Most news is overwhelmingly negative, and constantly exposing yourself to all of the world’s problems can harm your mental health over time. I’ve reduced my consumption to the point that I almost never look at general news, and instead, I recommend sites that focus exclusively on good stories.
Positive News
One of the most prominent good news websites is Positive News. Founded in 1993, the organization aims to produce independent positive news stories. Positive News is a quarterly magazine and an online publication.
In 2015, the company launched a crowdfunding campaign called #OwnTheMedia. This turned Positive News into a cooperative, essentially making each of the 1,500 backers a co-owner of Positive News. This is an unusual model for journalism, and it holds the publication accountable for its approach.
The site publishes stories on a wide range of topics, including society, the environment, lifestyle, science, and economics. Positive News is a UK-based organisation, so some stories have a more British slant, but it also covers the US and other countries. You can support Positive News by making a donation.
Good News Network
A common trait among positive news websites is that they tend to be long-running, which is good news in itself. Good News Network has been running since 1997 and has amassed a collection of over 21,000 positive news stories.
The so-called Good News Guru, Geri Weis-Corbley, has been at the helm of the site since its inception. Like Positive News, which mainly covers good news in the UK, Good News Network has its own regional slant, covering some of the best positive news stories in the US.
If you want to support the site, you can become a member by making a donation. Good News Network is also a great option for people on the go, thanks to the site’s mobile apps for Android and iOS. So, if you want to stop doomscrolling, open the Good News Network app instead of your regular news provider or social network.
For those who prefer their news in podcast form, it also produces the Good News Gurus Podcast. It recognizes that good news doesn’t end at the US border, so the site has a whole section dedicated to positive world news. There’s also a Spanish-language section on the site.
Unlike some positive news websites, Good News Network is not a non-profit organization. This is because it wants to show that it’s possible to be profitable while still focusing on the positive things in life.
The Optimist Daily
While other positive news websites take a slow-paced approach to journalism, The Optimist Daily focuses on the here and now. The site aims to “accelerate a shift in human consciousness by inspiring 100 million people to start each day with a positive solution mindset.”
The site doesn’t aim to be an alternative to mainstream news. Rather, it seeks to be a positive outlet for good news, where people can find the good news of the day.
Some of the phrases used to describe the site sound like they were taken from a new-age self-help guide. But behind the ornate language, its mission is the same as other positive news websites today: to spread good news and reduce negativity.
However, Optimist Daily doesn’t only focus on good news or positive news. It also has a great collection of personal development tips and techniques.