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We are often bombarded with fear-mongering and shocking headlines that make us feel that the world is falling apart.

While it’s important to report problems and issues, I believe there is so much good in this world that just needs to be found and promoted. This is especially true after the last few years we have had with COVID, political, and social unrest, and seemingly more negative headlines than we care to count.

That’s why I started The Happy Broadcast and, this year, it's why I am so proud to announce WHOLE, the free happiness app. WHOLE is a culmination of what we started 4 years ago with The Happy Broadcast, a positive place filled with activities aimed at improving your mental health and happiness. We partnered with science to identify activities that are known to boost happiness, and then built them into a daily tracker that suggests simple things you can do to boost your mood.

Consuming positive news is one known activity that can boost your outlook and mood. We need more positive news to acknowledge that the world is actually getting better little by little. So, with that said, here are some of the top performing positive news illustrations from 2021.

You can find my previous articles about The Happy Broadcast on Bored Panda here (2020), here (coronavirus), and here (2019). And if you'd like to read about the good news in more detail and see the sources that I used, you can go to my website, here.

More info: Instagram | WHOLE

2020 and 2021 feel very much the same. The challenges facing the human family right now are big and scary and there’s no guarantee we will overcome ALL of them. But, as millions of people have demonstrated in the past 24 months though, action is possible, better solutions are available and a better future can be built. Science has really helped us overcome a pandemic but it is the people that have shown their kindness and love for one another.

One at a time, we can all make a positive impact. While I don’t want to be cynical and stop believing that the world can get better, I’m also not naive to think that the world can change if I don’t contribute. That’s why the future will be better if, instead of getting overwhelmed, we celebrate and get inspired by the millions of people that have shown us that we can all have a positive impact.

I’m always optimistic. Every year is better than the one before and even in the past couple of challenging years, there have been several silver linings. The new generations are becoming more and more aware that we need to advocate for a better future, and we need to do that fast. I see more and more kindness and more and more people acting selflessly to change what’s wrong and help whoever is in need.

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Even small acts of kindness towards the environment will, in turn, benefit all and I see that happening. That’s why I’ve built The Happy Broadcast, to highlight the selfless actions of many amazing human beings.

2021 has been a great year filled with hard work, fun, kindness, pizza, and dogs. I always have to keep my mental health in check, but that’s why I love to use my art as a beacon of positivity for me and the people that are kind enough to follow my projects.

The biggest challenge (and reward) has been the launch of WHOLE. After three years of hard work on The Happy Broadcast, I met Keith, who is now my partner in this amazing company that wants to become the one-stop source for happiness. We created WHOLE, an umbrella brand that included The Happy Broadcast and other projects focused on mental health and happiness.

Ultimately people are not seeking to be “meditators,” “mood trackers,” or “journalers,” they want to be happier. WHOLE is a brand, community, and all-in-one mobile app focused on delivering all the “spokes” of mental health training within a single app that guides users towards the ultimate goal of increased happiness. The first big milestone was the launch of our WHOLE app, now available in the App Store and Google Play Store.

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Our goal is very simple yet ambitious: To provide comprehensive solutions that increase the overall happiness of individuals while improving society as a WHOLE.

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Mazer
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Let’s hope it isn’t patented 200 times in order to keep costs out of reach

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One of the best things I heard in 2021 involves an organization in Finland called Aktivistimummot, meaning “Activist grannies.” It’s a group pushing for environmental change that delivers a lot of information about climate change. Their aim is simple: to ensure their grandchildren have a safe and sustainable future.

It’s a great example of how we can all come together, despite our age difference, for the greater good of a sustainable and fulfilling life for everyone.

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Ozzie Ogawa
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's not just the number of the trees but the species as well. They should plant not just native trees but natives plants as well. A healthy forest should be diverse, both genetically and species.

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Last year, I told Bored Panda about how rough it was in 2020, what helped me keep my sense of direction and not get lost during the pandemic, and what new artists should keep in mind. I think that 2020 was definitely a rough year, but I’ve never seen so many great stories of human kindness like then.

Despite all the challenges, it looks like humanity understood how deeply we depend on each other and how much our mental health is central to everyone's recovery and well-being. Sharing good news is a joyful experience for all and also an important part of daily conversations.

There is so much good in this world that just needs to be found and promoted. Never forget that the reason why we have positive news to share is that some amazing and brave individuals did something to solve an issue that worries us all. So, one at a time, we can all make a positive impact. It's our time to BE the positive news.

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Jerry Mathers
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope they take it a step further and prohibit all goods by companies use shark fins in any product.

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One of the things that helped me through the pandemic was working on The Happy Broadcast and interacting daily with my community. Sharing good news is a joyful experience for all and also an important part of daily conversations. Also, baking bread and pizza had a huge impact on my sanity during lockdown.

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One of my favorite pizzas, besides the classic Italian Margherita, is pizza Bianca (which means no cheese and no sauce) topped, after being baked, with a cold mix of vegan feta, arugula, olive oil, salt, and fresh thyme. It’s very fresh and different from the usual pizza we eat at a restaurant, but I’m a creative person, so cooking is another avenue to express that.

Having a sense of purpose makes me feel less lost. I also try to not spend too much time on my phone scrolling through hundreds of posts and I turn my phone off before I go to bed. If I’m feeling blue, I put on some songs that make me want to play the air-guitar and the air-drums, like ‘Gloria’ by ‘The Lumineers.’

I've always loved doodling... especially things with cute faces because it's so relaxing, creative, and fun! I like the message more than the style, so I don’t spend a lot of time on an illustration. Most of my time is spent sketching all the ideas that float in my brain. My advice to young artists is not to focus on trends; focus on what you like to draw. 

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Jo Choto
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We really don't need to keep people in dangerous underground slavery conditions, and allowing a very small number of people to control the supply and get rich on the backs of the workers, just for a tiny gemstone that can be safely replicated in a lab.

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Rissie
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not to be a doozy, because it's admirable that we are capable of change if we set our minds to not using cfc's, but sadly CO2 emissions need to get down (which is a lot harder) to not undo that success in the long run. Bad news stinks of course so, see we can do it, go humans!

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Karis Ravenhill
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can we just end circuses, and only have human circuses like Cirque Du Soleil? Zoo's I can appreciate for conservation, but I've never been comfortable having an animal caged or required to perform. My first trip to Seaworld at age 6 absolutely horrified me, a giant whale in a tiny tank, I cried the whole time there.

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Vicky Z
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember my first and only time at a circus when i was very little and first impression was how sad all the animals looked! I remember I took a photo on an elephant that was looking on the floor moving slowly his ears and with a monkey that hugged me for the photo but was looking so depressed!! I was a kid and it was obvious even to me that those animals didn't want to be there

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Ozacoter
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is a similar place for primates and felids called Stichting Aap (in the netherlands and spain). It takes animals from illegal trade, decomisionijg from the police or ex "pets". But many of them are from circus since most are closing

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A B C
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I read that elephant Gandhi is their first president. Go Gandhi, my vote is yours! lol

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Sawdust
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Side question: When an elephant smokes a pipe does he place it in his mouth or on the end of his trunk?

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Vicky Z
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would say in his mouth and the smoke goes out his trunk!!

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Yort
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Be careful with that, though. People get really snotty when a zoo elephant here died a few years ago (she was like 48) so they demanded the remaining two elephants be transferred to an elephant sanctuary even though they’d lived at the zoo for like 35 years. One of them died in transit and the other one got severely bullied by the elephants in the new place. I’m all for not forcing elephants to perform in circuses, but I just always think of our poor local elephants who would’ve been better off staying in the zoo they were raised in.

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Jonny Chevalier
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He will be thrilled as soon as he gets some company.. they are herd animals. though males are a bit loners I think.. hopefully I'm wrong.. so glad the humans are beginning to remember we are all connected..

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Kelly Hartle
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They're such amazing creatures, and it makes me feel good to know there is a species out there that views us the way we view puppies.

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Cybele Spanjaard
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How wonderful and may the abused wonderful creatures all find some peace from man's undeniable ill use.

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Mrs S
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is a place in Tennessee, in the US, that takes in these wonderful creatures for life.

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kellyannallen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Karlsruhe Zoo in Germany they have had a retirement place for elephants for as long as I have lived here which was from 2006

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Miss Frankfurter
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is a beautiful elephant sanctuary in Thailand. It's massive and the people there really know what they're doing when it comes to transporting elephants, introducing them to the sanctuary and the other elephants. It is funded by an incredibly rich Thai businessman who is actually doing a great thing with his money. Check out "elephantnews" on YouTube.

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François Carré
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I read "52 year old elephant Gandhi is their first president" as a completely normal phrase because I'd prefer an elephant as the next president of France far over any other candidate.

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Manuela Langer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, that is not true. There are already two elephant retirement homes in Europe - one in Germany, and one in Spain. The one in Spain is run by Circus Krone.

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julien
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the name : "la Tanière" and it's for ALL animals, not only elephants !

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Enea
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The circuses I get, but why do animals need to retire from zoos? I find the idea quite problematic to take highly social herd animals out of their habitat and put them into a completely new social and physical environment, particularly at a age where they likely have difficulty in adapting to a new situation.

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Tee Witt
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

France allowed Chippendale to move there with all her animals so she could escape the courts of the dreadful cruelty display to her animals, so not much confidence in this.

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Becky Samuel
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Would you rather have intelligent and highly emotional animals safe and cared for, or revenge?

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JuJu
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have a few hundred of these in Leipzig. And nobody gets stung.

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Stacy Parker
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I believe that Iceland, Sweden, Costa Rica, and Uruguay are part of that group. Not sure about the rest.

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Romenriel
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Very good, also helps with poverty that is endangering humans.

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Alexia
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here is a photo from the campaign. It was actually efficient, several dogs were adopted. It also produced some sweet moments, as some dogs woulnd't leave their humans' arms or would run away on the field :))) 646x528-61...b422a5.jpg 646x528-61b3513b422a5.jpg

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Leo Domitrix
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In short: Common sense! Nature has its pest control. Just make friends with it. (Yes, I am okay with snakes. One black ratsnake native to my area means you won't see rats, mice, or the venomous snakes!)

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Romenriel
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd like to see a source on this one, it would be awesome but I don't see how it could happen.

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ivan bolitekurac
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tbh,if it isn't durable i won't buy it.I have a leather jacket that is 10 years old and it is the same as the first day.I would call that a sustainable piece of clothing.Fake leather will have cracks after a few years so you need to buy new furniture/clothing

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Note: this post originally had 112 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.