Happiness sometimes seems very elusive. The more you chase it, the harder it seems to catch it. It’s a by-product of living meaningfully and listening to what your body and mind need. However, you don’t necessarily have to win a Nobel prize fto live with purpose. Spending time with the people you care about, slowing down and being present in the moment, allowing yourself to take in the beauty of the world around you—that’s how we befriend happiness.
The ‘Content That Makes You Happy’ account on X (formerly Twitter) does exactly what it says and shares wholesome and beautiful content. We’ve collected some of the best pictures to share with you. Scroll down for an instant mood boost, Pandas. And don’t forget to share these with any friends you think might be feeling blue.
Bored Panda wanted to understand how to cultivate happiness in our day-to-day lives better, as well as how much our environments impact us. Glenn Geher, Ph.D., was kind enough to walk us through this and explained how happiness is an evolved emotion. You'll find our full interview with him as you read on. Dr. Geher is a professor of psychology at the State University of New York at New Paltz and a published author.
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I’ll just say this once and hopefully never say it again if I can control myself. I can’t stand the idea that I could be looking at something that’s AI. Before, I could marvel at how unbelievably beautiful this is and be overwhelmed that it actually happened here on this earth, somewhere out there where everything just came together to create a beautiful scene, a magical place. Like I’d want to be there. But to think it was just put together with words and created by a non-feeling, non-appreciating robot takes away all the magic and charm and wonder. All the awe. I don’t want to be skeptical every time. But if I’m not, I’ll get suckered into believing things that aren’t real. Well whatever. Whatever this picture is, it’s peaceful and pretty.
I'm afraid this might indeed be A1. It's weird how the pines don't have any snow on them, while the other trees are totally covered with it.
Load More Replies...I can hear the silence, broken only by the squeak-crackle sound of the snow under boots. Serene
According to Dr. Geher, happiness is an evolved emotion. It came about by natural selection, and its aim is to move us, human beings, toward stimuli that help us to survive and reproduce.
“So little things like finding something beautiful in nature, sharing a meme with a friend that helps to build a connection, a warming conversation with a family member—all these things can make us happy, and they all cost very little,” he told Bored Panda how we can cultivate happiness in our daily lives.
Cats are very skilled at finding the most cosy spots possible.
Load More Replies...I leave for work on a cold dark morning with my cat cuddled up like this. He's still there when I get home at 5.30pm.
Me too. The furry little things are so damn lucky.
Load More Replies...You all soft can-openers notice he's in the center, where he belongs.
Maximum inconvenience for anyone getting into bed on either side!
Load More Replies...If you hunt enough mice and do well in cat school all this can be yours my child😁
Sad the cats have to do their own shopping. Maybe they need to fire their soft can-opener.
Mother showing child to look at the lowest shelves for the best deals.
He added that from an evolutionary perspective, "they are all the kinds of things that would have helped our ancestors survive and cultivate positive social bonds."
According to Dr. Geher, both our past and present environments affect our happiness very much. However, he pointed out that the term 'environment' can be understood in different ways.
"You might find yourself walking outside on a cold and rainy day, so your physical environment might not exactly be sun-filled, but you might be walking with your best friend and sharing all kinds of laughs and joy. So that social environment, in spite of the details of the immediate physical environment, might actually, in a sense, be very bright and warming," he explained to us.
wow. Profound thanks for the wonderful Rabbit Hole - very deep, that one. I've long been familiar with the Avalon name, and Welsh stories; the Irish is a great enrichment. I'm sad that the legends of Tir na nÓg don't include this gate! But the magic surrounding it is plentifully abundant without.
Load More Replies...A rainbow cloud can occur because of something called cloud iridescence. It usually happens in altocumulus, cirrocumulus, lenticular and cirrus clouds. Iridescent clouds happen because of diffraction – a phenomenon that occurs when small water droplets or small ice crystals scatter the sun's light.
Aw, it's just a baby, its little paws haven't been out on the cold ground yet 💗
"Environments that we have encountered through life also might affect our happiness today. If you experienced a terrifying and harsh environmental upbringing, for instance, sitting on top of a mountain on a sunny day may not have the same emotional benefits [when] compared with someone whose past environments cultivated safety and love,” Dr. Geher said.
"So, both our immediate and our past environments shape our levels of happiness as we navigate life."
🎶I feel the lavender haze creeping up on me🎶
Load More Replies...Hey, Lupita, how have you been?
Load More Replies...In that case we wouldn't see very many pictures. JMO
Load More Replies...SN: i LOVE this kitchen! it looks so homey and inviting. i'm sure wonderful food is lovingly prepared by caring hands here...
Except for that massive window blocking everything...
Load More Replies...For people commenting about how the window opens: You can also open it another way so that it "tilts" at a slight angle from its bottom edge. That way, it's not in the way and still lets in fresh air.
But it might not be comfy for the cats, and therefore a bad idea.
Load More Replies..."Mooom! I brought my friend home for lunch, his mom says it ok with her!"
Could it be a “My kitchen, not my cats” situation? I can’t blame the cats. Such a lovely kitchen.
I cannot believe so. The stool under the window seems to serve only as stair for cats.
Load More Replies...Might be Joyce Kilmer National Forest in North Carolina. An enchanted forest if there ever was one.
Load More Replies...I thought it looked like wild garlic. I just picked some this week, to put in salad
Load More Replies...This is the path that teaches you how to walk like a supermodel, one foot in front of the other so you don’t disturb any plants or flowers
The ‘Content That Makes You Happy’ social media project is a fairly new one. It was first created nearly a year ago, in May 2023. At the time of writing, the account has nearly 3.6k followers on the X social network. The curator of the account posts a wide range of pictures and videos, from gorgeous nature shots to cute animal photos.
The thread uniting all of these posts is that they make us smile and feel a tiny bit happier.
In our experience, leading a happy life begins with prioritizing self-care. We have a duty to take care of our bodies and our minds, as well as cultivate healthy social and spiritual lives.
This means getting plenty of movement throughout the week, eating nutritious food, getting proper sleep, and drinking enough water. It also means putting in the effort to actively de-stress, whether by spending time with the people we care about, being in nature, meditating, focusing on a beloved hobby, etc.
The barn cats and the house cats meet once again on the peace rock to renew the truce.
I know what's happening here: the two oranges are the tuxedo's cat security, his new girlfriend is next to him (if tails could speak) and the grey/white one is the owner of this trendying Kitty-Cat Club, who does NOT know who he's dealing with.
Cute kitten, but can you imagine someone holding you like this? I would hate it.
Me too! I used to work with a ram called Beau and he was such a sweetie
Load More Replies...Of course, trying to do everything all at once to completely overhaul your life is a tad overwhelming. The key here is to commit to making very small positive changes in your life until those behaviors become habits. However, there’s no single magic number when it comes to forming habits. How long it takes for a behavior to become automatic depends entirely on its type and complexity.
Broadly speaking, simpler habits tend to form faster. Something like learning to wash your hands more often can take only a week or two, CNN reports. But getting into the habit of going to the gym can take months and months, depending on how fit you already are, what kind of support network you have in place, and how motivated you feel.
It’s not just basic fitness habits that we should cultivate, though. Researchers have found that the main thing that makes us happiest and healthiest is the quality of our relationships. Having lots of positive relationships in our lives makes us more resilient to the stress that life throws at us.
So, we ought to be proactive and put in the time to deepen our connections with the people we care about the most. At the same time, it might be worth reevaluating how much time you spend with people who leave you feeling drained, dreary, and disappointed.
Not photoshopped- an extremely lucky capture- caused by long waiting and looking... Yes, you could see this too- just search long enough.
I saw this once in my teens, and was worried something weird was happening.
Load More Replies...Here is a little poem I learned many moons ago. Hahaha. I see the moon. The moon sees me, God bless the moon, God bless me.
I saw a double rainbow ring around a full moon on a misty night once...
Cat, sunroom, books plants....for suuuure. I might add a dog myself but still.
Load More Replies...I'm not much of a reader, but I want to be there. So peaceful, time doesn't exist there.
Being kind, caring, and altruistic is something that we all have the power to do. In a recent phone interview with Bored Panda, psychologist Harry D. Cohen, the author of ‘Be the Sun, Not the Salt,’ explained that we should all strive to lead others by example. Consistently being kind, then, is how we can influence our environments for the better.
I came down here to comment that this TOTALLY looks like the end of Princess Bride!! TY! 😆
Load More Replies...I am so broken; I'm looking at this and visualizing all my rescues running crazy all over that pristine field.
They're so cute when they're not eating the gladiolas
[I’m faux-operatic, Presbyterian Ladies Choir voice] 🎶As the deer pants for the water, so my SOUL longs after youuuuuuuuuu….🎶
Exactly what I was thinking, minus the Presbyterian ladies choir.
Load More Replies...All these with beautiful landscapes I believe would make for a good puzzle.
Another beautiful field of flowers, and another beautiful sky to match it🥰!
There are lots of ways to be compassionate, but it takes some creativity and proactivity to embrace that mindset. According to Dr. Cohen, we should all try to be more mindful and aware of the small ways that we can be kind to the people around us.
We don’t have to move mountains. Even something as small as holding the door open for someone, helping them with their luggage, or smiling at a stranger helps spread kindness.
I wish I could live in a world like these pics: a cottagecore paradise of flora and fauna, with a beautiful house, and if you drive your dream transport further down to the city, you even see a store where kitties hang around.
I think not, they have feathers all the way down to their feet.
Load More Replies...Nope. You are a QUEEN. you do not need a prince to save you. ;o)
Load More Replies...I looked it up, it's Annecy in France. Pretty isn't it?
Load More Replies...Dr. Cohen also explained to Bored Panda that it’s vital that we refrain from saying or doing unkind things that we might regret in the future.
However, that’s easier said than done: when someone’s feeling exhausted, it’s harder to keep one’s behavior in check. So, self-care becomes important not just for feeling us to feel well, but also for protecting our social environments from unkind words and acts.
I was gonna say I'll come with, but learing it's in Russia...I'll pass at this point in time.
Load More Replies...Okay, down to the ears of the big one, it looks like a baby elephant. Please tell me it's not just me
Oh NO it is not just you. I first noticed the long neck. After reading your post, I saw it immediately! 😁
Load More Replies...Is this Germany? I have a feeling I‘ve been there… Edit: no it‘s Colmar France.
Colmar is in the Alsace, which has been part of both Germany and France at different times in history, so you weren't completely wrong with your first guess.
Load More Replies...Colmar? Thanks, Ed. Why not routinely ID locations? An editor's job is to be of service to his readers.
I thought 'Edit' meant the person who posted the picture had made an edit to add the details for us.
Load More Replies...Meanwhile, in another recent interview, Bored Panda reached out to speaker, author, and leadership coach Jodi Wellman, MAPP, the founder of the ‘Four Thousand Mondays’ project. She shared her thoughts with us about slowing down in order to appreciate the present moment more. Welman told us via email that people value productivity and efficiency, which “contributes to the ‘go go go-ness’ of our days.”
“I think many of us are caught up in what’s known as an existential vacuum, which is characterized by a nagging sense of meaninglessness in life. When we’re feeling unfulfilled in life, we get pretty savvy at filling the void with manufactured busy work,” Wellman said.
Same here! I wish I could just walk into this photo.
Load More Replies...It's been at least 15 years, but I still can't look at a duck without hearing Jamie Hyneman saying, "Quack, damn you!"
He once said it was ridiculous that that's what he would be remembered for.
Load More Replies...Lol.... The "does a duck's quack echo?" Episode.... Lol....
“We might want to be suspicious of the purpose task-rushing is serving for us and start connecting to a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in life.”
According to Wellman, what can help us be more present in the here and now is remembering that, one day, we will all die. “We are temporary, finite, ‘limited time only!’ This ancient practice known as memento mori works because it’s only when we contemplate our mortality that we snap to attention and realize all we have in this momentary existence is This Moment,” she said.
“I want everyone to count their Mondays; we get about 4,000 on average, and tuning into however many we have left can open our eyes up to what matters, what’s special right here and right now.”
What a beautiful location for me to repeatedly fall out of a hammock
I had one of those when I was a kid, Between two birch trees right by the lakeshore.
Knowing me? I'd fall asleep, roll off the hammock and end up in the water... But it's a perfectly beautiful place to be an accidental doofus in though!!!
Cool, but I'd worry about what the sunlight and humidity would do to my books.
The light in the cabin- says you are awaited- with warm fire, hot cocoa , mulled wine... and.....
Valtavaara day hut (not for overnight stay), right next to (abt 3 km) Ruka ski resort, Finland. Was a fire guard post, now for day hikers. Old photo, stove and chimney removed in 2020 due to fire hazard.
Who is ''SCEN3RY'' & how are they able to get all ... ALL ... of these beautiful landscape pictures? They must go around the globe (note to flat-earthers!) ... just amazing. Thank you for your expertise ... amazing! AGKB
Which of the photos in this list cheered you up the most, Pandas? What small things do you do to cultivate happiness every day? What activities and people make you the happiest?
We'd love to hear your thoughts on this. If you have a moment, scroll down to the comment section to share yours.
Humankind have had lots of amazing artists and painters, but non of them can do it better than Mother Nature.
I imagine Jesus opened His eyes and walked out of His tomb to see a landscape something like this….wow! Happy Resurrection Sunday, y’all!
Well good news! That 50 sq ft cabin is on Airbnb for $253/night plus a $300 cleaning and service fee. Plus the fee fee, and the why not fee, and the just because fee. Enjoy! Also no running water or electricity. Bottled water is available at the main house for $7/500mL
Load More Replies...I want this in my garden as well as the other two....the little round bridgey thing, and the fairy trail through the woods. Any good landscapers out there?
What is the difference between a rabbit lifting weights and a rabbit with a carrot in his ear? Ones a fit bunny, the other is a bit funny.
I can attest! I have a house bunny. I see this all the time… a cute little bun next to, in front of, behind, around something ordinary. This makes it extraordinary to stumble upon bc it looks out of place but in a good way. (Like this fluffy soft vs the hard heavy weight). It’s a delight to stumble upon the Bun. A true happiness maker. (Especially when he jumps up on my lap while I’m not aware and watching tv). Moments to live for.
Same, and they’re surprising strong! As in how the heck did you move your massive heavy hay tray halfway across the room?!
Load More Replies...I adore Japan and Japanese tea rooms and Japanese gardens. Love, love, love.
I've seen this picture recreated as amazingly detailed Pixel art and in coloured sketch form
It looks like the trees and the sky are from different photos. That's the moon, since the sun is in the other direction. During full moons, the sun sets roughly opposite to where the moon rises (in midwinter there is maybe a 10 degree difference). So it seems to me that the shadows should be pointing more or less in the direction of th emoon.
To my eye the shadows seem to be pointing more or less in the direction of the moon - definitely not the sun.
Load More Replies...Sweetie, it's VERY cute, but we're gonna whack our heads on those windows ALL NIGHT LONG !! please.....
Not to mention all the pollen and dust that will be covering the sheets.
Load More Replies...I think it´s a pretty picture. Amazingly there are still people on this planet that are allergy-free. And I´m pretty sure you can CLOSE these windows. What´s with all that negative energy in your comments?
I thought The same also. It's like "why do people pick out the negative in everything they see" baffles me!
Load More Replies...I'd rather have my bed on the opposite wall so I can look out the window.
I have my bed in front of a window with a long view. The world is my headboard.
Looks cozy but I imagine those mattresses would get soaked pretty quickly!
most boat cushions would be stuffed with kapok - tropical tree seed fluff- that can't be wet.
Load More Replies...Hey Karen! I bet you can't go to the end of the pier and see the bottom of the lake!
Load More Replies...Ah yes, the most amazing and coveted species in the world… the faeriecat!
In Irish mythology (and sometimes Scottish) there is indeed a fairy cat called the cat-sìth
Load More Replies...Looks like white sands missile range New Mexico, I've been there, I believe it's gypsum sand and it really is blinding white
White sands national Park in New Mexico. Grew up there so would recognize it no matter how it is pictured. They also allow night trips to see it under a full moon
Gotta have a little nosh and a glass for whomever is rowing them around
Load More Replies...I am surprised that in a post that is about nice/comforting pictures there are so many negative, depressing comments. Why do some people come to something that is supposed to give you a good feeling just to try to take peoples good moods down?
I know- sadly, people will always find something to complain about. I personally love all the photographs on here and they brought a smile to my face. I hope that your day is filled with good things 😁
Load More Replies...This has a great Jane Austen quality. A scene from Sense and Sensibility: three sisters row a boat down the Thames to have an ideal dinner and gossip about 'the men'.
And there we lay, cuddled in each other’s arms, lying there adrift, as if time didn’t matter. Inhaling each other’s breath, and the spring. KLL 2024.
You could make a nice pie with those! Or many other apple related things. 🍎🍏
Dutch pancakes with apple and bacon in it. So good!
Load More Replies...Oh, man! My Mom would just LOVE if we had an apple orchard on the family farm!
Oh, that's just like my family's garden cottage! We also have apple trees and harvests, but we use buckets instead.
If this is real: abandoned long ago and probably gone when those chalk cliffs give way to the sea.
Almost as if they realized what was going to happen and... abandoned it. Thanks for playing though. See yourself out.
Load More Replies...Reminds me of those houses that are about to fall into the sea, because of climate change erosion. One person‘s house is right on the very brink, on the edge, but he refuses to leave.
Since I am older . . . I'd stay with the house and we'd go together . . .
We don't really need the blankets!! They just feel extra good looking out!
My kids want a blanket on the couch even if it's a comfortable temperature indoors (while you are at least a bit active). I'm gawking more at the space... Would be heaven to have a seat/couch for all my three kids from which they can't touch eachother. ("Get your foot of the couch" says the one lying on it to the one in the chair next to it. Next they start kicking at eachothers feet until either one cries/leaves angry or MOM! is called. And then they continue while mom stands in between them. 🙄
Load More Replies...They are quiet people… and it does need cats. Loving the blanket vibe.
Cute, quaint little space! Wonder where the doorknob went, though 🧐
the chatelaine will be looking after that this afternoon.
Load More Replies...It might be ruining the magic but I can't help imagining how long it would take to clean it.
A German kitchen, I'm guessing - I've lived in flats like this and they have so much character.
Why are people downvoting this. That is a photoshopped image.
Load More Replies...Doesn't matter, I think it's a pretty picture
Load More Replies...Not real - you should at least try to get the colours of the rainbow correct and in the right order - if that was your aim.
I'm getting older person forced to get up at the crack of dawn because of hopeless enslavement due to capitalism, but you do you babe
Load More Replies...I'd love this during the day, but would need blackout blinds/curtains when sleeping.
I hope you get a really good aircon then since a sun a window effectively turns it into a radiator.
Load More Replies...I can see why this would appeal to some people but cityscapes do absolutely nothing for me. I have always lived in the country and hate large cities. Even when at university in London I would always come home to Dorset and my grandparent's farm every single weekend and holiday.
She needs light when reading, otherwise she's going to strain her eyes.
Not sure why you were down voted for your opinion, so here's an up vote.
Load More Replies...Oh Christmas cactus, oh Christmas cactus! How thorny are your branches.
my disney brain: It's not symmetrical or perfect, but it's beautiful!
Tell me Disney adult is your entire personality without telling me Disney adult is your entire personality.
Load More Replies...I don't know what this is but I want it really, really badly. 😋
Pavlova! Humans are conditioned to salivate when seeing one
Load More Replies...I agree. People who fill up their homes with knick knacks and stuff forget it is a pain to clean and dust it all every week. Unless they never clean...
Load More Replies...My grandparents live near a restaurant called Pho King 😝
Load More Replies...I thought that was a cake sitting on the chair for a minute there.
In many of these, there is an appalling lack of cats.
Way too much false colour in these for me. After the first 20 or so, I couldn't even bear to look at them.
I fixed one of your downvotes. It's a fair point, and you're entitled to share your opinion, whether it agrees with the majority or not.
Load More Replies...You may think me weird but since I joined Repair Cafe in my town I have enjoyed a lot of happy moments when people have asked for help with a repair, and I managed to give it.
In many of these, there is an appalling lack of cats.
Way too much false colour in these for me. After the first 20 or so, I couldn't even bear to look at them.
I fixed one of your downvotes. It's a fair point, and you're entitled to share your opinion, whether it agrees with the majority or not.
Load More Replies...You may think me weird but since I joined Repair Cafe in my town I have enjoyed a lot of happy moments when people have asked for help with a repair, and I managed to give it.
