Ever feel like your phone is just a delivery device for stress? You wake up, scroll for thirty seconds, and suddenly your heart rate is up because of a crisis three time zones away. It’s exhausting. Honestly, most days I find myself muttering that all I need is a little good news just to keep from tossing my device into the nearest body of water.
We aren't imagining the weight of it. The "doomscrolling" phenomenon isn't just a catchy Gen Z term; it’s a documented psychological trap where our evolutionary bias for spotting threats gets hijacked by a 24-hour news cycle. Our ancestors survived because they paid attention to the rustling in the bushes—the bad news. Today, that rustle is a constant ping on your lock screen.
But here’s the thing. We actually need the good stuff to function. Positive news isn't just "fluff" or a distraction from "real" issues. It is the biological fuel for resilience. Without it, we hit burnout faster than a cheap candle.
The Biological Hunger for a Win
When we say all I need is a little good news, we are basically asking for a dopamine hit to counter a cortisol flood. Cortisol is the stress hormone. It’s great if you’re being chased by a predator, but it’s poison if it’s sitting in your system all day because you’re reading about economic inflation or geopolitical instability.
Research from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School suggests that positive content actually goes more viral than negative content because it evokes "awe." People want to feel inspired. It moves us from a state of "freeze" into a state of "action." If all you hear is that the world is ending, you stop trying. If you hear that a local community garden just fed 200 families, you might actually go volunteer.
💡 You might also like: Converting 50 Degrees Fahrenheit to Celsius: Why This Number Matters More Than You Think
Why the "Bad News" Bias is So Hard to Break
News outlets know that "if it bleeds, it leads." It's an old industry maxim for a reason. Negative headlines get about 60% more clicks than positive ones. Our brains are hardwired to prioritize threats over rewards. It’s a survival mechanism. If you miss a piece of good news—like a new park opening—you’re fine. If you miss a piece of bad news—like a storm warning—you might not be.
This creates a distorted reality. We start to believe the world is significantly more dangerous and cruel than it actually is. This is what George Gerbner called "Mean World Syndrome." Because we see so much violence and conflict through our screens, we begin to perceive our immediate surroundings as hostile, even if our neighborhood is perfectly safe.
Finding the Good Stuff in a Sea of Noise
So, where do you actually find it? You have to be intentional. You can't just wait for the algorithm to serve it to you because the algorithm is trained to keep you angry and engaged.
One of the best resources for years has been The Good News Network. They’ve been at it since 1997. They don't do fluff; they do actual reports on medical breakthroughs, environmental recoveries, and acts of heroism that usually get buried under political scandals. Then there’s Positive News, a UK-based magazine that focuses on "constructive journalism." They look at problems but focus on the people solving them. It changes the narrative from "everything is broken" to "here is who is fixing it."
📖 Related: Clothes hampers with lids: Why your laundry room setup is probably failing you
I also love the Reddit community r/UpliftingNews. It’s a curated feed of stories that actually make you feel like humanity has a chance. Sometimes it’s a guy saving a dog; sometimes it’s a massive breakthrough in carbon capture technology. It helps balance the scales.
The Mental Health Impact of Positive Information
It's not just about feeling happy for five minutes. Incorporating a "good news diet" has measurable effects on mental health. A study published in PLOS ONE found that even brief exposure to "prosocial" news—stories about people helping others—increased participants' levels of optimism and their belief in the goodness of others.
When you tell yourself all I need is a little good news, you're actually seeking a recalibration of your worldview. It allows your nervous system to exit the "fight or flight" mode. This isn't about ignoring the problems of the world. It’s about having the emotional capacity to deal with them. You can't pour from an empty cup, and a constant stream of negativity drains that cup to the dregs.
How to Curate Your Own "Good News" Feed
You don't have to delete your social media to fix this. You just need to prune it.
👉 See also: Christmas Treat Bag Ideas That Actually Look Good (And Won't Break Your Budget)
Start by following accounts that focus on progress. Look for "Solutions Journalism." This is a specific type of reporting that focuses on the responses to social issues rather than just the issues themselves. It’s rigorous, evidence-based, and incredibly refreshing.
- Audit your follows. If an account consistently makes you feel anxious, unfollow it. Even if it's "important." You can get your news from a daily summary instead of a live feed of panic.
- Set a "Good News" timer. Spend ten minutes a day specifically looking for stories of progress or kindness.
- Share the wins. When you see something great, send it to a friend. We tend to share the outrages. Break the cycle by sharing the victories.
Taking Action on the "Good News" Front
Honestly, the best way to feel better is to be the news. Small, local actions create ripples. When we participate in something positive, we stop being passive consumers of misery and start being active participants in the solution.
If you're feeling overwhelmed, remember that the "bad news" is often a collection of exceptions. Peace, kindness, and progress are the norms—they just don't make for "exciting" television. The fact that billions of people got through yesterday without hurting anyone isn't a headline, but it's the truth of our existence.
Next Steps for a Better Information Diet:
- Download a dedicated app like The Happy Broadcast or GoodNewsNetwork to ensure your first scroll of the day isn't a disaster.
- Subscribe to one "solutions-based" newsletter. Semafor Signals or The Christian Science Monitor (which is known for its non-sensationalist, deep-dive reporting) are great places to start.
- Practice "active ignoring." If a headline is clearly designed to make you angry or scared without providing actionable information, ignore it. Your attention is a finite resource. Guard it.
- Identify your triggers. If reading about politics before bed keeps you up, move your news consumption to lunch. Protect your sleep at all costs.
By shifting the balance of what you consume, you're not putting on blinders. You're just making sure you have enough light to see the path forward. We all need a little good news, but more importantly, we need the perspective that good things are happening every single second, even if they aren't trending on Twitter.