Your news channel and social media feed are probably working overtime to convince you that the world is a terrible, hopeless mess. Don’t buy it. Sure, life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows—but there’s plenty of good out there if you know where to look.
We found plenty of it over on r/wholesomepics, a community that never runs out of posts to brighten your day. Here are some of the most uplifting ones. Scroll down and upvote your favorites!
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Whooooolsoooooome
Her name is Theresa Kachindamoto, and she just passed away November last year. 😞🕊️a wonderful human who did great things and deserves to have her name recognized
Senior Kitties Need Love Too
Saw This On Fb
If you’re anything like me, even just one or two wholesome posts is enough to make you feel a little better about everything. A whole collection of them is even more welcome.
And it doesn’t really matter what they’re about either. Whether it’s a photo of a cute dog just living its best life or a heartwarming news story, it all counts. We could all use a little more positivity in our lives.
Loved This Old Post On /R/Thiswaspleasant
This Teacher Took Teaching To A Whole Other Level
Well dang it's been 6 years now, why is this the first time I'm hearing about this?? This woman is a hero and a wonderful person
Wholesome Dog
Of course, cute things have a particular power all of their own. A chubby-cheeked baby or a sleepy, purring cat can cure just about any kind of sadness. One “awww” and that’s all you need.
And there’s actually a good reason for that. According to Verywell Mind, humans are naturally drawn to things we find adorable, whether that’s animals, people, objects, or even certain sounds.
“The visual appeal of cuteness often triggers positive emotions, making us feel relaxed and happy,” says neuropsychologist Dr. Sanam Hafeez. “Psychologically, these cute features often lead to feelings of affection and a desire to engage with them in a playful way.”
Garbage Men Taking Some Time Off Work
Made Me Feel, Especially As A Lower Income Parent
They Couldn't Tell The Difference
Researchers argue that our love of cute things has an evolutionary explanation. Dr. Michael Valdez, medical director at Detox California, points out that features we tend to find cute, like larger eyes and rounder faces, are signals that trigger our caregiving instincts, which ultimately help ensure the survival of the species.
Austrian ethologist Konrad Lorenz has a similar take, suggesting that most things we find cute share qualities with human babies, and that our enjoyment of them is really just our natural nurturing drive doing its thing.
In Turkey They Build These Stray Houses So That Stray Cats Don't Get Cold At Night
Turkey has a thing for stray cats. They care for them and respect them.
Sadly It Got Deleted From R/Wholesome Memes
This makes me wonder, do reptiles also like soft surfaces?? It seems like they're always only offered sticks, rocks, gravel, etc ....
He Held Up A Sign For The Health Care Workers
What’s happening in our brains during all of this is pretty fascinating. Dr. Hafeez explains that seeing something cute activates the reward and emotion centers of the brain, specifically the ventral striatum and the nucleus accumbens.
This triggers a release of dopamine, which is the neurotransmitter behind those warm, fuzzy feelings we get when we stumble across a particularly good photo of a puppy.
Perfect Match
No More Excuses. If They Can Do It, So Can You
🥺🥺
Sharing, but at a distance. The white dog has no chance of getting that teddy, so the pitbull can show it off safely.
Well, some people might argue that surrounding ourselves with positivity is naive. That a healthy dose of cynicism is just the sensible way to get through life.
But research actually disagrees. Professor Denise Baden found that positive news stories have a surprisingly powerful impact on us.
"Took My Kids To The Zoo.."
I went with my childhood best friend to the laundromat to hang out while she did her family's washing. We had a great time. When I had to move my mom to assisted living and clear out her place, my closest cousin came over to help me. It was hard, but we ended up laughing and sharing memories. It was a great time.
Wholesome Content
Hugs For Demons
She ran a study exposing students to both positive and negative versions of news stories, and the results were pretty clear. Students who read positive stories were more motivated to take action in their own lives, like adopting better environmental habits.
The more anxious the negative stories made people feel, the less motivated they were to do anything at all. What we consume matters more than we think, and it turns out positivity doesn’t just make us feel good, it makes us better people too.
Look Down
A Japanese Couple Taking A Selfie Together, 1920s
Found On Tumblr, Wanted To Share
And when we go ahead and do good things, it has a measurable effect on how we feel. According to PBS News, acts of kindness raise the oxytocin levels in your body, and that’s not a small thing.
Whether you’re helping a stranger or paying something forward to a friend, your body responds with a genuine wave of warmth and happiness. Science says so.
10-Year-Old Asked To Meet President Jimmy Carter After He Beat Cancer
Mama Like Son
A Moment Before Happiness (1955)
This is so wholesome and always makes me so happy, especially because the dad is showing so much joy on his face. He's happy about the happiness he's about to bring the lil guy, and the happiness the puppy is about to feel meeting his family and home. It's just so cute.
UCLA scientist Naomi Eisenberger, who studies brain activity during acts of kindness, found that even during the height of COVID, two or three acts of kindness a week significantly reduced levels of depression and anxiety.
When someone helps another person, the reward-related regions of the brain light up, the same regions activated by cute animals and good news. Turns out being kind feels good because, biologically speaking, it is good.
Found This Wholesome Comment
Got Her For Free When She Was 8 Coz Nobody Wanted An Old Dog With A Limp. Jokes On Them, She's Been A Wonderful Companion For Years!
Awwwww
Hopefully this little compilation brought some genuine warmth into your day. But don’t forget to take that energy with you when you close the tab.
Do something kind for someone else, or even just for yourself. That way you become the source of positivity you’re always looking for out there. Keep it going.
The Wholesomest Mittens
Dad Making Their Day, If Not Days
I can relate to this. When I was diagnosed with autism my mum cut me off over 5 years ago she called me a disease and I have been doing well on my own it was the best thing that happened to me! Never going back
Don't Think This Has Been Posted Already
Leafy Nap
Awwww I just want to scoop them up, stuff them in my hoodie and take them home 🥲
Elephants Are Soo Cute And Adorable
The Kid Is Proud And His Friends Knows It
Like Mother, Like Daughter. And Granddaughter
I Love This
This Is Luna And He Is A Year Old
Spend Time With Yourself And Realize You're Enough
I've found that I'm so complete and so interesting that I'm all I spend time with now. Oops.
Quokkas Are Known As The Happiest Animals On Earth!
It’s Not What You’ve Got, It’s Who You’ve Got
Wholesome Bathroom Graffiti
Spotted At Local Cex
Someone Carved This Cardboard For The Resident Cat Outside My Workplace
Taken In China.😊
A Handful Of Cuteness
My Dad Found A Cat At His Job Site
This Adorable Cheetah Cub ( Courtesy To The Smithsonian’s National Zoo )
Wholesome Clothing
Goes By Tony Hops
Found In A Library Book Today ❤
A book on Egypt checked out by a 10-year-old? That checks out. I went through an Egypt phase from 10-12. I couldn't get enough... I read so much fiction and non-fiction about historical and modern day Egypt. The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder still holds a special place in my heart.
My Mom Upgraded My Wheelchair With Captain America's Shield
He Got A Lil Cold
This Man Has Been Posting Videos Of Himself Playing Songs For 13 Years And Still Posts Every Week
Enjoy This Picture Of A Hedgehog With Socks
A Recreation Of Our Favorite Cousins Pic, 10 Years Later ☺️
My Spanish Class Teacher Gave Me His Ukulele A Week Before Graduation. He’s Helped Me Go Through My Darkest, Cope With A Break Up, And Taught Me How To Play On This Ukulele
Kindness And Compassion Strikes Again
This is so much better than the version from my childhood, the creepy balding uncle who kept threatening to chop off my long ponytail to make himself a toupee. He was my aunt's second husband, after previous divorces for both, in a Catholic family, and I want to believe he was just using humour to try to fit in. But he made me so very uncomfortable as a little girl!
This Couch I Made Out Of A Bathtub
My Baby Guinea Pigs Like To Watch Children's Cartoons
Someone Put Couches And A Bookshelf On This Bus Stop In Norway!
A small library and armchairs to make the waiting time more pleasant. The stop is located at Hov gård (farm) in Orkanger.Trøndelag.
Found In My Daughter's Camera Case
Tucker's First Birthday
Just A Man Trying To Save His Mothers Life, Im Hoping To Spread The Word For Him In Hopes Of Finding A Match For This Family
Wholesome Cards Against Humanity
Someone Tell Me Where It Is
There are three permanent Kirby Cafés. One in Tokyo, one in Hakata, and one in Osaka
Dino-Chairs, We Need Dino-Chairs
Maybe They Won't See Me
When Mom Died I Laminated A Picture Of Her At My Age. Have Carried It In My Wallet Every Day For 35 Years Now
Love, Care, And Protect
My Friend Had A Photoshoot For Her Dog And Gave Him A Tie To Wear :)
Being Nice To Trees In Thailand
All they seem to do in my community is cut down the full grown trees. No more shade, birds, squirrels. (I'm in the Chicago area)
I Tried To Lighten Up The Kitchen On A Student Budget
Over A Decade Later And My Dad Is Still One Of My Best Friends :)
Incredibly Photogenic German Police And Protester
Perfect For Sleeping
Got New Pants, This Was Beneath The Size Label - Wholesome Pants
Cutest Cat I Have Ever Seen
We Become One
This is me and my fiancé, although we will maintain our separate football teams. 😂
A Family Painting
If This Isn't Wholesome,then Idk What Is
A Friend In Low Places
We’re Pregnant!
Very Cute
Ducko Burrito
My Grandmas Dog All Wrapped Up In A Blanky. His Name Is Jake
Someone Knitted A Scarf With Cute Little Hearts On It In My Town
Gheko Be Looking Fire
Wholesome Drunk Roommate
Back when I drank a lot of sodas (none now) I would save all the cans and leave the full bag in the alley for the homeless so they could collect the CRV (California Redemption Value).
This Is My Dog With Her Favorite Toy That Looks Just Like Her, With Some Added Filters Of Course
Wholesome Moth
Catching My Dog At 1 Am
My Daughter Wouldn’t Eat This Bagel Because It Looks Happy
My Dad Completed A Popsicle Puzzle, And Celebrated By Having A Popsicle
Our Classmate Was Asleep, So We Messed With Him A Little Bit!
Yeah, right. Everyone sleeps through (on a desk), a dozen people pranking them.
