It's another gray morning of 2022. You unlock your phone and scroll down your social media feeds. You reply to a couple of messages and then open your go-to news app. The pandemic, discrimination, global warming, racism, corruption, violence, natural disasters, fraud, sexism...Not a single good news in sight. It all just seems to be extremely depressing. "Why do I even bother?" you think to yourself. We've been there.
The current media, which is extremely number-driven, favors dubious practices such as dramatization, misinformation, speculation, or clickbait just to grab your attention and ensure you click, read and share their content. Unsurprisingly, consuming this media on a regular basis will leave you feeling overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, and more cynical than ever. And in any case, it's not the kind of content that will help you move forward, keep you hopeful, or stay motivated in any shape or form.
Being objective, it is indeed difficult to find good news in conventional media. However, it's key not to confuse low availability with absence. Amazing things are happening all around us every day, but the broadcasting of such stories is scarce. Good, positive news don't get as much traction as the scary, fatalistic, and morbid ones do. And again, it's all about the numbers so the latter dominate the narrative.
Observing the current state of media, it seems impossible to finish the read feeling uplifted, optimistic, or at the very least, content. But what if we told you, you might be looking in the wrong place?
There are platforms that focus on restoring the balance by sharing more objective news on innovation, progress, social justice, sustainability, and worldwide advancements. The kind of constructive resources that can help see the light at the end of the tunnel.
These are our favorites:
GOOD News App
Available on GooglePlay and the Apple Store, the app curates a daily selection of around 8 stories on topics such as nature preservation, circular economy, global health, education, digitalization, or human rights. The GOOD News app will leave you feeling optimistic, hopeful, and inspired - to envision a different world is not only possible but in the works! Additionally, it's reader-supported, independent, and completely free.
The Optimist Daily
With a purpose as powerful as "creating an optimistic, mobilized, and a solutions-focused global society, committed to making the world a healthier place for both people and planet", the Optimist Daily is our go-to platform to start each day motivated, and with a positive, solution-oriented mindset. If audio is your preferred media format, they also have a daily podcast that offers bite-sized good news almost every day.
And of course, they are also independent, free and reader-supported.
However, it's not just about building a positivity wall by only getting exposure to happy news, turning a blind eye towards everything else going on. Instead, we would like to advocate for the importance of being aware and honest with oneself, so you are able to identify when mainstream media is having an impact on your wellbeing and take action.
We encourage you to find a more objective balance by leveraging these tools, so you can redirect focus towards the pieces of information that will add more value or energy to your life and leave you feeling uplifted and ready for the day ahead.
Disclaimer:
I am not an expert, I just researched this topic from a place of personal interest. If I used incorrect terminology or expressed something incorrectly, please feel free to let me know.