I’m going to tell you something I don’t often tell people: I sometimes go on “news fasts” – meaning I decide not to look at the news at ALL for days or even weeks at a time.
Why do I do it?
For the simple reason that at times, I find it difficult to read the news AND stay in a positive headspace about life and the world in general at the same time.
The news really can get me down, and somehow I don’t think I’m alone here 😉 After all, if you head to the homepage of your favorite news website, most of what you see there is – while very important, very relevant, very worldly – also pretty bad news.
It got me thinking: surely there must be some websites out there dedicated to educating readers about genuinely good things that are happening and that people are doing in the world.
And as it turns out, there are.
After perusing a dozen or so “good news” websites, I’ve decided to share with you my favorite three. I hope that in stormy times, reading a story or two from one of these sources may show you how to find the rainbow <3
Positive.News
Tagline: Break the bad news bias.
Upon arriving at the homepage of the Positive (dot) News website, the first thing you might see is an article about Ukrainian DJs spinning vinyl at “clean up raves” where ravers bring shovels and wheelbarrows and work towards clearing the remains.
Now there’s something you don’t read in the news every day.
A few other stories on their website that caught my eye today:
14 Ways to Take Positive Climate Change Action
5 Possible Solutions to Overpopulation
The Dope Black Dads WhatsApp Group that Went Viral
I also appreciated how instead of displaying traditional advertisements, their news story categories include one called “Brands of Inspiration,” including stories written by Positive.News and supported by external organizations, such as A Celebration of Human Connection: 5 Reasons to Attend Unearthed Festival. Clever, very clever, and much more fun to read than plain old ads.
But don’t take my word for it. See for yourself at Positive.News.
ReasonsToBeCheerful.World
Tagline: A recipe book for solutions. No dietary restrictions.
Categories on ReasonsToBeCheerful.World include Science/Tech, Cities/Towns, Justice, and lots more. I also appreciated how in addition to browsing by category, you can browse their story collections, featuring themes like “Red State Green Energy” or “Education Against All Odds.”
Some of the stories that caught my eye were:
15-year Old Girl has 6 Inventions to Her Name, Including Patented Lead Test Inspired by Flint, MI
A Hidden Flow of River Water is Cooling Down Buildings Like the Louvre
This Voluntary Gun Law is Preventing Suicides, and More States Could Follow Suit
But don’t take my word for it. See for yourself at ReasonsToBeCheerful.World.
GoodGoodGood.co
Tagline: Real good news, not just feel good news.
I’d have to say that out of all the sites I browsed, this was my favorite. I deeply appreciate their tagline that this isn’t just news to make you feel good – it’s real news about people doing good.
I particularly enjoyed some of their categories, People Doing Good, Governments Doing Good, Businesses Doing Good, and Creativity.
Here are a few stories that caught my eye:
Artists Are Painting Streets to Make Them Safer … and It’s Working
Meet 1 Ukrainian Etsy Seller Creating in the Midst of Conflict
For This City, Fare-Free Transit is a Big Success
But don’t take my word for it. See for yourself at GoodGoodGood.co.
In Closing
Hey, be good to yourself. While you may feel you have some inner duty to stay informed about the things happening in the world, remember that you also deserve to walk around and not feel terrible all of the time. So give yourself a break from traditional news when you need it, and don’t be afraid to substitute or amend your typical news reading material with any of the above 🙂
Looking for more?
Here are some other quick reads from Janelle (that’s me) at Ellanyze on self care and feeling better.
How to Find Happiness Again: I Bet You Haven’t Tried This
How to Turn Around a Bad Day: 4 Ways to Lift Your Mood
Mindful Self Compassion: Give Yourself Permission to Feel _________.
