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Resurfaced clip of 3-year-old girl explaining 'self love' in less than a minute is pure joy

"Sometimes you need to talk to a three-year-old to understand a thing about life."

Photo Credit: Canva

A young girl and a woman hug themselves in an act of self-love.

There are times that age has nothing to do with wisdom. In fact, sometimes the pureness of youth can help us grasp ideas many of us spend a lifetime wrestling to understand. A video of a three-year-old girl being interviewed by her father has resurfaced recently on social media. In 50 seconds flat, she sums up the importance of self-love so beautifully and simply and is bringing true joy to many who watch.

Conor T. Murphy has occasional chats with his daughter Ty, who just turned six last week. On one occasion, he asked her point blank, "When do you feel loved?" She thinks for a split second and answers, "When someone hugs me and when I'm not lonely." He repeats these words back to her and she adds, "And when I hug myself."

@conortmurphy

Self love advice from Dr. Ty


He asks, "Do you think it's important to hug yourself? Why?" She answers without blinking, "Just because I'm a doctor." He affirms that she is, indeed, a doctor, and questions, "So because you're a doctor, you know that hugging yourself is helpful?" She adds, "It makes me feel relaxed."

He follows up, "Can you show me how you hug yourself?" Ty proceeds to give herself a huge bear hug, while smiling. "That's what we call self-love," Conor tells her. "And it's important, right?" She agrees emphatically. "Yeah, we have to love ourselves." He wraps it up by saying, "I think that's two very important lessons. We have to love ourselves—and everyone poops."

(The last line was not apropos of nothing. He is referring to a segment earlier in their conversation, wherein he brought up the topic of going to the bathroom. She adorably exclaims she is not afraid to poop!)

@conortmurphy

Everybody poops. “We really need to talk abut this” 😂😂


The comments were so truly wholesome. On TikTok, a person referenced Ty's "medical career," and asked, "Can she give me prescriptions for hugs, please?"

Another noted that Conor seems like a truly wonderful father, writing, "Dude, she's amazing. Good job Dad, you're doing a darn good job."

Just a few days ago, Conor posted a photo of himself with Ty on Instagram, celebrating her birthday. He writes, "One of my favorite things to do is answer people when they ask how my daughter is. If you have met her before, you understand why this brings me so much joy to answer this truthfully and wholeheartedly. Happy Birthday, Ty. 6 years old today. Seems like she was a 1 year old yesterday."

Again, the comments show love for both Ty and Conor. One writes, "Happy Birthday Sweet Ty! You are genuinely one of my favorite people whom I’ve never met."

Experts have discussed the importance of self-love over the centuries. Psychologist Sharon Martin, DSW, LCSW explains in a piece for Psychology Today, "Self-love entails accepting yourself wholeheartedly, treating yourself with kindness and respect, and prioritizing your physical and emotional health. It goes beyond mere actions and extends to your thoughts and feelings about yourself."

She illustrates helpful ways that one can practice self-love. Among many, one that stood out is the idea of "celebrating your achievements." We forget sometimes how far we've come. Martin reminds us, "Acknowledging and celebrating your accomplishments, no matter how big or small. For example, treat yourself to something you enjoy, reflect on your growth, or share your successes with trusted friends or loved ones."

Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and professor at Yeshiva University, is quoted in an article for Verywell Mind noting that the love that we give ourselves will help the love that we have for others feel secure and healthy: "It’s important to have self-worth because it impacts everything you do from your relationships, to how you work, how you feel about yourself, and how others view you."

Conor T Murphy and his daughter Ty discuss important matters. www.youtube.com, Bignight Media

If at such a young age Ty has this much figured out, imagine what wisdom she'll impart as she continues to grow!

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A few simple activities to find a taste of happy in your everyday life.

What is that happy feeling that comes from scratching an itch (real or metaphorical)?

True
Cadbury

Finding little ways to incorporate joy into our days can make a big difference for our overall happiness and well-being.

Breaking up a long day with simple moments of joy and happiness can really make a difference. Take it from this bear who found the perfect tree to scratch an itch.

GIF via Cadbury.

Here are four little ways to add a lot of joy into your day — sans romping through a forest.

1. Getting a dose of fun cuteness actually does a body good.

I mean, how can you resist the cuteness?

A 2015 study suggested there may be real benefit to watching cute cat videos — participants reported more energy and positive feelings and less negative feelings after watching them.

We think that extends to cat GIFs, as well — right?

2. Seeing things in their "perfect place" feels so satisfying.

Beyond good organization, we've all felt that odd sense of satisfaction when seeing images and GIFs of things fitting perfectly into other things. If you've experienced that feeling, you're not alone — there are even whole Tumblrs and subreddits dedicated to it.

A perfect gum holder.

Why the heck does it feel so good to even just look at things being where they're seemingly supposed to be?

One psychological theory discussed in an article in The Atlantic is that it might create a sense of relief in relationship to the jumble of everyday life. It's no secret we all have tons of responsibilities and pressures to deal with daily. But these simple acts of success can be deeply satisfying in the chaos of it all. Don't you agree?

3. Making others happy is infectious!

The simplest acts — holding a door open, surprising a co-worker with their favorite snack, even a hug — can come with a sense of overwhelming personal happiness.

It turns out there's a ton of science behind why it feels so plain great to be kind to others: Studies have shown there are very real physical rewards for kindness, such as reducing social anxiety, lowering blood pressure, and even recharging our gut bacteria.

This helpful girl picks up a wallet ... and our hearts. Awww. GIF via Japanese Red Cross.

Yes, your body is physically rewarding you for doing good things — no wonder it feels so great!

4. Maybe it's that satisfied feeling from your favorite snack.

Have you ever wondered why we feel that happy satisfied feeling after we eat a really satisfying meal or snack?

Pancakes can be a meal or a snack, right?

When it comes to being satisfied, it goes beyond just filling up your actual stomach to the "satiety signals" sent to the brain.

These satiety signals are influenced by your food — the aesthetic quality of the food as it relates to your personal tastes. The amount of delight you get from the sight, smell, texture, and so on of your meal relate to actual hormones in your body. The more "satiation power" in what you're eating, the stronger the signal of satisfaction is.

GIF by Cadbury.

So that's why when you bite into, say, your favorite Cadbury bar, it is so very and truly satisfying.

Why not add one of these little happy activities to your list of to-dos?

It might be time to take a cue from this awesome bear and go for it!

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New research shows hugs may give dogs anxiety. 10 things to try instead.

So it turns out, dogs kind of hate hugs.

You may be thinking: "Not my dog! She loves our tender embraces."

But odds are, your pup is not nearly as happy about them as you are.

After watching students interact with dogs at a "Doggy De-Stress" event, psychologist and dog expert Dr. Stanley Coren decided to look into research on human/dog hugs.

Despite how often humans hug dogs, there was little research as to whether the animals actually enjoyed it. So Coren grabbed a couple hundred images of humans hugging dogs off the internet and looked for signs of stress (things like lowered ears, lip-licking, turning their heads away from the source of stress, and more). It's not exactly a perfect science, but Coren's methods revealed some interesting findings.

A pug gets a hug from its owner at a Halloween parade. Photo by istoletheTV/Flickr.

In 81% of the photographs, the dogs appeared to show at least one sign of discomfort or anxiety. Around 7% appeared comfortable, and the remaining dogs had ambiguous or neutral responses.

So knowing what we know now, here are 10 simple (and a few slightly silly) ways to show your furry friend how much you care, without trapping them in a serious stress-fest.

1. Take your dog on the adventure of a lifetime ... or just a walk.

Taking your dog for frequent walks can promote a healthy digestive system, keep their weight under control, prevent hyperactive behavior, and fosters a strong bond between the two of you.

2. Welcome them home sweet home.

The best way to show a dog you care is to make sure it has a safe, loving home. Even if you don't have the time or resources to be a pet parent, you can support the dogs in your community by volunteering or donating supplies to a local rescue.

These strays picked up by an animal shelter await forever homes. Photo by Andrej Isakovic/AFP/Getty Images.

3. Listen to "Lemonade" with them.

The music of Beyoncé is the greatest gift you can give a human, plant, or animal. Nothing says, "I love you" like inviting your friends, (furry and otherwise) to get in formation.

GIF from Beyoncé's "Formation."

4. Teach your old dog (or young dog) some new tricks.

Learning new tricks and skills can provide a dog with much needed mental stimulation. Depending on the trick, it can improve their physical stamina as well. And knowing how to "shake hands" or "play dead" may prove useful when care providers like the groomer or the vet need to assess your pet.

Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images.

5. Give them a j-o-b.

For some dogs, learning tricks isn't enough, and they need the thrill and challenge of a K-9-to-5. Whether it's chasing sheep, fielding golf balls, sniffing out cancer, or cheering up residents at a hospital or nursing facility, every pup deserves the positive feeling that comes from a hard day's work.

A South Korean girl holds her trainee guide dog during International Guide Dog Day. Photo by Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images.

6. Roll down the windows and roll through town.

Some dogs love the wind in their face and plenty of things to see and bark at from the comfort of the backseat. Bonus points if you avoid the route to the vet.

Photo by Daniel Ramirez/Flickr.

7. Be their wing-human at the dog park.

The dog park is a great place for your dog to expend some energy, smell all the smells, and play with a bunch of new friends. These interactions allow your dog to practice reading dog social cues and body language, a useful skill that could protect them from aggressive animals.

You don't see much of this at the dog park, but maybe you'll get lucky.

8. Be the bearer of belly rubs.

While hugs may make your dog a little nervous, belly rubs could have the opposite effect. When a dog is comfortable with the way they're being touched, they may roll on their bellies as a submissive display and to increase belly access. If you're meeting a dog for the first time, just make sure to watch for signs of stress, even during a belly-rubbing sesh.

Photo by Jen Arbo/Flickr.

9. Write them an impassioned letter telling them how much you care.

They can't read, but they'll appreciate the effort. Especially if your paper goods smell like treats.

GIF from "Adventure Time."

10. Better yet, just give your dog some treats.

Belly rubs, walks, tricks ... it's all just a long con for the thing your dog wants most: treats. Don't be stingy. After all, he's your best friend.

And after all of those potentially stressful hugs, you kind of owe him one.

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How one act of chimpanzee affection can teach us all to hug more.

Have you seen these tiny chimpanzees hugging? Because OMG.

GIF via Animal Lovers/Facebook.

We don't know a lot about these two. But according to Mashable, they're best buds who were reunited and got caught hugging on Snapchat in a video posted to Facebook by Animal Lovers.

I'll give you a minute to finish squealing. Good? OK.

Believe it or not, what's happening in this video is more than just the cutest thing in the world...

Hugging is actually a really important part of being a chimpanzee. Chimpanzees are highly social creatures, with social interplay and physical interaction being a key part of their development.

Chimps typically hang out in groups based on family and community. The groups can range in size from 20 to 120, and a vast array of chimp politics and social behavior can be seen if you watch closely enough.

"Did you ever notice that our feet look exactly like our hands? It's kinda messing with my head, man." Photo by Rob Elliott/AFP/Getty Images.

In family units and the larger community, chimpanzees use physical touch to ensure trust, express affection, and even say thank you. Like this chimp who gave Jane Goodall a long hug after being rescued and released back into the wild.

GIF via Jane Goodall Institute of Canada/YouTube.

OK, how about another minute to finish crying?

Good? Good.

We human beings have a lot in common with our primate ancestors — including the need for physical touch.

Hugs and other contact promote feelings of trust in humans as well as animals, according to this NPR interview with Matt Hertenstein, a psychologist at DePauw University.

When someone gives you a hug, your levels of the stress hormone cortisol go down, making you feel calmer, and your levels of the feel-good hormone oxytocin go up, making you feel more trusting.

Hand-holding, hugging, or other types of friendly touch can actually give us the raw biological ingredients for building relationships, but these chimps already know that. Photo by Georges Gobet/AFP/Getty Images.

Oxytocin is also the hormone that helps new moms and babies bond, another key part of chimpanzee (and human) development. Mother and daughter chimpanzees have particularly strong trust-bonds, and these babies don't leave their mothers side until around age 7.

In short, hugs are more important than you'd think.

They help our social development, they're good for our brain chemistry, and they can ensure feelings of trust, warmth, and bonding.

These women used free hugs to help heal after the 2015 Paris attacks. Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images.

We may not all be as cute as those chimps, but we might be able to make a better society if we hug more. At the very least, it's a free, easy way to make people feel good. So put your phone down and go hug someone, like this:

You've inspired me, little chimp friends.

PSA: Please don't hug any random chimpanzees without their consent.

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