There’s a cool new way to help kids with cancer keep calm during treatment.
Pretty much nobody likes getting their blood drawn. Some of us are better about it than others, but when it comes to needles, it’s safe to say very few people jump at the opportunity to get stuck with one — aside from the good-hearted folks who donate. Unfortunately, part of what cancer patients have to…
Pretty much nobody likes getting their blood drawn.
Some of us are better about it than others, but when it comes to needles, it’s safe to say very few people jump at the opportunity to get stuck with one — aside from the good-hearted folks who donate.
Unfortunately, part of what cancer patients have to go through for treatment includes tons of needle-y, pokey, proddy procedures that can give even the most stoic patients pain and anxiety. And for pediatric cancer patients, it’s even worse.
Jenny Hoag, a pediatric psychologist at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, tells the story of one patient, Jamie*, whose experience demonstrates just how distressing regular procedures can be for kids with cancer and other chronic diseases:
“I had worked with him since the beginning of his treatment, and he really, really struggled,” she says. “He would get here and immediately feel nauseous and anxious and would almost always vomit, sometimes more than once, before we even did anything.”
Hoag’s job is to come up with ways to help kids conquer that discomfort and anxiety. But in Jamie’s case, he wasn’t interested.
Jamie rejected Hoag’s coping mechanisms, but once she suggested virtual reality, his curiosity won out.
Hoag brought in a virtual reality program that makes the wearer feel as though they’re underwater, being pushed along calmly while viewing colorful fish, ships, and other distracting scenes.
“Once the headset was on, he was already smiling, which I almost never saw,” Hoag says. Jamie sat through the whole 20-minute program, enjoying every moment. “He took it off and said, ‘I really want to do that again.’”
Using the immersive program, Hoag was able to help Jamie endure his procedures with a lot less stress, anxiety, and pain. But it didn’t stop there. Once Jamie saw that Hoag was right about the benefits of VR, he was suddenly much more willing to try her other coping suggestions.
While once he had been anxious and withdrawn, now his virtual reality experience was encouraging Jamie to branch out into actual reality too.
Now, Hoag is working with Northwestern Mutual and KindVR to study just how much virtual reality could benefit kids at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and beyond.
In her work thus far, Hoag has mainly looked to solve individual cases of anxiety instead of searching for options that could be applied to help kids all over the country. “But obviously,” she says, “having an empirically supported treatment is the best way to treat kids.”
That’s why she’s preparing to apply the solution she saw work so well with Jamie to a clinical study that could result in VR programs being implemented in children’s hospitals nationwide.
Not only could VR provide a more effective way to treat patient discomfort, it could also increase the number of children that could benefit from the hospital’s psychological intervention program. With VR, many hospital staff — not just psychologists — can help patients use the equipment.
Right now, only cases that are extreme enough merit a visit from a psychologist. But if Hoag’s research proves that VR treatment is effective, hospitals could drastically increase the amount of kids receiving anxiety treatment without having to hire more staff.
For kids enduring a chronic illness, the calming effects of VR could be life-changing.
Drawing blood might not seem traumatic, but after months of frequent treatments, it can be.
“The average adolescent is having an IV maybe never, or if anything, maybe once or twice through the course of their childhood,” Hoag says. “These patients are coming in sometimes multiple times a week and having this done. So the anticipation of knowing you have to have a needle is really stressful for kids, and by the time they even get to the hospital, they’re pretty worked up about it.”
For many, the excitement of getting to use a piece of virtual reality software can help temper those feelings of nervousness or nausea, which can improve a child’s life overall by a lot.
In the end, that’s what Hoag is hoping to do: make the lives of kids with cancer just a little bit easier.
“Going through cancer treatment is probably the hardest thing that these kids will ever do — not just as children, in adolescence, but in their entire lives,” Hoag says. That’s the motivation behind her research and the efforts that Northwestern Mutual has made to sponsor similar quality of life projects to help kids with cancer.
“If there are things that we can offer that improve their quality of life or improve their experience while undergoing cancer treatment, that’s absolutely something that we want to do.”
Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and its subsidiaries. Learn more at northwesternmutual.com.
A single door can open up a world of endless possibilities. For homeowners, the front door of their house is a gateway to financial stability, job security, and better health. Yet for many, that door remains closed. Due to the rising costs of housing, 1 in 3 people around the world wake up without the security of safe, affordable housing.
Since 1976, Habitat for Humanity has made it their mission to unlock and open the door to opportunity for families everywhere, and their efforts have paid off in a big way. Through their work over the past 50 years, more than 65 million people have gained access to new or improved housing, and the movement continues to gain momentum. Since 2011 alone, Habitat for Humanity has expanded access to affordable housing by a hundredfold.
A world where everyone has access to a decent home is becoming a reality, but there’s still much to do. As they celebrate 50 years of building, Habitat for Humanity is inviting people of all backgrounds and talents to be part of what comes next through Let’s Open the Door, a global campaign that builds on this momentum and encourages people everywhere to help expand access to safe, affordable housing for those who need it most. Here’s how the foundation to a better world starts with housing, and how everyone can pitch in to make it happen.
Volunteers raise a wall for the framework of a new home during the first day of building at Habitat for Humanity’s 2025 Carter Work Project.
Globally, almost 3 billion people, including 1 in 6 U.S. families, struggle with high costs and other challenges related to housing. A crisis in itself, this also creates larger problems that affect families and communities in unexpected ways. People who lack affordable, stable housing are also more likely to experience financial hardship in other areas of their lives, since a larger share of their income often goes toward rent, utilities, and frequent moves. They are also more likely to experience health problems due to chronic stress or environmental factors, such as mold. Housing insecurity also goes hand-in-hand with unstable employment, since people may need to move further from their jobs or switch jobs altogether to offset the cost of housing.
Affordable homeownership creates a stable foundation for families to thrive, reducing stress and increasing the likelihood for good health and stable employment. Habitat for Humanity builds and repairs homes with individual families, but it also strengthens entire communities as well. The MicroBuild® Initiative, for example, strengthens communities by increasing access to loans for low-income families seeking to build or repair their homes. Habitat ReStore locations provide affordable appliances and building materials to local communities, in addition to creating job and volunteer opportunities that support neighborhood growth.
Marsha and her son pose for a photo while building their future home with Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity in Georgia.
Everyone can play a part in the fight for housing equity and the pursuit of a better world. Over the past 50 years, Habitat for Humanity has become a leader in global housing thanks to an engaged network of volunteers—but you don’t need to be skilled with a hammer to make a meaningful impact. Building an equitable future means calling on a wide range of people and talents.
Here’s how you can get involved in the global housing movement:
Speaking up on social media about the growing housing crisis
Volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity build in your local community
Travel and build with Habitat in the U.S. or in one of 60+ countries where we work around the globe
Join the Let’s Open the Door movement and, when you donate, you can create your own personalized door
Every action, big and small, drives a global movement toward a better future. A safe home unlocks opportunity for families and communities alike, but it’s volunteers and other supporters, working together with a shared vision, who can open the door for everyone.
Generation X (those born between 1965-1980) grew up eating classic Americana meals. During the 1970s, comfort meals like tuna casserole and salmon roquettes were popular meals.
Gen X also grew up eating some pretty unhinged (but all the more yummy) sandwiches. These meals are steeped in childhood nostalgia.
And to this day, Gen Xers are still fond of their favorite dishes they grew up eating. Together, they discussed on Reddit their most-loved home-cooked dishes that they still whip up, starting with sloppy joes.
Here are 17 iconic Gen X comfort meals to keep in mind the next time you make dinner:
“Breakfast. We will have a ‘breakfast for dinner’ at least a couple times a month. Yum!” – fadeanddecayed, KddKc
“Pizza bread! My mom would cut Italian bread into pieces, put butter and garlic salt on them, then pour some spaghetti sauce on them, cover with mozzarella cheese, and broil for like ten or fifteen minutes. Super easy and quick to make and so tasty. I’m sure my mom loved that I was so into something that took roughly zero effort for her to make.” – hornybutired
“Grilled cheese and soup.” – reincarnateme
“Meat loaf. I use 2 pounds ground beef, replace bread crumbs with minute rice, add 1 pkg beef soup flavoring, chop an entire onion for it, and mix BBQ sauce into mixture. Oh, important: do not overmix! Place all ingredients into bowl, then mix quickly 10 or 12 swirls of a large spoon. Grease loaf pan, carefully place mixture in, pat down & bake about an hour. (Extra info: for even better flavor, mix the night before, pat into loaf pan, cover with plastic, put into fridge overnight. Remove from fridge about an hour before baking. BE SURE TO REMOVE PLASTIC WRAP! [Esp. If in Pyrex glass loaf pan])” – jehardt, AbbyM1968
“White guy tacos.” – najing_ftw
“Skillet dinner. Kielbasa, bell pepper, onion, spuds in a cast iron pan. One dish. Easy peasy.” – UnimportantOutcome67
“Chicken pot pie or chicken ala king.” – sattersnaps
“Fried catfish, greens, and red beans and rice.” – User Unknown
“Shepherds pie, technically cottage pie if it’s ground beef. Homemade enchiladas, usually made as a layered casserole instead because I don’t have time to roll them. Pork chops with mashed potatoes and veggies.” – XerTrekker
“Fried rice with chicken or pork leftovers.” – AlternativeResort181
“Hot hamburgers: hamburger patty open face on Texas toast thickness bread, cover with fries then cover that with brown gravy. Wife’s variation is hamburger patty over rice with brown gravy.” – EnricoMatassaEsq
“Stuffed peppers. I make it much more easily by cooking it all in one large frying pan ‘deconstructed’. Sauté onions garlic and ground beef, add cut up peppers, tomatoes or tomato sauce, sometimes a little spinach, then add separately cooked rice, salt and pepper and serve. It comes together pretty quickly and tastes just as good as stuffing and baking peppers in the oven.” – Affectionate-Map2583
“Macaroni and cheese with cut up hot dogs. Seriously, that’s what I ate tonight.” – Dazzling-Walrus9673
“Homemade Stroganoff casserole. Ridiculously easy to make. Ingredients:
1.25-1.5 lbs. Ground Beef 1 each of large white onion, green pepper, and red pepper 1 can mushroom pieces, drained and rinsed 12 oz. Bag of wide egg noodles 1 can cream of mushroom soup 16 oz. Sour cream Worcestershire Sauce Louisiana Hot Sauce White or Black Pepper Panko bread crumbs
To Make: Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Worcestershire, hot sauce, garlic powder, and pepper are all to taste, depending on how much flavor and punch you want it to have. Cook noodles per instructions. Drain. Peel and slice onion (not diced), core and cut peppers into strips Brown meat, onions and peppers along with liberal amount of Worcestershire; garlic, pepper, and hot sauce. Add mushrooms. Cook until meat is fully brown, onions are translucent and peppers are tender. Drain. Combine drained meat, etc. with whole can of soup, half of the sour cream. Gradually add noodles into the mix. Add sour cream as needed to maintain consistency. Add Worcestershire, hot sauce, and pepper to taste. Dump into large, deep Corning dish or whatever. Cover too with bread crumbs. Cover and bake for forty minutes.” – CynfullyDelicious
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
Photo credit: Canva, hwanas99 from pixabay (dog photo) / Jonathan Welch from jdwfoto (text box) – A golden retriever hears all his favorite words in a fake letter, and he reacts adorably.
For pet parents, there are dozens of universally adorable situations. When your cat cozies up in your lap and starts “making biscuits,” you will likely react with an almost-involuntary “aww.” Plus, we all know that any time your dog stretches after a long snooze, you’re legally obligated to announce, “Big stretch!” Why do we do these things? Don’t overanalyze it—pet love goes beyond logic.
But the ultimate cute-dog moment is probably when your pup recognizes a word and immediately, eagerly tilts their head as if to communicate, “Really?” or “What are you on about?” And one excellent viral video expertly builds on this premise, as a “dog mom” content creator reads a fake letter—one loaded with obviously familiar words—to their golden retriever.
Dog mom reads a “letter” to an adorable golden retriever
Subtitled “No, this is literally our fav trend,” the clip shows our protagonist pup suitably enthusiastic about a note labeled in large block letters. “Hi, Ollie. It’s your friend,” the letter begins, before Ollie runs off to the window, excitedly looking for his pal. “It’s your friend from the park. Do you remember?” the greeting continues. “We played frisbee and ball. I wanted to know—do you want to go outside later and go on a walk? By the way, where is your daddy?”
That latter word seems particularly exciting for Ollie, who runs off once again to the window. “He usually brings us food,” we learn. “Food and water. I’ll talk to you later. Your friend, Cilio.” The video then cuts to a shot of the family cat, Cilio, before Ollie grabs the letter and cutely stomps around. Their associated YouTube account features a similar reaction video—this one featuring all of those beloved words, along with “treat” and “bone,” packaged in a fake email.
You can’t fail to draw a reaction with a creative cute-dog video, and people naturally shared their collective “awws” in the Instagram comments. Here are some examples:
“The little head tilt❤️❤️❤️❤️”
“He’s literally a human being “
” see his expressions – he’s listening to each and every detail “
“I can’t with his headtilts “
“BRING HIM DAD IMMEDIATELY”
“Not my dog tilting her head next to me over the words as I played this reel”
“Take him out to the park now “
“Cilio just chilling like… what?! What did I do? “
Why do dogs tilt their heads anyway?
Dogs are smarter than a lot of people realize, and that includes their ability to recognize a lot of what we tell them. As PetMD notes in a 2022 study of 165 adult dogs published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, researchers found that—according to pet parents—the ruffs in question knew an average of 89 words, with an overall range of 15 to 215.
As for that classic doggy head tilt? In 2023, Scientific American explored this beloved movement, interviewing a number of experts. Andrea Sommese, an animal cognition researcher at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary, remarked, “In humans, when you remember a story or something, you tilt your head to the side, and you have this mental image of something in your mind. Probably it’s the same for dogs.”
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
Bringing life into the world isn’t always as joyous as the media portrays. Several parents come through childbirth with physical, mental, and emotional trauma. But even among the most traumatic deliveries, the birth story of Inés Ramíez, a mother of nine in Mexico, likely catapults to the top of the list of the world’s most traumatic births.
The International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics reveals in a case report originally published in December 2003, that a 40-year-old mother of nine gave herself an emergency cesarean section and lived to tell the tale. This wasn’t a self-inflicted operation to test her fortitude and pain tolerance. This was an act of desperation, utilizing different areas of personal experience to guide her actions.
The mother lived in Oaxaca, a remote mountain town in Mexico without access to a local hospital. After delivering eight previous children, she’s an expert on how childbirth is supposed to go, but during her eighth pregnancy, something went wrong. Labor didn’t progress as it should’ve, and the baby couldn’t descend through the birth canal properly, resulting in a stillbirth.
Living in an extremely rural area with little access to everyday necessities, Ramíez was accustomed to seeing goats slaughtered for food. This knowledge came in handy when she went into labor with her ninth child at home with no other adult around to assist. When her labor stalled, showing the same signs as her previous pregnancy that ended in a stillbirth, the mom became desperate. According to the report she gave the hospital, she knew she had to get the baby out quickly, so she took three shots of hard liquor and cut into her belly. Ramíez’s husband was away deer hunting with no idea what was going on at home.
OBGYN Shannon M. Clark shares the story on her Instagram page explaining how the mother was able to successfully perform her own C-section without dying from blood loss.
“She did a right paramedian incision vertically to gain access to her abdomen, so likely she entered somewhere near the midline between the rectus muscles, and then she cut her uterus in the same direction and delivered the male fetus. She didn’t report a lot of bleeding, but having done these a gajillion times, incisions that are up and down, either right to the side of the belly button, or above it, or below it, actually do not bleed very much because you get right in between those rectus muscles, and you avoid a lot of vessels that way,” Clark explains.
It took her about an hour to complete the emergency surgery. Before passing out, likely from pain and shock, she directed one of her children to get her cousin, who is a local health assistant. The cousin arrived to find the mother still passed out with a gaping wound. Being that the community is so rural, her cousin didn’t have proper sutures, so she used a regular sewing needle and cotton thread to close the mother’s abdomen. The cousin then transported Ramíez in her car to the nearest clinic, 2.5 hours away, to stabilize her before continuing the drive to the hospital, which is eight hours away.
After making it to the hospital, the doctors there were able to perform surgery to make sure nothing was amiss. They repaired her uterus and abdomen 16 hours after she performed her own C-section with a butcher’s knife. The mother healed well, leaving what appears to be a thin scar about six inches long next to her belly button.
People who watched Clark’s video can’t fathom having the strength to do the same thing, with one woman writing, “I’m a nurse and I don’t think I could do this to myself. To someone else, maaaaaybe, but I’m not sure. The nurse who came out and used a needle and thread to sew this lady up was also incredible.”
Another says, “Well, when you’re on pregnancy number 9 you’re pretty much a professional. Whatever brand of liquor she drank should hire her to advertise. Never underestimate the power of love, adrenaline and survival instinct.”
Even doctors are impressed: “I have to say, as an OB I am extremely impressed at how straight and nicely done her abdominal incision was.”
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
There can be a lot of pressure to do what our communities and peers expect of us. Some people find absolute bliss by letting go of peer pressure. Imagine the joy in doing less of what is “required” and more of what’s right for you.
A few quick keystrokes, and our thoughts and opinions are easily shared on a seemingly endless stream of topics. Often with little repercussions, someone might even find themselves telling a professional how to apply their field of expertise properly.
“That you don’t actually have to have an opinion on everything. Watching someone say “I don’t know enough about that to comment” made me realize silence is an option too.”
Here were some clever responses to that way of thinking:
“I find such peace in not forming opinions about a lot of things.”
“it’s cheeky but liberating for me when people ask, ‘what do you think about […]?’ and I reply, ‘I don’t’”
“Social media has been the biggest driver of people thinking they have to have an opinion on everything & it has destroyed the fabric of society.”
“Some things are really, really complicated and I’m not being paid to figure them out”
It’s important to attend the events to which I’m invited
Maybe it seems like a form of rocket science to uncover the best way to excuse ourselves from something. But, perhaps it’s actually simpler to say “no thank you” than come up with an elaborate excuse.
“Saying ‘thank you for the invitation, but I/we won’t be able to make it!’ to a social invite without providing a detailed explanation about WHY you can’t attend.
These responses sum up the idea nicely:
“Usually the person you’re talking to doesn’t even care that you don’t have a reason. They were just wanting to hear yes or no”
“BECAUSE I DON’T LIKE YOU, KAREN!”
“when I was young my mom taught me that “No.” is a complete sentence.”
“Yes and this also applies to work if you’re using to or vacation. You earned that time, you don’t have to explain why you want to use it. Same with canceling appointments.”
It’s easy to get wrapped up in fear and worries. But how many things do we actually have the ability to change? On top of that, how many things are actually interfering with our lives and overall happiness?
“The world doesn’t end if you burn a pizza, or if the water spills over when boiling pasta. That guy who cut you off isn’t the worst part of your day, the staff member at the store checking your ID isn’t a bad person. You can just “not” react to those things, and life gets a whole lot easier.”
Redditors seemed to settle into this concept rather easily:
“I was irritated that an accident on the freeway made me late for my first day of a new job. I took a step back and realized the people involved in that accident likely wished that my issue was their problem that day.”
“I try and teach my little niece this – ‘whoopsie daisies!’ and ‘no big deal, we’ll clean it up! are common phrases my sis and I use.”
“Growing up my dad always said ‘don’t sweat the small stuff.’ Used to piss me off because he usually said it when I was arguing with my sister LOL. But now I think it’s actually such an important view to have.”
“I stress myself out about trying to do the best I can, trying to fight executive disfunction, being fast and efficient and right the first time. I really need to let that go and relax more.”
To some, this may be a novel concept that we are not at the beck and call of people. Perhaps it’s reasonable and fair to get back to others when it’s most convenient for us.
“Was casually speaking to my neighbor and she mentioned the neighborhood was getting hit hard by solicitors lately. I told her a few were selling internet plans, no name wireless, and pest control services, she looked at me like I had a horn between my eyes and asked me why I was opening my door to strangers. Made me really think about how programmed we are to answer the door, to anyone and everyone who may or may not be nefarious. So, I just stopped, because it IS weird I would open my door to someone I’m not expecting.”
People responded with their own thoughts about not answering the door:
“The doorbell and phone ringing are requests for your attention/time. You get to decide if you grant those requests”
“And you don’t have to hide from them either! Look out your front window, realize it’s a salesperson, wave, and then ignore them til they leave.”
“Years ago I realized that my door, much like my phone, is for MY convenience, not the world’s.”
“My intercom is on private. I disabled my doorbell, and less than five people know my full address. I also only speak to one neighbour. Makes for a peaceful life.”
When you start something, you must see it through to the end
Sometimes it’s hard to put things down. Just because we “started” doesn’t necessarily mean “stopping” makes us a quitter.
“This was a revelation to me, when a friend casually mentioned that he’d started reading a particular book, but it didn’t grab him, so he stopped. I pushed back because I’d somehow got the idea that if a book didn’t interest me, that was a fault in me for not getting it/trying hard enough/being smart enough, but he was like ‘it’s the authors job to make me want to keep reading’.”
Commenters agreed that it’s worth stopping before finishing:
“The same goes for TV series, movies, videogames, etc. If you’re not enjoying it or you’ve had enough you can just stop.”
“And a book can be great but still not for me. Sometimes I just can’t get into it at that point in time or ever.”
“Just because you invested money into it doesn’t mean you need to see it through to the end. Do something else.”
“Yes! For a long time I felt this need to finish any book I picked up and I forced myself through some that truly just did not mesh with me.”
There’s something to be said for having the time and patience to work through a challenge. However, filling up our lives with complicated tasks isn’t necessarily the best plan for a more enjoyable life.
“I call myself a Darwinist about my belongings. If you can make it through the washer/dryer, or the dishwasher, then you get to survive. Saves a whole lotta hassle, and reduces expectations.”
These were some of the opinions people had around making life less complicated:
“I’ve got this great ironing hack called ‘Don’t buy clothes that need ironing.’”
“For me, it’s ‘if I can’t throw it in the dishwasher, I don’t want it in my kitchen’. Gasp in horror that I don’t follow your 5-step knife care routine, but I really dgaf.”
“Yup, I still remember the exact Sunday night years ago when I was ironing my dress shirts for work thinking to myself ‘Why am I wasting time outside of work doing work related stuff?’ That was the last time I wore clothes that needed ironing to work.”
“I know of people who iron their sheets. It doesn’t have to be like this. We can break the cycle.”
Stay true to your friends and family, no matter what
This one might be a bit more complicated than most. However, everyone has the right to determine if a friend is bringing value to the relationship.
“My closest pals through me a little party and they asked who I wanted to come and I left someone off the list that we’d normally invite. They asked and I just said: unless you guys really want her here, or if it will cause an issue, I don’t want her to come. We all know how she’ll act and I just want to have a nice time. Everyone agreed though: we’re all tired of her behaviour. So we didn’t invite her and had a wonderful time.”
These were some thoughts by other Redditors:
“Yep my mil has a huge problem with me not wanting to see or speak to their bigoted racist family. I want nothing to do with them.”
“I just hope your not dropping family because of their views / ideologies / politics, but because of how they treat you.”
“Dropping toxic friends and, most especially family, out of your life. “What do you mean you’re not inviting A**hole Uncle Frank to Thanksgiving?” “Yup!” It is soooooooo good!”
“But who’s going to complain about the Obamacare royalties if Uncle Frank doesn’t show up????”
Experts agree that letting go of these issues can make for a happier life
Learning how to adapt to what actually works in our lives is a valuable tool supported by science.
A 2025 study in BioMed Central found that hanging out with peers who engage in problematic behaviors increases depression. Learning how to protect ourselves against adopting behaviors that don’t actually serve us strongly supports emotional growth and self-esteem. A 2025 study in the Wiley Online Library found that positive self-view protected individuals from engaging in harmful behaviors. Learning how to curb unproductive habits can lead to more happiness. A 2022 study in MDPI showed that treating yourself kindly and being mindful of your emotional state and personal needs contribute to overall well-being.
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
We’ve all thought about it. Almost every one of us has been at the beach, at a resort, or on a cruise and thought, “Wow, I really wish we could just stay forever.” The dread of going back to “real life” hits hard on that last day of vacation, and it’s hard to stop your mind from wondering what exactly it would look like to just… stay.
Some bold folks actually do it. Cruise ships, in particular, are a popular destination for people who want to permanently live on “vacation” because they can be relatively affordable and come with built-in food, adventure, and entertainment.
Emma, who is in her thirties, recently decided to pull the trigger and do exactly that. Earlier this year, she quit her six-figure job in order to live full-time aboard cruise ships.
Emma’s partner of several years makes a living gambling on cruise ships as a professional poker player. Emma, who goes by A Broad That Travels, says he would be gone for weeks or months at a time sailing, and she finally had enough of all the time apart.
“There was a point in time where we were just apart for more than half the year while he was cruising and I was doing my corporate grind, and it was really difficult,” she says. “There were some cruises and some adventures he was doing where I was like…we have to do this together.”
So she decided to leave her six-figure career in corporate tech sales behind and join him. Though they had cruised a lot together, the couple had their first cruise as a part of their new lifestyle just two months ago, the first of a four-month stretch of non-stop cruising.
“At the end of the day, if you’re not with the ones you love and you’re not doing something you enjoy, then what’s the point?” she says. “What’s the point of having a job that makes you a lot of money if you can’t enjoy the perks?”
Everyone wants to know how Emma manages the finances of only working part-time and living on a cruise ship, and the answer is unique and fascinating: “The finances of the cruise actually work really well because we get free cruise offers from the casino. All we pay are port fees and taxes, which are minuscule in comparison to the standard costs of a cruise.”
(Emma’s partner, Cael, for his part, also vlogs about the inner workings of his life as a poker player and how he’s able to get so many free cruises.)
Living on Royal Caribbean cruises, sailing to exotic ports, partying, eating incredible food. They’re living the dream. Right?
Except Emma says that, while living aboard cruises is fun and adventurous, the lifestyle comes with its challenges. Two months into her journey, she was hit by some of the “dark side” of full-time cruising.
Many people who choose to live permanently on cruise ships are older and retired, or have enough savings to live off of for a while. Emma is young and still working part-time in data analytics and studying for her MBA, which poses some unique hurdles.
“Too much of a good thing is challenging,” she says. “It’s fun and it’s really difficult.”
Emma says the overstimulation—the constant noise, music, people, crowds—is a lot to handle. Finding a quiet space on the ship other than her tiny room to work or study has proven to be almost impossible. About four to six weeks in, she says in a video update, she found herself wanting to go home.
“I think the biggest misconception is that people think it’s going to be just fun non-stop and that I’m on vacation the entire time,” she says. “I work and go to school, so I’m quite busy!”
She says it’s challenging to get up every day to work, study, eat normally, and exercise when the entire cruise atmosphere is built around excess and partying.
The lifestyle can also, surprisingly, get lonely. Emma says that it’s fun meeting people and making friends aboard the ship, but almost all of them disembark at the end of the week, never to be seen again. It’s hard to build community and lasting connections.
“I’m definitely missing community engagement, things like that,” she says.
On the cruise, everyone is a stranger, all the time. The other high-status cruisers Emma and her partner meet are often much older, so making friends their own age is a challenge.
However, Emma says that they have found ways to make it work, and they’re adjusting to their new way of life.
One thing that’s helped is making connections and friendships with the staff aboard. Those are the only other people that are doing anything close to resembling “living normal life.”
They’ve found other ways to find community, family, and friendship as well: “We [recently] sailed with family for a 10-day cruise and had a blast! It’s really great to spend time with family after being away from home for so long.”
She adds that the longer they stay aboard Royal Caribbean cruises, the more they start to see some of the same familiar faces.
“We also ran into some friends on a cruise last month that we met on a cruise in the summer of 2024 going from Miami to Spain,” she says. “We ended up hanging out with them most of the cruise and catching up. We’re starting to notice a little bit of a community of frequent cruisers!”
In the end, living permanently aboard a cruise ship (or any kind of vacation environment) seems appealing, but it’s not for everyone. The lifestyle shift can be jarring, and it can be a huge adjustment.
“A few people have said it’s their dream to do what I’m doing and think there’s no way anyone could have any difficulty with the lifestyle,” Emma writes. “While it is fun a lot of the time, and it is an amazing experience, there are also many aspects of living on a cruise ship that are difficult for me. Travel is often glamorized and I don’t think people like when I break even a small part the illusion.”
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Emmie Sanh was at a low point. She didn’t feel good, barely exercised, and was tasked with caring for her aging mother. Like many people, she realized her life needed to change, so she decided to take up weight training. Here’s the thing, though: she started at the ripe young age of 68.
Now Sanh’s commitment to strength training has gotten her noticed, with many people inspired by the videos she uploads to her social media. Commenters have remarked on her energy level and have been impressed by the number of squats, curls, lunges, and other weight-room exercises she showcases.
“If you told me 50 years ago that I’d be lifting heavier than ever and feeling my most energetic at 71, I never would’ve believed you – but here I am,” Sanh told Women’s Health. “Getting older is inevitable but weakness is optional, and I’m so grateful that I get to do hard things at 71. After all, I don’t lift for my age – I lift for my life.”
Why many doctors recommend weight training for seniors
Understandably, many people consider weight training to be a younger person’s game. Typically, many older adults become weaker and lose size or stature, making weight training look like it’s for younger people. But that is precisely why many doctors recommend that adults include more weight training and resistance exercise as they get older.
Studies have found that heavy weight training by seniors can benefit their lives. Such strength training can help prevent muscle mass from deteriorating and can improve mobility. Muscles build, tendons get stronger, and bone density increases. Building bone density is important as a person ages, helping reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
What weight training exercises should seniors try?
Personal trainers who spoke to Upworthy offered exercise recommendations and tips for seniors who want to head to the weight room.
United States Marine Corps veteran and professional trainer Victor Kanashiro suggests Smith machines as a great place for older lifters to start.
“A few examples of safe heavy weightlifting exercises for older adults include Smith machine squats, Smith machine bench press, and Smith machine rows are effective options,” said Kanashiro. “These movements provide the benefits of compound barbell lifting while adding built-in safety features like adjustable safety stops, which help reduce the risk of injury and make heavy lifting more accessible.”
Strength and fitness trainer Allison Kalsched echoed that weightlifting machines can offer more stability and safety. Kalsched also recommends that older lifters start much lighter than they might think, as they are not in the same bodies they were in during their 20s.
“I would always suggest starting simple with the basic movements such as squats, pulling movements, pushing movements and carrying weights while walking,” said Kalsched. “These moves mimic the activities we all have to complete to be an active participant in life, so training in the gym should prepare us for a long and strong life.”
Other workout tips
Kalsched also mentioned that seniors can check their eligibility for SilverSneakers through Medicare to receive free memberships to participating gyms. On top of that, she recommends a private session with a personal trainer for exercise guidance. If they cannot afford it long term, one or two sessions should be enough to help a senior learn a routine and proper form so they can continue their fitness journey independently, if they wish.
To keep your golden years golden, it is worth going to the gym to lift some iron.
Struggling to find a sense of self is part of the human condition. What makes each person unique and “themself” is a complex topic in psychology and philosophy.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), identity is defined by two major aspects. The first: “A set of physical, psychological, and interpersonal characteristics that is not wholly shared with any other person.”
And the second: “A range of affiliations (e.g., ethnicity) and social roles. Identity involves a sense of continuity, or the feeling that one is the same person today that one was yesterday or last year (despite physical or other changes).”
The APA adds that it is also “derived from one’s body sensations; one’s body image; and the feeling that one’s memories, goals, values, expectations, and beliefs belong to the self.”
Greek philosopher Socrates addressed the human struggle with self-identity and self-knowledge—”to know thyself”—and he offered a simple sentence to help.
Socrates’ advice on self-identity
According to Socrates, the key to self-knowledge starts in your brain:
“I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think. To find yourself, think for yourself.”
In the book Socrates and Self-Knowledge, author and professor of Philosophy and Classics at The Pennsylvania State University specializing in ancient Greek philosophy, Christopher Moore, theorizes that Socrates based “knowing thyself” on questioning one’s self.
He writes, “a person can be said to have self-knowledge whenever he knows the truth of a statement in which there is reference to himself.”
However, this does note solely require self introspection. Moore argues self-knowledge is actually best achieved with the help of others. “Socrates, at the end of his long speech in Plato’s Phaedrus, urges his friend to dedicate his life single-mindedly to ‘love accompanied by philosophical talk’,” adding that “self-knowledge comes about through conversation with others, and that self-knowledge is akin to knowledge of others.”
Moore concludes: “Socratic self-knowledge means working on oneself, with others, to become the sort of person who could know himself, and thus be responsible to the world, to others, and to oneself, intellectually, morally, and practically.”
How to tap into your inner-Socrates
In a podcast episode with Yale psychology professor Dr. Laurie Santos, fellow Yale professor and philosopher Tamar Gendler explained how to apply Socrates’ lessons into your personal life to help better understand your self-knowledge. She explains that, according to Socrates, self-knowledge is a paradox.
“To know ourselves is to not know ourselves,” says Gendler. “It is to know that in many ways we do not have direct access to our motivations, that we do not have direct access to what it is that we are actually responding to when we do something. And it’s an endless process of engaging in Socratic self-question.
To tap into that inner-Socrates, she says there is an inner dialogue looks something like this:
“Why do you think that?”
“Is it possible that you think that for a different reason?”
“Is it possible that even though you assume you value that, actually that’s just an old habit that you haven’t questioned?”
“Is it possible that you think you’re responding to a person, and in fact you’re responding to a stereotype about people of that kind?”
Dr. Santos adds that harnessing your inner-Socrates isn’t always comfortable, and involves “intentionally questioning why you think certain things, and why you take certain actions. It also involves admitting that you probably aren’t as smart as you think you are.”
Dealing with hecklers just comes with the territory of being a comedian. But flirting with them? That wasn’t something Rebecca Reingold had prepared for.
On March 11, the New York City-based stand-up comic uploaded a recent set to her Instagram aptly captioned “We found love in a hopeless place (a comedy club).”
In the now-viral clip, Reingold shared a bit about not being “good” at flirting with men, saying that she would inadvertently “be mean” to them “because they liked it.”
Then, during the set, someone from the crowd must have been talking too enthusiastically, because Reingold playfully called them out for being loud. This someone, a man, responded that he was with his parents at the show, to which Reingold quipped, “You look bad. Your parents look a lot younger than you.”
Without missing a beat, the man in the audience responded that, given the logic she gave just moments earlier, she must like him, since she was throwing shots at him.
“Oh yeah, you’re right! That does mean I like you! You were listening. Oh my god, I’m in love,” said Reingold, blushing. “You’re so annoying but so loveable so its so tough, you know what I mean?”
Over 16 million viewers later, and people were applauding both Reingold’s ability to go with the flow, and this mysterious man’s mad game. Many were hoping that this became an actual meet-cute.
“Damn she really turned red when she realised he listened.”
“You handled this so well 👏🙌”
“… and, that is how I met your mother.”
“The fact that he did not drop the ‘I’ll shut up in exchange for your number’ line is mind boggling to me.”
“So when’s the wedding. Lol”
Romantic antagonism IRL
Perhaps people were rallying for this interaction to lead to romantic entanglement because it resembles the ever-popular enemies-to-lovers trope found in countless rom-coms and romantasies. This dynamic of building attraction through animosity and tension makes for great entertainment…but does it make for healthy relationships in real life? The annoying but accurate answer is, of course: it depends.
Primarily, it depends on a) whether both partners are enjoying the teasing and b) whether the jokes are landing in sensitive territory. If both those parameters are met, it can become its own love language. If not, then it can foster resentment.
This can obviously become even more complicated when it comes to flirting, since there is already a lot of indirect language happening between strangers. But at least in this case it looked like everyone was having a good time.
Sadly, it has yet to be revealed whether or not Reingold and this heckler ever did connect after the show. We’ll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, be sure to give her a follow on Instagram to stay tuned on both her comedy stylings and, perhaps, her love life.
