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Woman's viral Instagram post proves that being healthy is not about a number on a scale.

Woman's viral Instagram post proves that being healthy is not about a number on a scale.
via Shutterstock

This is Fitness blogger and Instagrammer Mackenzie Puricelli.

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Fitness is a way of life to me. It is about creating a lifestyle that YOU can maintain forever 💫 This is what I tell each of my clients. “We are not doing a 8 week challenge here, we are setting a goal that is maintainable and finding a way to fit exercise and nutrition into YOUR life.” You can either let fitness consume you or light up your life ✨💙 It’s your choice and there’s plenty of ways to go about making it an element of your life rather than something that controls your daily life. Today my heart is full of love and positivity, and all that I want to do is spread that amongst everyone 🙏🏻🌍🌞 In a world filled with so much violence, hate, and negativity it is so important to have a positive mindset. 🙇🏼‍♀️ Putting 110% into each day you live and making sure to take care of your mind and body should be a priority🙌🏼 It will help YOU to continue to grow into who YOU are meant to be. Results will follow a positive mindset. So during those days where you feel there’s nothing left in you or you want to give up, PUSH THROUGH. If you continue to fight the negativity in the back of your head, you will become the person that you want to be 🤗 Tag someone who needs a little motivation to keep them pushing 💪🏼 PC: @t.m.h.photography For coaching inquires email me at mbpfit1@gmail.com 💌 #smile #flex #onlinecoaching #personaltrainer #mindset #motivate #motivation #fit #fitness #life #lifestyle #bestself #inspiration #inspire #abs #gymshark #goals #happiness #happy #beautiful #weightlifting #weightloss #positivity #positivevibes #love #loveyou #loveyourself #strong #strengthfeed #strongwomen

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She wants people to know that the number on the scale is just that — a number.

Easy for her to say, right?

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Today was one of those days where I was feeling so damn good in my own body so yesss I am rocking a groufit🤷🏼‍♀️ 🤗 #cantstopme There’s no better feeling than being confident about yourself and not having any negative thoughts towards your body. I may not be the leanest, or the strongest, or have the best abs, or the best bum...but I don’t even care!!! That’s not what fitness is about. It’s about KNOWING that this body is nourished, cared for, healthy, and IT IS LOVED ❤️❤️ Getting to this point where you are in a spot you know is sustainable and you are happy with takes time (2.5 years for me), but you CAN get there so don’t loose hope. I challenge YOU 👇🏼 to work on the self love and care that your body deserves. STOP comparing, STOP the quick fixes, STOP wishing you looked like someone else, STOP the hate towards your body, and STOP underestimating yourself. START accepting yourself and focusing on the things you love about you, then respect your body by providing it with quality foods, adequate amounts of nutrients, physical activity, and treat your self! YOU can achieve a body that you are happy with, but it starts with the mindset. Tell yourself you CAN do all of the things you often think you cannot do✨💫 - For training inquires email me at mbpfit1@gmail.com to become the best you💪🏼 #happiness #happy #bodypositive #fitspo #confidence #mbpfit #training #bestyou #love #selflove #bodybuilding #beautiful #believe #fit #fitness #motivation #inspiration #inspire #gymshark #gymsharkwomen

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Well, sure. It is literally her job to help people get in shape!

But Puricelli also brought the receipts when it comes to proving that the number on the scale is not a good indication of your health and physique.

She uploaded these three pictures of herself at different weights—130 lbs, 145 lbs, and 136 lbs. Although her body looks extremely different in all of the pictures, she only varies a few pounds in each.

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YOU can become the girl you have always looked up to. That girl standing on the right who is 100% comfortable in her skin is someone I never thought I could become! But I’m freaking here now and cannot even put into words what it took to get here 😭 (each beauty tagged has made some impact on my life these past 4 years, have supported me, and ily all) Fitness is NOT always a linear journey nor will it be easy, but you have the decision RIGHT NOW to decide how you want it to impact your life 💪🏼💫 I’ve been working at my body since 2015. At the beginning I let fitness take control. Food, exercise, and my body image consumed every thought. In the middle, I faced my ED and made mental health my priority. Gaining weight had to happen to overcome my fear of food. I also had to lose the perception that exercise was just for fat loss. Today I focus on my health in ALL aspects. I eat for fuel AND enjoyment. I now exercise for strength, empowerment, enjoyment, and mental clarity. Through your journey: ✨You will have to accept yourself even at the darkest of times. ✨You will have to believe in yourself even when no one else does. ✨You will have to STOP letting food control your life! ✨You will have to be the one that pushes yourself to become the best you. ✨You will have to trust that there is a way out of your current behaviors, and that you can become that girl who you aspire to be like. - I WANT TO HELP YOU CHANGE NOT ONLY YOUR PHYSIQUE BUT YOUR MIND: contact me at mbpfit1@gmail.com for more info! #fit #fitness #transformation #inspiration #weightloss #weightlossjourney #fitnessjourney #health #healthy #fitspo #coach #onlinecoach #inspire #motivate #mentalhealth #edrecovery #positivity #happiness #confident #love #life #live

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YOU can become the girl you have always looked up to.
That girl standing on the right who is 100% comfortable in her skin is someone I never thought I could become! But I’m freaking here now and cannot even put into words what it took to get here 😭 (each beauty tagged has made some impact on my life these past 4 years, have supported me, and ily all)
Fitness is NOT always a linear journey nor will it be easy, but you have the decision RIGHT NOW to decide how you want it to impact your life 💪🏼💫
I’ve been working at my body since 2015. At the beginning I let fitness take control. Food, exercise, and my body image consumed every thought.
In the middle, I faced my ED and made mental health my priority. Gaining weight had to happen to overcome my fear of food. I also had to lose the perception that exercise was just for fat loss.
Today I focus on my health in ALL aspects. I eat for fuel AND enjoyment. I now exercise for strength, empowerment, enjoyment, and mental clarity.

Now that is a before-and-after picture we can get behind!

This was not the first time Puricelli opened up about how the number on the scale can warp one's self-perception.

Here is a similar post from 2017:

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SCREW THE SCALE‼️‼️‼️ I don't have the typical transformation where I lost x amount of pounds or went from being a twig to growing a lot muscle. Although, my body has changed physically the biggest changes I've delt with from the first picture to the last picture are entirely mental. At 125lbs I felt as if I was fat/ overweight. I felt that I needed to be at least 119lbs pounds to look good. I started go to the gym and did 30-45 mins of cardio and abs,no weight training. I then started labeling food off limits and gave myself an 800 calorie restriction in order to get that number to go down. Fast forward to photo number 2, I started lifting weights, put on some muscle, the scale started going up and up. I am very lean in this photo, but still wasn't good enough for myself. "My arms were too big, my legs were to fat, my abs weren't like the bikini competitors I looked up to" I then cut out carbs completely to achieve the bikini competition stage look that I thought was necessary in order to be "fit" which led to my binging. Then fast forward to now.. 14 lbs more than I started at my freshman year of college; 3 years ago. I don't look at that number as something that has to decrease to feel good in my skin! To be honest I don't care one bit what my weight is as long as I know I am eating clean food to fuel my body: eating protein, fat, and CARBS.. say what??! YES CARBS!!! AND that I'm going to the gym and working out, because I FREAKING LOVE THE HIGH I GET AND FEEL LIKE A BOSS! I currently weigh the most I've ever weighed, but have more confidence in myself than ever before. I let that number go, I stopped basing my happiness around whether I had abs, I stopped restricting carbs thinking that was the only way achieve a "fit" body. Stop right now if you let that number stating what your gravitational pull on this earth is define your self worth or if you are healthy or not. If you are overweight use it as a tool of progress not a way to define if your good enough, because there is no perfect weight! Everyone is beautiful in their own way. Embrace what you have and only work on becoming the best you❤️

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As a matter of fact, many of Puricelli's posts focus around how external factors — the number on the scale, the clothes you wear, the "Instagram bubble" — can change how you feel about your body:

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I originally deleted this left photo, because my first thought was yuck I'm not posting that. I looked at the photo on the right and thought ok that's "instagram worthy" I always go to this pose on the right every time I'm about to take a photo of my self, I rarely ever stand straight on. Without instagram I would have never come up with this crazy pose... no one stands like this in real life and if you do I'm sure it's super uncomfortable hahaha I almost always delete my straight on photos. Something about a photo straight on makes me feel uncomfortable and I don't want to post it. That reason is because instagram is filled with posed photos so a picture of you just being you doesn't seem good enough (well in my head that's how I tend to think) But screw that!!!! You are beyond good enough at every angle. Accept that people aren't always going to like you or like what your doing and accept your damn self. I have to remind myself this every day. Instagram is a snapshot and everyone's lives aren't always as they seem. That girl with the best body might still be super insecure, but she needs the reassurance from others that she looks good to feel satisfied since she can't love herself. Take a step back and realize why your posting a photo.. if it just to seek attention from others.. maybe reevaluate how you feel about yourself and your body. If you truly love that photo and are like damn I look good and could care less what anyone has to say about it then post it! Don't let others opinions on Instagram influence what you do. Stay true to you and realize why you do the things you do. . . . #reality #real #instagram #selflove #loveyourself #bodypositive #positiveenergy #positivevibes #positivity #beyou #bossbabe #beyou #believeinyourself #fit #fitgirl #fitnessmotivation #fitspo #fitfam #fitness #instagood #iamfirstphorm

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What is my BIGGEST insecurity..... My hips! I feel really vulnerable posting a photo straight on and with my hips in it, because it makes me feel uncomfortable. Rarely do I take photos straight on, because I personally don't like the angle nor do you ever catch me rolling my pants down or wearing low waisted things. With high waisted pants I can my hips so no one knows their there, I don't have to see them, and I give the illusion that my waist is much smaller. High waisted pants are a wonderful thing, but they keep me from letting go of this insecurity because I can hide it. I am always wearing high waisted leggings, jeans, shorts, skirts. You name it! I can't recall the last time I bought something low rise. I even pull my underwear up on the side to cover my hips. Although I love my self and my body, this is one part of my body that I struggle with. I constantly am covering them up and it's very hard for me to embrace them! I have learned to love my thighs and butt so I hope one day to embrace my hips as well 😊 We all are going to have insecurities and you know what that is 100% okay!!!! We are human and we won't always have the best body image days or like certain clothing on our bodies. The most important thing is to work on focusing on the things you love about yourself and your body rather than what you "dislike" or wish wasn't there. I know it's easier said than done but in time if you focus on what you love you'll focus wayyyy less on the things that make you insecure 💕💕 . . . . . #motivationmonday #motivation #motivated #inspiration #inspire #reality #fitfam #fitlife #fit #fitspo #fitness #iamfirstphorm #gym #real #selflove #bodypositive #positivemind #positiveenergy #positivity #loveyourself #beyou #love #loveyourbody

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Bloating is something that I haven’t talked about much, but it is something I struggle with almost every day. To my girls who bloat... I PROMISE that you are not alone. I do understand that it can be extremely frustrating and can take a toll on your self confidence, body image, and motivation. Last night I became extremely upset about how bad my bloat was and all I wanted to do is lie down with a heating pad. You know what?🤔 Sometimes it’s ok to feel this way... but other times you have to realize that life goes on and it’s going to happen to everyone, and when you wake up the next morning your tummy will most likely be back to normal. One thing I unfortunately deal with is that I don’t just bloat from over eating or because it’s that time of the month like most people.. I bloat to the point of agonizing pain and discomfort typically from certain foods. I do take a digestive enzyme with every meal and a probiotic every day to help, but they don’t always seem to do the trick. Becoming in tune with your body and how it reacts to certain foods is going to be the best way to combat bloat. I know that if I intake lactose(especially whey protein), broccoli, peanut butter, and most gluten that I will experience a flare up. Finding out what triggers yours bloat is going to be key. 🔑 My body didn’t always react this way, and I truly do not have the answer as to why all of a sudden I experience bloat more than ever. It could be many reasons, but I took the initiative to get blood work done to see what’s going on inside my body. I want to be able to properly fuel my body and avoid anything that doesn’t digest or absorb properly. I will get through this or learn to deal with it! Staying positive for now until I get my results.👍🏼 . . . . #health #bodypositive #selflove #loveyourself #positivity #positive #mind #mentalhealth #love #body ##bodytransformation #bloatedbelly #bloat #fitness #fit #food #fitspo #transformation #fitfam #confidence #beautiful #women

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Who you choose to see looking back at you is your choice. We can choose to pick apart what WE see as “flaws” or learn to be comfortable in our own skin. We have to get comfortable being uncomfortable in order to start loving our body for so much more than it’s exterior. . Disclaimer: There’s nothing wrong with either photo, but something such as my hips has been an insecurity to me and makes me uncomfortable. I know many women can relate aka why so many females wear high waisted pants (they are comfy, flattering, and hide the hips). In just 2 secs I can cover my hips and pretend they are not there making my waist look smaller, which is all a mind game. Quite frankly they are still there...I’m just choosing what I want to see. . This is what most people on instagram will do. They choose an outfit or angle that best flatters them and post it, because that’s what they want you to see. ( I do this, you do this, we all do this, and it’s fine) we all want to look and feel our best. . How you choose to perceive your body all comes down to what you want to see. Do you want to look at your self in a positive manner or critique every little flaw? Each person might perceive this photo differently. Some may see no difference, some may see a huge difference, or some may think one looks better than the other. But at the end of the day...it’s the same body. Regardless if my waist looks smaller and more defined in one photo. . Learning to love our bodies for what they are rather than focusing on what we see as “flaws” will be key in attaining a healthy relationship and reflection on your body. . It’s all in the eye of the beholder. How you decide to look at your body is how you will perceive It. #branchoutandbemore #bodypositive #positivity #loveyourself #selflove #fitspo #fit #fitness #reality #love #beyou #confidence #confident #transformation

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So don't worry about gaining a pound or two! You can still look and feel awesome even when you aren't at your thinnest.

Autumn de Forest

Autumn de Forest stands before a sign with her name on it

When Autumn de Forest was 5, she picked up a paintbrush for the first time. It wasn't long before she was ready to show the world what she could do.

After a year of practice, the then-6-year-old asked her father if he could get her a booth at a local art-in-the-park program. "People would come up to the booth, and they would talk to my father, and they'd say, 'This is great!'" she said. "Apparently they thought it was Take Your Daughter to Work Day."

Almost everyone thought the artwork was her father's. And when they found out that tiny Autumn was the artist, people couldn't believe their eyes.


art, kids, art genius, kid genius Autumn created this piece when she was just 5 years old. Autumn de Forest

Soon, Autumn rose to national fame.

When Autumn was 8, she was featured on the Discovery Health Channel. There was a slew of media attention in the years that followed. There was Disney. There was The Today Show. There was Wendy Williams. She was called a child genius, a prodigy, and an expert painter.


autumn deforest, art, kids, paintingSoon, Autumn rose to national fame.Autumn Deforest


Suddenly, Autumn de Forest was everywhere.

But not everyone was so accepting of the young artist and her work. Some people in the art world had ... questions. Sure, she was good for a kid. But was her art actually good? Others wondered if the whole thing might be an elaborate hoax.

Autumn decided not to listen.

By 14 she developed a startlingly organized daily routine that went far beyond a 9 to 5.

Somehow, as the focus on her age begins to wear off, Autumn's work ethic and art only grow stronger. She said that most days, she'd wake up in her parents' Las Vegas home at 7:30 a.m. After breakfast, she'd break out her supplies for a one- or two-hour painting session. From there, she dove into her school work. Most brick-and-mortar schools can't accommodate her travel schedule, so she did the majority of her schooling online.

Before dinner, it's back into the studio.

"That session can last much longer, that can be three or four hours when I really get into it," she said. "Then I probably have dinner and go to bed."

kids, painting, artistic genius, paintings, kid artists Autumn de Forest paints Autumn de Forest


The results? They speak for themselves.

Autumn de Forest, painting, art, kids, prodigy An Autumn de Forest painting Autumn de Forest

Her work has been displayed in galleries and exhibitions all over the world.

Autumn held a public demonstration before a showing at The Butler Institute of American Art.

Autumn de Forest, painting, kids, artAn Autumn de Forest painting Autumn de Forest

In 2015, Autumn received the International Giuseppe Sciacca Award in Painting and Art.

The award took her to the Vatican for a private showing of her artwork with the pope.


She's also worked with the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, headed up by former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Autumn de Forest, the Pope, Pope Francis, painting, artAutumn de Forest stands with the Pope who looks at one of her paintings Autumn de Forest

As part of the program, de Forest traveled to underprivileged schools around the country and led painting workshops. Oh, and if you're looking for some hard numbers to attach to Autumn's talent, she's got those, too.

Her paintings raked in over $7 million at auctions by the time she was a teenager — fetching as much as $25,000 each — much of which has gone directly to charities and disaster relief funds.


At 23-years-old now, what's Autumn de Forest up to lately?

Autumn de Forest, painting, art, kidsAutumn de Forest works with other young painters Autumn de Forest

A lot!

The transition from child prodigy to respected artist has kept her busy.

In 2017, the Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center in Hendersonville, Tennessee hosted a major solo exhibition for de Forest titled "Her White Room: The Art of Autumn de Forest."

That same year, de Forest was listed as one of Teen Vogue's "21 Under 21." In her profile she was praised for her talent as well as her commitment to art education.

"In dis­advantaged schools, they consider the arts an extracur­ricular activity," she told Teen Vogue. "It's devastating, as there could be child prodigies in these schools, but they don't know that they have this God-­given gift because they're not given the opportunity because there's nearly no art programs in schools."

In 2018, de Forest was featured in the music video for the song "Youth" by best-selling recording artists Shawn Mendes and Khalid. The video highlights exceptional young people working to change the world, including de Forest, Emma González, and Elias and Zion Phoenix.

The video has over 17 million plays on YouTube.

And of course, Autumn continues to share her absolutely incredible artwork on Instagram and in shows and exhibitions around the globe.

The Autumn de Forest Foundation, helps her keep track of the kids she's met throughout the years and to continue to help them with their art careers.

A portion of the foundation's money goes to a 529 account set up for the students while 10% goes to them directly.

"A lot of these kids that I work with, they're not very old, they're in second grade, third grade, fourth grade. Maybe in 10 years, they may only have four or five thousand dollars but that could be the difference between them going to college or not," Autumn told Teen Vogue.

Autumn's incredible rise in the art world is an astonishing feat for someone who's still in her teens. But that accomplishment is easily matched by her generosity and commitment to helping develop tomorrow's prodigies as well.

For more information, visit the Autumn de Forest Foundation.


This article originally appeared nine years ago.

Parenting

A dad's hilarious 'time-travel' letter to school asks them to explain field trip fiasco

Are you able to search the school buildings for a rip in the space-time continuum?

Images via Twitter

Stephen Callaghan and his letter

In 2017, Stephen Callaghan's daughter Ruby came home from school. When he asked her how her day was, her answer made him raise an eyebrow. Ruby, who was in the sixth grade at her school in Australia, told her dad that the boys would soon be taken on a field trip to Bunnings (a hardware chain in the area) to learn about construction.

The girls, on the other hand? While the boys were out learning, they would be sent to the library to have their hair and makeup done. Ruby's reply made Callaghan do a double take. What year was it, again? Callaghan decided to write a letter to the school sharing his disappointment — but his wasn't your typical "outraged parent" letter.

"Dear Principal," he began. "I must draw your attention to a serious incident which occurred yesterday at your school where my daughter is a Year 6 student."

"When Ruby left for school yesterday it was 2017," Callaghan continued. "But when she returned home in the afternoon she was from 1968."

dads, parenting, kids, Australia, sexism, gender, women Representative image of an angry dadImage via Canva

The letter goes on to suggest that perhaps the school is harboring secret time-travel technology or perhaps has fallen victim to a rift in the "space-time continuum," keeping his daughter in an era where women were relegated to domestic life by default.

"I look forward to this being rectified and my daughter and other girls at the school being returned to this millennium where school activities are not sharply divided along gender lines," he concluded.



Dear Principal
I must draw your attention to a serious incident which occurred yesterday at your school where my daughter Ruby is a Year 6 student.
When Ruby left for school yesterday it was 2017 but when she returned home in the afternoon she was from 1968.
I know this to be the case as Ruby informed me that the "girls" in Year 6 would be attending the school library to get their hair and make-up done on Monday afternoon while the "boys" are going to Bunnings.
Are you able to search the school buildings for a rip in the space-time continuum? Perhaps there is a faulty Flux Capacitor hidden away in the girls toilet block.
I look forward to this being rectified and my daughter and other girls at the school being returned to this millennium where school activities are not sharply divided along gender lines.
Yours respectfully
Stephen Callaghan



sexism, dads, daughters, parenting, school, sexism, time travelStephen Callaghan and his letterImages via Twitter

When Callaghan posted the letter to Twitter (since deleted), it quickly went viral and inspired hundreds of supportive responses.

Though most people who saw his response to the school's egregiously outdated activities applauded him, not everyone was on board.

One commenter wrote, "Sometimes it is just ok for girls to do girl things."

But Callaghan was ready for that. "Never said it wasn't," he replied. "But you've missed the point. Why 'girl things' or 'boy things'... Why not just 'things anyone can do?'"

He later commented that he didn't think the school's plan was malicious, but noted the incident was a powerful example of "everyday sexism" at work.


Callaghan says the school hasn't responded to his letter. (Yes, he really sent it.) At least, not directly to him.

Some media outlets have reported that the school claims students are free to opt in and out of the different activities. But, as Callaghan says, gendering activities like this in the first place sends the completely wrong message.

In response to the outpouring of support, Callaghan again took to Twitter.

"At 12 years of age my daughter is starting to notice there are plenty of people prepared to tell her what she can and can't do based solely on the fact she is female," he wrote.

"She would like this to change. So would I."

This article originally appeared eight years ago.

Heroes

Instacart delivery driver trusted her gut instinct and ended up saving a customer's life

"You're supposed to take a picture and leave, and I could not just leave."

Jessica Higgs had a sense that something wasn't right at a customer's house and her action saved his life.

One the more mysterious aspects of being human is our sense of intuition. This "sixth sense" isn't something we can see or measure, but many people have experienced it in some form or fashion. Maybe it comes as a strong feeling that something isn't right, or that we or someone else should or shouldn't do something. It can be hard to read—not every feeling we get is truly our intuition—but there are plenty of examples of people trusting their instincts and being glad they did.

One such story has gone viral on TikTok. Jessica Higgs, a mom who works as an Instacart grocery delivery person, shared a story in an emotional video that illustrates the importance of listening to that inner voice when it prompts you to make sure someone is OK.

"I just want to start this off by saying if you see something, say something," Higgs said.

Animated GIFGiphy

She explained how she had done an Instacart order the previous day for a daughter who was ordering for her older dad who couldn't shop for himself. She said she was going the extra mile like she always does for her customers, and that the daughter told her to just drop the groceries on the porch and he'd get them. That's what Higgs would usually do.

"I get there and something was telling me no, you gotta help this man out," she said. "He came out, and I was like OK let me help you, and I got the groceries. You're not supposed to go into someone's house, but I used my judgment and I brought the groceries inside and put them down wherever he wanted me to put them down. You're not supposed to, but I did. And you're supposed to just take a picture and leave, and I could not just leave."



@jessicahiggs3

@Instacart #28DaysOfEucerin #fyp



Higgs noticed that the man looked really sick and she was really concerned. A voice in her head said, "You gotta say something. You gotta say something, Jess." Rather than mark the order as complete, she messaged the man's daughter and told her that it was really unprofessional to say something like this, but she felt like her dad wasn't doing well. "There's a propane tank in there," she told the woman. "I was in there maybe five feet and I got dizzy. There's got to be a leak. He might not be doing good because of this leak."

The woman said she would send her son over to check it out and Higgs left. The woman changed her tip from $14 to $100, which Higgs appreciated, but the message she sent her the next morning was a much greater reward for her going the extra mile.

"Thank you so much, once my son went to check on my dad it turned out it was definitely leaking," she wrote. "You definitely saved my dad and my younger son's life!!!"

Through tears, Higgs said, "I'm just an Instacart worker, but if you see something, say something. I did and I'm so happy I did."

Higgs' TikTok has been viewed more than 15 million times and has been shared widely on social media. It has also attracted the attention of big companies.

Royal Caribbean Cruises shared a TikTok video of its own praising Higgs for her heroic act and offering her and her family a seven-day cruise anywhere in the world. "Cause even heroes need a vacation," the company wrote.



@royalcaribbean

Stitch with @jessicahiggs3 - cause even heroes need a vacation. Thanks @captaincruiseguy



Old Navy connected with her and arranged a shopping spree where she got to model several new outfits. People Magazine commented, "You’re literally a HERO! Good job trusting your instincts. 💕" Even TikTok itself wrote, "You are amazing ❤️thank you for sharing this with all of us."

Lots of commenters also pointed out that she's not "just an Instacart worker." Her work is important, she's providing a needed service and any job done in a spirit of helping others should not be minimized. If she hadn't been there doing her job well, that man may not be here. Never underestimate the difference each of us can make by the simple act of looking out for one another, friend and stranger alike.

Higgs' heartfelt story touched millions, and she's being rightly rewarded for listening to her heart and going out of her way to help someone. Gotta love seeing good things come to people doing good. Well done, Jessica Higgs.

This article originally appeared three years ago.

Pets

Sisters thought they were rescuing one injured dog, but ended up with 10 perfect pups

"I just want her to have the best life, that's why I brought her home with me."

Sarah Bauer with her adopted dogs

It is hard to walk into a dog shelter without wanting to take them all home. In the case of Meghan Wedge and Sarah Bauer, one turned into 10—and quickly.

It all started outside Meghan's work in Dalton, GA. Some colleagues of hers came into the office and said that there was a dog badly injured in the parking lot just outside. As Wedge told PBS39, "As soon as she got up, she'd fall back down. When she did finally get up, you could see that she couldn't put her weight on her one back leg. I wanted to help her, so I started posting on social media, just asking if anyone was able to help this dog. I didn't want to call the pound on her. I was hoping to find her a home." That was when she made a phone call to her sister, Sarah Bauer, who lived in Quakertown, PA. At that moment, for the dog who would soon be named Izzy, things were about to change.

As Megan recalls, "Sarah was like: What if I take the dog? I said: Are you sure you want to do this? You don't know what you may be getting yourself into." But there was no talking Sarah out of it. They met in Virginia where Sarah met Izzy and took him home.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The first order of business for Sarah was to take Izzy to the vet. That was when she learned how bad the trauma that Izzy had suffered really was. "Because of Covid-19 and everything going on, I couldn't go into the vet with her, which was hard in itself," said Bauer. "The vet comes out to my car and tells me that her hip is dislocated, she has abrasions on her legs and that she was probably hit by a car. She also told me that she was hit by buckshot. At that point, I started tearing up. To think that this sweet girl had been treated that way...I don't even want to think about someone hurting her on purpose."

As Sarah pointed out to PBS39 on Izzy's X-rays, "The tiny white dots—that's the buckshot—all over her body. This is just showing her abdomen. I also picked a couple out of her ears, arms and legs." As expected, when Megan heard this from Sarah it was heartbreaking. "When Sarah told me all of that, I started crying," said Wedge. "I have a rescue dog myself, and she was abused before I got her. To me, dog is God spelled backwards. Dogs are angels. I think it's sickening that people would even think about hurting an animal."

dogs, dog rescue, puppies, animal rescue, animals, petsSarah Bauer and her sister with IggyImage via GoFundMe

So Izzy had been hit by a car and had buckshot all over her body, but there was one more discovery about to be made. Izzy was also pregnant.

"The vet told me that she found a heartbeat," said Bauer. "So, just to know that a little puppy was alive after everything that her mom went through, that was incredible!" The thing is, they were wrong. It would turn out not to be a heartbeat. It would turn out to be nine of them.


dogs, dog rescue, puppies, gofundme, animal rescue, funnyIzzy, the original dog they thought they were adoptingimages.gofundme.com

"The vet tech came out and said: So, we don't just have a puppy, we have puppies! Do you want to guess how many? I said: Three or four? She said: Nine! I said: Nine puppies...that's crazy," said Bauer. "She's really come alive since the first time that I met her. I think the puppies really brought out the puppy in her. She manages pretty well, but I know that she's in discomfort every day, especially if she tries to go up or down steps or even just to run around with her puppies, she won't put weight on that leg. I just want her to have the best life, that's why I brought her home with me, I just want her to have a good life."

Sarah ended up with more $4,000 in vet bills but after support from several donations, including from Upworthy readers, she ended raising more than $5,000 for Izzy's care and recovery. It certainly sounds like Izzy could not have landed in a better home than the one she shares with Sarah Bauer.

This article originally appeared five years ago.

A couple enjoying a glass of wine.

In the 1988 Disney classic “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” the titular character is in an unlikely relationship with his voluptuous wife Jessica. Roger is a frantic, anxious rabbit with a penchant for mischief, while Jessica is a quintessential ’40s bombshell who stands about a foot and a half taller and isn’t “bad,” just “drawn that way.”

When private investigator Eddie Valiant asked Jessica what she sees in “that guy?” she replies, “He makes me laugh.” This type of couple may seem like something we only see in the movies, but don’t underestimate the power of humor when it comes to attractiveness. A 2022 study published in Evolutionary Psychology found that being humorous is the most effective way to flirt for both men and women.

“People think that humour, or being able to make another person laugh, is most effective for men who are looking for a long-term relationship. It’s least effective for women who are looking for a one-night stand. But laughing or giggling at the other person's jokes is an effective flirtation tactic for both sexes,” says Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair, a professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology's (NTNU) Department of Psychology.

dating, flirting, how to flirt, flirting advice, romance, men, women A woman smiles at a manImage via Canva

“It is not only effective to be funny, but for women, it is very important that you show your potential partner that you think they are funny,” Rebecca Burch, a co-author from SUNY Oswego in New York, added.

For men, showing off their sense of humor was found to be the most effective way to flirt whether they were looking for a short-term or a long-term relationship. For women, being funny was the most effective tactic when looking for a long-term relationship. For people looking for a short-term fling, appearing available was the most effective tactic.

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According to the study, humor is effective regardless of one's attractiveness. “Individual differences in age, religiosity, extroversion, personal attractiveness and preferences for short-term sexual relationships had little or no effect on how effective respondents considered the various flirting tactics to be,” says study co-author Prof. Mons Bendixen.

If you see someone you like but don’t think you’re good-looking enough for them, give it a shot. You may still have a chance if you can make ’em laugh.

The most effective tactics for those looking for a long-term relationship:

For women:

1. Makes him laugh

2. Shows interest in conversations

3. Spends time with him

4. Engages in deep conversations

5. Kisses on mouth


flirting, flirting advice, how to flirt, dating, romance, men, womenA man texts a woman sitting near himImage via Canva

For men:

1. Makes her laugh

2. Spends time with her

3. Shows interest in conversations

4. Engages in deep conversations

5. Smiles

The study is proof that looks aren’t everything and shows that having a good sense of humor isn’t just about making someone laugh. A great sense of humor is evidence that someone is intelligent, wise, perceptive, confident, can see things from new perspectives and has good intuition. It also helps people quickly build bonds and share experiences, which is a great way to get close to someone in a fast and fun way.

So why wouldn’t Jessica be with Roger? The guy is hilarious.

This story originally appeared three years ago.