There are concerts, and then there are moments that happen inside concerts that nobody planned and nobody could have scripted. Adele has a gift for the latter. During her Adele Live 2016 tour stop at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam on June 1st, she did what she often does between songs: she invited a couple of kids from the crowd to come up on stage. Two young girls clambered up. Adele hugged them, crouched down to their level, and started chatting. Names, where are you from, the usual warm Adele small talk. Then one of the girls said she was from London. Adele paused. She glanced out at the crowd and saw a man she recognized. View this post on Instagram And then it hit her. “Oh my god! No way! I knew you from when you were a baby!” she gasped, as Today reported in its coverage of the moment. “Her mum plays for me. She plays the cello. You were like two weeks old when I first met you.” She then rattled off four OMGs in quick succession, trying to process the fact that the small child she’d last seen as an infant was now standing on her stage at a sold-out arena in Amsterdam, having been pulled from the crowd entirely at random. “That just freaked me out,” she told the audience. “You were like 2 feet tall when I first met you.” The girl’s mother plays cello in Adele’s touring band. Her father, who’d brought the girls to the show, was the familiar face in the crowd that gave it away. The girls, nicknamed Daiz and Roo according to an Instagram post captured by NME at the time, had no idea any of this was coming. The video, originally captured by a fan and shared on YouTube, has been resurfacing regularly ever since. It’s easy to see why. In a single unscripted minute, it captures something you don’t often see from artists at that level: genuine surprise. Not performed delight, not a rehearsed crowd moment, but the specific look of a person trying to reconcile the baby they once held with the kid standing right in front of them. The whole arena got to watch Adele put the pieces together in real time. This is something of a pattern. In a separate concert moment shared on TikTok by user @hannnny3, Adele spotted a young boy in the audience mid-performance, walked over to him, and sang directly to him as he visibly welled up. She brushed his cheek gently and kept going. No announcement, no setup. Just attention, fully given. @hannnny3 Your sign to buy the Adele tickets. @Adele Access #weekendswithadele #adele #caesarspalace #adelevegas ♬ original sound – Hannah It’s a different kind of stagecraft. Most performers work the crowd. Adele tends to actually notice it. This article originally appeared last year. The post This 2016 concert footage of Adele meeting two young fans keeps going viral for the best reason appeared first on Upworthy.

Visualize this: your boss suddenly turns to you in a meeting and asks, “What do you think?” Your mind goes blank. You were paying attention, but being put on the spot feels intense. Your heart pounds. You try to respond, unsure of what to say, and then replay the moment in your mind for the next hour. Situations like this happen to almost everyone. Matt Abrahams, who teaches organizational behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, says that up to 85% of people feel nervous in high-stress communication moments. As he jokes, “Quite frankly, I think the other 15% are lying.” Luckily, Abrahams has spent his career studying what happens in these high-pressure moments and, more importantly, how we can handle them well. He’s not only an academic; he also coaches some of the world’s top speakers, including executives, Nobel Prize presenters, and TED Talk headliners. Let’s look at how this six-step system works in real situations. Mindset: How to stop holding yourself back The first four steps of Abrahams’ system are about what happens in your mind before you say anything. Step 1: Calm–Tame your anxiety Anxiety isn’t a personal weakness; it’s part of being human. Abrahams explains that our fear of speaking in front of others comes from evolution. It’s a reaction that started when our place in a group was important for survival. Knowing this may not stop your sweaty palms, but it can help you see the experience differently. Breathing intentionally can help fight anxiety. Photo credit: Canva Still, anxiety feels very real. To help with it, Abrahams tackles both the symptoms and the causes. For the symptoms, he suggests deep belly breathing, making your exhale twice as long as your inhale. He calls this the “rule of lung.” For example, breathe in for three counts and out for six. Try this a few times before an important meeting or when you expect questions. The longer exhale helps your body relax. Anxiety comes from worrying about what might happen. The best way to fight it is to stay present. Abrahams suggests using tongue twisters, counting backward from 100 by 17s, or greeting people before you speak. These tricks keep you focused on the moment, so there’s less room to worry about what could go wrong. Step 2: Unlock–Aim for “good enough” This part often surprises people. Abrahams tells his Stanford MBA students to “strive for mediocrity so that you can achieve greatness.” Most of them are shocked when they hear this. His reason makes sense. When you try to speak perfectly, part of your mind is talking while another part is judging you. This inner critic uses up your mental energy. Abrahams borrows from improv and says to “dare to be dull.” Lowering the pressure helps you get unstuck. Once you start talking, your confidence and momentum grow. Step 3: Redefine–See problems as opportunities For most people, public speaking feels like a test you either pass or fail. Abrahams suggests a new way to look at it: “We have to see these situations as opportunities, not threats.” Changing your mindset makes a big difference. A question from the audience becomes an occasion to connect. An unexpected follow-up in a meeting is an opportunity to show what you know. Abrahams also cites the “Yes, And” idea from improv, which means accepting what’s happening and building on it instead of fighting it. Step 4: Listen–Pace, space, grace Listening well before you respond is one of the most overlooked communication skills. Abrahams uses a framework from his colleague, Collins Dobbs, called “pace, space, grace.” Listening well before you respond is one of the most overlooked communication skills. Photo credit: Canva Pace explains the benefits of holding back before answering. Most of us start thinking of our answer before the other person is done talking. Space is about giving yourself a moment, maybe by asking a clarifying question or repeating what you heard before you reply. Grace is about trusting your gut. Sometimes, people don’t need an answer—they need to be acknowledged, supported, or just have a different kind of conversation. Learning to detect this is a valuable skill. Messaging: Deciding what to say and how to say it Once you have the right mindset, the next two steps help you figure out what to say. Step 5: Structure – Organize your thoughts on the fly This is where Abrahams’ approach gets really useful. He believes that if you know the basic outline of your answer ahead of time, you can focus on incorporating details that matter to you. To help you speak off the cuff, he suggests a simple three-part structure: “What? So what? Now what?” This method helps you organize your thoughts clearly, even when you’re caught off guard. First, state your main idea, position, or key information. (What?) Next, explain why it matters to your audience. (So what?) Finally, suggest what should happen next or what action to take. (Now what?) This structure isn’t a script—it’s sort of like a recipe. You bring the ideas, and the framework helps you put them together. Step 6: Focus – Get to the point Be explicit and direct about your purpose. Abrahams shares his mother’s advice: “Tell me the time, don’t build me the clock.” In other words, when someone asks a question, they want the answer, not the whole backstory. To stay on track, Abrahams suggests asking yourself before you speak: What do I want this person to understand? How do I want them to feel? What do I want them to do? This three-part goal—”know, feel, do”—helps you avoid rambling. When you have a clear goal, you get to the point faster. How to actually get better at this But Abrahams points out that frameworks alone aren’t enough. “The only way to get good at communication is the same way we get good at anything else,” he says. “Repetition, reflection, and feedback.” Keep practicing—you will get better at public speaking. Photo credit: Canva This means practicing out loud, not just in your head. It also helps to record yourself and watch the video, since there’s often a difference between how we think we sound and how others see us. Ask for honest feedback, not just reassurance. He recommends building a “communication pantry“—a set of stories, examples, and facts you can use when you need them. The more you have ready, the easier it is to respond on the spot. Improving one discussion at a time What’s great about Abrahams’ approach is that you don’t have to pretend to be someone else. Instead, use what you already have—your knowledge, experience, and real desire to connect—so you can rely on those strengths even when you’re under pressure. Abrahams often says “connection over perfection,” which is a helpful signal of what really matters. The goal of speaking off the cuff isn’t to be perfect—it’s to be present, helpful, and real. When you stop worrying about performing and focus on the person you’re talking to, you actually get better at it. Start small. Before your next meeting, take three deep breaths. Pick a simple structure, like “what, so what, now what,” and give it a try. Notice what happens. Like any skill, you’ll get better with practice, one discussion at a time. The post How to improve any speech with this 6-word framework by Stanford professor Matt Abrahams appeared first on Upworthy.

Raising a child on a cruise ship might not be the most conventional parenting choice, but it certainly comes with a view. Just ask Ben Featherstone, who, in between singing sets aboard the MSC Virtuosa, lives with his wife and their two-year-old daughter, Piper. He documents their adventure along the way for his growing social media audience. This globetrotting lifestyle wasn’t necessarily something Featherstone originally envisioned. In fact, when he first learned he was going to become a dad, he assumed his cruise ship performing days were behind him. The cruise line he worked for at the time didn’t allow family members to stay onboard, and understandably, fatherhood seemed incompatible with months at sea. @benfeatherstone_ Most asked question Grateful we get to do this! #cruiselife #cruisetok #travelwithus #crewlife #msc ♬ Good Times Go By Too Fast – Dylan Scott On a whim, he auditioned for a different cruise line. When the contract offer came through, it included an unexpected twist: immediate family members were allowed to stay onboard for up to four weeks at a time. Suddenly, what felt like an ending became a brand-new beginning. So, Featherstone and his wife decided to give it a go. Their current routine looks a little something like this: every other month, he performs for three days while at sea. During the remaining days of that stretch, the family explores whichever port they’ve docked in—whether that’s a sun-soaked Mediterranean town or a bustling European city. After those weeks onboard, Piper and her mom, who thankfully has flexibility in her own work schedule, return to London for four weeks. Then the cycle repeats. @benfeatherstone_ Replying to @Breezy hope this explains it #cruiselife #familytravel #cruisetok #workingaway #fyp ♬ original sound – Ben Featherstone “Little did I know this [audition] would lead me to create a whole new lifestyle,” Featherstone shared in a video clip. And for little Piper, life is anything but dull. When she’s not toddling through charming cobblestone streets in a new country, she’s taking full advantage of the ship’s amenities. There are water parks, splash zones, live entertainment, and seemingly endless holiday-themed festivities throughout the year. She also attends the ship’s baby club, where she socializes and plays with other children her age from all over the world. In many ways, the ship has become its own tiny, ever-changing village. @benfeatherstone_ From the drafts of New Year #cruise #cruisetok #cruiselife #newyearcruise #fyp ♬ the one that got away TWINSICK edit – TWINSICK In one particularly heart-melting moment shared online, Featherstone’s castmates serenade Piper for her second birthday as crew members gather to celebrate. The video captures how this unconventional life still manages to create a sense of community. Though constantly on the move, Piper is surrounded by familiar faces who cheer her milestones and help create memories that will last a lifetime. @benfeatherstone_ The cast really are her extended family whilst we’re on the ship #cruiselife #cruisetok #performer #backstage #fyp ♬ original sound – Ally Rendall “What an amazing life!” one viewer commented. It’s kind of hard not to agree. Of course, the lifestyle isn’t without its challenges. As Featherstone candidly told People, “raising a 2-year-old is quite hard either way.” Parenting doesn’t suddenly become effortless just because there’s an ocean view. There are still tantrums, sleep schedules, and picky eating to contend with, plus the logistical puzzle of traveling with a toddler. During the four weeks when Piper and her mom return to London, Featherstone deeply feels their absence. Still, for this family, the trade-offs feel worth it. Instead of choosing between career and parenthood, they’ve found a creative way to blend both—proving that sometimes the most custom-made paths lead to the richest experiences. The post Dad shares how he raises his 2-year-old daughter while working on a cruise ship appeared first on Upworthy.

Aging is a little weird, and Gen X is in the thick of coming to terms with it. Born between 1965 and 1980, the “forgotten generation” finds itself flummoxed by being in its mid-40s to early 60s, fully middle-aged and even a bit beyond. It’s common to feel younger than our years, but for Gen X, the math really isn’t mathing—especially when discovering how old the “old” actors in shows from their childhood actually were. Let’s start with Gilligan’s Island, an after-school staple for many a Gen Xer. Remember Thurston Howell III, the wealthy older man with his sweet wife, Lovey? Mr. Howell was played by Jim Backus, who was 51 when the show began. Just sit with that for a second. The actress who played his wife, Natalie Schafer, was 13 years older than he was, but still. He was only 51? And what about The Skipper? He seemed like an old guy when we were kids, right? Nope. Alan Hale Jr. was only 43, two years younger than Tom Brady was when he retired from the NFL. Carroll O’Connor and Jean Stapleton in 1973, around 49 and 50 years old. Photo credit: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons What about Carroll O’Connor and Jean Stapleton, who played Archie and Edith Bunker on All in the Family? They had to have been in their 60s at least, right? Nope. They were also in their 40s when the show began. Remember Julia Sugarbaker in Designing Women, who was the older, wiser one of the group? She didn’t necessarily seem “old-old” when we were kids, but we might have described her as an “older woman.” Turns out Dixie Carter was 47 when she started that role, which is younger than nearly all Gen Xers are now. Oof. How about the fact that three of the four Golden Girls were supposed be in their 50s in the show? Or that Rue McClanahan, who played Blanche Devereaux, was 51 years old when the series began? Going back further, do you know how old actor David Tomlinson was when he played Mr. Banks in the original Mary Poppins film? He seemed like a grumpy old man to us as kids, but he was 47. Mr. Roper on Three’s Company was surely an older gentleman, right? Only if you consider 53 to be old. Are we seriously Mr. Roper now and not Jack Tripper? When did that happen? On one hand, seeing that we’re now in the age range of these actors—and in some cases even older—is jarring. On the other hand, perhaps we should feel good about the fact that 50 (and sometimes 60) really is the new 40. Why people look younger now than they did in the ’60s and ’70s There may be some denial at play in not seeing ourselves in these actors who were our age, but that’s not the whole story. Objectively, some of these people looked much older than people in their 40s and 50s do today. Why is that? this is nonsense but did people in the past look older when they were younger?— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) December 27, 2019 According to McGill University, there are several reasons people looked older, beyond just our bias against outdated hairstyles and clothing styles. The primary reasons people looked older in the past were environmental and lifestyle factors. The ubiquity of cigarette smoking was a big one, as smoking causes premature aging of the skin. As smoking declined in popularity, its widespread aging effects did, too. Sun exposure is another factor. Previous generations would slather themselves in baby oil to speed up UV exposure. Now we know that’s unhealthy on multiple levels. Increased use of sunscreen and greater sun avoidance have slowed the aging effects of the sun. Even the reduction of certain kinds of air pollution has helped keep our skin looking younger. It turns out that fixing the hole in the ozone layer has had some ancillary anti-aging benefits for us all. The push for health and longevity research since Gen Xers were kids has also led to better dietary habits and increased hydration. There have also been major advancements in medical and cosmetic interventions that help us look younger for longer. So while it may make us blink twice to see how old the seemingly “old” actors of our childhood were, it’s all good. We may be as old as they were, but we likely don’t look as old as they did. Gen X still has time before “old age” really hits us. The post Gen X is stunned to learn just how old the actors on their favorite shows actually were back then appeared first on Upworthy.

A kindergartener marked the 100th day of school in the sweetest way—celebrating alongside his 100-year-old great-grandpa. Their joyful milestone moment bridged generations in a heartwarming tribute to life and learning.