Had enough of the constant barrage of depressing and negative news in the media? Look on the brighter side with these websites and apps that give you uplifting and positive news.
These days, it seems like every news media outlet only reports on death, disease, and distress. While you shouldn’t shy away from harsh realities, the incessant bad news can affect your mental health. That’s when you should turn to these people who highlight the good.
There are news websites, apps, podcasters, and YouTubers who focus on the steps taken for betterment. This includes small acts of goodness and kindness to large leaps that inspire you to fight the good fight.
1. Some Good News (YouTube): John Krasinski’s Short Show for Positive News
Alright everybody, how about #SomeGoodNews ! Send me the stories that have made you feel good this week or the things that just made you smile!
— John Krasinski (@johnkrasinski) March 25, 2020
Actor John Krasinski, famous for The Office, was also overwhelmed by the avalanche of depressing news on TV. So he asked his Twitter followers to send him good and positive events in their lives, as well as stories they heard. That gave birth to Some Good News.
Stuck at home during the pandemic, Krasinski’s new YouTube show is all about focusing on positive news. He hosts it himself, sitting in front of an “SGN” banner drawn by his children.
The actor is quick to point out that this isn’t his natural strong suit, but it’s a good alternative to the kind of footage you’ll see on news channels.
In the first episode, Krasinski talked about a few good stories and spoke to someone who went viral after getting a rousing social-distancing reception when she beat cancer. And he spent a few minutes talking to his co-star Steve Carell.
More episodes of Some Good News will air every week, so subscribe to this channel for positive vibes with a hint of celebrity magic.
2. Newser’s Uplifting News (Web): News Aggregator for Good News
Newser is one of the oldest news aggregators on the internet. Its dedicated team of editors and writers hand-pick articles from a variety of news publications in the US and also come up with their own. One of its hidden gems is the Uplifting News section to give you a dose of happiness.
If you’re new to Newser, the website’s aim is to curate articles and summarize them. You’ll often find the juiciest part of the story in a quick few paragraphs. It’s the ideal format for positive and good news because in most cases, the cool part is worth only a few sentences. It’s the feeling you get that lasts longer than the words.
While Reddit’s r/UpliftingNews is perhaps the fastest and most frequently-updated good news website, Newser isn’t far behind. In the course of writing this article, the section got two new articles. A quick glance shows that these are daily updates, so you’ll get a little bit of joy every day.
3. Good News (Web, Android, iOS): 6 Positive News Stories Every Day
From its name to its approach, Good News keeps things simple. Every weekday, you get seven news items that talk about good things happening in the world. In particular, it focuses on social and ecological progress, showing how the world isn’t stuck in a rut.
Instead of the website, use the well-designed and powerful app. In six swipes, you’ll see all the headlines for the day. Tap any item to read the full article at the original site. You can also sort the categories you want items in, such as conservation, climate, sustainability, health, education, and human rights. The app also allows you to save items to read later.
The Good Impact Foundation, the developers, are based in Germany and get their news from German-language media, but you can switch to English language easily. And while there are a few items that only matter to Germany, largely, the news affects anyone in the world.
Download: Good News for Android | iOS (Free)
4. The Positive Truth (Podcast): Uplifting and Inspiring Stories on Audio
It’s best to give your eyes and neck some rest from continuous screen time. Podcasts are an excellent way to catch up on infotainment. J. P. Phillips and Tim McCoy host The Positive Truth, a podcast that’s all about good news.
Updated thrice a week, The Positive Podcast has three sections, one for each day.
The Uplifting and Positive News episode is a round-up of news articles that the duo comes across.
Inspiring Stories is an episode series of both articles and social media snippets.
And finally, in the Improving Your Community/World episodes, they discuss how you can make a difference in social, ecological, or other humanitarian causes.
Phillips and McCoy have an easy-going conversational style, sharing light banter and keeping a happy tone. They often have guests joining them too. Each episode lasts about 15 minutes.
It’s available on several podcast feeds, with detailed episode descriptions on Apple Podcasts.
Subscribe to The Positive Truth: SoundCloud | Apple Podcasts
5. The Happy Broadcast (Web): Illustrated, Kid-Friendly Good News
Mauro Gatti isn’t a journalist, an actor, a social media influencer, or anything else. Mauro is an average person like you, who got fed up with venomous and vitriolic news in the media. So he started collecting positive news and used his skills as an artist to illustrate them.
The Happy Broadcast is a labor of love as Gatti uses his inimitable style to draw a new picture for uplifting news stories. Click the picture to get a short excerpt from a leading publication that inspired him.
It’s a great website to browse with your children, with bright colors and kid-friendly language. You can submit stories to Gatti through the website too.
Gatti updates the website about three times every week. You should also follow The Happy Broadcast on Instagram for the “Happier Sundays” posts, where he shares three positive stories and a feel-good task for the week.
Meditate for Happiness
Sometimes, fighting fire with fire isn’t the best way. You can’t always drown out the negativity of the media by reading positive news instead. Be open to trying different strategies to ensure a healthy mindset.
If you’re feeling depressed or overwhelmed with bad vibes, turn to techniques that have proven to help. Try exercising or moving around, talk to a friend, or put on your headphones and listen to one of the best meditation apps for relaxing.
Read the full article: Be Positive! 5 Good News Websites for Uplifting & Inspirational Stories
