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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.

Science

Researchers dumped tons of coffee waste into a forest. This is what it looks like now.

30 dump truck loads and two years later, the forest looks totally different.

One of the biggest problems with coffee production is that it generates an incredible amount of waste. Once coffee beans are separated from cherries, about 45% of the entire biomass is discarded.

So for every pound of roasted coffee we enjoy, an equivalent amount of coffee pulp is discarded into massive landfills across the globe. That means that approximately 10 million tons of coffee pulp is discarded into the environment every year.



When disposed of improperly, the waste can cause serious damage soil and water sources.

However, a new study published in the British Ecological Society journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence has found that coffee pulp isn't just a nuisance to be discarded. It can have an incredibly positive impact on regrowing deforested areas of the planet.

via British Ecological Society

In 2018, researchers from ETH-Zurich and the University of Hawaii spread 30 dump trucks worth of coffee pulp over a roughly 100' x 130' area of degraded land in Costa Rica. The experiment took place on a former coffee farm that underwent rapid deforestation in the 1950s.

The coffee pulp was spread three-feet thick over the entire area.

Another plot of land near the coffee pulp dump was left alone to act as a control for the experiment.

"The results were dramatic." Dr. Rebecca Cole, lead author of the study, said. "The area treated with a thick layer of coffee pulp turned into a small forest in only two years while the control plot remained dominated by non-native pasture grasses."

In just two years, the area treated with coffee pulp had an 80% canopy cover, compared to just 20% of the control area. So, the coffee-pulp-treated area grew four times more rapidly. Like a jolt of caffeine, it reinvigorated biological activity in the area.

The canopy was also four times taller than that of the control.

Before and after images of the forest

The forest experienced a radical, positive change

via British Ecological Society

The coffee-treated area also eliminated an invasive species of grass that took over the land and prevented forest succession. Its elimination allowed for other native species to take over and recolonize the area.

"This case study suggests that agricultural by-products can be used to speed up forest recovery on degraded tropical lands. In situations where processing these by-products incurs a cost to agricultural industries, using them for restoration to meet global reforestation objectives can represent a 'win-win' scenario," Dr. Cole said.

If the results are repeatable it's a win-win for coffee drinkers and the environment.

Researchers believe that coffee treatments can be a cost-effective way to reforest degraded land. They may also work to reverse the effects of climate change by supporting the growth of forests across the globe.

The 2016 Paris Agreement made reforestation an important part of the fight against climate change. The agreement incentivizes developing countries to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, promote forest conservation and sustainable management, and enhance forest carbon stocks in developing countries.

"We hope our study is a jumping off point for other researchers and industries to take a look at how they might make their production more efficient by creating links to the global restoration movement," Dr. Cole said.


This article originally appeared on 03.29.21

A woman looking content with her child-free life.

Every couple that has ever considered being child-free has had to deal with people who have children telling them they will regret their decision. They're often told that they’ll be lonely when they get older and never understand the joy and fulfillment of having a child.

Even though there is so much pressure for couples to have kids, more and more people are deciding to live child-free lives. A recent study found that 47% of adults under 50 without kids say they're unlikely to have them — up 10 percentage points from 2018.

There are many different reasons why people don’t want to have kids, whether it’s affordability, the state of the world and the environment, or they just don’t feel like it. The child-free movement gets even stronger as people get younger.

Sixty-seven percent of young women and 50% of young men say they just don’t want children. So, are all of these people setting themselves up for a lifetime of regret because they choose not to have kids? A recent study out of Michigan says no, they probably won’t.


The Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University studied 1,000 Michiganders, asking whether they have or want children. The study separated those who wish to be child-free from those who want children but can’t have them.

The study found that by the time people reach the age of 70, people who have children and those who decided not to are just as satisfied with their lives.

child-free, no kids, childrenA couple enjoying coffeevia MART PRODUCTION/Pexels

“Childfree people, especially women, are often told they’ll be dissatisfied with life or regret their decision later,” Jennifer Watling Neal, one of the study’s authors, told PsyPost. “In this study, we compared how much adults age 70 and older said they’d want to change something about their life — in other words, whether they had any regrets about how their life had gone. We didn’t see any difference between child-free people and parents. This suggests that child-free people are similar to others in terms of life satisfaction and often don’t regret their decision later.”

The researchers found that child-free people may be happier than those with kids.“In fact, older parents were slightly more likely to want to change something about their life,” Neal said in a statement.

The study was conducted on 1,000 people; times change and everyone’s experience is different, so there’s no telling who will or will not have regrets about their decision to have children. But the study should bring some peace of mind to those who are tired of hearing that they may regret their choice to be child-free, whether from friends, family or the little voice in their heads.

The discussion also raises a deeper question: How do we create a society where people are excited about having children? What changes could be made to make it affordable for people to have families? How can we create a brighter future so that parents can feel confident that the children born today will be able to thrive as adults?

Family

Naming twins is an art. Here are some twin names people say are the best they've ever heard.

With twins, all the regular pressures of having a baby are doubled, including choosing a name.

Are you in favor of rhyming twin names? Or is it too cutesy?

Having twins means double the fun, and double the pressure. It’s a fairly known rule to name twins in a way that honors their unique bond, but that can lead to overly cutesy pairings that feel more appropriate for nursery rhyme characters than actual people. Plus, it’s equally important for the names to acknowledge each twin’s individuality. Again, these are people—not a matching set of dolls. Finding the twin baby name balance is easier said than done, for sure.

Luckily, there are several ways to do this. Names can be linked by style, sound or meaning, according to the baby name website Nameberry. For example, two names that share a classic style would be Elizabeth and Edward, whereas Ione and Lionel share a similar rhythm. And Frederica and Milo seem to share nothing in common, but both mean “peaceful.”

Over on the /NameNerds subreddit, one person asked folks to share their favorite twin name pairings, and the answers did not disappoint.


One person wrote “Honestly, for me it’s hard to beat the Rugrats combo of Phillip and Lillian (Phil and Lil) 💕”

A few parents who gave their twin’s names that didn’t inherently rhyme until nicknames got involved:

"It's the perfect way! Christmas cards can be signed cutely with matching names, but when they act out you can still use their full name without getting tripped up.😂"

"The parents of a good friend of mine did this: her name is Allison and her sister is Callie. Their names don’t match on the surface, but they were Alli and Callie at home."

“Alice and Celia, because they’re anagrams! Sound super different but have a not-so-obvious implicit connection.”

This incited an avalanche of other anagram ideas: Aidan and Nadia, Lucas and Claus, Liam and Mila, Noel and Leon, Ira and Ria, Amy and May, Ira and Ari, Cole and Cleo…even Alice, Celia, and Lacie for triplets.

Others remembered name pairs that managed to sound lovely together without going into cutesy territory.

twin names, twins, babies, baby namesThese matching bunny ears though. Photo credit: Canva

“I know twin toddler boys named Charlie and Archie and they go so well together,” one person commented.

Another wrote, “Tamia and Aziza. I love how they follow the same sound pattern with the syllable endings (-uh, -ee, -uh) without being obnoxiously matchy matchy.”

Still another said, “Lucy and Logan, fraternal girl/boy twins. I think the names sound so nice together, and definitely have the same 'vibe' and even though they have the same first letter they aren't too matchy-matchy.”

Other honorable mentions included: Colton and Calista, Caitlin and Carson, Amaya and Ameera, Alora and Luella, River and Rosie, and Eleanor and Elias.

One person cast a vote for shared style names, saying, “If I had twins, I would honestly just pick two different names that I like separately. I tend to like classic names, so I’d probably pick Daniel and Benjamin for boys. For girls my two favorites right now are Valerie and Tessa. I think Val and Tess would be cute together!”

Overall though, it seems that most folks were fans of names that focused on shared meaning over shared sound. Even better if there’s a literary or movie reference thrown in there.

twin names, twins, babies, baby namesMany adult twins regret that their names are so closely linked together. Photo credit: Canva

“My mom works in insurance, so I asked her. She’s seen a lot of unique ones, but the only twins she remembers are Gwenivere [sic] and Lancelot... bonus points... little brother was Merlin,” one person recalled.

Another shared, “If I had twin girls, I would name them Ada and Hedy for Ada Lovelace and Hedy Lamarr, both very early computer/tech pioneers. Not that I’m that into tech, I just thought it was a brilliant combination.”

Other great ones: Susan and Sharon (think the original “Parent Trap”), Clementine and Cara (types of oranges), Esme and Etienne (French descent), Luna and Stella (moon and stars), Dawn and Eve, plus various plant pairings like Lily and Fern, Heather and Holly, and Juniper and Laurel.

Perhaps the cleverest name pairing goes to “Aubrey and Zoe,” since…wait for it… “they’re A to Z.”

It’s easy to see how naming twins really is a cool opportunity for parents to get creative and intentional with their baby naming. It might be a challenge, sure, but the potential reward is having the most iconic set of twins ever. Totally worth it!

Family

Woman sparks dialogue after saying she doesn't take advice from men no matter how successful

"I tend to take their advice with a grain of salt," says Paige Connell.

Courtesy of Paige Connell

Woman says she doesn't take advice from men.

Being a woman comes with certain expectations, no matter where in the world you live. Becoming a mother adds another layer to those expectations, with traditional society often not considering the impact on the woman experiencing that shift. For instance, many women work outside of the home and are still expected to be the one who figures out which childcare center would be best.

Women are also often expected to put their careers on hold to stay at home if it's decided that outside childcare isn't feasible. Sure, some dads may do the heavy lifting in this area, but that's not a societally expected thing. Because these things are typically expected of women, men don't generally have to consider many of the logistics of children if they're partnered with a woman.

Paige Connell sparked a conversation when she shared on social media that she doesn't take advice from men, even if it's their job. On the surface that sounds harsh, even though she clarifies that she considers the advice but takes it with a big grain of salt, and her reasoning involves the invisible labor aspect.


"I do not tend to take a lot of advice from men, even the most successful men. And I mean advice in the form of self-help books, podcasts from successful men or just men in general. I tend to take their advice with a grain of salt because I do not think it is applicable to women and mothers in particular," Connell share before revealing her reasoning.

In the video she shares that she was recently listening to "The Diary of a CEO" podcast where the man talked about all the risks he took, including moving from Connecticut where his young child and ex-girlfriend live to New York. Connell pointed out through the entire episode detailing his risks and upward mobility, he never mentioned his child, which caused her to surmise that it was because childcare concerns weren't a part of his journey.


@sheisapaigeturner I do not often take advice from men, even the most successful of men, because the common thread is usually that they were able to become successful, because there was a woman standing beside them, or behind them, supporting them. Without acknowledging this, the advice means very little because women often don’t have men standing besides them, or behind them to support them. #caseyneistat #diaryofaceo #millennialmom #workingmom #wfhmom #corporatemom #successfulwomen ♬ original sound - Paige


She continued explaining how the burden of childcare tends to fall on women, working and nonworking, allowing the male parent to be free to corporate climb uninhibited by the worry. Connell shares that she prefers to listen to professionally successful moms because they share the help needed with childcare and how they navigated these spaces being the default parent. Others agreed to much of what she was saying.

"I came to a similar conclusion…I have read quite a few books of men going on their 'hero’s journey' where they did all these extravagant endeavors and eventually found success or enlightenment. But nothing about how a mother deep in the trenches of child raising is the [true] hero’s journey. Motherhood can chew you up and spit you out. A mother dies a million deaths and finds strength to continue to show up for her child day and night. Motherhood changes and refines us. No mother goes unchanged after motherhood. It is late nights and isolation. The flames of motherhood, the true hero’s journey," one person revealed, describing her own experience of realization.

"I love that you talk about it. Also all the so called geniuses, poets, writers, great personalities were able to accomplish all they did because their wives babysat their 8 kids at that time," someone else sighed in frustration.

"Couldn’t agree more. It’s the equivalent of men being able to work late, work weekends, put in the face time, to get ahead - whilst someone else is looking after their children," another wrote.

"I remember reading one comment in the daily routine of a successful writer. He had four kids and yet he could write for 6 hours daily during the day. Never once mentions his household manager, cook, cleaner, nanny—his wife," a commenter pointed out.

What do you think? Should more women be talking about this reality when it comes to the success of their male partners?

Joy

15-year-old surprises his sister with a wedding dance and there's not a dry eye anywhere

The song starts with a recording of them singing together as children.

The beautiful bond of brother and sister

Weddings are often catalysts for happy tears, but sometimes an extra special moment or gesture pushes it into "everybody grab a tissue" territory.

This video is one of those. Don't say we didn't warn ya.

Avery Albrecht shared a clip from her wedding reception in which her baby brother asked her for a dance. But Albrecht had no idea what kind of surprise the 15-year-old and her parents had in store for her. As the music begins, we hear children's voices singing—the two of them singing Phil Collins' "You'll Be in My Heart" together as children. And then the real song begins, with the bride and her brother—along with everyone watching—in a puddle.

Watch all the way to the end:


"There wasn't a dry eye in the house," Albrecht shared. There doesn't appear to be a dry eye on the internet, either.

"Stop it!! It’s 4 am in Sydney, and I'm a 43-year-old man sobbing while hiding under a blanket with my wife and 2 kids on the same bed, 😭" shared one person. "Family is the most important precious thing in the world!! ❤️"

"I went from cracking up about a stupid Hello Kitty video to sobbing in under three minutes. That must be so confusing to my central nervous system," shared another.

"I have to stop watching these things at work… people are thinking I am depressed, 😂" wrote another.

Some people shared how much it reminded them of their close sibling relationships:

"One of the most beautiful things I’ve seen. And being a much older big sister of littles (not little anymore by a long shot), I know the exact place this came from."

"I don’t know if she’ll read this but sweetheart you are so lucky! Please give your baby brother a hug for me. I lost my little brother 19 years ago this past June while I was pregnant with my first born son. I named him after him. And miss him so very much. 😢❤️"

"My little brother had a severe case of cerebral palsy and Down syndrome. He’s gone, but as I am watching this video, I can’t stop wondering what my life would be if he was healthy and still around… same about my older sister, who had also passed away. Crying my heart out now."

"Awwwwwwwe! The sweetest! You can tell how close you both are! Me and my sister are 12 years apart and she got married when I was 12 and she moved out and I had THE HARDEST time and cried almost everyday for a month!! ! I still would go over to her house and spend the night all the time… and then when she had children I became the built in babysitter for my nieces and nephew (also my fave ppl on the planet) She’s always was and still my very best friend. ♥️♥️"

Here's to the beautiful bond siblings can share, the families that nurture those bonds and this sweet brother-sister pair who gave us all the cleansing cry we needed.