Latest news with #texting
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
14 Behaviors That Make People Pull Away Without Telling You Why
People are complicated. Sometimes, they distance themselves without giving any clear explanation. This can leave you wondering what went wrong. Here's a look at some behaviors that might make people pull away without a word. These subtle actions can often be the culprit behind that sudden silence. 1. Over-Texting Texting is a great way to stay connected, but there's a fine line between staying in touch and overwhelming someone. If you're texting someone constantly without giving them space to respond, it might make them feel smothered. According to a study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, frequent texting can sometimes lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations. This often results in emotional exhaustion on the other side. Remember, it's important to give the other person room to breathe and engage at their own pace. When you flood someone's phone with numerous messages, it may feel like a barrage rather than a conversation. People naturally need downtime and moments away from their screens. It's crucial to understand that everyone has different texting habits and comfort levels. Respecting these boundaries can help maintain a healthy communication flow. Being mindful of timing and content can keep the conversation engaging without crossing into overwhelming territory. 2. Unsolicited Advice Offering advice can be tempting, especially when you think you have the perfect solution to someone's problem. However, not everyone is looking for advice when they share their struggles. Sometimes, they're looking for empathy or just an ear to listen. When you jump straight into advice-giving, it can make others feel as though you're undermining their ability to handle their own issues. They might perceive it as being critical or dismissive of their feelings. It's important to gauge the situation before offering your two cents. Asking if they want advice or just want to vent can go a long way. This creates a supportive environment where the person feels heard and validated. It also establishes that you respect their autonomy and judgment. Remember, sometimes all they need is someone to say, "That sounds tough," instead of, "Here's what you should do." 3. Being Too Agreeable Being agreeable often seems like a good way to avoid conflict, but it can actually have the opposite effect. When you never voice your own opinions or always go along with what others say, it can make people feel uneasy. According to Dr. Susan Krauss Whitbourne, a professor of psychological and brain sciences, people respect and appreciate others who have their own opinions. Constantly agreeing gives off the vibe that you have no personal stance or boundaries. This can lead to a one-sided relationship dynamic where the other person feels they are not truly getting to know you. Having your own opinions fosters more genuine and mutually respectful interactions. It's okay to disagree on certain things; it adds depth to your conversations. People appreciate authenticity and honesty over perpetual agreement. By respectfully voicing your perspective, you invite more meaningful dialogue. This shows that you value the relationship enough to be yourself rather than just a mirror to their thoughts. 4. Lack Of Appreciation Everyone likes to feel appreciated, and when this is absent, it can create a gap in your relationships. If you rarely acknowledge the efforts or kindness of others, they might feel underappreciated. This lack of acknowledgment can lead to feelings of resentment or being taken for granted. It's easy to get caught up in routines and forget to express gratitude. Yet, a simple 'thank you' or recognition of someone's efforts can go a long way. Showing appreciation doesn't have to be a grand gesture; small acts of acknowledgment can make people feel valued. Consistently recognizing others' contributions fosters a positive environment. It's about creating a culture of gratitude that encourages ongoing generosity and support. When people feel appreciated, they are more likely to stay engaged. This nurtures the relationship, making it stronger and more resilient. 5. Not Listening Listening is a fundamental part of communication, and when it's absent, it can create a significant disconnect. People can sense when you're not paying attention or when your mind is elsewhere during a conversation. Dr. Julian Treasure, a sound expert, emphasizes that active listening is essential for effective communication and building strong relationships. When you don't truly listen, it sends the message that you don't value what the other person has to say. This can lead others to pull away, feeling unheard and unimportant. To be a good listener, you have to engage actively with the speaker. This means maintaining eye contact, responding appropriately, and actually processing what they're saying. By showing genuine interest and asking follow-up questions, you demonstrate that you care. Active listening builds trust and opens the door to deeper connections. When people feel heard, they are more likely to share and engage openly with you. 6. Being Overly Critical Criticism, when not constructive, can quickly push people away. If you frequently point out flaws or mistakes, it can make others feel inadequate or judged. No one enjoys being around someone who focuses only on the negatives. Over time, this can erode the foundation of any relationship. People need encouragement and positive reinforcement to thrive. It's essential to balance feedback with kindness and affirmation. When you need to critique, ensure it's done in a constructive manner that encourages growth. Highlighting strengths alongside areas of improvement can help maintain a positive rapport. This approach not only preserves the relationship but also fosters a more supportive and understanding environment. Remember, everyone has insecurities, and how you address them can make a significant difference. 7. Being Inconsistent Consistency is key in building trust and reliability in relationships. When you're unpredictable or frequently change your behavior, it can confuse and frustrate others. According to relationship expert Terri Orbuch, Ph.D., consistent actions and words help in establishing trust and security in any relationship. Inconsistency might make people question your motives or reliability, leading them to pull away. A solid, dependable presence is often what people seek in their connections. Consistency doesn't mean rigid predictability, but it does involve being reliable and truthful. Keeping your promises and being transparent about changes can build trust. When people can count on you, it fosters a sense of security and stability. This makes them more comfortable and willing to invest in the relationship. Over time, these consistent actions help solidify the bond and create a lasting connection. 8. Lack Of Empathy Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another, and its absence can severely impact relationships. When you're not empathetic, people may feel misunderstood or unsupported. It's crucial to put yourself in others' shoes and see things from their perspective. This creates a sense of connection and validation for their feelings. Empathy fosters an environment where people feel safe to express themselves. Developing empathy requires patience and a willingness to genuinely understand others. Asking questions and listening intently can help you grasp their emotions. By doing so, you demonstrate that you care about their experiences and feelings. This compassionate approach can strengthen the bond and encourage open communication. When people feel understood, they are more likely to stay engaged and invested in the relationship. 9. Avoiding Difficult Conversations It's natural to want to avoid uncomfortable or challenging discussions, but dodging them can cause more harm than good. When you consistently shy away from addressing important issues, they tend to fester and grow. This can lead to misunderstandings and unresolved tensions in relationships. People may pull away if they feel that important matters are being ignored or glossed over. Avoidance doesn't make problems disappear; it often makes them worse. Addressing difficult conversations head-on requires courage and honesty. It's important to approach these discussions with openness and a willingness to find solutions. By tackling issues directly, you demonstrate that you value the relationship enough to work through challenges. This approach can lead to better mutual understanding and stronger bonds. It also encourages a culture of transparency and trust, which are essential for long-term connection. 10. Being Self-Obsessed Focusing too much on yourself can unintentionally push people away. If conversations are always centered around you and your experiences, others may feel sidelined or unimportant. While it's natural to share your life, balance is crucial. People appreciate when you show interest in their lives, too. A one-sided relationship where only one person talks about themselves can become draining. To avoid this, practice active listening and ask meaningful questions about others' lives. Showing genuine curiosity about their experiences fosters a sense of mutual interest and respect. This creates a more engaging and balanced interaction. When people feel that their lives and stories matter, they are more likely to stay connected. It's about creating a space where both parties feel valued and heard. 11. Not Respecting Boundaries Boundaries are essential for healthy relationships, and disrespecting them can have severe consequences. When you constantly infringe on someone's personal space or limits, it shows a lack of respect for their autonomy. People establish boundaries for a reason, often to protect their well-being. Ignoring or dismissing these boundaries can lead to discomfort and resentment. When boundaries are not respected, it can drive a wedge in the relationship. Understanding and respecting boundaries involves clear communication and mutual respect. It's important to recognize and honor the lines that others set. By doing so, you demonstrate that you value their comfort and choices. This fosters a sense of trust and security in the relationship. Over time, respecting boundaries strengthens the connection and encourages a more harmonious interaction. 12. Neglecting Self-Care Taking care of yourself is not just important for personal well-being; it also influences your relationships. When you neglect self-care, it can affect your mood, energy, and ability to engage with others. This can lead to irritability or withdrawal, causing people to pull away. Self-care isn't just about physical health; it also involves emotional and mental well-being. By prioritizing self-care, you're better equipped to maintain healthy and positive relationships. Incorporating self-care into your routine ensures that you have the energy and mindset to interact constructively with others. It involves setting aside time for activities that rejuvenate and refresh you. When you're in a good place, mentally and physically, you're more likely to be patient, attentive, and empathetic. This positivity naturally extends to your interactions, making them more enjoyable and fulfilling. Ultimately, self-care benefits both you and those around you. 13. Being Judgmental Judgmental behavior can create a barrier between you and others, as it often leads to feelings of defensiveness. When you're quick to judge or criticize, people might feel they have to constantly defend themselves or mask their true selves. This stifles authenticity and openness in the relationship. Over time, they might pull away to avoid the discomfort and pressure of being judged. To foster a more accepting environment, practice mindfulness and compassion. Strive to understand people's perspectives rather than jumping to conclusions. Embrace differences and encourage open discussions without resorting to criticism. This can create a more welcoming and understanding space where people feel free to express themselves. When judgment is minimized, trust and openness naturally flourish. 14. Taking More Than Giving Relationships thrive on reciprocity and balance, and when one person is constantly taking without giving, it can cause strain. If you're always on the receiving end without offering support in return, it might lead others to feel used or undervalued. This imbalance can cause frustration and eventually lead to withdrawal. People need to feel that their efforts are reciprocated and appreciated. To ensure a healthy balance, make an effort to contribute to the relationship equally. This can be through emotional support, acts of kindness, or simply being present when needed. Demonstrating that you're willing to give as much as you take fosters a sense of equality and mutual respect. This not only strengthens the relationship but also encourages ongoing engagement. By maintaining this balance, you create a more sustainable and rewarding connection. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Beeper Relaunch Lets You Link Your Chat Apps Without the Cloud, but Still No iMessage
Beeper, which was once known for attempting to provide access to the iMessage network on non-Apple devices, is relaunching itself Wednesday with a continued focus on being a texting hub for bringing together conversations from many other services. This app first launched last year after the company was acquired by Automattic and was merged with the similar service. The biggest difference with the new launch is that Beeper is adding the ability to link your chat apps together using just your phone. Previously, Beeper relied on a cloud service for accessing each chat app and backing up your texts. While that cloud service provided the ability to sync your texts in the event you lost your device, it also led to concerns over the loss of end-to-end encryption since copies of your texts are still being saved by a third party. Beeper's new ability to cut out the cloud will mean that messages will be sent directly to your device over whichever chat network your texts are being sent, but Beeper itself will still need to be authorized to log in to networks like WhatsApp, Signal, Slack and others to connect to those networks. Beeper CEO Kishan Bagaria said in an interview with CNET that this more direct connection should make these conversations as secure as using the chat apps directly, but notes that Beeper isn't meant to fully supplant those apps. "For something like Instagram, for example, technically we will not support the feeds, so if you want the feeds data or you want the profile data, you go back to the official app," Bagaria said. Bagaria said the relaunched app's focus is on people who are "super online" but too busy to manage chat apps. Beeper is also launching two premium tiers, which add additional features or offer features more tailored to social media managers who may be managing multiple texting services. Beeper Plus at $10 a month or $100 a year adds features like the ability to send later, set reminders to return to conversations, use an Incognito Mode for previewing messages without them getting marked as read, and AI voice note transcriptions. Some of these features are natively available in some of the chat apps that Beeper connects to, but could provide organizational help when wanting to collate together presences across multiple networks. Beeper is also offering a $49-per-month "Plus Plus" tier, which Bagaria said provides unlimited access for professional use. Beeper's current rendition is reminiscent of the service Trillian, which at one point interconnected instant messenger services like AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Google Chat and others. However, as those services either shut down or disabled integration, Trillian has instead become its own instant messenger service with free and premium tiers.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A Language Expert Breaks Down Gen Z's Common Emoji Meanings — & How Adults Are Misunderstanding Them
Emojis were created to convey thoughts more easily — but they seem more confusing than ever. Texting someone your age or older is fairly straightforward. Texting a teen on the other hand? We can barely decode their slang and grammar usage, so there's no way we can keep up with their emoji choices too! In a time before emojis, we had to get creative. Like smiley faces ':)', hearts '<3', laughing 'xD', and if you were really advanced, shrugging '¯\_(ツ)_/¯'. So when emojis became popular (the crying laughing emoji 😂 was the Oxford Dictionaries' Word of the Year in 2015), our millennial hearts rejoiced. Now there is a pictograph for everything! Laughing face, crying face, hearts in every color. Food, flags, families — we barely needed words anymore because we could have entire emoji conversations. We laughed at the poop emoji, advocated for more diverse options, and even made an entire Emoji Movie. We thought we were funny using eggplants and peaches to represent something that wasn't food (*wink wink*). More from SheKnows Walmart Has $3 Touchland Hand Sanitizer Dupes & Shoppers Love Them 'More Than the Real Thing' But then something changed. A younger generation came in and everything we thought we knew about emojis shifted. Teens and young adults are using emojis in weird ways — and reacting to our emoji use in even weirder ways. Why are they using a skull? What's up with the random pregnant women? Why do they get so mad when we send a thumbs up?! Some of these we've figured out with context clues — 👍is passive aggressive — but others we're at a total loss. In honor of World Emoji Day today, we asked a language expert to help us decode Gen Z's commonly used emojis and how adults are misunderstanding them. Emoji Slang Taking emojis at face value is your first mistake. Gen Z uses it to mean something completely different and represent the trends and slang of the moment. 'Gen Z is the first generation to not remember a time before the internet, surrounded by rapid-fire communication and constantly evolving, compounding memes and trends,' Noël Wolf, a linguistic and cultural expert at the language learning platform Babbel, tells SheKnows. 'In that environment, language moves quickly and is often layered as trends play off on one another,' she continued. 'Emojis have become a kind of shorthand for irony, inside jokes, and social cues that don't always translate literally.' Just look at Gen Z slang for example, with words like rizz, grug, skibidi, and more becoming part of common vernacular. 'It stands to reason that if we can create completely new words, emojis would take on a different meaning as well,' Wolf explains. 'Unlike previous generations, who may have used emojis as a direct emotional cue, Gen Z bends and repurposes them constantly — like a living, digital slang.' Context-Dependent You have to look at context clues and subtext to understand what teens are saying. 'Emojis are a mirror of the times,' Wolf explains. 'As communication becomes more visual, fast-paced, and filtered through social media, it's only natural that these small symbols carry a lot more cultural weight.' 'Emojis are today's slang, and like all slang, they reflect the values, humor, and creativity of the generation using them,' Wolf adds. Unlike previous generations that use emojis literally (smiley face to mean happy, etc.), teens today are different. 'Gen Z uses emojis less as literal symbols and more as emotional tone-setters,' Wolf says. 'There's a layer of subtext in Gen Z's emoji use that can completely flip the meaning,' she explains. 'It's less about the emoji itself and more about how and when it's used — and whether the tone is ironic, sincere, or something in between. Each emoji is context dependent.' Dark Humor Dark humor is prominent in Gen Z internet culture, so it makes sense that it shows itself in their emoji use as well. 'One of the clearest examples is the skull, or sometimes the coffin, emoji which Gen Z uses to say 'I'm dead'—not to express fear or morbidity, but to show they're laughing uncontrollably,' Wolf says. 'The same goes for some combination of emojis – the two large eyes with a mouth in between (👁️👄👁️) is a human face, but is also meant to symbolize awkwardness, shock and general discomfort.' 'There's a kind of gleeful absurdity to how they use emojis, often mixing dark humor with playfulness, like utilizing the pregnant woman emoji to indicate their attraction to someone,' she adds. 'This layered irony is central to Gen Z's communication style.' Conversation Starters Rather than trying to keep up with every subtle shift, use the changing emoji meanings to start a conversation with your teens. 'Don't worry about memorizing every emoji's meaning – instead, you can simply ask your kids!' Wolf says. She adds, 'Use your curiosity as an opportunity to connect with your kids rather than decode them. Emojis are playful, expressive tools, and Gen Z uses them to build identity and community. If you're curious, your child will likely enjoy explaining the meaning.' To help you catch up a little, keep reading for a list of the top 10 most commonly misunderstood emojis. 10 Most Misunderstood Emojis Babbel teamed up with Emojipedia, the authority on emojis, to share the 10 commonly used (and mis-used) emojis across generations. 💀 Skull: Gen Z: 'I'm dead.' Used to express laughter and amusement. Older Generations: Used literally to reference death, danger, or dark themes. 👍 Thumbs Up: Gen Z: Seen as passive-aggressive or dismissive; can be used ironically. Older generations: Sincerely used to show approval, agreement, or encouragement. 🙂 Slightly Smiling Face: Gen Z: Seen as passive-aggressive, insincere, or masking discomfort; can be used ironically. Older generations: Used to express friendliness or politeness. 😭 Loudly Crying Face: Gen Z: Used to express laughter or emotional overreaction in a humorous way. Older generations: Used to convey disappointment or sadness. 🧑 🦯 Person with White Cane: Gen Z: Used sarcastically to imply willful ignorance, aka 'pretending not to see.' Older generations: Rarely used; interpreted as a literal representation of visual impairment or accessibility. 🗿 Moai: Gen Z: Represents emotional detachment or deadpan humor; often used ironically. Older generations: Rarely used; interpreted literally as a statue. 🧍 Person Standing: Gen Z: Conveys awkwardness, discomfort, or passivity in a situation. Older generations: Rarely used; understood literally as a depiction of a standing person. 🧢 Billed Cap: Gen Z: Slang symbol for 'cap' (lie); 'no cap' means telling the truth. Older generations: Rarely used; interpreted literally as an emoji of a cap. 💅 Nail Polish: Gen Z: Symbolises confidence, sass, indifference, or showing off. Older generations: Used to reference beauty, self-care, or to reference manicure plans. 🥺 Pleading Face: Gen Z: Conveys cuteness, vulnerability, or 'simp' behavior in an exaggerated or performative way. ('Simp' = over-the-top affection or admiration, usually done playfully or ironically.) Older generations: Viewed more literally as disappointment or of SheKnows Bird Names Are Soaring for Gen Beta Babies — & These 20+ Picks Are Sweet, Strong & So Unique These French Girl Names Are Soft, Sophisticated & Seriously Stunning All the Pregnant Celebrities Who Showed Off Their Baby Bumps on the Red Carpet Solve the daily Crossword
CNET
3 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Beeper Relaunch Lets You Link Your Chat Apps Without the Cloud, but Still No iMessage
Beeper, which was once known for attempting to provide access to the iMessage network on non-Apple devices, is relaunching itself Wednesday with a continued focus on being a texting hub for bringing together conversations from many other services. This app first launched last year after the company was acquired by Automattic and was merged with the similar service. The biggest difference with the new launch is that Beeper is adding the ability to link your chat apps together using just your phone. Previously, Beeper relied on a cloud service for accessing each chat app and backing up your texts. While that cloud service provided the ability to sync your texts in the event you lost your device, it also led to concerns over the loss of end-to-end encryption since copies of your texts are still being saved by a third party. Enlarge Image Beeper is adding the ability to login to chat apps without using its cloud service as a middleman. Beeper Beeper's new ability to cut out the cloud will mean that messages will be sent directly to your device over whichever chat network your texts are being sent, but Beeper itself will still need to be authorized to log in to networks like WhatsApp, Signal, Slack and others to connect to those networks. Beeper CEO Kishan Bagaria said in an interview with CNET that this more direct connection should make these conversations as secure as using the chat apps directly, but notes that Beeper isn't meant to fully supplant those apps. "For something like Instagram, for example, technically we will not support the feeds, so if you want the feeds data or you want the profile data, you go back to the official app," Bagaria said. Bagaria said the relaunched app's focus is on people who are "super online" but too busy to manage chat apps. Beeper is also launching two premium tiers, which add additional features or offer features more tailored to social media managers who may be managing multiple texting services. Beeper Plus at $10 a month or $100 a year adds features like the ability to send later, set reminders to return to conversations, use an Incognito Mode for previewing messages without them getting marked as read, and AI voice note transcriptions. Some of these features are natively available in some of the chat apps that Beeper connects to, but could provide organizational help when wanting to collate together presences across multiple networks. Beeper is also offering a $49-per-month "Plus Plus" tier, which Bagaria said provides unlimited access for professional use. Beeper's current rendition is reminiscent of the service Trillian, which at one point interconnected instant messenger services like AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Google Chat and others. However, as those services either shut down or disabled integration, Trillian has instead become its own instant messenger service with free and premium tiers.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
10 Fun & Meaningful Text Messages to Send Your Best Friend
You probably can't go more than a day or two without texting your bestie and neither can we. Since you spend so much time chatting over text it can be a challenge to think of texts to send your best friend that really catch them off guard. If you want to surprise them with laughter or sentiment, try one of these clever messages you can send to a friend any time. You see her as the beautiful, graceful, genius that she is. But she may not always see herself that way. Surprise her with a purely complimentary text, no strings attached. Be specific and mention the things you truly love and admire about your bestie. You might text: Can't believe I get to call you my best friend. You're killing it at work, your kindness is inspiring, and your smile lights up every room you walk into. I'd be jealous if I didn't love you so much. This is the sort of text that doesn't need a lead-in or an occasion. Just type it out and send it off. You know she has a big exam tomorrow morning or she's planning to ask for a raise this afternoon. Take a second to send an encouraging text and let her know she's on your mind and you're cheering her on. Don't forget to pump her up with all the confidence you have in her. You might text: Thinking of you this morning and how hard you're going to crush it today. You know that one moment you shared with your bestie that still makes you laugh hysterically when you think about it? Shoot them a reminder of just how funny it was. Sometimes the best texts to receive are ones that remind you of happy moments shared with someone you love. Related: Meaningful texts and reminiscing about fun times are always welcomed, but certain times call for pure chaos. Catch your friend completely off guard in the middle of an ordinary day with the most random text you can think of. You might text: Just saw a pigeon walk away with an empty bag of potato chips and it made me think of you. Your bestie is the person you can be your weirdest self with. They probably match your chaotic energy most of the time, but a text to check in never hurts. You might text: Would we still be friends if I were a worm? If a picture is worth a thousand words, then memes must be averaging at least ten thousand. A meme war is always fun, but one with your best friend offers even more chances to laugh. You might play on inside jokes or just see who can find the most ridiculous meme on the internet. You don't need to type a single word, just send a random meme to make them laugh and leave the ball in their court. Related: Let's be honest, the texts we share with our bestie are most often spilling some sort of tea about life. It's either our parents, our partners, or our coworkers we're venting about — and no one gets it quite like our supportive best friend. But what about a spot of imaginary tea? Try playing out a gossip session that's entirely fabricated or vague until your bestie catches on. The key to a great text is knowing what your bestie finds funny and what they don't. If this sort of approach wouldn't make them laugh, it's probably best to try something else. It's always fun to compare personalities with some of our favorite television besties. Shoot a text to your best friend asking them what famous duo you're most like and let them know your thoughts. It might be fun to see how different or similar your answers are. You might text: I've always thought of you as the Spongebob to my Patrick, but maybe we're more of a Nick Miller and Schmidt these days. Thoughts? If you're searching for a reason to spend quality time with your best friend, look no further than food. Bring it up in your usual chat and watch the plans unfold. You might text: I've been craving a cheesesteak from that place near your house. Wait for them to text back "say less" and you're well on your way to a night of good eats with your favorite person. You've always joked about being there when there's a body to hide. Maybe now is the time to test that little theory and play out a worst-case scenario until your best friend realizes it's all in jest. Related: One thing you can count on is that whatever text you send your best friend, you'll get an answer. Whether you chat all day, every day, or a little less often, you know they certainly won't leave you on read and they'll never ghost you mid-conversation. Shoot the text with full confidence that your notifications will be buzzing in no time.
