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In this issue of The Upworthiest, Cecily Knobler shares the story of the Harvard psychiatrist who teaches every patient the same first lesson. Plus, the sexist remark that made Lily Tomlin walk off a 1972 talk show, and the trick a teenager learned from her cop stepdad that stopped a hotel-room intruder cold.
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Harvard psychiatrist reveals ‘the fastest way to change your life’ using just one Post-it note | ||
“Thoughts and emotions are like clouds in the sky. You are the sky, itself.” | ||
By Cecily Knobler | ||
In some situations and conversations, many of us find ourselves stressed out and reactive when we’re missing information. It’s a common reaction, but it can seriously strain our interpersonal relationships. Nearly all of us do it at some time or another: We experience a situation and create a story around it in our heads. We then react to the story that we created, not what actually happened. | ||
Dr. Kavetha Sundaramoorthy, M.D., who often goes by Dr. Kavetha Sun, is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist who often shares impactful ways to change our mindsets. She uses simple tools to reframe our thinking so that instead of responding to our emotionally-tinted, self-written fables, we are able to zoom out, detach, and gain clarity. | ||
In a clip posted online, Sun shares the first thing she teaches “every patient” she treats. She pulls out a whiteboard and places three Post-it notes on it. The first reads “Experience.” The second says, “Story.” The third reads, “Reaction.” | ||
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In 1972, Lily Tomlin showed quiet grace when responding to an actor’s incredibly sexist remark | ||
“I have to leave.” | ||
By Patrick Hamilton | ||
Late-night talk shows in the 1970s were meant to be easygoing, low-stakes affairs—a way for fans to get to know their favorite Hollywood stars in an era devoid of 24/7 social media coverage. Guests smiled, plugged their latest projects, and tried to get laughs from the audience. Like today, these shows often featured a cross-section of talent across movies, music, TV, sports, and even politics. A panel might contain individuals with wildly different points of view, which could lead to occasional, if unintentional, fireworks. | ||
A taping of The Dick Cavett Show in 1972 illustrates just how easily things could explode. | ||
Actress and comedian Lily Tomlin was the first guest of the evening. She was there to promote her new comedy album, and everything seemed to be going according to plan. Tomlin was asked about being a cheerleader in high school and auditioning for Cavett’s program before she shot to fame on TV’s Laugh-In. If you haven’t seen her portrayals of the snarky, snorting telephone operator Ernestine or her precocious little girl character, Edith Ann, do yourself a favor and watch. | ||
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When auntie steps up 🥹
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Dance marathons were a popular source of fun during the Great Depression. | ||
6 frugal hobbies from the Great Depression that are still just as fun today | ||
Americans found thrifty ways to still have fun. | ||
By Emily Shiffer | ||
The Great Depression began in the United States in 1929 and ended in 1939. One silver lining of the Great Depression was the expansion of hobbies. | ||
During the Great Depression, people found affordable ways to find joy amid the heaviness. According to Santa Clara University, “the hobby boom of the Thirties probably represented a real increase in mass participation…there was an important change in the meaning of hobbies as personal activity.” | ||
Even with little money to spend, a number of frugal hobbies came out of the Great Depression. Many are still enjoyed today and just might become your next obsession. | ||
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An Upworthiest Quiz
Why are classic Post-it notes canary yellow?
Last Week’s Results
In Friday's issue, we shared Tod Perry's story on the simple body language shift that makes you 30 percent more likable.
And we asked: In which country does nodding mean "no" and shaking your head mean "yes"? Only 22.1% of you had it: Bulgaria, where the head shake for yes and the nod for no are the everyday standard and trip up visitors so reliably that some Bulgarians switch to the Western version when they know they're talking to a foreigner, which means you can never be entirely sure which system you're in.
India (35.5%)
Bulgaria (22.1%)
Japan (39.4%)
Brazil (3.0%)
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Teen foils hotel-room intruders by using a valuable trick she learned from her cop stepdad | ||
In a stressful situation, she remembered his life-saving advice. | ||
By Tod Perry | ||
Josie Bowers, who was 19 when she first shared her story in 2021, thwarted an intruder when she was 15. The viral TikTok video is a harrowing tale and a valuable lesson for everyone to learn. Josie was staying with her family at the Ocean City Hilton in Ocean City, Maryland, when the incident occurred. | ||
She went to her hotel room alone to take a shower while her family was on the beach. After getting out of the shower, she was alarmed when she noticed a long wire with a hook at the end wiggling its way out of the crack at the bottom of the front door. The hook was waving around, trying to catch the handle to open the door. It’s amazing that no one in the hallway noticed the incredibly suspicious activity. | ||
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