Motivation expert explains how two simple words can free you from taking things personally

You don't need to take responsibility for everything and everyone.

Towards the end of The Beatles’ illustrious but brief career, Paul McCartney wrote “Let it Be,” a song about finding peace by letting events take their natural course. It was a sentiment that seemed to mirror the feeling of resignation the band had with its imminent demise.

The bittersweet song has had an appeal that has lasted generations, and that may be because it reflects an essential psychological concept: the locus of control. “It’s about understanding where our influence ends and accepting that some things are beyond our control,” Jennifer Chappell Marsh, a marriage and family therapist, told The Huffington Post. “We can’t control others, so instead, we should focus on our own actions and responses.”

Middle-class families share how much they have in their savings accounts and it's eye-opening

“We make the most money we ever have and have zero savings. We live paycheck to paycheck and every month I don’t know how we get by."

According to an April 2024 Gallup poll, 54% of Americans identify as part of the middle class, with 39% identifying as "middle class" and 15% identifying as "upper-middle class." That percentage has held fairly steady for years, but what it feels like to be a middle-class American has shifted for many.

Notably, inflation caused by the pandemic has hit middle-class families hard, with incomes not keeping up with cost-of-living increases. Housing costs have skyrocketed in many areas of the country, mortgage interest rates have risen to levels not seen since the pre-Obama era, and grocery bills have increased significantly. One government study found that the cost of living has increased between around $800 and $1,300 a month, depending on the state, since 2021, putting a squeeze on everyone, including the middle class.

Man missed his train stop just to save a little girl’s stuffed animal 

I was taking my 5 year old granddaughter into the city on the high speed train for a day of fun. It was her first train ride and she was excited but nervous. She took her favorite stuffed animal to hold and hug. When the train arrived for boarding, she forgot her stuffie on the bench on the platform and she immediately started crying. Since the train was leaving in less than a minute I didn't want to go back and risk missing the train. A young man that had just exited the train heard her crying and ran and grabbed the stuffie then darted back through the doors as they were closing. He had retrieved her beloved baby but was now stuck on the train! His smile never faltered as I thanked him and apologized that he'd missed his stop. He was so humble and unbothered. We were able to chat with him at the next stop and got to know him a little. He's a great example of a fine, kind young man and I will forever be grateful he saved a little stuffie loved by a little girl.

Subscribe to 1440 for fact-driven news and uplifting stories every weekend.

Communications expert shares the number one small talk mistake people make and how to fix it

It happens at the start of a lot of conversations.

Many people don’t like making small talk. They either believe it’s beneath them to talk about mundane subjects or don’t see the benefit of discussing the weather, sports, or television with people they hardly know. However, these folks are missing a very valuable form of interaction that can help them with their love lives, friendships, and careers. They also remove themselves from situations where they can elevate small talk to something more valuable and meaningful.

Jefferson Fisher, a Texas board-certified personal injury attorney and law firm owner of Fisher Firm, has become massively popular on Instagram, with nearly 6 million followers, for sharing communication tips “to help people argue less and talk more.” While promoting his new book, The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More, he shared the number one problem people have while making small talk.

Studies show non-parents are happier than parents unless 1 of these 3 things are true

"Bundle of joy" might not be the most apt nickname.

For decades now there's been one great question looming over society: Does having kids make you happier?

Most studies show that, perhaps surprisingly, people without children tend to be happier, or have more life satisfaction. And when you really think about it, it makes sense why. Being child-free eases your finances and allows you more time to pursue friends, romance, hobbies, travel, adventure, and career aspirations. Having children makes your immediate quality of life and marital satisfaction go down temporarily, or in some cases, permanently. The Surgeon General even recently issued an advisory warning that parental stress is a major public health issue.