In this issue of The Upworthiest, Tod Perry reveals the simple body language shift that makes you 30 percent more likable. Plus, the cleverest twin names people have ever heard, and thousands of women tell one gynecologist exactly how to fix the dreaded office visit.
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A simple change in body language makes you 30 percent more likable | ||
Everyone wants approval. | ||
By Tod Perry | ||
A head nod is a powerful gesture because it can communicate many things. It can mean, “I agree,” “I hear you,” “What’s up,” “I’m paying attention,” or a really deep nod can mean, “I really feel what’s happening here.” Nodding your head is a great way to make the other person feel heard and give them a sense of approval. | ||
Given the fact that people really love it when others are paying attention, and possibly agreeing with them, they love it when people nod at them during conversation. In fact, a study out of Japan found that if you clearly nod along when someone is talking, they will like you 30% more than if you didn’t, and people will find you 40% more approachable. | ||
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Fashion critics of 1893 had some… interesting ideas. 😂
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Naming twins takes creativity and taste. Here are the best twin names people have ever heard. | ||
Having twins means double the fun, and double the pressure. | ||
By Heather Wake | ||
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. For sure, finding the twin baby name balance is easier said than done. | ||
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, Elizabeth and Edward are two names that share a classic style, whereas Ione and Lionel share a similar rhythm. And Frederica and Milo seem to share nothing in common, but both mean “peaceful.” Some other names that have the same meaning are Astrid and Nancy (divine), Ava and Zoe (life), Arthur and Leo (courageous), and Matthew and Theodore (gift from God). | ||
Pampers suggests that if you’re having identical twins that are the same sex, focus on names that are roughly the same length and start with the same letters, like with Cooper and Carter for boys. Or, for Aiden and Austin, for girls. | ||
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An Upworthiest Quiz
In which country does nodding mean "no" and shaking your head mean "yes"?
Yesterday’s Results
In yesterday’s issue, we shared Annie Reneau’s story on the ‘Tiffany Problem’ and why historically accurate things feel wrong.
And we asked: The vending machine sounds like a modern invention. When was it actually invented? Only 12.6% of you knew it goes back to the 1st century, when Hero of Alexandria built a coin-operated holy water dispenser for temples in Egypt. Drop in a coin, the weight tips a lever, you get exactly one pour and not a drop more. The idea then vanished for roughly 1,500 years until English taverns started vending tobacco in the 1600s.
The 1st century (12.6%)
The 17th century (24.8%)
The 19th century (42.1%)
The 1950s (20.5%)
Reader Ros Legge got it right and knew exactly what was on offer: “Greece at temples selling holy water.”
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Many would agree that gynecology visits could be improved upon. | ||
A gynecologist asked women how visits could be improved. Thousands responded, in detail. | ||
“How would you design/optimize a visit to the gynecologist’s office? No detail is too small.” | ||
By Heather Wake | ||
When picturing a doctor’s office, you might imagine a less than warm atmosphere. Those oh-so-lovely fluorescent lights instantly come to my mind. Imagine if a doctor told you, “I want to design our visit in a way that makes you feel most comfortable.” Suddenly that annual check-up doesn’t sound so dreadful after all. | ||
Dr. Ryan Stewart, a urogynecologist at the Aurora Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery Women’s Center, recently asked women to weigh in on the redesign of his office. Posting the question to X, he wrote: “I have the opportunity to design my office from scratch. I’m asking women. How would you design/optimize a visit to the gynecologist’s office? No detail is too small.” | ||
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