News That Uplifts
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If the relentless bad news is leaving you feeling down, there are alternatives.
Blame the 24-hour news networks. Blame “if it bleeds, it leads” mentality of local news. Blame a certain U.S. leader and his Twitter obsession. But wherever you want to place the blame, it’s easy to see that much of today’s news is overwhelmingly negative. The headlines are stuffed with disasters, murders, destruction and social unrest. I’ve written before about the importance of moderating your news intake for mental health. For this week’s Healthy Habits, I went in search of news providers that are thoughtfully positive. It was an interesting process, because in reading these sources, the choices the other outlets are making becomes clearer. It’s not about having your head in the sand. But it’s nice to have some alternatives and fresh perspectives.
Websites
The Good News Network was founded in 1997, with the goal of being a clearinghouse for positive news. Positive news, it notes, is not in short supply, but the mainstream media can fail to report it. This site also has a version in the Spanish language.
Covering social justice, the economy and politics from a vantage that seeks opportunities and solutions, the nonprofit news site Yes! offers rigorous reporting.
For science, The Kids Should See This aggregates STEAM video content from around the web, ostensibly for children but informative for all ages. Learn about a team of grandmothers using solar power in Madagascar, for example, or an expressive robot technology from Japan.
And if you want to go into your weekend with some hope in humanity, sign up for the New York Times newsletter The Week in Good News.
Positive News is the feed for the British magazine that covers “good journalism about good things,” and it discusses news from around the world. You’ll find topics such as policymaking that is actually going well, artists making a difference to save trees and apps helping midwives.
Start your day with a blast of something positive from The Optimist Daily. It might be a quote, a page to color for calm, or a snippet of interesting research.
Artist and poet Cleo Wade has beautiful images, quotes, and so much love coming at you, you might be brought to tears.
Want to look at inspiring animal videos? The Dodo is for you. Its goal is to make people care more about animals in general, providing stories about rescue animals, wild animals, and heartwarming small tales such as strangers helping a lizard who was stuck in a soda can.
And of course, Spirituality and Health is a source of positive information on Twitter and Instagram as well.
About the Author
Kathryn Drury Wagner is based in Savannah. She’s been a contributor to the magazine for many years, and she loves sharing ways to build a healthy, mindful, and sustainable lifestyle.
