You’d be forgiven for wanting to cry yourself to sleep lately after reading about all the bad things that have been happening. Death, destruction, wars, and floods. It’s enough to make us weep for humanity. But we are here to assure you that among the negativity is glimmering hope that all is not lost in this world we live in. In fact, there’s still a lot of good.
If you’ve been struggling to find it, look no further than a Facebook page called “Beauty Of Planet Earth.” It’s a corner of the internet filled with wholesome and uplifting posts. Some showcase kindness; others are just plain cute. But all have a common thread of positivity.
Bored Panda has selected the best for you to smile at instead of another dreary day of doomscrolling. Whether you just need a break from the news, or you want to cleanse your aura altogether, this list has been carefully compiled to leave you smiling by the time you’re done with it. So take a few deep breaths, get cozy, and start reading. Don’t forget to upvote the ones that left you with all the feels.
We also explain why you feel sad when you see other people suffering. And it’s not necessarily a bad thing. You’ll find that info between the pics.
#1 Dad Went Out In The Snow To Feed The Birds, And Made A New Friend! It’s Official, He’s A Disney Princess Now
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
There are some truly terrible things happening in the world right now. Every day, a different disaster. And no matter how far-removed you are from them, many have the ability to affect us on a very deep level. We are humans after all. We should have some level of empathy.
That word was first coined in 1909 by a psychologist called Edward B. Titchener. It’s a translation of the German term einfühlung, aptly meaning “feeling into.”
When children are swept away in floods, others die as bombs fall, or people go to bed hungry, how can we not have some kind of “feeling into” what they’re going through?
#2 The Most Wholesome Thing
My neighbor’s black cat had kittens and they found a baby possum on their deck that must have fallen off of its mom. The mama cat took it in as one of her kittens, but she doesn’t understand why this little funny kitten hangs on her all the time
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#3 Happy Retirement To My Coworker That Always Brought Us Candy. Thanks For Always Being Awesome, Mark!
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
VeryWellMind defines empathy as “the ability to emotionally understand what other people feel, see things from their point of view, and imagine yourself in their place.” Essentially, say the experts, it’s putting yourself in someone else’s position and feeling what they are feeling. Walking a mile in their shoes, so to speak.
It might hurt—but it’s actually a good trait to have. And here’s why…
#4 Happy Pride Month, Everyone!
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#5 Blessed Husky Birth
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#6 The Love Of Grandma
Image credits: KellyOhlert
Empathy shouldn’t be confused with sympathy and compassion. While all three are related, the latter two are more of a passive connection. “Empathy generally involves a much more active attempt to understand another person,” explains the VeryWellMind site.
While many people do feel a level of empathy for others, it’s not a universal response. Some human beings are able to meet another’s suffering with a stone cold reaction, or none at all. And on the other end of the spectrum are the empaths, who feel so much for others that they end up suffering themselves.
#7 Man Builds Stand To Help Feed His Neighbors
Image credits: skywO0kie
#8 Nurse Discovers Her New Coworker Was The Premature Baby She Cared For Years Back
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#9 A Redditor Who Saw My Post About Insurance Turning Me Down For A Prosthetic Finger Messaged Me A Few Weeks Ago Saying He Would Try To Make One
I got the prototype in the mail today. He asked nothing in return.
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
“Having a great deal of empathy makes you concerned for the well-being and happiness of others. It also means, however, that you can sometimes get overwhelmed, burned out, or even overstimulated from always thinking about other people’s emotions.” It’s a state experts describe as empathy fatigue.
Have you ever felt completely emotionally and physically exhausted, worn out, even depressed after reading/hearing about or seeing the struggles of others? That’s empathy fatigue kicking in. It can also leave you feeling numb or powerless, and quite literally fatigued. You may even want to isolate yourself, in order to regain your strength and reboot your energy.
#10 You Are Never Too Old To Learn
My uncle didn’t go to school so I am teaching him how to write and he wrote the names of his grandkids for the first time
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#11 Grandma With The Drip
Image credits: djbewbz
#12 A 76 Yr Old Retired Air Force Colonel Is No Match For His 4 Year Old Granddaughter
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
But as we said before, even though it hurts, empathy is a good thing.
For one, it can help strengthen your relationships. “Empathy allows you to build social connections with others,” explain VeryWellMind’s experts. “By understanding what people are thinking and feeling, you are able to respond appropriately in social situations.”
#13 What’s Up With Capybaras Chilling With Other Animals
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#14 Wholesome Grandpa Sharing Memes
Showed my grandpa memes and he loved them so much he printed them off for his friends
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#15 Nice Grandpa
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
Even though it might not always feel like it, empathy also helps you regulate your emotions. It allows you to manage what you are feeling, even in times of great stress, without becoming overwhelmed, the site notes.
When we can regulate our own emotions, we are better able to respond to the emotions of others.
#16 Go Grandpa
“My dad, a racist hillbilly, told me he didn’t want anything to do with my biracial daughter when I was pregnant. Here he is painting her toenails on her 3rd birthday. Proof people can change.”
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#17 This Made Smile And Then Go Pet My 15 Year Old Cat
Image credits: LorenzoTheCat
#18 Wholesome Freddy
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
It goes without saying that those who have empathy are more likely to want to help others. But it goes both ways. People are also more likely to help you during your dark moments when they experience empathy.
“Empathy helps us notice other people’s needs, understand their distress, and inspire us to alleviate their suffering,” reads the site.
#19 I Asked My Coworkers To Not Do Huge Decorations On My Desk
My work place is the kind to bubble wrap your whole desk and fill the cubicle with balloons for your birthday. I asked them to keep it low key. The picture is a shelf of my desk.
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#20 60 Years Later My Great Grandmother Tried On Her Wedding Dress And It Still Fits Perfectly
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#21 4 Years Of Sobriety! My Coworkers Got Me “Clean” Stuff
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
One of the best ways for us to build our empathy is to stop talking and start listening. You won’t know what someone is feeling unless you truly hear them out. It’s not always easy to be silent when the sound of their suffering is palpable.
That’s because your own emotions can pose a significant barrier when noticing what others are feeling, explains VeryWellMind.
“When you are having a conversation and are looking only at your feelings and how you can communicate them, you might not be leaving enough attention available to take in what’s going on at the other end,” adds the site. “Making an effort to actively listen can help strengthen your emotional understanding and empathy.”
#22 My Grandparents Recreated Their Wedding Photos 70 Years Later
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#23 My 97-Year-Old Grandma Doesn’t Use Computers, But I Found A Meme Years Ago That I Thought She’d Like So I Sent It In The Mail. Turns Out She’s Kept It At Her Bedside Ever Since
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#24 I’m A Nice Colleague
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
Don’t beat yourself up if you want to cry yourself to sleep after another day of terrible news. The empathy you feel is a good thing. But we understand that it can be too much at times. And when that happens, remember you can come back to this list—to reboot, and remind yourself that all is not lost in the world.
#25 A Coworker Noticed My Boots Needed Replacing, I’m Casual And New Boots Are At My Cost. These Were Waiting For Me At My Workstation
He covertly acquired my size and everything. $179 I just could not afford atm.
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#26 Wholesome Co-Workers
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#27 Blessed Buddies
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#28 Good Fences Make Good Neighbours!
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#29 My Neighbors Leave Their Trash On The Road
Image credits: OwsWills
#30 Ryan Reynolds Replies To A Burn Victim
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#31 A Mother Goat Gave Birth On The Icy Mountain, And To Save Them, A Village Girl (Shepherd) Carried The Mother In Her Back , Her Dog Helped By Carrying The Newborn Goat
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#32 Heartwarming
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#33 This One Made Me Smile – Rivera Was Diagnosed With Squamous Cell Carcinoma Located In A Lymph Node Of His Neck
Thankfully the diagnosis was discovered early. Rivera went through five treatments a week of chemo and proton therapy for seven weeks. He did not miss a single game during this time.
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#34 Jamie, Who Has Cerebral Palsy, Is The Janitor Greenwood High School Football Team
He always wanted to play sports growing up, but he couldn’t, so their state championship winning football program rewarded him with a championship ring.
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#35 That’s So Cute
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#36 Kid Wants To Know If His Mum Is Telling The Truth And Reddit Doesn’t Let Her Down
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#37 The First Number On My Scale Has Been A ’2’ For The Past 21 Years, But Not Today
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#38 Just Saw This On My Timeline, Rocky Is Headed Home
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#39 Wholesome Neighbor
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#40 Best Neighbor
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#41 Man Makes Sure Elderly Neighbor Is Not Alone In Her Last Days!
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#42 I Found Out That My 85 Year Old Grandma Puts These Little People In Seashells And Then Hides Them On The Beach For Kids To Find
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#43 Gaming Grandpa
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#44 My Neighbor Is Still At It With His Signs At Our Subdivision Entrance
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#45 Blessed Billboard
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#46 He’s So Happy
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#47 Such A Sweetheart
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#48 Dog Brothers Finally Reunited
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#49 Being A Good Neighbor
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#50 My Grandpa Just Turned 64 Today. He Grew Up Poor And Had Never Had A Birthday Party. Today He Had His First One And You Can See The Happiness In His Smile
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#51 Ready As He’ll Ever Be!
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#52 Winning Isn’t Everything
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#53 Some Things Never Change
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#54 My Grandparents Got A New Car And Was Excited To Tell Me, I Travel A Lot With Them So They Were Showing Me The Back Seat
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#55 Sent An Image Of A Lobster To My Korean Grandmother Who Can Barely Speak English
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#56 A Co-Worker Of Mine With Down Syndrome Makes Me A Card Every Christmas
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#57 Someone Stole A Kid’s Razor Scooter In Our Neighborhood. An Anonymous Neighbor Decided To Restore Some Joy Back For The Kid
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#58 Neighbor Knocked On Our Door And Gave Us This Beautiful Plate
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#59 My Kids Love The Neighbor’s Dog. I Noticed Toys Have Been Provided For Everyone’s Enjoyment
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#60 A Mom Was Wondering Where Her Son Had Gone – She Found Out That He Had Seen An Elderly Neighbor Walking In The Rainstorm Without An Umbrella. He Walked The Neighbor All The Way Home
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#61 When Your 80-Year Old Neighbor Clears Three Feet Of Snow, So Your Husband Can Go To His Chemo Appointment
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#62 That’s So Wholesome
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#63 Grandpa’s Artwork
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#64 My Adorable Grandma Recently Lost Her Husband, Who Always Took The Pictures Of Her. Behold! Her First Ever Selfie
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#65 I Live Abroad. My Grandparents Called Me To Urgently Check The Security Web Cams Of My House Back Home. Turns Out They Called So I Could See Them Standing With A Heart And Waving At Me
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#66 My Coworker Is Having A Hysterectomy. So The Department Had A Food Day
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#67 I Have The Best Co-Workers In The World. Down With Lymphoma For A Bit And They Just Made Day!
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#68 My Coworkers All Came Together And Gave Me The Money To Finally Change My Name Legally For My Birthday
I am transgender and currently work full time for Starbucks. I have savings but it’s never been enough to justify paying to get my name legally changed, but for my birthday this year my coworkers all came together and pooled money to give to me to get it changed! This is literally the nicest thing anyone has done for me and it certainly made me smile.
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#69 Helping A Coworker With His Ties
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#70 My Neighbor’s Pig Escapes Every Day To Play Ball With My Dog
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#71 The Pizza Baker Made His Day
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#72 What Wonderful News. Such A Grand Gesture Should Be Made All Over The World
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#73 Blessed Lecture
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#74 Blessed Seal
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#75 Blessed Owl
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#76 Perseverance Is Key
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#77 He Is Such A Goodfella
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#78 My Wife Showed Me This Photo She Took Of Our Daughters. “That’s Cute, They’re Copying Each Other” I Said. Then She Zoomed In To Me (Purple Hoodie). Made Me Smile
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#79 My Husband
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#80 This Is Like Four Different Levels Of Adorable
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#81 I Would Have Given Her All The Fireworks
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#82 A Photo Of My Mother, Locking The Door To A Place Of Her Own, For The First Time In 40 Years
My mother hasn’t had a place of her own in over 40 years. She had my big brother out of wedlock when she was 20 years old, and moved back in with my grandparents after he was born. She briefly lived with my dad after I came along, but we all moved back in with grandma and grandpa very shortly after they had divorced. This happened again with my little sister’s father and when my grandpa passed away, my mother took care of my grandma in exchange for a place to continuously stay without having to pay rent. After my grandma passed, she was not able to get back on her feet for another decade, staying with an old friend who needed care as well; but he eventually began to mistreat her. Just recently, I was able to help her move from Florida to Tennessee, closer to my husband and I, where she could transfer with the job she had successfully kept for two years and also received a promotion prior to the move. She has always had either children or a man who mistreated her around, and this is the first time in 40 years she had been able to pay rent on her own funds as well as free and able to kick back and relax with no one to take care of but herself, her bird Coco, and her kitty Toby. She was ecstatic and overwhelmed with joy as we moved her belongings in and she arranged them, as she could choose their placement through her own judgment. I’m extremely proud of my mom for making it this far and overcoming so much. She absolutely deserves this and is entering a brand new era of life. No matter how old you may think you are and how it may seem like it’s too late, things can get better, friends!
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#83 It Seems Like His Dad Will Definitely Keep That Cute Kitty!
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#84 Cute Smile
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#85 After You Do So Much Good The Past Can Be Fixed
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#86 Found This Under My Office Door, Along With $6. I Work At A Sports Venue
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#87 I Love My Grandpa So Much
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#88 They Dated In Their Teens, Married Different People, And Got Back Together 65 Years Later. My Grandma And Her Boyfriend
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#89 My Great-Grandma Wears A Necklace With My Baby Picture When I’m Traveling Because She Worries. 95 And Going Strong!
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#90 The Day After My Birthday Last Year My I Went To My Grandmas House And She Surprised Me With A Birthday Bundt Cake And “Party Animals” Surrounding It
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#91 Our Neighbor Just Gifted Us $200
It was our next door neighbor since my wife saw one of them knocking on our front door while we were cleaning. We obviously went over and thanked them, introducing ourselves since we hadn’t talked to them before. Apparently they’re relatively new to the neighborhood and wanted to give us a holiday gift.
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#92 My Grandma Died And Left Me This Puzzle. It Is Missing Pieces, So I Improvised With A Note She Left My Wife And Myself
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#93 My Grandpa’s 88th Birthday Was A Few Weeks Ago
My sister got him a coloring book and crayons. He says he’s never colored before, but he seems to enjoy it. He shows all his visitors the pages he’s finished. He’s colorblind, so some of the puppies are pink, but he’s so happy. He melts my heart.
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
#94 Blessed Forgetful Cat
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#95 Wholesome
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#96 Blessed Comforting
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#97 Blessed Purchase
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#98 Father And Son Costumes
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#99 Aww
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#100 This Makes Me Cry
Image credits: Beauty Of Planet Earth
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