It’s important to take a break from negativity once in a while. When we constantly focus on toxic relationships, devastating news articles, or failures, we begin to see the world as more black and grey than it really is. Over time, this can heighten anxiety, stress, and helplessness—a carousel of feelings no one enjoys getting stuck in.
To take our minds off the negative things, at least for a short while, we have prepared a list of stories that will positively amaze you. Courtesy of the ‘Be Amazed’ subreddit, get ready to embark on a rollercoaster of optimistic emotions!
While you’re enjoying the list, don’t forget to check out a conversation with cyber and media psychologist Mayra Ruiz-McPherson, PhD(c), MA, MFA, who kindly agreed to share a few tips on how we can avoid getting too focused on negative news.
#1 Bob Fletcher
Image credits: Green____cat
#2 Be More Like Keith
Image credits: Green____cat
#3 That Was A Long Road!
Image credits: Green____cat
Cyber and media psychologist Mayra Ruiz-McPherson, PhD(c), MA, MFA, explains that broadly speaking, "negative news" can describe two kinds of events and happenings. First are those we view as problematic and stressful (essentially not good) and those that are of a traumatic or catastrophic nature.
And if we get focused on them too much, they can negatively affect us. "While staying informed is important, prolonged consumption of negative news in either capacity can have wide-ranging effects on mental health, cognitive processes, social behavior, and overall well-being," says Ruiz-McPherson.
#4 Everyone Deserves A Second Chance
Image credits: Green____cat
#5 Great Parenting Example
Image credits: SinCityBU
#6 Nice!
Image credits: Green____cat
One of the effects that negative news can have on our mental health is increased anxiety and worry. When these feelings are heightened, we may also lack optimism, hope, and start to expect worst-case outcomes.
"Ongoing exposure to especially traumatic events can also lead to (sometimes long-lasting) symptoms resembling post-traumatic stress, even for those not directly affected by the trauma," adds Ruiz-McPherson.
#7 Brave Flight Attendant
Image credits: Emma_Lawyer
#8 Mike Ilitch
Image credits: Green____cat
#9 Love Of Son To Mother
Image credits: VastCoconut2609
Cognitively, pessimistic headlines and stories reinforce our negativity bias, which, according to Ruiz-McPherson, "can lead to maladaptive thought patterns, including increased pessimism and catastrophizing."
It can also erode our ability to stay optimistic, which is more important than we may realize. "Our optimism is a cognitive buffer of sorts that helps us to selectively filter out bad news when updating our beliefs and understandings on incoming/new information," says Ruiz-McPherson.
#10 What A Great Discovery
Image credits: TannaTea597
#11 Helping At All Times
Image credits: Green____cat
#12 She Did It All
Image credits: Green____cat
A constant flow of negative news can additionally influence our social behavior. "Prolonged exposure to negatively valenced news and media can lead to emotional desensitization, trigger compassion fatigue, and inadvertently strengthen harmful social biases," says Ruiz-McPherson.
It can decrease social trust and civic engagement too. "Constant negative news promoting beliefs that the world is a dangerous place where people cannot be trusted can alter one’s perceptions of social dynamics and inspire political apathy. This, in turn, may impact a person’s ability or desire to engage in positive social actions and/or demotivate constructive political behavior," she adds.
#13 Awesome
Image credits: Green____cat
#14 Hummingbird Found Shelter In The Rain
Image credits: Valuable-Still-3187
#15 We All Can See The Happiness On Her Face
Image credits: VastCoconut2609
On the other hand, good news has the power to boost our happiness and overall well-being, says Ruiz-McPherson. And the better our mood, the lower our stress levels.
It can also reduce feelings of isolation or loneliness, which consequently enhances our social connectedness and allows us to build stronger relationships.
#16 This Is Not About Hunting. Alex Larenty, From Britain, Lives In A South African Game Reserve Where He Gives Lions Foot Massages
He started doing this after noticing that a cream for paw infections made a lion relax and look happy
Image credits: Ashes_PhoenixDawn
#17 A Cat With A Bicolor Face Is The Father Of Two Kittens That Share His Coloring
Image credits: Dynastyisog
#18 Brilliant
Image credits: Green____cat
Admittedly, it can be hard to avoid being overwhelmed by negativity, as the media purposely feeds us negativity to attract more readers. However, Ruiz-McPherson says that to refrain from getting sucked into pessimistic news, we have to practice moderation, just like with anything in life.
"Most of us enjoy greasy fries or ice cream from time to time, but we don’t consume those types of foods day and night, nor for our every single meal," she says, illustrating her point. "So moderation in terms of news requires striking a balance, but achieving and maintaining that balance requires some considerations."
#19 In London, There Is A Woman Who Takes The Tube Every Day And Sits On The Platform Just To Hear The Announcement Recorded By Her Late Husband In The 1960s
Image credits: Bad-Umpire10
#20 Guy Smiles For A Photo After The Tree He Planted 35 Years Ago That He Named Epimaco Amancio Saved A Bus From Plunging Off A Cliff In Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
It saved the lives of 37 people, most of them were students.
Image credits: cupcake_alex
#21 This Is So Wholesome
Image credits: BoB_cmXi
Another tip she gives is to identify and evaluate the sources that are pushing the negative news to you. "What specific outlets or headline angles do you find consistently stressful, and from which outlets do they likely originate? Identify your negative news exposure sources, genres, and patterns so you can start to change them," recommends Ruiz-McPherson.
#22 Murphy, A Disabled Bald Eagle Became Famous After He Attempted To Hatch A Rock
In 2023 the keepers of his sanctuary replaced his rock with an orphaned eaglet, allowing Murphy to finally become a real parent
Image credits: super_man100
#23 Father Knows Best
Image credits: Green____cat
#24 Give This Man A Raise
Image credits: Green____cat
Next, she advises adopting the “Every force has a counterforce" mindset. "The ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, reminds us that every force has its counterforce. Using this mantra, make it a practice to read one (or two!) positive headline for every negative headline you consume."
#25 Good Idea
Image credits: Green____cat
#26 Have A Rest From All The Bad News With Some Laundry Art
Image credits: SassyVivira
#27 Life Is Full Of Surprises
Image credits: Green____cat
Lastly, she reminds media consumers that news isn't just journalism but an advertising business that operates on numbers to generate revenue and sales.
"As a result, getting folks to click, watch, engage with, and consume news media for longer periods of time, the negative headlines (that most stimulate our emotional response) tend to crowd out the positive headlines by design. Understanding this fundamental aspect of “the news,” which is intentionally built to capitalize on our psychological vulnerabilities, can help empower and motivate readers to take headline consumption matters more into their own hands," explains Ruiz-McPherson.
#28 A Very Talented Graphic Designer Meets A Couple On Twitter
Image credits: yan_tropical
#29 A Four Man Anti-Poaching Team That Permanently Guards A Northern White Rhino
Image credits: Green____cat
#30 Photo Of Everyone Who Helped Restore The Notre Dame Cathedral Over The Past Five Years
Image credits: ReesesNightmare
#31 This Is A Melanistic Fox
Image credits: super_man100
#32 Not All Superheroes Wear Capes
Image credits: super_man100
#33 A Seaman's Request For An Extraordinary Leave Of Absence, 1967. Reason: “My Wife Is Planning To Get Pregnant This Weekend And I Would Like To Be Present.”
Image credits: 4reddityo
#34 Fisherman Caught This Blue Lobster Off The Coast Of Portland And Returned It To The Water To Continue To Grow. Blue Lobsters Are One In Two Million
Image credits: super_man100
#35 This Tree That Has Grown Across The Driveway And Sprouted More Trees Off The Top
Image credits: Lisa-Lya
#36 A Survivor
Image credits: Green____cat
#37 Italian Photographer Waits 6 Years To Get Perfectly Aligned Photo Of The Moon, A Mountain, And A Basilica
Image credits: Business_Initial_281
#38 Shaquille O'neal Is A Genuinely Kind Guy
Image credits: Glass-Reserve-8107
#39 Japanese Snow Fairy (Shima Enaga)
Image credits: wanabepilot
#40 A German Company That Sells Cleaning Equipment Used Its Pressure Washers To Create A Giant Image Of Godzilla On The Iwaya Kawauchi Dam In Saga Prefecture (Japan)
Image credits: devil9045
#41 He's A Bada*s
Image credits: BabeBlingz
#42 Shanghai’s Business District Features A Unique Green Space With A 110-Degree Incline, Designed For Ergonomic Comfort And Resembling A Reclining Chair
Image credits: Affectionate_Run7414
#43 Sleeping Squirrels In Their Nest On Someone's Window Ledge
Image credits: super_man100
#44 H****n A****t Gets Clean And Attains A Computer Information Systems Degree With A 4.0 Average
Image credits: Sad-Link-3370
#45 Farmers Protect Their Young Cows From Frostbite By Using Specially Designed Earmuffs
Image credits: VatsRealm
#46 A Woman Battling Breast Cancer Married The Love Of Her Life On December 22, Just 18 Hours Before Passing Away. The Couple Wed At A Hospital Chapel In Connecticut
Image credits: VastCoconut2609
#47 French Photographer Rachel Moore Captures A Breathtaking Close-Up Shot Of A Whale’s Eye
Image credits: Greedy-Vegetable-466
#48 Chinese Man, Li Hua, More Commonly Know As The “Folded Man”, Finally Stands Up Straight After 28 Years Of Suffering From Ankylosing Spondylitis. All Thanks To A Life-Changing Surgery
Image credits: okhahmm
#49 These Are Not Pencil Drawings. They Are Made On Folded Paper
Image credits: TwinklingPeaches
#50 Weather Reporting In Halloween
Image credits: VatsRealm
