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Sweethearts adds 'situationships' to their iconic conversation hearts Valentine candies

"Messages as blurry as your relationship."

Sweethearts conversation hearts; conversation hearts; situationship Sweethearts; situationships; rise of situationships
Spangler Press Release

Sweethearts includes 'situationships' in iconic candy hearts

Single-dom is in the air this coming Valentine's Day. Maybe not completely single but also not in a relationship. You know, the whole thing is complicated. A lot of younger Millennials and Gen Zers are just not interested in being in full-blown relationships, but that doesn't mean they don't enjoy companionship with someone that has similar interests.

Every relationship that blurs the line between friendship and dating is different, but they all have one thing in common–they're not dating. The concept of a "situationship" isn't new, but they are more common with younger generations. What is new is that fuzzy undefined relationship being recognized by the iconic Valentine candy maker, Spangler Candy Company, who has made conversation candy hearts for more than 150 years.

Those candy hearts are easily recognizable and always say something sweet like, "LOVE YOU" or "KISS ME" written in all caps.

"Singles are taking 'situationships' to the next level this year, and Sweethearts is here for them," Evan Brock, vice president of marketing for Spangler says in a press release. "The printing on Sweethearts isn't always perfect. This is our way of embracing those imperfections in a way that taps into pop culture."

Being in a situationship isn't always fun for those involved in one. There are mixed reports on if situationships are harmful, with some professionals putting out tips on how to avoid them, which makes one wonder—why are they so popular?

The Bay Area CBT Center writes, "Situationships, with their vague boundaries and undefined statuses, often captivate individuals due to a psychological phenomenon known as intermittent reinforcement. Intermittent reinforcement occurs when desired behaviors are rewarded or reinforced sporadically rather than consistently. This unpredictability in the delivery of rewards or positive outcomes makes the behavior more resistant to extinction."

multi-colored candy hearts with words on them

Sweethearts Conversation Hearts

Photo by Laura Ockel on Unsplash

But these situationships also fulfill a need or else they wouldn't be so prevalent. Elizabeth Armstrong, a sociology professor at the University of Michigan tells the BBC, “Right now, this solves some kind of need for sex, intimacy, companionship – whatever it is – but this does not have necessarily a long-term time horizon.”

Either way, it doesn't seem like young adults are opting out of these types of relationships anytime soon, so marketing to that growing sector makes sense. Conversation hearts have been a staple candy for quite literally over a century, filling Valentine's boxes at school and helping with marriage proposals.

It's America's favorite chalky seasonal candy and they're including a demographic that may have otherwise opted out of Valentine's gifts in an effort to not make things awkward. Now, you can fill a basket with whatever goodies you want with these situationship candies on full display so there's no confusion with the undefined lines of the non-relationship relationship.

The Sweethearts will be blurry and misprinted to go with the theme of situationships and only available for a limited time started January 8th at 9 a.m., according to the press release. But they won't be sold in stores, so if you've got a blurry sweetheart in your life you'll want to run over to SweetheartsCandies.com to order a box before they're gone.

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All In: 5 Ways This Week

From the silly to the sentimental, there are so many ways people like to go “all in” on something. Here are our five favorite examples we found this week across the internet.

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When you hear the words “all in,” what do you think? You might picture an elaborately-themed birthday party for a dog, or maybe a person giving a detailed presentation on why she's "Team Conrad." (IYKYK) Or maybe you picture a woman who takes up running, showing up every day to push herself and completely changing her body and her mindset in the process. Whatever you picture, the idea is the same: Someone who does something with 100 percent total commitment. Going “all in” means giving your all—going completely over the top, no second guessing, no holding back. Just full-throttle enthusiasm, with some flair and creativity thrown in. And when people go “all in,” something truly special usually happens as a result.


The internet abounds with examples of people giving it their all—whatever it is. In this roundup, we’ve found the very best examples of people going “all in”—moments where passion, creativity, and commitment take center stage. Some are sentimental, some are silly, but all of them are a reminder that giving 100 percent is truly the only way to leave a mark on this world. Get ready: These folks didn’t just show up, they went all in.

1. This unbelievable high note 

@sarahhardwigofficial Alone by #heart at #crosseyedcritters on @Joe Noto ‘s last night! Thanks for everything #karaoke #80smusic #fyp ♬ original sound - sarahhardwigofficial

Most of us music enthusiasts can agree that the song “Alone” by the American rock band Heart is one of the most passionate (and technically challenging) songs you can ever sing. It’s so challenging, in fact, that only singers with really incredible range—Celine Dion, for example, or vocal powerhouse Kelly Clarkson— dare to take it on. (If you don’t know the song by name, listen to any one of these clips and you’ll recognize it after a second or two.) So imagine our surprise, scrolling through TikTok, when we see a young singer covering “Alone” and dropping the high note so casually it looks like she sang this song out of pure spite. You almost can’t believe what you’re hearing—but it’s real. And the comments section is full of people who are completely gobsmacked (including a producer from American Idol). We just know we’re going to see this girl on stage again soon.

The ultimate healthy food collab

You already know our friends at All In—they’ve got some seriously tasty snacks that are not only healthy and affordable (scroll to the bottom of this article to see how you can snag a free box), they help fund food banks, gardens, community fridges, meal programs, and other amazing things. Lately, they’ve managed to take their awesomeness up a notch by teaming up with Fresh Truck, a weekly mobile market that brings fresh and affordable produce to neighborhoods in the Boston area. Fresh truck hosts weekly markets, pop-up events, and an online storefront, all to help strengthen communities who need it the most. They’re going all in on local nutrition and food access, and we’re here for it.

This fairy-themed proposal 

@kaylasuttons My sister's suprise fairy themed proposal was a huge success! Glad I could help organize it 💜🧚🏾‍♀️ @Halfcourt @Sway with Samone #fairycore #proposal #engaged #2027bride #BlackTikTok ♬ Ordinary (Wedding Version) - Alex Warren

Marriage is kind of the ultimate example of going “all in.” Think about it—you’re committing the rest of your life to someone til death do you part. That’s why when someone plans a super outrageous proposal, like the one you’re about to watch, that just makes everything all the more special. In this video, creator Kayla Sutton recorded her sister’s surprise wedding proposal, a fairy-themed event that the groom had been planning (according to a separate storytime video) since March of this year. He enlisted family and friends, decorated the venue, supplied food, and had the guests wear fairy-themed costumes, complete with elven ears, for the big moment. Now that’s dedication. Kudos to this dude—he went all out with the proposal in order to go “all in” on their relationship. (And she said “yes,” by the way!)

This "deeply personal" wedding tribute

Okay, not to make this entire article all about weddings, but this is a truly meaningful example of someone going “all in.” Content creator Kristin Marino (now Kristin Schnacky) got married in New York City last week and got, in her words, a surprise that made her bawl her eyes out: Several current and former members of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) who showed up to honor her late father, a former firefighter who was killed in the line of duty during the September 11th terrorist attacks. The firefighters from Station One (the same firehouse where Marino’s father worked) transported Marino in a firetruck from the Plaza Hotel where she was staying to her wedding venue, where her soon-to-be-husband was waiting at the altar. “It truly was symbolism of my dad walking me down the aisle,” Marino shared. “I know it’s exactly how [my dad] would [have] wanted it.” We’re not crying, you’re crying.

Cat Town 

We can’t tell you why this thing exists, only that it does, and that it’s so elaborate, so detailed, and so expertly created we’re having a hard time even wrapping our heads around it. Here goes: Xing is a Chinese content creator who has spent the past several years creating (and documenting the creation of) an elaborate habitat for his pet cats, called Cat Town. We’re not talking about a room filled with toys and scratching posts, by the way: Xing has actually made a complete functioning replica of a human city, scaled down to accommodate cats. Cat Town has a working subway station, a supermarket, a theatre, and a restaurant (named MeowDonalds). Just…wow. And nicely done. Talk about a passion project.

Snag your free (!!) snack bars here while this deal lasts. Simply sign up with your phone number, pick two boxes of any flavor of All In bars at Sprouts, and then text a picture of your receipt through Aisle. They’ll Venmo or PayPal you back for the cost of one box. Enjoy!

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Millennial history teacher explains the 3 phases of Gen X and why they were ‘forgotten’

"They just want to be left alone."

via Canva/Photos

A cassette tape from the '80s.

Generation X occupies an interesting time in history, for those who care to recognize that they actually exist. They were born between 1965 and 1980 and came into this world at an interesting inflection point: women were becoming a larger part of the workplace and divorce was at the highest point in history. This left Gen X to be the least parented generation in recent history.

Gen X was overlooked in their domestic lives and culturally were overshadowed by Baby Boomers with their overpowering nostalgia for Woodstock, The Beatles, and every cultural moment celebrated in Forest Gump. Once Boomer navel-gazing nostalgia began to wane, a much larger and over-parented generation, the Millennials, came on the scene.

“Whereas Boomers were the ‘me generation’ and millennials were the ‘me me me generation,’ Gen X has become the ‘meh’ generation,” Emily Stewart writes at Business Insider. But even if Gen X is a little aloof, that doesn’t mean they aren’t totally rad, awesome, trippindicular, and that it’d be bogus to define them any other way. To explain the unique history of Gen X and why they’re often overlooked, history teacher Lauren Cella created a timeline on TikTok to explain them to her Gen Z students..

@laurencella92

A love letter to Gen X from your millennial cousin🫶 Gen X didn’t start the fire, so after this I will just leave them alone because they do not care 🤣 But seriously for a generation that sometimes gets “forgotten” and stuck between the larger boomer or millennial cohorts, the genres they created paved the way for pop culture as we know it. I’m still not sure who let kids watch “The Day After” on TV or play on those hot metal playgrounds, but Gen X survived to tell the tale. Today, the so called “latchkey” kids, born 1965-1980 are actually super involved as parents, aunts, uncles, teachers (or maybe even grandparents)😉. Kids today want to say they are “built different” but I think Gen X is the one holding down that title because they grew up tough, they saw too much, they made it out, and they know exactly who they are and wouldn’t have it any other way.✌️ #g#genx

In Cella’s video, she divides Gen X into three distinct phases.

Phase 1: 1970s stagflation and changing families

“Gas shortages meant stagflation. So parents either both had to work or maybe they were divorced. So that meant microwave TV dinners and kids that sort of raised themselves,” Cella explains. “There was no parenting blogs, there was no after-school travel sports, emailing. Like, none of that existed. Bored? Go outside."


Phase 2: The neon ‘80s

“But then came the 1980s, where everything was big and loud. The hair, the bangs, the Reaganomics, mass consumerism (because now we can trade with China). The whole media just exploded,” Cella says. “But now we have TV, we have movies, we have TV, movies, home movies, TV movies, favorite TV movies, music, music, Videos, music, video, television. All these different genres and all these different cliques and all these different ways that you can express yourself.”


Phase 3: 1990s post-Cold War Skepticism

“Gen X sort of comes into the 1990s more sarcastic and skeptical,” Cella continues. “The Cold War ending meant that they rejected the excess of the eighties. And there's the shift. Grunge, indie, alternative, flannels, Docs [Doc Martins]. At this point, the technology is also exploding, but not like fun home media, but like corporate media. So there's this resistance to sell-out culture.”


Cella has a theory on why Gen X seems forgotten, and it’s not just because CBS News famously denied its existence. She believes that it comes down to Gen X’s inability to call attention to itself. “So Gen X is a bridge between these two larger, more storied generations. So it's not necessarily that they get forgotten. They don't really want the attention. They're kind of fine to just like, fly under the radar like they always have, because honestly, it's whatever.”

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Woman explains why people who have lost a loved one have nostalgia for the first year of grief

The second year of grief is supposed to be the hardest.

Photo credit: Canva

Woman explains why grieving people are nostalgic for the first year of grief.

Losing a loved one is hard and can feel isolating. No one grieves exactly the same, leaving individuals to feel like they're alone in their journey. While grief is an individual journey, the stages of grief are the same, but for one woman, there's an unspoken grief stage that she believes some people go through. Ashley Southard lost her husband, SGT Andy Southard, a little over two years ago while he was on a military mission, leaving her to raise two children without him.

The still grieving wife uploaded a video sharing why some people become nostalgic for the first year of grief as the years begin to pass. "They say the second year of grief is the hardest, and I have lots of reasons why I think that is, but I don't think we talk enough about how nostalgic you feel for the first year of grief. How you kind of wish you could go back to the hardest time of your life, the most heartbreak in your life, because one, it's the time you can relate to being closest to the time they were alive." Southard says.

grief; death; losing a loved one; grieving; stages of grief In memory: a solemn moment of reflection and farewell.Photo credit: Canva

She goes on to explain that, "There's a feeling of, when you tell someone that your husband died two weeks ago or a month ago, their reaction is parallel to the way that you feel about losing your spouse or your partner. Their reaction is genuine and visceral, and 'oh my God, I am so sorry,' and it's this shock and this awe of sympathy and empathy. But when you tell someone your husband died two years ago, or your dad died two years ago, their reaction isn't parallel to the way that you feel, because they expect that time does heal all wounds when that's not the case."

There was an overwhelming outpouring of understanding on TikTok, where the video was shared. People shared their own experiences with losing a loved one and how they've experienced the stage of grief she's speaking of, with one woman writing, "Yes! It’s like I’m not allowed to still feel sad anymore bc I’m just passed the one year mark. Ummm, I cried last night. My anxiety is still present. Is it as “bad” as when I first found out? Sometimes. I’m not as numb. I almost think I’m feeling it more."

grief; death; losing a loved one; grieving; stages of grief Emotional moment on the porch.Photo credit: Canva

Southard explains in her caption that the first year is about survival. "The first year is often about survival. You’re in shock, numb, or moving through tasks and rituals (funeral, paperwork, anniversaries, holidays) that keep you going. By year two, that protective fog begins to lift, and the reality of permanence sinks in." She adds later within the caption, "The first year is raw. The second year often brings more reflection: who you were with them, who you are now, and how you’ll carry them forward. That’s a deeper layer of grief, not just pain, but reckoning. So it’s not that the second year is always harder, it’s that year two often strips away the buffers and illusions, leaving you face-to-face with the ongoing reality of loss.

"This is so yes this is exactly how I feel. I lost my dad just shy of 3 yrs and my husband over 2 yrs and I feel like I should should be fixed bc I think my pain is all the time. I don’t know how to live with my partner of 29 yrs. The person who knew me better than I knew myself is gone forever," another grieving person comments.

grief; death; losing a loved one; grieving; stages of grief Gathered in remembrance and sorrow.Photo credit: Canva

One person understands the widow's grief all too well, commenting, "You are so right!!! No one knows unless they have been in our shoes, spouse loss is very traumatic! 4 yrs tomorrow that I lost my husband I still miss him everyday! Time does go on but it still HURTS!! Hugs & prayers to all the widows and widowers out there!"

"I’m here for it all. Those feelings are ‘fresh’ regardless of the time since loss. Just wish it was easier to know what to do from trying to support the grieving perspective," someone else relates.

grief; death; losing a loved one; grieving; stages of grief Woman embracing a sweater in a moment of reflection.Photo credit: Canva

A widower is already feeling the pressure to move on, noting, "Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of me losing my wife, and I can feel this coming already. People are acting like once I get through the first year, then I will be fine. I’m sorry, but my pain does not suddenly stop because it’s been a year. The pain is something I will carry the rest of my life!"

An anonymous gardener also shared her wisdom, commenting, "I think grief is like the ocean. It’s always vast. Sometimes it’s calm, sometimes it’s stormy. Sometimes you see the storm coming, sometimes it’s sweeps in before you can prepare yourself. Sometimes it is actually beautiful…But it’s always vast."

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Adults who lived through the 90s share 15 things we all misremember about the decade

"Not all Gen Xers were disinterested slackers in the '90s."

The Everett Collection

It wasn't all a grunge-filled barrel of laughs.

The '90s are often depicted as a golden age. A time of less violence, more money, better music, equal rights, unprecedented technological progress, and Beanie Babies instead of Labubus. A time of peace throughout the land.

However, take a quick romp through actual history and we see that when we take the rose-colored glasses off, the '90s weren’t without its less-that-stellar moments. Furthermore, there was a lot more nuance to it than teens wearing a bunch of flannel and listening to grunge music.

Across several Reddit threads, people who actually lived through the '90s have shared some prime examples of how we get the '90s wrong and elements we have completely forgotten about, from recalling society’s very unhealthy obsession with thinness, to police brutality, to the questionable hunter green/maroon craze (remember that?).

Take a scroll down memory lane with our 15 favorites:

1."The early 90s and late 90s were two very different times culturally. I can't stand it when I see a picture of the spice girls with a 'So 90s!' caption."

“There’s a HUGE difference between the early 90’s and late 90’s. After 1996 it was more millennial, Pokémon, Britney Spears vs the early 90’s which was more grunge and smooth RnB."

2. "Not all Gen Xers were disinterested slackers in the 90s."

"I graduated from university in 1991. I spent the 1990s trying to get a decent job, pay rent and generally just getting my shit together. Most other people my age seemed to be doing pretty much the same thing, unless they had rich parents."

3. "Nobody seems to talk about all the maroon and hunter-green wallpaper strips that were added to the top of the walls in houses. Maroon and hunter-green everywhere. From cars to vacuums and beyond."

"My comforter set for my freshman dorm (Fall 1994) was maroon on one side, hunter green on the other. I realized it was dark and depressing so I got a girlie daisy print bedspread for the rest of college."

4. "Money was tight then, too. People were happy with fewer luxuries, because we could get by. And the very idea of giving a child a device worth hundreds of dollars was ludicrous! I still feel this way."

5. "A lot of people talk about the 90s like it was a utopian decade. Sure, a lot of stuff was awesome. But there was also the AIDS epidemic, the crack epidemic, the heroin epidemic, lots of police brutality, the sharp uptick in domestic terrorism, etc. plus the casual sexism, racism, & homophobia. The hope for the future that started in late 1989 with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the heating up of our economy in the mid-90s only lasted until 2000. It was a very brief window, in retrospect."

6. "Female celebrities were shrinking to child sizes and getting praised for it. 'Thinspo' was a thing. ALL my friends group from high school and college, including myself, had eating disorders — Marlboro Light and Diet Coke for every meal. Our idea of sports was extreme cardio only. We were SO unhealthy. Thank God we were young enough to bounce back to normal without major issues."

7. "That Nirvana ruled the 90s, and killed off all other forms of hard rock. They hit hard for about two and a half years, and then we were stuck with Tonic and the goddamn Spin Doctors."

"A lot of people mention grunge and gangsta rap, but country was very hot too. Country line dancing became a big thing, Branson, Missouri became a big tourist destination with its theaters, and artists like Garth Brooks and Shania Twain made tons of money."

"I don't think the Riot Grrrl movement gets enough recognition and acknowledgment as an extremely significant 90s cultural event."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

8. "I think one idea that's misrepresented is that we were already online, all the time."

"I mean, I was STOKED when I got into the dorm with LAN connections in 1993, but I was an outlier. Lots of kids at my college barely understood using computers, much less anything internet-related beyond maybe an AOL/AIM. Obviously this was an evolution of ten very fast moving years."

9. "That mom Jeans were cool. No one under 35 wore them."

10. "Not everyone wore Doc Martens back in the 1990s. Many people wore military boots as a fashion statement that were often mistaken for Doc Martens, while others wore sneakers every day, even in venues where they should have been wearing more formal shoes."


- YouTube www.youtube.com

11. "Cellphones were considered tacky and unnecessary unless you were a doctor."

12 ."Not everyone got around on rollerblades."

13. "Property was cheaper, not cheap as in affordable to all."

14. "If your family lived in a rural area and wasn't rich enough to immediately buy a computer, you could be lonely in a way that people can't even comprehend now. I spent the last two years of high school doing nothing, watching TV and playing 16-bit RPGs repeatedly because I couldn't get anywhere or do anything."

15. "Drunk driving didn't have the stigma it does today. It took a long campaign waged by MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) to shift public perception on how dangerous drunk driving is."

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From pest control to pet cremation, these 18 industries are surprisingly booming

These jobs aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

Photo credit: Canva

Would you work in these industries if you knew they'd provide security?

So many of us are either looking for extra easy ways to make income, or searching for more lucrative and secure career paths to pivot to altogether. But with so much "advancement" being thrown at us, it’s hard to know if a path we are considering will even be around long enough for us to pursue it, and which ones will go the way of the robots.

After all, according to a study from Microsoft, dozens of jobs are highly at risk of being replaced by AI, particularly those involving language, analysis, and communication, such as translators, historians, writers (rest assured…a bot did not write this piece…yet!).

However, when someone on Reddit asked, “What industry is booming way more than people think?” people gave a ton of insight into which jobs might have actual potential. Many prospects are in utilities—things to do with essential services like electricity, natural gas, water, etc.—which makes a lot of sense. But there are also some rather surprising niche sectors in there as well.

Of course, take this all with a grain of salt, but perhaps a quick scroll could provide you with some inspiration about thinking outside the box when it comes to making money moves.

Check out these surprisingly “booming” industries…

1. Wastewater treatment

“S*** doesn’t go away.”

“I work in the Civil Engineering industry. Wastewater treatment is not only a booming industry, but it’s insanely hard to find wastewater engineers! I think they’ve got like a .5% unemployment rate or something insane, maybe even lower.”

“Civil 3D designer here working on water projects. Between raw water pipelines and treatment facilities, I feel pretty damn secure in my career. Water always needs to be moved somewhere.”

“Environmental & Safety Director here. Can confirm. We pay wastewater operators very well in our company and they can be tough to come by!”

@mywowscotland What happens when you flush the 🚽? Claire is a Waste Water Treatment Operator and she shows what a day in her life looks like working for @scottishwater From testing samples to analysing data and, of course, feeding the fish, Claire shows how her job plays an important part in keeping our water safe. #careers #ScottishWater #ditl ♬ cool water - dayaway

2. Electricity storage

“Grid-scale battery storage, used to store excess electricity from wind and solar farms for use during peak demand. This industry is huge and is growing exponentially, especially as the cost of batteries continues to drop and demand increases.”

“I used to develop BESS systems [Battery Energy Storage Systems] for a renewables developer...We are in need of a lot of electrical & civil engineers, accountants, and people to build the damn things.”

“Energy, particularly electricity, due to AI demand. Electricity demand has been pretty slow and steady the past couple of decades due to better efficiency, but now AI has caused a huge spike.”

3. Data centers

“I worked for a utility company near Atlanta and all in just about 3-5 years the data centers became the largest load on electricity by a long shot. Before it was hospitals and shopping centers but the data centers started pulling WAY more load.”

“I work for a major transformer supplier as an engineer, and I design the pad-mounted ones. We are pumping out transformers as fast as we physically can, but our order backlog is so long that it is being measured in YEARS. Imagine ordering a PS5 and the projected shipping date is 2-4 years later.”

“Doing some data center work one day. Ask what the 8 smaller buildings outside are for, cuz they look like generator houses. They were way bigger than the mines, and there were 8 of them. The utility literally cannot supply them with enough power, so they’re just gonna make their own. Blew my mind.”


4. E-Commerce packaging

“Packaging in general with e-commerce. Problem is it’s almost at a commodity level, so it’s a price and cost over design and performance.”

5. Pest Control

“Pest control, quietly, has a 5-11% growth year over year."


@pestworld Is pest control the right career path for you? There is no experience needed. You can learn everything on the job! #pestcontroljobs #highschoolgraduation #careergoals #helppeople #entryleveljobs ♬ Where We've Been (Vocalese Only) - The Young Ebenezers

6. HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) Installation

“More areas where you used to get by just fine with an open window and a box fan are getting unbearably hot in the summers.”

“I’ve installed 3 for myself and a bunch for other, have the vacuum pump and the electrical needed is super easy too, but with a certification I can charge a lot more. I even use real wood trim to cover the line sets instead of that crap plastic.”

“Hand over fist money to be had in NYC doing that.”

- YouTube youtube.com

7. Creating mobile games

“$92.5 billion made in 2024, half of the entire video game industry.”

“The bored SAHM in her 40s that's spending money on Candy Crush when she wants a break from watching Bravo isn't going to take up console/PC gaming looking for something more complex and engaging, the simple phone screen game is plenty. Or the 8 year old that can get his hands on mom's credit card through her phone game but can't get his hands on a gaming PC.”

“94% of kids today prefer mobile for gaming compared to any console or PC.”

- YouTube youtube.com

8. Loneliness Remedies

"Any industry that fills the void left by having a partner and friends. People are lonelier than ever. So pets, porn, entertainment/distractions, dumb*** consumables (looking at you, labubu)."

9. Debt Collection

"I'm in the legal services industry related to debt collection. Bankruptcy filings are up double-digits each month, year over year. And they have been for approx. 12 out of the last 18 months. If you're a new attorney, it's a great field to get into because it's only getting busier and it's cyclical; Once this wave passes it'll be another 6 or 8 years and there's going to be another wave. Ride those waves to retirement!"

10. Pet cremation

“I never thought I'd do this because when my pets have died I've always just taken them to the veterinarian with my parents and idk what he does with them, but we lost our almost 15yo dog who belonged to my late mom so I thought it made sense to cremate him and spread his ashes in the same place we spread our mom's.”

“Just had to do this for the first time. It's awful, but I'm thankful to have something to hold instead of burying her”

- YouTube youtube.com

11. Any and all pet care, actually

“If you know how to source it you’ll make bank selling in western markets.”

“It’s catching on in the East, too. I went to a restaurant in downtown Tokyo and there were dogs in strollers and dresses all over. In fact, my baby’s stroller company makes doggy strollers. For over ¥80,000! ($550 USD). “

“People have so much information and most pet owners want their pet to live a long happy life and will spend on them. People didn’t used to care less, but the information and supplies just weren’t there. Despite the world going to shit in so many ways we’re in a golden age of pet ownership, and if anything the stress of life is making people more fixated on their animal companions as therapy and comfort creatures.”

@craftersclub.uk Making one of my best sellers 🐶 #sublimation #smallbusiness #petproducts #tutorial ♬ original sound - Crafters Club

12. Sports betting

“As a big sports fan, I can’t believe how out of control it’s become. 10 years ago, it felt like it was a niche thing that your weird uncle did; now, you cannot go anywhere that has sports and not have it be a massive point of discussion. A large group of people, mostly men, are completely incapable of watching a sport now without having money on something or yammering about their parlay.”

13. Making board games

“Plastic minis and war games. Seriously, Games Workshop [board game company] generates more revenue for the British economy than the entire fishing industry. It’s actually mad how much people will pay for that stuff when it’s so very cheap to make.”

14. Digital therapy

“Mental health and wellness technology, e.g., digital therapy apps, telepsychiatry, and wellness platforms.”

“Good one. I work for a behavioral health company that is fully telehealth…We book out several weeks with 40 full time providers.”

15. Selling secondhand clothes

“The second-hand clothing resale industry. Everyone talks about fast fashion, but Vinted and thrift stores are quietly driving a huge economy.”

@caroline.shops Replying to @AlternativeAmy some top tips on how to shift stuff on Vinted! 💰 💕 #vinted #vintedseller #vintedtips #vintedhacks #vintedhacksandtips #reselling #resellercommunity #makingmoneyonline ♬ original sound - CAROLINE | THE THRIFTER

16. …or secondhand cars…

“The used car market. I work on the back end in the commercial lending side for car dealerships. The tariffs (or threat of) on new cars have pushed used car prices towards ridiculous numbers. I occasionally show up at auctions to gauge market trends, and a 2017 VW Jetta with 133k miles hammered at $11k. Plus auction fees and transport, it’ll be $12k, and that’s before the dealer has done any repairs or made a dollar of profit. Pre-COVID, an 8-year-old Jetta would be $2k tops. But people keep paying it. My market share has risen about 40% since January.”

17. Storage Rentals

“We’re basically paying rent for our junk to live a better life than we do.”

“At my old company shortly after we'd all gone remote in 2020, a group of a few employees all quit at the same time to form a partnership and buy this little chain of storage units from an old guy who wanted to retire. Most of us thought they were insane for giving up great stable corporate careers to own some storage units. They're laughing at us now, in five years they've grown it several times over into one of the largest storage businesses in the metro area of millions of people.”

18. Mortuary Services

"Dead people. There are more dead people than ever."

"A family member is a Mortician by education, and though he has since retired out, he made great money doing it."

@retseleve #foryoupage #foryouofficial #mortician #embalmer #mortuaryschool #mortuaryscience #funeral ♬ Romantic Classical Piano Solo - FREDERIC BOUCHAL
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'Millennial parent whisperer' reveals 3 simple phrases that stop rude kids in their tracks

These three lines can "immediately set you on the path for a positive interaction."

via Hunter Johnson/Unsplash
A rude child sticking out his tongue.

At some point, every parent has to deal with a child who talks back and makes rude comments. It’s a normal part of growing up. But it’s a parent's job to stop it before it becomes an everyday behavior and an ingrained part of their personality.

Stopping rude behavior can be especially difficult for parents because it's easy to get upset and escalate the situation when their children talk back or act rudely.

The good news is that Dr. Becky is around to show us how to handle these situations like an adult. Dr. Becky Kennedy is a popular social media clinical psychologist who founded “Good Inside,” a program that helps support parents and children through every developmental phase. She's been called the "millennial parent whisperer," a fitting nickname she earned for her spot-on advice.

Dr. Becky shared 3 lines parents can use to respond to rudeness and talking back. “These will help you de-escalate the situation and immediately set you on the path for a positive interaction with your kid,” she says at the start of her video.

Line 1: “I hear you, and you must be really upset to say something like that to me.”

Line 2: “Look, all I’m saying is I know you’re a good kid, even when you say some not so good things.”

Line 3: “I know there’s another way you can say that to me. Do you want to try again?”

At first, a lot of folks may think that Dr. Becky is asking us to be too permissive of a kid who mouths off. But she has another perspective. “Now, I know what you might be thinking: ‘Am I just kind of permitting this rudeness?'” she says. “No! You are acting like an adult.” She says the key is avoiding being pulled into a power struggle or escalation of rudeness.

“You are not being pulled into a power struggle or rudeness escalation. Yes, it might feel good in the moment to say something like, ‘You can’t talk to me like that, you’re so disrespectful, no iPad tonight!’ But we know if we give rudeness back to our kid, they are just going to give more rudeness back to us. That is so ineffective and we have to be the adult. So try one of those lines and let me know how it goes,” Dr. Becky said.

rude child, child sticking out tongue, Dr. becky Screaming The Help GIF Giphy

The key question for parents to consider in this situation is: Am I reacting or responding to my child’s behavior? Dr. Becky believes we should respond to the situation calmly and redirect the child’s behavior.

One commenter put Dr. Becky’s advice into action and had a great result.

“This absolutely works! My son said something awful to me the other morning while getting ready for school. I thought of you , took a deep breath, and said, ‘Wow, you must be really upset to have said that to me’ and he just nodded and said, ‘I am.’ We hugged, he even apologized and we connected,” A commenter wrote.

A fellow therapist, Dr. Claudia Luiz, explained the psychological concept behind Dr. Becky’s advice a bit further.

“This is what psychoanalysis calls ‘fusion.’ When the bad is fused with good, it neutralizes toxic interactions. Fusion is hard to achieve. Negative feels eclipse the living, positive ones, leading to ‘rudeness.’ To get more ‘fused’ you start by processing your impatience with your own negative feelings. You can learn to appreciate why it’s hard to dislike and feel angry at your children with fusion to feel less intense or disregulated. With fusion, you can be more chill,” Dr. Luiz wrote.

rude kids, dr becky, raising goods kids, kid acting out, gentle parenting, parenting tips A kid sticking their tongue outPhoto credit: Canva

Dr. Becky’s advice is valuable because most parents would have a knee-jerk reaction to their child being rude and attempt to punish them or correct them in a harsh manner. However, Dr. Becky says that it’s best to diffuse the situation instead and that will make it less likely for the child to be rude because they aren’t getting the response they want. But what they are getting is something more, a chance to connect with a parent and an open, safe space to share their feelings without having to mask them in hostility.

Similarly, Dr. Becky has advised parents against putting too much energy into "fixing" things for their kids, saying "it's not our job to make kids happy." Instead, she suggests to essentially hold space for whatever discomfort or frustration the child is experiencing in the moment. This could mean literally sitting next to them, and offering them reassuring words like "I'm so glad you're talking to me about this/ I believe you/tell me more." And then, the hard part—not doing anything else.

Raising emotionally resilient kids isn't always the easiest thing, but it's so important for living a healthy adulthood. And often, as Dr. Becky's tips illustrate, a lot of it comes down with being able to "tolerate distress" ourselves as parents. Find even more expert-backed suggestions on how to do that by following Dr. Becky on Instagram.

This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

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