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Man's response to his girlfriend's hormonal breakdown taught 2.7 million people how to love again

"If men ever wondered what women actually need in a relationship, this is it."

Credit: TikTok @megannlandersonn

Megan Anderson and boyfriend Alec Olmstead are walking green flags.

Amid the endless scroll of relationship theatrics and red flag compilations, a quiet moment of genuine tenderness has managed to captivate millions. When Portland creator Megan Anderson shared what could have been just another tearful breakdown, she inadvertently offered the Internet a masterclass in what love actually looks like when things get real.

Her TikTok—now viewed by over 2.7 million people—didn't just go viral; it induced a collective sigh online, and sparked a crucial conversation about emotional intelligence, hormonal realities, and the revolutionary simplicity of showing up for someone without trying to "fix" them.


@megannlandersonn ps I think I’m in my luteal phase
♬ original sound - megannlandersonn


The moment that started it all

The video opens with Anderson, 28, in tears after what she describes as a "crash-out" morning. Rather than offering the usual male repertoire of awkward back pats or "can-do" platitudes, her boyfriend (now fiancé), Alec Olmstead, responds with something that stopped millions of viewers in their tracks: emotional intelligence wrapped in a thoughtful roadmap to help her reset her day.

"Start with the treadmill," he suggests, his voice steady as a metronome. There's not a trace of derision or belittlement here: this isn't just exercise-as-medicine advice; it's the opening movement of what TikTokers would later dub his "reset day symphony." Olmstead crafts a ritual of renewal rather than a mere to-do list: "In the shower, tell yourself, 'I'm washing away every bit of bad energy for the day.' Then, your day will restart," he coaches, convincingly.


couple, happiness, emotional, intelligence, communication A couple on a charming picnic date. Photo credit: Canva

For his grand finale, Olmstead delivers what can only be described as a walk-off grand slam in the stadium of love: "Take the car to 23rd and shop. I'll give you money."

Before she can protest, he swoops in with the cherry on top. "When you're done, come get me. I'll have everything ready—blanket, food, paints," he promises. "We'll have a little picnic and paint. Does that work?"

Anderson beams back. She nods.

"We're going to reset our day and have an amazing day," Olmstead tells her, assuredly. "I love you."

No judgment, no fixing—just presence and a path forward.

Cue: Swooning.


via GIPHY


Why this response hits different

The brilliance of Olmstead's intervention isn't merely in his choice of words, but in his emotional competency and perfect execution. In the video's caption, Anderson mentions she might be in her "luteal phase"—that monthly hormonal rollercoaster where progesterone peaks and emotions run amok—and yet, her boyfriend doesn't miss a beat.

Not once did he resort to the tired "Is it that time of the month?" eye-roll that's been the downfall of lesser men since time immemorial. Instead, he navigated her emotional weather system with the finesse of a seasoned storm chaser, walking confidently into the eye of the storm with a reminder: "I've got you."

"I was emotional but also smiling inside, because he knows me so well," Anderson told Newsweek. She adores his suggestions, as demonstrated in the video, because she knows they "always stem from such a sincere desire for my well-being."


@megannlandersonn hi I’m Alec 👋
♬ original sound - megannlandersonn

Therapists refer to this as emotional intelligence—the ability to recognize, understand, and respond appropriately to emotional cues. Research indicates that this type of supportive partnership can have a profoundly positive impact on mental health and relationship satisfaction.


The Internet's reaction

The comments section erupted into a digital town square where relationship POVs collided. Women tagged partners with pointed "take notes" comments while single viewers lamented with theatrical despair.

"I didn't think this was real, and I literally read and watch Hallmark movies in my spare time," wrote one commenter. Another simply added: "Looked at my man and sighed…"


via GIPHY

And of course, there was well-deserved admiration. "Who is his mother? She deserves a reward!!" someone enthused.

"When he knows how to calm your storms and find resolutions instead of making you feel bad for having big emotions. HUGE WALKING GREEN FLAG ENERGY!" replied another.

One commenter put it very simply: "If men ever wondered what women actually need in a relationship, this is it," they wrote, garnering over 80,000 likes.


via GIPHY

The ripple effect went far beyond mere admiration. Women flooded the comments with their own luteal phase war stories—moments of feeling emotionally hijacked by their hormones and left to fend for themselves. "The luteal phase is literally a monthly personal hell," groaned one person. Another offered advice: In case anyone hasn't heard of this yet, taking an antihistamine has helped with my meltdowns."

What emerged was a digital chorus saying: "This happens to me too." In an Internet landscape where menstrual health often remains shrouded in euphemisms and bizarre commercials, this comment section became a revolutionary space—normalizing what has been whispered about for generations.


The science behind the support

Olmsted's response, while sweet, also emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence in relationships. Research suggests that the most effective way to support someone in distress is to both acknowledge their feelings and offer practical help. He nailed both effortlessly.

What we can learn from his response:

Moving the body, moving the mind: His suggestion to hit the treadmill wasn't just about endorphins—exercise has been proven to regulate mood and reduce stress hormones, especially during times of hormonal fluctuation.

The shower reboot: That simple "wash away the bad energy" ritual? Pure genius. Mindful transition rituals are the emotional equivalent of turning your phone off and back on again—a psychological reset button when your internal operating system freezes.


couple, happiness, emotional, intelligence, communication Couple painting together. Photo credit: Canva

Art therapy without the co-pay: Anderson and Olmstead's picnic and paint date is the perfect psychological wellness one-two punch: social connection with a side of self-expression.

Partners, not saviors: Notice how Olmstead didn't try to swoop in and fix everything? (Well, the Internet sure did.) No one wants to be ordered around or made to feel as if their problems can be fixed with a wave of a wand. Unless they can be…in which case, wave away. Partnership, not paternalism, is the key here. Olmstead instead offered a steady presence and created a framework where they both could navigate Anderson's emotional weather together.


A lesson in showing up

As it turns out, this wasn't just any random Tuesday for the couple. Anderson later revealed that this tender moment happened right before Olmstead dropped to one knee with a ring. Talk about emotional whiplash.

"What I didn't know at the time was that Alec had been planning a proposal for months," Anderson told Newsweek. After three and a half years together, Olmstead flew both their families in for the big surprise. "It was such a special and unforgettable moment," she gushed.


And yes, they actually followed through with Olmstead's reset day blueprint. "My favorite part was the picnic at sunset where we painted together," Anderson remembers. "It was so sweet…I feel so grateful to always have him as a cheerleader in my corner."

In our fast-paced, hyper-stimulated world, what Olmstead gave Anderson that fateful day—and the Internet—was a masterclass in emotional partnership. He heard her. He saw her. He accepted her at every step. Then, he built a bridge, bringing her from her darkness into the daylight, brick by brick, simply through the act of being there.

No heroics required.

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9 things to know about kids in foster care. Plus an unforgettable view into their lives.

Foster care is a nightmare for some kids and their foster parents. For others, it's a blessing.

Image via Nathaniel Matanick

A clip from "ReMoved Part Two"



Zoe's story, "Removed," has been seen by millions of people.

It was previously shared by my amazing Upworthy colleague Laura Willard. We got just a tiny taste of what it was like for kids in foster care, right after being removed. Specifically, a little girl named Zoe and her little brother Benaiah.

My wife and I, foster parents for the past year, even shared the original with our adoption worker, who passed it along to the entire agency and, then, it took off like wildfire among those people as well.

This is part 2 of that story, and it hits hard.

(Yes, the video's on the long side at about 20 minutes. But it's worth the watch to the end.)

She describes her life as a cycle, interrupted by a tornado. She's a foster child. I don't think I need to say any more.

So ... let's accompany that with 9 uncomfortable — but enlightening — facts below. There are only nine bolded, but within those headers, there are several more facts.

1. There are an estimated 400,000 kids in foster care right now.

Some are awaiting adoption. Some will go back to their parents. Others will age out or, sometimes, run away.

2. Foster kids can suffer from PTSD at almost two times the rate of returning veterans.

And PTSD can mimic a lot of other mental illnesses, and it can manifest as nightmares, flashbacks, fight-or-flee responses, anger outbursts, and hyper-vigilance (being on "red alert" at all times), among other symptoms.

Image via Nathaniel Matanick.


3. The average age of a foster child is 9 years old.

They're just on that edge of childhood, and chances are, it's been a pretty messed up childhood at that. Trauma does that.

4. About half of all foster kids are in non-relative foster homes.

8% are in institutions, 6% are in group homes, and only 4% are in pre-adoptive homes. Read that again — only 4% are in pre-adoptive homes.

5. Some of foster children experience multiple placements. In some cases, eight or more.

That's eight homes that they move into — and out of. And just consider ... that means they lose not just adults and other kids with whom they are establishing a bond, but friends, schoolmates, pets.

Clip via Nathaniel Matanick


6. The average foster child remains in the system for almost two years before being reunited with their biological parents, adopted, aging out, or other outcomes.

8% of them remain in foster care for over five years. Of the 238,000 foster kids who left the system in 2013, about half were reunited with parents or primary caregivers, 21% were adopted, 15% went to live with a relative or other guardian, and 10% were emancipated (aged out).

7. In 2013, more than 23,000 young people aged out of foster care with no permanent family to end up with.

And if you add that up, year after year, hundreds of thousands of foster youth will have aged out of the system. What does that look like? "You're 18. You've got no place to live and no family. Good luck — buh-bye now!" One-quarter of former foster kids experience homelessness within four years of exiting the system.

8. Foster "alumni" (those who have been in foster homes and either adopted, returned to parents, or aged out) are likely to suffer serious mental health consequences.

They are four-five times more likely to be hospitalized for attempting suicide and five-eight times more likely to be hospitalized for serious psychiatric disorders in their teens.

Based on that set of statistics alone, it's in the public's interest (ignoring, for a second, the interests of those kids) to help them through their lot in life and spend resources making it all work much better for everybody before it gets to that point. Right?

So there's a lot to be angry about in this whole messed up situation. But this next thing? My blood boils.

What's one of the biggest risk factors in families whose children are placed in foster care?

Your guess?

Cruelty?

Drugs?

Sexual abuse?

Neglect?

The answer is ...

9. Poverty

Together with homelessness and unemployment, it's a main contributing factor. It happens all the time. The fact that it's far easier for a parent to be accused and investigated for neglect or abuse because of simple things like lack of access to a vehicle, or a working refrigerator, or the ability to get a kid to a doctor's appointment — that has a lot to do with this. Tie that to the link between drug abuse and poverty and between poverty and child abuse ... well, you can see where this is going.

And in a country where one-third of children are living in poverty (hint: the good ol' U.S. of A.), imagine how that affects the number of kids being removed and placed into foster care.

I'll end this with a bit of hope through my story.

My kids went through something a lot like the kids in the clip above before they came to live with us. We've been through the ringer in ways that we're going to have to talk about one day because it's not just that the kids have been challenging — they have — it's that the system itself has been more challenging.

The entire system — from agencies to government entities to social workers to even the schools — seems like it's designed to fail these kids and the families who are attempting to help. It's almost designed not to work. There, I said it.

But that doesn't mean we won't fight to make it better for everybody. We most definitely will.

Image from a photo by my wife, Robin.

As for us, we're just a few weeks away from becoming the legal parents to these kids, and we're extremely happy to be right here, making it happen. And they seem quite happy to be our kids. Along the way, we fell in love with them, and we can't imagine life without them.

But to be totally honest ... if we'd have known how hard it was going to be when we started this journey, and if we could somehow turn back the clock and NOT do it ... well, would we have actually gone forward with the process?

I take that back. I won't be totally honest here. I will simply let you decide.

Here are some places to help, if you're so inclined.

        • AdoptUsKids.org is a place to start if you're considering fostering or adopting.
        • My Stuff Bags is a really cool and inexpensive way to help foster kids by gifting them actual luggage, duffel bags, and more, so that they don't travel from home to home with garbage bags for their belongings — or nothing at all.
        • CASA for Children offers legal help and advocates for foster kids through a network of volunteers.

        This story was written by Brandon Weber and originally appeared on 07.17.15

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        Couple confesses they sleep on random sides of the bed and people are in utter shock

        But maybe they're onto something?

        @renovatingourhome/TikTok

        For some, this was nightmare fuel.

        People seem fairly open to the idea of sleep divorces, where partners don’t actually share a bed. But that might be where the openmindedness stops as far as sleeping arrangements go.

        One couple seems to be under (playful) fire after admitting that…brace yourself…they randomly pick a side of the bed to sleep on each night.

        “It’s never discussed, we just pick a side when we go to sleep,” says Angelina, a home designer, in a now-viral TikTok.

        Are you already breaking out into nervous sweats? You're not alone.

        Angelina mentioned that whenever she mentions this routine (or lack thereof), friends call her and her partner Skylar crazy. Unfortunately for Angelina, she didn’t find any backup from her TikTok followers either.

        Literally thousands of comments began flooding in, all from people who were baffled that someone could live with this kind of chaos.

        “What kind of serial kill behavior is this? 😂” one person wrote.

        @renovatingourhome Okay I really need to know if we are alone in this— do you randomly pick which side of the bed you are going to sleep on or do you sleep on the same side every single night? #bedroom #sleeptok ♬ nintendo wii (mii channel) song - julie on the internet

        Another added, “You mean to tell me you just go through life everyday not knowing what side of the bed you’re sleeping on that night?! WHAT?!"

        And perhaps the funniest comment of all: “I’m single, and I have a side of my bed.”

        Angelina wasn’t ready to back down, however. In a couple of follow-up videos, she argued how the idea might not be so crazy after all.

        First off, she addresses some major concerns, such as how they deal with nightstands, bedside accoutrements (like phone chargers) and pets.

        @renovatingourhome Replying to @Modernmamma There’s 2000 comments calling us monsters and people even unfollowed us 🤣 im sorry we dont sleep on the same side of the bed! Hopefully this answers your questions 🫣 #bedroom #sleeptok #beigeflag #redflag ♬ Creepy and simple horror background music(1070744) - howlingindicator

        And honestly, her responses make sense. They have nightstands but mostly keep stuff in the drawers (which, gotta say, makes for a cleaner look) and leave the nighttime routine stuff to other rooms. Then they have matching phone chargers on either side of the bed. Easy peasy.

        As for their pet cats—they’re fine to switch, too, as long as they get to cuddle up next to their preferred human.

        Angelina also shared that while their sleep routine might sound unconventional, a relationship expert called it a “green flag” and potentially “ideal,” given the way that it frees them from any kind of rigid possessiveness.

        @renovatingourhome Replying to @Derek Goode apparently it’s a green flag!! Time to switch sides of the bed, everyone! 😈 #sleeptok #sideofthebed #greenflag #redflag #greenscreen @Insider ♬ nintendo wii (mii channel) song - julie on the internet

        It wasn’t long ago that the notion of sleeping in different beds seemed totally taboo or indicative of a bad relationship. So while Angelina and Skyler might seem like outliers now, it wouldn’t be surprising if this becomes yet another new trend. Even if you can’t fathom living with this kind of inconsistency, there’s probably some way of going about your relationship (or life in general) that seems odd to the mainstream but totally works for you and yours. And that’s what really matters.

        Now, who’s going to live life on the edge and sleep on the opposite side of their bed tonight? Any takers?

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        Melissa McCarthy invited Blake Lively and her husband to SNL and it was great.

        Melissa McCarthy's "Saturday Night Live" opening monologue  — a tribute to moms on the eve of Mother's Day — was adorable, as she led a smiley, unassuming mom from the audience, a woman named Joan, on a backstage (and hilarious) tour of the SNL studios.

        But it was one line during the segment that especially caught the internet's attention.

        Actors Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, who wed in 2012, were backstage during McCarthy's opening as part of the sketch.

        "I may have been drunk when I invited them," McCarthy told Joan as they passed by the couple. "Don't worry, the Livelys are fine. They can handle it."

        Did you catch the bit that had people on Twitter cheering? It was the blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment when McCarthy nonchalantly referred to the couple as "the Livelys" (as opposed to "the Reynolds").

        People ... loved it.

        Like, really loved it.

        It took the opening monologue from pretty darn cute to absolutely delightful in seconds.

        It was an easy-to-miss moment, but one that clearly struck a chord. Maybe it's time we rethink the outdated expectation that a woman should take her husband's name after marriage?

        It seems like the world could use a few more Livelys.

        Watch McCarthy's opening below:

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