Need a pick-me-up? There’s an app for that! Or you can find the GoodNewsNetwork.org (GNN) online. Either way, just as the name implies, you are in for a heap of good stuff, from good news to good talks to features such as quote of the day and “this day in history.”
I intentionally set out to find a site like GNN when I grew tired of the increased negativity so often expressed on typical social media platforms. At first, I just read the two or three featured good news stories of the day to get my day off to a great start. Before long, I found myself clicking links within those stories adding an additional 10-15 minutes to my reading time.
Now one of my favorite features is the daily composite of newsworthy events that celebrate an anniversary on that particular day. Each day in history article is chock full of info about this, that and the other thing, from when a movie premiered 60 years ago to the anniversary of a U.S. Constitutional Amendment to the birthdates of people from all walks of life. This is the perfect site for trivia lovers and anyone who aspires to be a contestant on “Jeopardy” or “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”
I love how GNN offers a constant flow of good news stories that often have me melting in tears of appreciation and joy. Because they make such a noticeable difference in my day, it’s fun to share these dazzling random acts of kindness with others.
Some of my favorite stories include a feature about the kindergarten teacher who cut her gorgeous long hair in solidarity with one of her students who was being bullied for looking like a boy. Another is about the person who found a wallet on a plane and turned it in with more money that he added out of his own pocket. There are stories about people from every walk of life doing extraordinary gestures for others just because it’s the right thing to do. To the recipients of these heartwarming gifts, they are priceless.
In case you need a little more convincing, a positive psychology course at Harvard in 2006 was the most popular class on campus with around 850 students enrolled. The professor, psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar, told students that the Good News Network is an extremely important initiative, recommending that each person makes it a habit to visit the website at least once a day because positive information benefits us emotionally, physically and mentally. My thoughts exactly!
Writer, editor and speaker Cheryl Russell is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at Cheryl@starheart.com.
Source: Orange County Register
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