If You’re Feeling Down, Here Are 42 Posts That Are Oddly Wholesome

If you think you’re being too negative or focusing too much on stressful news lately, it’s not exactly your fault. Human beings are hardwired for negativity because this is what helped their ancestors survive in a dangerous, threatening world.

We call this negativity bias, and when you become aware of it, you realize that, yes, the world is full of pain, sorrow, and inequality, but that is not the full picture. You have to consciously remember to focus on happy moments so that you push back against this bias and reduce negative thinking.

Somewhat paradoxically, negativity bias can be incredibly motivating.

This is because people are typically motivated to do something not because they stand to gain something, but because they want to avoid losing something.

“This can play a role in your motivation to pursue a goal,” Verywell Mind explains.

“Rather than focusing on what you will gain if you keep working toward something, you're more likely to dwell on what you might have to give up in order to achieve that goal.”

One major downside of negativity bias is that, because of how people are wired, they tend to see negative news as being more truthful, even if this is not the case.

In a nutshell, negative information tends to get more attention and is perceived as more valid.

Meanwhile, The Decision Lab emphasizes that you feel the consequences of negative events and memories much more, even if they’re (objectively) as emotional as the positive things you’ve experienced.

“Simply put, these [negative] events stick out to us.”

For some people, everyday positivity isn’t enough to restore their optimism. Instead, they turn to nostalgia and daydreaming about their youth to boost their mood.

Nostalgia has plenty of upsides… as well as one big downside. So you have to rely on it sparingly.

On the positive end of the scale, research has shown that nostalgia can make you happier, boost your self-esteem, and help you reconnect with your authentic self.

What’s more, nostalgia can help you weather incredibly difficult moments in your life. Moreover, nostalgia can actually make you more future-oriented because you feel inspired and full of ideas on how to move forward.

However, like with all things, too much of a good thing can end up harming you. Nostalgia is no different. If all you ever do is think about how awesome your childhood was (and we’re sure that it was), you’re missing out on great relationships, opportunities, adventures, and activities in the present.