In this issue of The Upworthiest, Emily Shiffer reports on what a psychologist can read into your pace on the sidewalk. Plus, the formula behind 30 years of happiness research, and the beloved Robin Williams movie that did not land the way one Gen X mom expected.
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Psychologist explains 7 personality traits of people who walk fast | ||
Your walking speed says a lot about your character. | ||
By Emily Shiffer | ||
There are two camps when it comes to walking speed: fast walkers and slow walkers. In a crowd of commuters, it’s easy to differentiate who is who. | ||
While fast walkers and slow walkers may irritate each other while trying to get from Point A to Point B, their differences go a lot deeper psychologically. People who walk fast have certain personality and character traits based on their walking pace that are backed by science. | ||
For example, fast walkers may be more conscientious. “Conscientiousness is the trait associated with organization, discipline, and reliability,” Christal Castagnozz, Clinical Director and Clinical Psychologist at Thrive Psychology Health Team, tells Upworthy. “People high in this trait tend to manage their time well and move with intention. Research shows that fast walkers typically demonstrate goal-directed behavior which is a trademark of this trait. This often reflects their ability to be productive, stay on track, and efficient.” | ||
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With six prosthetic legs (and counting), Arlo is running, climbing, and carving out his own path with joy and determination. Shriners Children’s is there every step of the way.
By Prutha Patel
At a young age, Arlo is already on his sixth prosthetic leg. Every time he outgrows one his care team at Shriners Children's™ builds the next one.
His newest is covered in bright yellow ducks, his favorite animal, and he's putting it to work on monkey bars and rock walls.
Read his story and see how donor support helps Shriners Children's build what kids like Arlo dream up next.
Some people watch sports, Portland watches people parallel park. 😂
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Happiness expert shares 3-step formula to build deeper connections | ||
“If you only share, it’s a monologue. If you only listen, it’s an interview.” | ||
By Emily Shiffer | ||
The key to finding happiness has been widely researched. The data on happiness suggest that it comes down to our connections with others. | ||
Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside and author of the new book “How To Feel Loved,” explained that her research has identified one key factor in happiness, and it comes down to conversation and deeper connection with others. | ||
During a TEDNext 2025 presentation, Lyubomirsky explained that she has been a happiness researcher for more than 30 years. In her lab, she has conducted experiments on “happiness interventions” since 1998. | ||
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An Upworthiest Quiz
The 10,000-steps-a-day goal did not come from science. Where did it come from?
Last Week’s Results
In Friday's issue, we shared the real and growing issue of Boomer Panic.
And we asked: By the official US definition, baby boomers were born in which stretch of years? 78.8% of you nailed it: 1946 to 1964.
1946 to 1964 (78.8%) 🏆
1940 to 1955 (6.7%)
1950 to 1970 (4.6%)
1945 to 1960 (9.9%)
The Census Bureau draws the line at the post-war spike in births, which started the year after V-J Day and ran nineteen years until the birth rate finally cooled off. That means the oldest boomers turned 80 this year and the youngest are 62.
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Robin Williams played inspiring English teacher John Keating in "Dead Poets Society." | ||
I showed my Gen Z kids ‘Dead Poets Society’ and their angry reactions to it floored me | ||
“Inspiring” apparently means different things to Gen X and Gen Z. | ||
By Annie Reneau | ||
As a Gen X parent of Gen Z teens and young adults, I’m used to cringing at things from 80s and 90s movies that haven’t aged well. However, a beloved film from my youth that I thought they’d love, “Dead Poets Society,” sparked some unexpectedly negative responses in my kids, shining a spotlight on generational differences I didn’t even know existed. | ||
I probably watched “Dead Poets Society” a dozen or more times as a teen and young adult, always finding it aesthetically beautiful, tragically sad, and profoundly inspiring. That film was one of the reasons I decided to become an English teacher, inspired as I was by Robin Williams’ portrayal of the passionately unconventional English teacher, John Keating. | ||
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