You know, Pandas, it’s really way too easy to focus just on the negatives. In fact, we’re hard-wired for that. It’s called negativity bias and it means that we dwell on the awful things that have happened to us more than the awesome ones. So with all the news about just how bad things are looking recently, you’d be perfectly right to be anxious and upset. However, we shouldn’t forget that, at the same time, life’s full of beauty, wonder, and wholesomeness. Albus Dumbledore told us that happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, but we have to remember to turn on the light. Well, let’s turn that light on, shall we?
Today, we’re featuring the best posts from the r/gatesopencomeonin subreddit, a 356k-member-strong community that celebrates people acting excellent and being wholesome to each other. It’s the kind of stuff that really restores part of your hope in humanity. And it’s a reminder that we have to strive to be altruistic and kind, especially when things are looking tough.
Upvote your fave pics as you’re scrolling down, Pandas. And tell us all about the nicest thing you’ve done for someone recently, in the comments. Meanwhile, check out Bored Panda’s interview about how to live a happy and healthy life, as well as how to be nice to others when we don’t feel like it, with writer Ariane Sherine, the author of ‘How to Live to 100’ and ‘Talk Yourself Better.’
Oh, and if you’d like some more proof that people totally have the potential to be awesome, take a peek at our earlier articles about the ‘Gates Open, Come On In’ community here: Part 1 and Part 2.
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I Needed To Hear This. I'm So Tired
A Guide To Gift Giving
A Surprise Happy Ending?
The ‘Gates Open, Come On In’ subreddit has been delighting redditors (and more!) around the globe since early 2018. In the 4+ years since being founded, it’s carved out a niche of wholesomeness, hope, and good vibes by being the polar opposite of r/gatekeeping.
They only have two rules: there’s no gatekeeping allowed and you have to be nice. That’s it. Really. It’s a pretty straightforward recommendation for living a good life, isn’t it? Besides, it’s refreshing when you focus on the positives for a change, isn’t it?
Better Late Than Never
The last sentence explains it perfectly. Although there is an expiration date and that is death.
Remember, Everyone Has A Purpose
An Email From My Computer Science Teacher, Who I’m Not Even Taking A Class With This Semester. Genuinely Want To Cry Rn
(Probably) everyone wants to live a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life. But it’s a hard thing to do in practice, especially when you’re bound by doubt, anxiety, and fear. Bored Panda reached out to author Ariane, who has written about health and happiness, to understand what contributes to our satisfaction with life the most. Really, it’s mostly about altruism and having a tight-knit social circle (among a few other things).
“Close, fulfilling relationships with others are one of the most important things when it comes to happiness, whether romantic or platonic. Studies show that the more close friendships and relationships you have, the longer you live,” Ariane shared with Bored Panda. “Volunteering and helping others are also likely to make you happy.”
Be Free To Like Things
Me: yeah, I'm really into real ales and metal music. Rando: oh really? What year was the first IPA sold internationally and what blood type is James Hatfield?
One Letter Makes All The Difference!
This Made Me Really Happy
Other things that play an important role in our overall happiness include being fit, having a fulfilling career, and not focusing on the material side of things too much.
“There are other things that contribute to happiness and well-being including taking regular exercise, eating healthily, having enough money to feel comfortable, having job security, and enjoying experiences rather than possessions,” the writer explained.
True Spirit
Making A Kid’s Day!
Just Let Them Be They
“Self-care and taking time for yourself are also very important. But I'd say close relationships are probably the most essential things to happiness,” she stressed what we should all be focusing on the most.
It’s easy to be kind to someone when we’re feeling great, the sun’s shining, and it’s like we’re on top of the world. It’s far harder when we’re miserable, exhausted, and feeling down. Bored Panda wanted to get Ariane’s advice on how to be nice to someone when we’re down in the dumps and overwhelmed with problems.
Unexpected Coming Out Story
Never Walk Without A Bro
Grandmas Are Always A Bastion Of Wholesomeness
“It's worth remembering that being kind to others can also lift you up too. In fact, the easiest way to take your mind off your own problems is to help someone else with theirs,” she said.
“But if you're feeling really lethargic and low, the best thing is probably to sleep, or at least rest,” the author pointed out that there’s nothing wrong with getting some well-deserved rest. Getting some proper sleep is a piece of advice that really deserves more attention than it gets.
Wear Whatever Makes You Happy!
So many schoolboys protesting their school's dresscode by wearing skirts (not allowed to wear shorts in the heat). Why not just keep the skirt? They are amazingly comfortable in the summer :)
Liberal Arts
I Love Sharing My Book Collection
We were also curious about how people can control their anxiety better, especially if they’re worried about the economy, the war, and the pandemic. Ariane shared some of her thoughts about becoming more resilient during tough times. The important thing here is to control what you can and to let go of what you can’t affect.
“It's a matter of doing what you can to make your own situation better, and then accepting that you can't control everything,” she said. “You can never control everything, and trying will make you even more anxious. But you can control certain things to reduce your risk.”
On A Cathedral Door
Shared Spaces
A Grown Man Indeed
Love this! I can’t imagine that’s not the response she usually gets
Ariane gave an example of how this works: “For instance, I wear an FFP2 mask on the train to work because I can control that, but no one else wears one these days. So it's possible that I'll still get Covid as no one else is masking up, but I just have to accept that, because my train journeys are essential.”
Custom Veganism
My Music Taste
This is so me. My playlist can go from Metallica to Backstreet Boys to Beethoven's 5th
During an earlier in-depth interview, Suzanne Degges-White, Licensed Counselor, Professor, and Chair at the Department of Counseling and Higher Education at Northern Illinois University, shared with Bored Panda how our family values, spiritual beliefs, and even our biology all play a crucial role in our altruistic actions.
"Many of us are raised to believe it is the 'right thing to do.' Basically, all spiritual belief systems have a version of the 'Golden Rule, 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ "We also do good turns because we know that one day we may be in need of a little 'generosity from the universe,' so it's like putting 'money' into a karma account," she shared how people think.
Easy Come, Easy Go
This Dad Is A Legend
Rob Zombie Taking On Anyone Who Wants To Gatekeep Metal
"Lastly, humans are wired so that when we do something kind for another, we feel good about ourselves and neurotransmitters like endorphins and oxytocin have been shown to get a boost when we do something good for another. It is through cooperation that society functions, so the survival of the human race depends on being willing to help others. Family values, spiritual beliefs, and biology all play a part in this motivation," the professor explained to us.
What A Great Sign
Ok Zoomer
Why is gaining knowledge on electronics specifically cell phones etc seen as a bad thing?
I don't quite get why spending time on a cell phone is so bad either. Whether I spend my buss trip reading a book, talking to my seat partner or playing something on my phone, what difference does that make to anyone else?
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What’s wrong with that picture is that some creep is in a museum taking pictures of schoolgirls
I read books on my phone because it is either ridiculously expensive to import them, or impossible to buy them in English. (AIreader is a brilliant app!). So many times I had random people comment on me being on a phone outside, while I was enjoying some beer.
I kinda like reading on my phone for that reason. People assume I'm doomscrolling, and I'm educating myself or reading. Being underestimated gives power.
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What's wrong with that picture - well, what about the objectification of the woman in what was a skin mag for the 18th century wealthy lecher
The information at our fingertips far exceeds what was ever available in the Library of Alexandria.
Agreed. My gallery creates apps for this purpose, and eliminated the digital guides they used to hand out. But I think a well organized tour with a knowledgeable docent, with the app to supplement, would be the full experience.
I know what's wrong with the picture. Some guy is standing in front of a painting with no clue of what it's about,
It’s also possible they took picture of the painting, and are either posting it on their preferred social media site, or sending it, along with a text about it, to their friend(s) or grand/parent(s).
Never quite saw it that way, even if read wikipedia all the time, thank you :)
Not against this post for anything! But...how do we know what they are looking on their phones?
We don´t. But even if they would be browsing social media, texting, or reading Tolstoy, it is their business.
Load More Replies... For me I would be looking at my phone out of boredom. I can't stand art galleries, hence why I never go to them.
It's assumed that they're texting or Tik-Toking. I think us olders need to learn that kids on their phones is a normal sight, and they're not all spacing out in Instagram.
I was at an exhibition of Viking era grave goods etc. in Edinburgh last year, and each exhibit had a QR code you could scan which would take you to a website where you could view a 3D scan of the item and move the image around so you could see it from any angle.
i'll tell you what's wrong, those two girls need to move over, they are pushing the third girl off the bench!
I don't think that these children are looking at anything related to the art of the walls.
I had to let go of cable and phone kept internet to look up things and to learn about the world
I have about 130 tabs open on my phone, all of stories and journals I like to read when I have the chance. I check them daily, sometimes multiple times, especially when on my lunch break or waiting around for something. I'm not just playing games or on social media.
I was at a cafe and heard the person behind me make snide comments about people always on their phone not interacting (direct at my partner and I both being on our phones). Ironically, this couple had spent most of their time with one flipping through a magazine and the other face deep in the news paper. Literally doing exactly what my partner and I were doing, just through different means.
I used to love Bette, but she's really been saying the most ignorant things of late.
In general, I would be in a museum to look at what is around me, not what my phone is doing, buuuut that's just me. I'm a holdout of my generation, not feeling I have to be attached to that thing day and night. On the other hand, what some others have said here carries weight. I don't mind hauling mine around with me to help me look up more information about what is going on around me, and seems to me some museums have apps that do something of this nature. Big learning positive. Curiosity is limitless.
To be fair, the steriotypical young person would be ignoring the paintings (probably on a field trip they aren't really interested in, but glad to be away from home and not in class) and the phone would be on 9Gag, youtube, discord, etc... watching makeup tutorials, chatting, putting filters on selfies, etc...
Yeah, gotta love the museum apps. The Louvre takes it a bit further and rents out nintendo 3ds for people, it totally threw me off for a while seeing the games around everyone's neck. It's a good thing for museums to embrace technology, cell apps or otherwise, if it gets people more interested in the exhibits.
Who cares even they weren't on the museum app? There could be any other number of reasons for them to be on their phones. Or, you know, mind your own f*****g business.
This person could be enjoying the museum themselves, but they are choosing to judge others.
I hate it when people complain about anyone being glued to their phone. It's more than a way to contact people. It's a book, a camera, a calculator, a way to access knowledge I may have never learned, it's so much more than just a phone.
But instead of accessing the abundant palace of knowledge I spend my time here... :/
I have been to this museum before! Philadelphia Museum of Arts, Pennsylvania USA
"Many of us take pride in being of service to others as it is culturally valued and we want to hold significance in our worlds. So when we do good deeds, we show others our willingness to help those in distress/need; we live out faith-based encouragement to treat others the way we would like to be treated, we uphold family values, and our brains get a positive jolt of happiness when we help others.”
Tiredness
Fixed A Stupid Meme
Your Trauma Is Valid
Everyone Gets To Complain About The Weather
Honestly, apparently some other countries have been mocking us in the UK for not being 'able to handle the heat'...WE'RE NOT CONDITIONED FOR IT! Most of us vary between glow-in-the-dark white and cooked lobster red! WE ARE GOOD AT RAIN!
Klingons Kinda Inclusive
its a very good analogy for trans people i suppose Klingons dont care what gender you are as long as you a warrior with honour
It's For All Of You
Do What You Like
in that case, i will leave the note stickers on my piano keys, and continue to play with one hand, until i am ready to play with both hands 😁
Reading Goals
I needed this. I only just completed my 3rd book for the year - its been difficult to find time to sit and read. I am trying to fill more time by reading rather than being online. I hope to have read at least 5 books by the end of the year
Melon Flavored Jellyfish's Mom Says The Gates Are Open
Opening The Gates To Readers Of All Ages
Ambisexual
Gotta Clean Up
I'm Sure Many Of Us Needed To Hear This
F*****g THIS! Everyone has something different that they can do . Sometimes it's petitions ,sometimes it's protests,sometimes it's writing letters ,sometimes it's survival,sometimes it's education. The only path that isn't ok is turning a blind eye to the problem.
Vegan BBQ
Slap Some Dang Rice
Nice Flex
We love a mob psycho 100 reference! A really great and wholesome manga/anime too
Metallica Welcomes Everyone
It's A Big Ask But I'm Behind It
Note: this post originally had 104 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
I learned a lot from this list. I didn't realize i do so much gatekeeping, and i want to decrease it.
Hey when you know better you do better and it's cool you realized it now!
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Friendly reminder: downvotes are NOT dislike buttons. Downvoting a comment just because you don't agree = not cool. If a comment gets downvoted, its author will get banned from the site. So please downvote only in case of obvious spam ("how to make cash") or if someone is literally harrassing a fellow panda
Damn. One downvote that could be a mistake or petty revenge gets the author banned? That sucks.
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I learned a lot from this list. I didn't realize i do so much gatekeeping, and i want to decrease it.
Hey when you know better you do better and it's cool you realized it now!
Load More Replies... Friendly reminder: downvotes are NOT dislike buttons. Downvoting a comment just because you don't agree = not cool. If a comment gets downvoted, its author will get banned from the site. So please downvote only in case of obvious spam ("how to make cash") or if someone is literally harrassing a fellow panda
Damn. One downvote that could be a mistake or petty revenge gets the author banned? That sucks.
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