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positivity

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15 people share the one life-changing piece of advice that actually stuck with them forever

"The price of procrastination is the life you could have lived."

via Canva/Photos

A woman having a revelation.

Truly, though few and far between in most of our lives, there’s nothing quite like having a breakthrough moment. When you hear something that completely reframes how you view a relationship or challenging life situation that helps you move past the barrier and into a new headspace, it can be exhilarating. It’s like scratching an itch that you didn’t know you had.

"Breakthrough is that moment when frustration, struggling, fear, worry, or anxiety disappears,” famed personal development coach Tony Robbins once said. “It's a moment of insight, recognition about who you are, and the realization that you are more than the moment. It's a radical, massive improvement in the quality of your life, and as a result, all those you have the privilege to touch."

A Redditor on the Confession subforum asked people to share the “one sentence that completely changed their life,” and they received over 1,000 responses from people who heard the right wisdom at the right time and never forgot it. These sentences are powerful truths that helped people stuck in a rut realize they had the power to change or move on.

advice, breakthroughs, confessions, wisdom, moments, thinking, advice A mom consoling her daughter. via Canva/Photos

Here are 15 sentences that completely changed people’s lives

1. Sometimes when you’re in a dark place, you think you’ve been buried, but you’ve actually been planted.

"That's a spin on an old saying, 'They tried to bury us, but they didn't realise we were seeds.'"

2. Never try to hate anyone; often they don't care, and you're left doing all the work.

"Said by a friend of mine at a very critical time in my life. It's been said in other ways, but that one stuck with me for the last 35+ years."

"Makes me think of this gem: Never get in a fight with a pig. You both get covered in sh*t but the pig enjoys it."

"Hate corrodes the vessel it's carried in."

3. Have you had a bad day, or did you have a bad 5 minutes that you let ruin your day?

"I love this one explained with money. If I gave you $100, then I stole 5, would you burn/throw away the rest?"

"I need someone to remind me of this sometimes! I'm not neurotypical and I can tell sometimes that when things can't go to my plan or agreed schedule it can be like a monkey wrench in a gear and just PAUSE my life in a way I hate sometimes."

bad day, bad moment, advice, wisdom, breakthrough A bad moment, not a bad day. Giphy

4. People are quick to accept that the smallest change in the past can dramatically change the present, yet refuse to accept that the smallest action today can completely change the world.

"Hindsight’s 20/20 as they say, and it’s easier to know the difference between the outcome compared to the present. Whereas our current actions, we really have no way of knowing how it’ll affect the future, as there are so many other variables that could affect things, and we can’t see into the future."

5. Don't set yourself on fire to keep others warm

"This reminds of an African proverb I heard: Beware the naked man who offers you clothes."

6. I love you enough to let you hate me.

"My mom told me once during a heated argument in my teens, 'I love you enough to let you hate me.' Powerful."

7. Never break two laws at once; that's how you draw attention to yourself.

“If you have a body in the trunk, make sure you use your turn signals.”

"My dad was in law enforcement and told me that was how they often caught people. An example he used was at night when someone forgot to turn off their high beams there was a reasonable chance they might be an impaired driver."

8. Nothing is going to be different unless you do things differently.

"Nothing changes if nothing changes!"

"I've tried nothing and it didn't work!"

trying, nothing, advice, wisdom, breakthrough The Simpsons media4.giphy.com

9. Living well is the best revenge!

"Instead of making yourself miserable stewing over the past, improve your life and make yourself happy."

"For the people that hate you, or just generally dislike you, there's nothing worse than seeing you be happy. If someone hurts you on purpose, you don't need to try and hurt them back, if you become obsessed with them, then they've won, but being happy and leading a good life is the best revenge you could have, because they'll hate to see it. If you can't love yourself for you, love yourself just out of spite towards the people who would bring you down."

10. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good enough.

"This is a good one in the professional world. I give this advice to my direct reports often. Move onto the next great thing."

11. Acceptance is the answer

"Big Book AA: Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation—some fact of my life—unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment."

"It changed my life… I was so consumed with everything that was wrong around me. It made me start looking at and adjusting myself instead. I can only control me."

12. You never know what someone is going through, always be kind.

"Always react with kindness. It costs you nothing and can make most situations much better."

act of kindness, be kind, wisdom, advice, breakthrough Kind Give GIF by MOODMAN Giphy

13. Righty tighty, lefty loosey.

"Lives rent free in my head and has helped me every damn day of my life! Hahaha!"

"Especially when putting together furniture, saved me hours with allen keys."

14. The price of procrastination is the life you could have lived.

"Love this one!"

15. Let today be the day you learn the grace of letting go, and the power of moving on.

"I needed this thank you."

This article originally appeared in May. It has been updated.

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breakthroughs

Community

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."

raise your hand, answer questions, life hack, life lessons, wisdom Pop TV Hello GIF by Schitt's Creek Giphy

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.

From Your Site Articles

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Culture

Japanese Brit shares 10 things she loves about living in the U.S. and it's truly refreshing

Many disenchanted Americans are finding some solace in her observations.

Screenshot courtesy of @iamkouka/TikTok, Photo credit: Canva

There's a lot to love about the U.S.

The United States is a special place, unique among nations, and Americans are a special people. However, it's no secret that many Americans are feeling some combination of frustration, annoyance, and terror over the political landscape, making it hard to see the country in a positive light. The U.S. seems to be going through a severe identity crisis, with clashing political ideologies vying for power and many becoming disenchanted with what feels like an abandonment of the principles and ideals that make America what it is.

Many Americans have felt their love for their country getting buried in the political upheaval, but one woman's observations are helping to shake the dust off. Kouka Webb is a Japanese British woman who's been living in the United States for the past 11 years. She shared a list of her 10 favorite things about the U.S., and it's a refreshing reminder that there's a lot to love about this country outside of its current government and politics.

@iamkouka
There’s a lot of negativity online so I hope this is helpful to some people! #nyc #newyork #optimism #positivity #favorites

1. Friendliness

"I really love how friendly Americans are," she says. "The fact that everywhere I go, some random person is going to talk to me on the street—like, at least once a day, I'll talk with some random stranger. It can get really annoying, but most of the time I think it's really cute. And it's special to America. You don't really get that anywhere else in the world."

2. Optimism/Hustle Culture

"I like that people don't make fun of you for trying hard here," she says. "You can have two jobs and people are just going to be like, 'You've got this, girl!' Amazing. And people really believe here that you can do anything you want to do, and that's great. It really rubs off on you."

grand canyon, national parks, united states, America, natural beauty The Grand Canyon is one of 63 incredible National Parks in the U.S. Photo credit: Canva

3. National Parks

"If the Grand Canyon was in any other country, it would be the most incredible thing about the country. But here there are just so many incredible national parks. It's just incredible."

4. Portion Sizes

"Okay, this is controversial because I'm a dietician, but I like the portion sizes. Like, sometimes I want to order a cake and get a massive cake. Sometimes I need that to fill my belly. When you order a salad and it's actually a massive salad, and it fills you up."

Halloween, holidays, holiday decor, Americans, U.S. culture Holidays are a big deal in American culture. Photo credit: Canva

5. Holidays

"I love how Americans go all out on holidays, like Halloween, the 4th of July—it's sweet. It's really cute. And it sets the tone for many other countries…I like that, I like celebrating things."

6. Diversity

"This is obvious, but the diversity of the people. I sit on the train and everybody looks different, and I feel like I can fit in.

thanks, thank you, you're welcome, Americans, U.S. culture Americans take that thank you and acknowledge it with "You're welcome!" Giphy

7. "You're welcome"

In America, when you say, 'thank you,' Americans always take that thank you and they're like 'You're welcome.' They always take the thank you…there's always a 'You're welcome' because they know they helped you. I just find it really cute."

8. Road Trips

"I love that you can spend 8 hours in a car and barely make it to the next state. It's just so nice, there's so much to explore. It actually feels like you're going on a road trip."

customer service, customer is always right, returns, retail, capitalism Customer service in the U.S. is actually pretty impressive. Giphy

9. Customer Service

"I love how if you want to return something, you can return anything…the whole 'customer is always right' thing is an American thing. It's nice."

10. Reinvention Culture

"I'm going back to school. I'm almost 30. No one is like, 'You're old and weird.' No, hustle is respected in America no matter where it starts. My husband's friend's mother went to medical school at 41 and now she's a dermatologist. Has her own practice. I think that's amazing…in America, you really can be anything you want to be. And I love it. I think it's wonderful."

Americans, the u.s., USA, patriotism, love of country There's always something to celebrate. Giphy

People clearly needed to hear this positivity, as the comment section is filled with people thanking her for the perspective:

"It’s nice to see an honest reaction to American culture. I get so caught up in the negatives and the horrendous politics here, I really forget all the good parts that makes me love America."

"Thank you for helping me appreciate my country that I’m not too thrilled with at the moment."

"Honestly, thank you. We’ve been such an s-show for so many years now. It’s nice to be reminded that we don’t 100% suck."

"Love hearing what non-Americans love about America. I want optimism, hard-work, diversity, welcoming attitudes, national parks, going all-out for holidays, etc to be our national identity. Not war or insane politicians."

america, united states, american pride, diversity, love of country People love the U.S. for all kinds of reasons. Photo credit: Canva

"In the funk and depressing state I find myself in as an American, this list of 10 cool things about my country was appreciated and needed. Thank you."

"I LOVE this. As a disenchanted American right now I so appreciate your recognition and sharing of these wonderful things about the American culture. Thank you!!"

"Things are grim in this country. This piece is a helpful pick me up. I need more of this."

"I kind of teared up listening to this because many of us have been feeling so dejected by the state of our country right now, but this was a beautiful take. ❤️"

"Love it! America needs some pride right now. We are such a wonderful country."

Thank you, Kouka, for reminding us all that the U.S. is so much greater than our politics.

You can follow Kouka Webb on TikTok.

From Your Site Articles

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Joy

15 amazing things happening in America right now that are drowned out by negative news

"What's something positive happening that doesn't get enough attention?"

via Kristopher Harris/Wikimedia Commons, FocalFoto/Flickr, Baseballmapper/Wikimedia Commons

Narcan spray, Dolly Parton and the Savannah Bananas mascot.

If one’s opinion of America were based solely on news coverage, they’d think that the country was on its last legs. The average news broadcast is filled with political scandals, crime, sex trafficking, environmental disruption, wars overseas, and health warnings about everyday household items.

However, that’s not just a 2025 problem. As the adage goes, “If it bleeds, it leads,” and humans have a negativity bias when it comes to the news. Stories centered around things we should worry about capture the most attention because humans are hard-wired to pay attention to possible dangers rather than the things that are going well in the world.

The dark reality of modern media makes it challenging for people to maintain a positive outlook on the future of their country. They may think their life and those in their community are going well, but outside of their neighborhood, the world is nothing but turmoil.

To give people hope that there's still a lot of magic left in America, a Reddit user posed a question to the AskReddit community: "What’s something positive happening in America right now that doesn’t get enough attention?" and they received over 3,400 responses. Many of them center around fantastic developments in medicine or the fact that America is experiencing a precipitous drop in violent crime.

15 “positive” things happening in America right now that don’t get enough attention

1. New AIDS medications

"There’s an AIDs treatment at 100% preventative. It’s being licensed royalty-free to six generic manufacturers."

"I heard a doctor recently say they'd rather have HIV than be diabetic - something that would've been completely unthinkable and utterly insane to say even a couple of decades ago. But with HIV, you can now take a pill and, provided you stay on top of things, live symptom-free and not even have to worry about transmission. Not to mention the preventative medications that have significantly reduced the risk of contracting it. Seeing something that - within the span of my own life - went from being a potential death sentence to more or less being akin to high cholesterol really makes you appreciate science and medical advancements."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

2. New MS advancements

"We have found a medication that significantly slows the course of multiple sclerosis, and it is currently undergoing trials for a potential cure."

3. Great libraries

"Our public library is busy and well supported."

"Ours rents out musical instruments, puzzles, paintings, a few appliances. It's so incredibly cool!"

4. Active shooter deaths down

"Last year, active shooting deaths fell from what they were in previous years, after years of increases."

"I think it has to do with the media not covering shootings and shooters as much bc it’s become commonplace. The news was making these shooters famous for a long time."

5. We still have Dolly

"Dolly Parton continues being kind."

"Dolly is an unsung (well, she sings, but you know) national hero! The things that she personally has done for our children and literacy are great!"

6. Violent crime down

"This may be something you'd file under 'less negative' instead of positive, but violent crime appears to have dropped to pre-pandemic numbers in most of the nation."

"Furthermore, it was on a steady decline starting back around the 90s, with a blip up around the pandemic. So violent crime isn't even the lowest it's been since the pandemic, it's the lowest it's been for an extremely long time."

7. Stronger laws protecting animals

"Animal neglect and cruelty have started to become a felony."

"I'm glad even random municipalities are now passing animal neglect and cruelty as felonies for the last few years!"

8. Teen pregnancy is down

- YouTube www.youtube.com

9. Greater access to legal cannabis

"In a lot of the USA, you don’t have to worry about being busted for simple possession of weed anymore, and there is a lot of safe access to cannabis in those places as well."

10. Opiate deaths are down

"Opiate deaths are way down. Mostly due to the availability of Narcan."

"Narcan is everywhere in my state now, even in highway rest stops. Really awesome to see."

11. Ryan Trahan's fundraising

"Ryan Trahan's 50 states in 50 days to raise money for St Jude Children's Hospital. Check out the series on YT - over $10m raised so far. Only 2 states left to go."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

12. South Park is back

"The episode of South Park was a great and powerful thing. Can’t be scared to speak up."

"Right?!?! Americans making fun of their government is the most natural thing. We need our groove back."

13. Savannah Bananas Baseball

"I’m excited that they’re getting so big! A few years ago, you could only catch clips on their socials. Now I regularly watch games on sports channels. I’m hoping a new league takes off!"

"I live on an island in the middle of the North Sea, Shetland Isles, and I love seeing clips of the Savannah Bananas, Man-Nana's, and the Savannah Nana's. Always puts a smile on my face."

See on Instagram

14. Matt Murry's notebooks

"There's a guy on Tiktok who was in search of a very specific notebook for his autistic brother. Fearing they were discontinued, he put out a plea to help him find enough notebooks to last his brother. The community responded, as did the company, and he's now close to 1000 notebooks sent to him (well above his 500 goal). He's since been paying back the support by donating to teacher wishlists across the country. Nothing crazy like a Mr.Beast, but small amounts to help chip away at teacher driven initiatives."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

15. Better representation in entertainment

"People of color play significant parts in each and every movie, TV show, and commercial, regardless of the story. Like a black mom, white dad, Asian kid, mixed kid, and Hispanic partner at work. They got all the bases covered."

From Your Site Articles

good news

Community

Men reveal touching compliments women have said to them that pulled their heartstrings

"After 49 years and 8 months together out of the blue she says, 'I’m still in love with you'.

Image via Canva

Men share the most heart-warming things people have told them that had deep impact.

Kind words and compliments can sometimes mean so much more than anticipated. And certain compliments from women to men can have a deep and lasting impact, whether they are from a spouse, parent, friend, or even a stranger.

In an online forum, member kitcat1098 posed the question: "Men, what has a woman told you that touched your heart more than you let on?"

And men did not hold back divulging the impactful things women have said to them. These are 21 of the best compliments a woman has given a man, according to men.

man crying, man tears, man happy tears, emotional man, man emotions Tears Crying GIF Giphy

"A classmate in anthropology class, we were making casual conversation while we examined bones and I told her I had a brother and she asked me 'is he like you? So gentle?' I have very low self esteem, or rather a lot of self loathing. When I get a compliment my instinct is to think I’m being mocked or pitied. That one came out of left field, and it actually got past my mental defenses and connected. It was also genuinely, genuinely touching to me." DPPestDarkestDesires

"Ex gf and I were leaving her families' holiday dinner. I made a casual comment, something to the effect of 'Nana remembered both me and my job. I think she likes me.' And her reply struck me like a lightning bolt. She casually said (while still staring at her phone) 'Of course Nana likes you. You are a genuine and kind person. Who wouldn't like you?' She didn't mean it as a compliment. She said it like an observation that any other person would have made and seemed almost annoyed that I didn't understand how they both apparently saw my interaction with her. I never told her how much that meant to me." whovian5690

"After 49 years and 8 months together out of the blue she says, 'I’m still in love with you'. Separate_Gazelle3481

in love, still in love, love, romantic love, kissing In Love Kiss GIF Giphy

"My mom passed away a couple years ago from Covid and I was her primary caretaker for over 10 years before that. She was a single mom and meant everything to me. I have really bad confidence issues and struggled extremely hard with depression. To be frank, I was a lazy sack of shit. After my mom passed I ended up losing everything and basically ended up having a trial by fire trying to become a functioning adult all within like 2 months. A couple months ago I took my Grandma (her mom) out to lunch and she looked at me and just said 'your mom would be so proud of you.' It hit me like a ton of bricks because I still feel like I'm behind everyone else at my age and haven't really ever experienced that before." EppsXIII

"I’m an engineer and used to be an engineering team leader when my amazing General Manager left for another opportunity. I was asked if I would like to be considered to take his place and oversee sales and construction in addition to engineering, as well as P&L responsibility for the region. I was wavering on it and told my wife, 'I don’t know. (My predecessor) was from more of a sales background and a better public speaker and …..' She told me, 'You don’t need to be (your predecessor). You can just be you and bring your own strengths and leadership qualities.' I got that job and have served in that position for the last 8 years. It was the best career decision I ever made, and thinking about that conversation with my wife still chokes me up." Scintelle

"My girlfriend told me that I'm the father to our daughters that she always wished she had growing up and I think about that all the time." Tydozer_

smile, smiling man, emotional man, happy man, touching moment In Love Awww GIF Giphy

"Two women said, unannounced and without knowing my situation, called me a good dude they could always depend on, without prompt or self pity. It was..really, really, nice to hear." cgtdream

"My wife when she told me she was proud of me for standing up to my emotionally abusive parents after almost 30 years of keeping my mouth shut and being a doormat. I cried, but even that doesn't come close to letting her know how much that meant to me and words can't describe it." Deylar419

"Our daughter was born with a heart defect. She died at 6 weeks old. My wife turned to me a few weeks after the funeral and said 'you’re a rock all the time and I appreciate it more than words will ever be able to express, but it’s time for you to let it out.' I wasn’t okay for quite a few hours after that." BGOG83

"I'm a 50/50 single dad. I was in Walmart and a woman overheard me talking to my son, who was 4 at the time. We crossed paths later on and she stopped me and complimented me on how I talk to my son. 'There aren't very many dads out there who are like that with their children. It's really nice to see.' I was completely stunned and I struggled to maintain my composure with a weak 'Thank you.' I had to stop for a few minutes to process it and I was so overwhelmed that tears were flowing. I've been trying so hard to raise my little guy since he was a year old, struggling at times, trying to do things right. No one ever asks me how I'm doing, I've had people treat me like absolute shit since my breakup and I talk to only a small fraction of the people I used to. His mom and I are on good terms as co-parents and I won't ever budge from that. To have a complete stranger stop and compliment me like that just meant so much." j1ggy

good dad, compliment, nod, agree, yes Proud Schitts Creek GIF by CBC Giphy

"Twenty six years ago a girl told me I had friendly eyebrows." OneTimeIMadeAGif

"'Thank you for bringing dignity to this dump.' -eccentric old lady in McDonald’s. Narrowly, I think she just meant the McDonald’s, since I was wearing a suit, but I choose to apply the sentiment more broadly." BubblyTaro6234

"(I found her father dying from a heart attack). It was a week later after he passed. We were in bed together she said 'you can cry and I won’t tell anyone'. I looked up to that man a lot and how he lived his life." hdlog43

"Had a girl seemingly out of nowhere ask me if I was doing alright yesterday. I don’t think I was putting out negative vibes or anything. It was just a check in. It was kind of awesome." abrandnewanthem

happy, happy man, smiling, happy smile, excited man Happy Lets Go GIF by US Open Giphy

"My wife showed me a picture of her and our daughters getting some froyo and she said 'thanks babe for working so hard so that we can afford a treat on a Tuesday'. Somehow it made me feel like all the hours I slave away and don't have with my family are actually worth something. I got all watery-eyed and happy. It like refueled me." Engininja_180PI

"I’ve been close to only a few girls in my life. And one thing they’ve said about me is that I’m a good listener. I’ve always taken it as a compliment but I honestly don’t know what I did that warranted that comment. I literally just listened to them talk. I don’t take notes or give encouraging comments and honestly, I don’t even remember what they say sometimes. Anyway, I was talking to a girl I’m seeing and I brought this up and she agreed. I was wondering what she thought and was expecting her to give some insight but then she said 'but do they listen to what YOU have to say ?' I was honestly taken aback. I did not expect her to be concerned about that for me. And I was honestly so touched." zool714

"That she feels safe with me." Inside-Cod1550

hug, safety, safe, feel safe, safe feeling couple hug GIF Giphy

"My girlfriend telling me she feels safe being herself around me, and then proceeding to meow at me and us proceeding to meow at each other like two completely normal people." BaconAndVibes

"'You're the only man that has ever treated me with respect.' I wasn't even trying flirt with her, she was my groupmate back in college and I treated her like any other bro. I guess its because she is very attractive that she gets a lot of unwanted male attention. It was both a compliment and something very sad for me." KapePaMore009

"I wasn't the easiest kid to have, nothing crazy but messy, lazy, etc. A few years after moving out my mom said she 'misses me so much' and here I was convinced she was exited to be an empty nester... got to my feels." steadyhands25

"I once had a coworker tell me I looked nice. To her it was probably just something of a nicety. But to me, well I still remember it 10 years later." BaddestKarmaToday

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Motherhood

Busy mom gets blindsided by an elderly man's off-the-cuff remark in the very best way

It wasn't what she expected him to say, and his positivity made all the difference.

Photo credit: Canva

Every mom needs some encouragement.

Parents of newborns know they are in the middle of a joyous and stressful era. But far too often, the people they run into choose to frame things negatively when talking to them about their young child. They’ll say things like, “Don’t worry, it gets better” or “Boy, do you have your hands full.”

That’s why Steph Morrison's video on TikTok touched so many hearts. It’s about the fantastic things that can happen when people choose to see things in a positive light instead of a negative one.

double stroller, mom, motherhood, toddlers, Moms of littles need positive encouragement.Photo credit: Canva

“The sweetest thing just happened,” Morrison begins in her video. “I was just finishing my walk and we were just pulling down our street and this old man, he stopped so we could walk by because we’ve got the double-wide stroller that takes up the whole space, and he goes ‘Wow! You’re going to have a lot of fun.’"

The comment blindsided Morrison because it reframed how she looks at being a parent.

@_stephmorrison_
I never would have guessed what the man would say nor did I ever predict tears would roll down my face like they did. Thankful for this sweet glimmer from God 🫶🏼✨ #momspiration #momsoftiktok #momsover30 #quotesforyou #momquotes #postpartumjourney #postpartumlife #happywords #happinessbegins #creatorsearchinsights

“I don’t know why I’m getting emotional telling you now. But most people say, ‘You’ve got your hands full’ and it’s my biggest pet peeve, but he was so sweet and I could, like, see the memories flash through his eyeballs as he said that to me: ‘You’re going to have a lot of fun.’”

“Like, dang! That’s the type of vibe and energy I’m going to bring to motherhood,” she continued. “I was having a really great time with the kids already, so I don’t know why I’m crying while telling you this. But if you’re a mother out there, I hope you’re having a lot of fun, too, because why not?”

kid dancing, joy, fun Kids can be a lot of fun.Giphy GIF by Piñata Farms

Everyone knows that parenting can be hard. But it’s also filled with joy, laughter, hope, possibilities and new experiences. The elderly man’s comments were a great reminder to Morrison and her followers to focus on the joy and possibilities of being a parent instead of the challenges and hard work.

The video struck a chord with mothers in the comments who shared similar experiences.

“An older man in the grocery store stopped me when my son was 8 months old and said, ‘Young enough to still talk to the angels, put in a good word for me!’” Rachel wrote.

“My only son is 7 months old. I can’t have any more kids due to life-threatening complications at birth. The other day, a man said to me, ‘He gets to have you all to himself. Isn’t that so special?’” Happy_Gilmoree added.

mom carrying baby, mom in grocery store, motherhood, babies Moms share stories of strangers sharing encouraging words in public.Photo credit: Canva

CaitlinPrice25 hit the nail on the head. “Society makes us feel like kids are a burden,” she wrote. “Just a little change of perspective can make all the difference.”

A positive mindset can make life much easier for parents, but it’s also great for their children. Children look to their parents and model their behavior; those with a positive attitude are likely to raise happy, optimistic children.

“A mother’s ability to model positivity becomes a powerful tool in shaping a child’s character, fostering qualities such as kindness, compassion, and a positive outlook on life,” The Motherhood Center in Houston, Texas, writes.

mom joy, happy mother, dancing mother Modeling positivity is a gift to your children.Giphy GIF by Maddie And Tae

The story also reminds everyone, whether they are parents or not, of the importance of leading with positivity when dealing with others. The man could have said something cliché such as “I hope you’re getting enough sleep,” but instead, he reminded Morrison of the joy of parenting, and she made his remark her north star. That’s the power of positivity.

This article originally appeared last year.

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Joy

Hero dog rescues missing 2-year-old who had wandered 7 miles from home in Arizona wilderness

Search teams had been looking for over 16 hours, to no avail.

Photo credit: Canva

A hero dog saves a toddler who had been lost for 16 hours.

Dogs are man’s best friend, and a toddler’s best hero.

In a truly anxiety-inducing story, a valiant ranch dog named Buford made headlines after finding a missing toddler who had wandered seven miles away from his home in the rural Arizona wilderness.

Seven. Miles. Can you imagine?

On the night of April 14, Yavapai County Sheriff's Office shared a report of a missing two-year-old named Boden Allen, who had walked away from his home in the small town of Seligman, Arizona—wearing only his pajamas.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The thought of a toddler making his way alone through rocky desert terrain is already terrifying, but to make matters even more harrowing, the surrounding area had at least two mountain lion sightings that night.

Though a massive search party of nearly 40 search and rescue workers and officers had been initiated immediately, their efforts were to no avail, and by hour 16, things felt very dire.

As reported by NPR, hope was all but lost until Buford, a “kid loving” Anatolian Pyrenees discovered the little boy, who had likely followed a power line down from his house and into a ranch owned by Buford’s human, Scotty Dunton. The poor little fella had been sleeping under a tree!

buford dog rescue, dog rescues toddler, lost toddler, hero dog, dog stories, feel good stories, positive news, local news, arizona news A photo of an Anatolian Pyreneesdogtime.com

Buford brought little Boden back to safety, and while he was understandably distraught, he was able to tell Dunton a bit of his plight after receiving some food and water. And aside from a few cuts and scrapes, he was in good health. He is now safe and sound with his very relieved family.

"I'd heard about the missing child before I was going to town, and when I was driving out the driveway I noticed my dog was sitting down by the entrance. And I look up, and the little kid's standing there with my dog,” Dunton said in an interview with the sheriff's office.

As for Buford, the gifts keep a’ comin’ for this goodest of good boys. He became an honorary member of the Yavapai County Search and Rescue Team—even got himself a nifty vest—and Dunton told NBC News that they’ve received “Toys, chew toys, snacks, you name it, just a little bit of everything” from folks around the world thanking Buford for his heroic feat.

Thank goodness this story had a happy ending, but it truly took a miraculous chain of events to turn out that way. So here’s a reminder to do a little preventive maintenance–childproofing doors and windows, adding alarms, having a little safety meeting with the kiddos, etc. On the bright side, this is also a lovely reminder about how our communities, both the human and furry members, can show up for us when we need it most.

As Corey Allen, Bodin's father, said, “It’s a story of faith."

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