool new way to save you time and labor costs.”

You can also add value to any person by allowing them to share their thoughts and experiences. When you show genuine interest in someone and let them talk about themselves, they will almost always find you likable. Research has found that asking the first question in a conversation, followed by two follow-ups, dramatically increases your likability.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

It can be disheartening to realize that people often make snap judgments about others that are difficult to overcome, but it’s great to know that, by focusing on how you can benefit another person, you can pull down that wall and give yourself a second chance to make a first impression. Everyone has something valuable to bring to the table, whether you’re inexperienced and can make your superiors feel great by asking them questions or by being able to share your experiences with others to make their lives better. Just know that everyone is open to meeting those who can make their lives better, and you can often be that person.

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Gen Xers spill hair care secrets on how they achieved perfectly feathered perms in the 80s

"The girls kept cans of Aqua Net in their lockers and every time the bell would ring they’d rush to re-apply."

Images via Reddit/DefinitionPast3694, ClickAmericana

Gen Xers share how they acheived their voluminous hair in the 1980s.

If there is one thing Gen X will go down in history for, it's their *amazing* hairstyles. From feathered perms to voluminous blowouts, hairstyles from the 1980s remains iconic to this day. And those styles may be making a comeback.

Over on Reddit, Gen Xers are sharing all of their hair care secrets from back in the day. From styling secrets to products, they are spilling it all after a member of a younger generation posed the question: "Hey Gen X! How did you guys get your hair to look like this back in the 80’s?"

The question was posed with a few follow-ups for Gen Xers. "I really want to get my hair styled and cut like this but I don’t know how I can. I’m guessing you guys got a feathered haircut and a perm and brushed it out and teased it? Do tell!"

@jenxwrites

80s Hair. Aqua Net made a lot of money back in the day. #80s #80shair #genx #genxkid #80sstyle #1980s

Their biggest secret? Aqua Net hairspray. "Aqua Net White," one commented. Another added, "Aquanet purple may she rest in peace. So had my hair feathered never permed. I would take my bangs and curl them up reg curling iron and spray the heck out of it while cooking. Release and brush. When it looks perfect more hairspray to keep it from moving even in a hurricane."

Another Gen Xer shared their memory of Aqua Net. "The girls kept cans of Aqua Net in their lockers and every time the bell would ring they’d rush to re-apply, the halls of my middle school smelled like a beauty parlor," they wrote.

Another Gen Xer shared that her go-to was Finesse. "God I remember those days. I got in and out of the locker room as fast as possible because I was always choking to death on fumes. I was lucky, I had naturally curly hair with a lot of volume. I used Finesse conditioner and brushed my hair with my head upside down until it fluffed out too much, then would brush it back with my head rightside up to shape it. I hated hairspray because it made my hair crunchy and gross to touch. My boyfriend once remarked on it, 'Hey, I love your hair b/c I can touch it and not break my fingers!' LOL."

Another agreed, commenting, "Sometimes you need a little Finesse, sometimes you need a LOT!!" A fellow Gen Xer shared, "I LOVED Finesse! It smelled SO good."

80s, 80s hair, 80s hairstyles, 1980s, 1980s hair Beauty Looking GIF Giphy

Another popular product brand was Paul Mitchell. "Rich town girls had Paul Mitchell," one Gen Xer commented. "I remember in middle school that we all wanted Paul Mitchell because the cool girls used that."

Other Gen Xers preferred Rave. "Rave in the pump bottle kept mine extra-crispy," one Gen Xer wrote. Another quipped, "Yes, that was my brand of choice in 1980 something. You spray it underneath and kinda scrunch it up with your hands. My hair is wavy so it wasn't too hard for me. Mousse products also helped thicken and expand it. The Rave shellacked it and it stayed as high as Long Island. These pics could easily have been my friends, lol. Pair with crazy prints and acid wash jeans and some giant dangle earrings!"

1980s, 80s hair, 80s hairstyles, big hair, perm 80S Hair Flip GIF Giphy

Besides products, Gen Xers revealed the secrets to their styling, which highlighted the use of perms. "Step 1- perm. Step 2- mousse, lots of it. Don't be shy. Step 3- blow dry, scrunching curls. Step 4- curling iron, set on HELL, for the top. Step 5- hair combs to pull the sides back. Step 6- hair spray the side hair that's pulled back, the styleable type spray. Step 7- use pick to fluff top, and sides. Step 8- rat sides with pick. Step 9- apply bullet proof hair spray to set in concrete," one wrote.

Another spilled, "A curling iron on the top, a hair pick (not a brush) to fluff it out, and a lot of hairspray at all stages. If you get a perm, don't do the top, depending on your hair texture. The top needs to be shorter, and the curls go horizontally (not down - straight across the top of your head), everything goes backwards except for your bangs, which get curled under. Spray spray spray, then use the pick to fluff. Then more spraying. Hell, we used to watch smoke rise from our heads as we sprayed our hair while the curling iron was still in it. Don't recommend. For extra authenticity, do all of this while smoking a Marlboro light. Don't recommend that, either, if only for the fire hazard. I have an aversion to hair tools now to the point where I rarely even blow dry my hair anymore."

80s, 1980s hair, hairspray, 80s hairspray, 1980s hairspray 1980s tv GIF by absurdnoise Giphy

The blowout technique was also key. "Flip your head upside down and max heat blow dry while scrunching curls with mousse. More volume that way!" one shared.

One Gen Xer summarized the glory of 80s hair perfectly: "The higher the hair, the closer to God."

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If you struggle with small talk, a simple acronym can make it a lot less painful

All you have to remember is "FORD."

via Gary Barnes/Pexels

Small talk can be painful, but the FORD method can help.

Some people enjoy small talk and are naturally good at it. For others, it feels like mental and emotional torture. There are many reasons why people are nervous about entering social situations where they have to make small talk, such as a work event, a party where they don’t know many people, or at school. Some people don’t enjoy small talk because they get frustrated talking about seemingly unimportant topics.

At the same time, others are shy and afraid they’ll say the wrong thing or run out of topics of conversation. Psychologists suggest those who are uncomfortable knowing what to say should use the FORD method of conversation starters. It’s an acronym that’s an easy way to remember four different topics of conversation that work with just about anyone.

According to Nicole Arzt, M.S., L.M.F.T at Social Self, the FORD acronym stands for Family, Occupation, Recreation and Dreams. Here are some examples of questions that fall under each category.

Family

Just about everyone has a family, so it’s a great way to ask someone to share some information about their personal lives without being too forward. Arzt suggests the following questions when making small talk:

family, small talk, ford method You can ask people about their parents, kids, siblings, grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, or just family in general.Photo credit: Canva

Do you have any siblings?

How did you two meet? (if you are meeting a couple for the first time)

How old is your child?

How is your____ (sister, brother, mother, etc.) doing since ____ (event that happened?)

Occupation

Just like a family, almost everyone has a job. Or, if they do not, that can be an interesting topic as well. Here are some starter questions you can ask someone about their job.

jobs, occupations, ford method, small talke You can take questions about someone's occupation beyond simply, "What do you do?"Photo credit: Canva

What do you do for a living?

How do you like working at _____?

What’s your favorite part of your job?

What made you interested in becoming a _____?

Recreation

You can learn a lot about a person after knowing how they spend their free time. It’s also an excellent way to determine if someone is like-minded and shares the same interests. Here are some questions to get the ball rolling:

hobbies, what do you do for fun, recreation, ford method, small talk People often love talking about what they do for enjoyment outside of work. Photo credit: Canva

What do you like to do for fun?

Have you watched (or read) ______(popular show/book)?

What are you up to this weekend?

Dreams

Learning someone’s hope for the future can tell you much about who they are on a deeper level. They may have just told you about their current job or how they spend their time. But, ultimately, what do they wish to do with their lives? Here’s how to ask someone about their dreams.

hopes and dreams, ford method, small talke Asking people about their hopes and dreams can be a great way to make more meaningful small talk.Photo credit: Canva

Where do you hope to be working in the next few years?

Where would you like to travel?

What’s something you’d like to try in the future?

Would you ever consider trying _____ (particular hobby or activity)?

Arzt also notes that you shouldn’t just be an interviewer. You have to talk about yourself, too. In other words, you need a mutual take-and-give. “Pay attention to someone else's answers and think about how you can draw from your own experience to connect," she wrote. When you're feeling socially anxious, it can be hard to listen to the other person while also thinking about your own responses, so thinking of the FORD acronym for yourself and having something to share in each category ahead of time can be a way to avoid the dreaded awkward silence that sometimes happens during small talk.

It can also be tricky to know how much you should be talking vs. how much you should be listening. If you're not sure how much to say during a conversation, follow the 43:57 rule. A numbers guy at Gong.io analyzed over 25,000 sales calls with AI and found the perfect speaking-to-listening ratio. Sales soared when the salesperson talked 43% of the time and listened for 57%.

Even though this insight is from business calls, it applies to everyday social interactions. It's really about listening and making the other person feel special. After all, who doesn't love feeling heard and appreciated?

Small talk doesn't have to be torturous, even if it's something you don't look forward to. With a little preparation and some genuine curiosity, it might even become enjoyable as you make new connections with people.

This article originally appeared last year.

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25 pairs of famous but contradictory idioms that have us more confused than ever

Why do we say "out of sight, out of mind" if absence makes the heart grow fonder?

Photo credit: Canva

Language, like humanity is very contradictory.

While idioms and proverbs have their differences—mainly that proverbs convey a bit of common wisdom, whereas idioms do not have to have that component—both aim to make sense of the world in concise, easy-to-understand ways.

But both can completely fail at this since both tend to contradict themselves. For instance, there seems to be very differing schools of thought when it comes to hurrying versus being patient, as is indicated by these contrasting phrases:

The early bird gets the worm.

Haste makes waste.

All good things come to him who waits.

A stitch in time saves nine.

Look before you leap.

He who hesitates is lost.

Slow and steady wins the race, but time waits for no man.

Like…huh? Clearly the only idiom that’s actually true in this regard is hurry up and wait.

huh, question, confused, unsure, what? Confusion. media2.giphy.com

But there’s more where that came from! Here are some other proverbs, idioms, and clichés that mean the complete opposite.

  1. Absence makes the heart grow fonder / Out of sight, out of mind.
  2. Attack is the best form of defense / He who lives by the sword dies by the sword.
  3. Clothes make the man / You cannot judge a book by its cover.
  4. Do it well or not at all / Done is better than perfect.
  5. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth / Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.
  6. Doubt is the beginning of wisdom / Faith will move mountains.
  7. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise / Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.
  8. Faint heart never won a fair lady / The meek shall inherit the earth.
  9. Familiarity breeds contempt / Home is where the heart is.
  10. Great minds think alike / Fools seldom differ.
  11. Hold fast to the words of your ancestors / Wise men make proverbs and fools repeat them.
  12. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again / Don’t beat your head against a wall.
  13. It’s better to be safe than sorry / Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
  14. Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone / Misery loves company.
  15. Love makes the world go around / When poverty comes in the door, love flies out the window.
  16. Many hands make light work / Too make cooks spoil the broth.
  17. Money is the root of all evil / Money makes the world go around.
  18. Opposites attract / Birds of a feather flock together.
  19. Save for a rainy day / Tomorrow will take care of itself.
  20. The best things in life are free / There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
  21. The pen is mightier than the sword / Actions speak louder than words.
  22. The squeaky wheel gets the grease / Silence is golden.
  23. Two’s company, three’s a crowd / The more the merrier.
  24. With age comes wisdom / Out of the mouths of babes, come all wise sayings.
  25. You’re never too old to learn / You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Just goes to show that no matter which direction you decide to go in life, there’s likely a saying to back up your reasoning. Because life isn’t, as they say, one size fits all.

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9 surprisingly positive real-life 'cheat codes' that people swear actually work

Some seriously solid life lessons here.

Photo credit: Canva

There are lots of ways to tweak your life for the better.

When you ask people for life lessons, sometimes the responses can feel quite negative. Adages like "Good guys always finish last," and "Always look out for number one," and "There's no such thing as a free lunch" may be reactionary responses to bad experiences, but they're also just fuel for cynicism, which ultimately doesn't serve people well in life.

So when someone asked for real-life "cheat codes" that actually work, it was refreshing to see how positive the vast majority of responses were. These "cheat codes" show that lessons in life don't need to be harsh or pessimistic—in fact, more often than not, the most effective life hacks are those that encourage us to live in our highest values and become our best selves.

from AskReddit


1. Listen more than you talk

As the saying goes, you have two ears but only one mouth for a reason. Listening more than you talk helps you stay in a learning mode, which unlocks so many levels in life.

"Listen a lot. Talk a little."

"This will also help your realize some people are very fine just talking uninterruptedly for hours, which is not a green flag."

"Everything you say you already know, everything you hear can bring something new."

2. Prioritize sleep

It sound so simple, doesn't it? But sleep is an often overlooked element of both physical and mental health, so it's worth prioritizing.

"Sleep, literally fixes 80% of my problems."

"Can't stress this enough. Everyone is like you need to workout, walk 10k steps a day. First f___ing sleep properly. Your body needs to recover from whole day's exertion before you start another day."

"Sleep fixes almost all my emotional problems. Sometimes you just need time and some space. Of course, I nap for an hour and I feel like it's a new day. This might be anecdotal."

life hacks, real-life cheat codes, life advice, life lessons, wisdom, sleep Sleep makes more of difference than many might realize.Photo credit: Canva

3. Own up to your mistakes

People are notoriously bad at admitting that they were wrong, but when you live by this code, it's surprising how forgiving and forbearing most people are.

"If you admit fault for something you’ve done, it blows over way quicker."

"I run my own one-man business. I sell and service domestic appliances. When I make a mistake or or a repair fails or a new appliance goes down, that job is my priority. There is not one customer in 35 years can say I let them down in any way. I haven't spent a penny on advertising in 27 years and always have as much work as I can handle. So yes. Own it! Fix it!"

"Same thing when you end up being wrong. I'm an argumentative person by nature, and tend to be very passionate and obstinate about things I know well. But if I'm wrong? Cool, I was wrong, and now I learned something!

It's amazing how just a simple 'You're right, and I was wrong. Thanks for correcting me' will just completely shut people up as their brain struggles to comprehend someone actually acknowledging another human conceding an argument."

4. Speak only truth

This doesn't mean to always say what's on your mind, as speaking some truths can be unnecessarily hurtful. It just means that when you do say something, make sure it's true. Saves a lot of headache and heartache.

"Committing to only saying the truth. It is hard at first but with time you actually stop getting yourself into situations which would make you have to lie. Life becomes much simpler and easier."

"I like the way my grandpa always put it: 'If you always tell the truth, you don't have to remember what you said.'"

"This is so true, just simply saying the truth and not exaggerating and where you can't tell the truth, just shutting up keeps you out of a lot of troubles."

life hacks, life lessons, truth, telling the truth, honesty Season 5 NBC GIF by The Office Giphy

5. Don't be afraid to ask

Asking questions in general is a great life "cheat code," but asking for help when you need it is as well. Many people welcome the opportunity to be of service to a fellow human being. Don't let fear stop you from asking.

"Just ask. Ask for what you need. Ask for what you want. Ask for directions. Ask for help. Ask the question. Most people want to help you."

"Ties in with my Estonian friend's version of an otherwise normal phrase - 'If you don't ask, the answer is always no.'"

"It's amazing how much drama and unnecessary stress can be avoided by just doing this. Most people, I've found, are genuinely more willing to help than to instantly brand someone stupid when asked a question."

6. Be an amiable employee

Career success is as much about soft skills as it is about technical skills. Being a kind, helpful, amiable presence in whatever profession you're in goes a lot further than people might think.

"You get a lot further in your career by being likeable than being good."

"Can attest. I've kept relationships for over 30 years, which still are useful for getting work.

"And helpful is the best. If you're pleasant to be around and what you do is helpful to people, you're a more valuable employee and colleague than if you're an expert in your field but are unhelpful or difficult to work with."

life hacks, real-life cheat codes, life advice, life lessons, wisdom Being kind to your co-workers and employers goes a long way.Photo credit: Canva

7. Be good to everyone, regardless of status

Some folks have a habit of only being nice to people if they think it will benefit them, not realizing that every interaction matters.

"Treat everyone equally. Bin men, people on checkouts, the guy that mutters to himself at the bus stop, your doctor... everyone."

"'The toes you step on today may be connected to the butt you have to kiss tomorrow.' — my dad"

"If I notice a worker visibly tired or not having a great day (especially in lower paid jobs) I try to go out of my way to make their life easier. Everyone deserves a break from the people making their jobs harder and empathy goes a long way."

8. Answer first in class

This is a school cheat code, but it also works in any situation where you might be asked to answer a question on the spot. Raising your hand and volunteering to answer the first question you know the answer to shows you're engaged and also lessens the likelihood of being called on when you don't know the answer.

"In school, if you volunteer to answer questions, you’ll never be first on the pecking order to be called out randomly."

"I relied on this one a lot. Once teacher calls on you the 2nd and 3rd time, you’re kind of exempt for the rest of the session."

"This is a good one. Answer questions you know. And be left alone for the ones you don't."

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9. Internalize the fact that embarrassment is fleeting

So much anxiety revolves around the fear of being embarrassed, judged, and humiliated. But the reality is, even if something embarrassing happens, everyone else moves on quickly with their own concerns. You should to. Easier said than done, but freeing yourself from that fear is life-changing.

"People only dwell on their own embarrassment. You got to get it over embarrassing yourself and learn to laugh about it. I am not the center of the universe."

"Nobody’s thinking about you. They’re all thinking about themselves just like you."

"Think about all the times you've ever seen someone else trip over, or walk into something. How many times can you actually remember it? How many times do you think about it per day? Would I be correct in saying none? I mean this in a kind way, but no one thinks about you as much as you think about yourself."

Bottom line—take care of your basic health needs, exercise good character, and don't dwell on things that don't matter in the big picture, and life will most likely feel more rewarding and less challenging.

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