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There are plenty of things that can comfort us: a warm hug from mom or dad, a gooey chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven, a puppy curling up in your lap to take a nap, and even some information about our world that can provide you a bit of hope. While the rest of the internet is flooded with news that might make your faith in humanity shrivel up, this article can be a brief break from all of that to experience a few moments of peace.

A week ago, Reddit user Subornion posted on Ask Reddit requesting readers to respond with some “VERY comforting facts”, and lucky for us, many people delivered. The post received over 13k comments, featuring a host of interesting and uplifting fun facts, so we’ve gathered some of our favorites down below for you to read, as well as interviews with Subornion about how this conversation began in the first place and Corey Ferreira, co-founder of the meditation app Declutter the Mind, about how meditation can bring our lives some comfort. Be sure to upvote the responses that make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, and then if you’re interested in learning even more positive facts, check out this Bored Panda piece next.

#1

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered
Switzerland has implemented a scheme ‘Time Bank’; which is an old-age assistance programme, under which, people can volunteer to look after the elderly who require assistance, and then, the number of hours they spend with or caring for seniors gets deposited in their individual social security account.Eventually, when the volunteer reaches that old age when he or she requires support, this ‘Time Bank’ can help them by providing time-based services which include consultations, babysitting, hairdressing, gardening, tutoring, or any other time-consuming job in addition to being looked after by a volunteer as well.About 34 countries are trying to apply this scheme.

Very Wholesome and humane!

ek_su_as , Matthias Zomer Report

With the hustle and bustle of our daily routines, it can be hard to make time for anything that bring us joy or comfort. Wake up, commute to a stressful job, work for 8 hours, sit in rush hour on the way home, return home to face responsibilities and chores, rinse and repeat. We get so caught up in our obligations that we forget to stop and smell the roses. I urge you to take the next 10 minutes while you read this article to take some deep breaths, play some relaxing music, grab a warm cup of tea or coffee, and fully embrace some comfort. Don’t feel guilty about it. You deserve a moment of rest.

We reached out to Subornion on Reddit to hear her thoughts on this topic. She told Bored Panda that nothing in particular inspired her to start this conversation last week, but she’s very happy with how the post turned out. When asked why we all need to hear some comforting facts every now and then, and she told us, “Honestly, especially with what's happening in the US, sometimes our faith in humanity needs to be restored, and this post allowed hundreds of people to help each other with that.” She is referring to the Supreme Court's recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, eliminating millions of Americans' access to safe abortions. That devastating news is certainly a valid reason to seek out some positivity.

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#2

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered There is a group of bikers called bikers against child abuse who support child abuse victims in court by looking tough and giving the kids confidence to testify against their abusers it’s actually an international group

buffkirby , Paul L Dineen Report

We also asked Subornion if any of the responses to her post particularly resonated with her. “The responses that meant the most to me were the ones that talked about how they genuinely appreciated a post like this,” she told us. “And also that one comment that talked about how rats giggle to themselves.” We're thankful Subornion sparked this conversation, because now we all get to receive a little comfort from strangers on the internet too. 

It is amazing how soothing a few words on a screen can be. According to Dr. Andrew Newberg and Dr. Mark Robert Waldman, co-authors of the book Words Can Change Your Brain, “A single word has the power to influence the expression of genes that regulate physical and emotional stress.” Their book even explains how exercising positive thinking can affect how we perceive reality. “By holding a positive and optimistic [word] in your mind, you stimulate frontal lobe activity. This area includes specific language centers that connect directly to the motor cortex responsible for moving you into action. And as our research has shown, the longer you concentrate on positive words, the more you begin to affect other areas of the brain.”

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#3

Crows will let other crows know if you’re a good person. Feeding a crow in your backyard can quickly become many crows over time since the rumour spreads. And nearby crows in your area will know you as one they like. They can also be known to be protective of you and even bring you gifts. Sufficed to say, crows are one of the most intelligent creatures on the planet and they are truly underrated

BaldEagleNor Report

One great way you can find a little comfort in your daily life is by practicing meditation, so we reached out to Corey Ferreira, co-founder of Declutter the Mind to hear from an expert on the topic. First, we wanted to know how Corey became interested in meditation in the first place. "Many years ago when I was 17, I was on a high school field trip where we as a class, visited different monasteries, churches, and temples to learn about world religions," he told us. "When we visited a Buddhist temple, we were taught by a monk how to meditate. While we were too young and rambunctious to appreciate it and understand it, when I later went home it stuck with me. It certainly made me feel different, especially as a young introvert with a racing mind. For years I thought I 'knew' or understood meditation, but it wasn't until my mid-twenties when I went on my first Vipassana meditation retreat that I began to deepen my practice and carry it over to my daily life."

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#4

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered There is a type of mold growing on/around the Elephant's Foot in Chernobyl. This mold eats radiation, and the radioactivity of the Elephant's Foot has decreased drastically since the mold started growing there. idk, it's just comforting to me that the planet can heal no matter how bad the scar we left.

quietfangirl Report

We also asked Corey to share some of the benefits we can experience from meditation. "The reason meditation is often called a 'practice' is because it's taking time out of your day to practice mindfulness. When you practice this enough with meditation, you can start to live more mindfully and in the present moment in your daily life," he explained. "What this truly means to me is that you stop living life on auto-pilot. You stop getting caught up in the momentum of your life, and living at the whim of your emotions, thoughts, and immediate reactions. Life is a little less of a blur and thus, I'm able to really appreciate things, people, and places instead of being lost in thought or living in my head constantly. This has a lot of side effects. Being a more mindful person and living a more examined life can make you happier, calmer, patient, empathetic, grateful, and just improve overall wellbeing and mental health."

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#5

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered All of the cardigans Mister Rogers wore on camera were knit by his mother.

vgvvhvhjvvb Report

Corey even shared some tips for people who are interested in meditation but just don't know where to start. "Of course, thanks to technology, you don't need to go on a retreat or find a teacher to learn how to meditate or do a simple practice. While that's great for those who can and want to do it, you could start with a simple online 5 minute guided practice. You can either find one on YouTube, or from a podcast, or of course, a guided meditation app like ours, Declutter The Mind, which is free to download and use. I would recommend anyone interested start with a simple 5 minute mindfulness meditation practice and use their breath as an anchor for their attention. And it's really just as simple as watching the breath and body breathe on its own, and whenever the mind wanders, or you catch your mind lost in thought, you gently bring it back to the breath. Repeating this process helps build that mindfulness muscle, that we can then more easily use outside of the practice and in our daily lives."

Lastly, Corey wanted to add that, "Meditation doesn't need to be 'woo-woo' or have any spiritual or religious contexts to be effective. We all know what living in the moment, being present, and entering flowstates feels like. This is simply a way to practice this so we can get there more in our daily lives. Of course, there are levels to it and ways to deepen your practice and learn about some ideas and philosophies around the mind, consciousness, and ego. But start simple and seek out the teachers and practices that offer you something rational and simple."

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#6

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered The dog estimates the time of your return home by how much of your smell is left in the house from your morning routine.

1sno , Kara Eads Report

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Juan Ghote
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cats, on the other hand, couldn't care less until the food stops appearing.

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Corey discussed some of the benefits of meditating already, but let's dive in a bit deeper. According to Healthline, there are plenty of science-backed benefits ranging from reducing stress to helping fight addiction. In one eight-week-long study, regular practice of mindfulness meditation “resulted in [participants having] a significantly smaller post-stress inflammatory response”. Similarly, meditation can help us keep our anxiety under control, as mindfulness meditation has been found to reduce symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. When we are not dealing with crippling stress and anxiety, we have more energy to explore the hobbies we love and strengthen our relationships with friends and family members. Finding just 15 minutes to practice meditation every day might go a long way.   

#7

I once found a ladybug in my room in the middle of winter. I tried to look up if I could feed it somehow, and found countless other people asking the same question.

The world is full of people who have compassion enough to feed a lone bug in the winter.

virora Report

#8

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered Sometimes dogs in movies have to have CGI tails because they keep wagging their tails. They are just so happy to be there!

Aggravating-Team8249 , Artem Beliaikin Report

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#9

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered Sea otters hold hands when they sleep to keep from drifting apart.

Mr_Moose_Moose , wikimedia Report

Meditation has also been found to promote emotional health and increase our self-awareness. One medical review including trials with over 3,500 participants found that mindfulness meditation can improve symptoms of depression. By increasing positive thoughts and lessening symptoms of depression, individuals are less likely to dwell on negative news and more likely to accept comforting information. Using meditation to increase self-awareness is also a great trick to steer our mindsets into a more positive direction. The better we know ourselves, the easier it is to set boundaries around following negative news cycles and seek out more constructive media or activities instead.    

#10

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered India's tiger population grew from 1,411 in 2006 to 2,967 tigers as per the 2018 census. Based on the best available information, tiger populations are stable or increasing in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Russia and China. But much more work is needed to protect this species if we are to secure its future in the wild.

SuvenPan , Vincent van Zalinge Report

#11

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered It's illegal in Switzerland to own just one guinea pig. You have to have at least two if you want to have any. Guinea pigs get lonely.

ILoveBydgoszcz , Pixabay Report

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MJ Wiech
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do you have any lovebirds? -- - Yes. --- One, please.

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#12

Obama was the president for 8 years.

Confederacy existed for 4 years.

America had a black president longer than the confederacy existed.

kausar2 Report

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Jihana
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Four years? Really? I did not know that. Considering how big a deal the confederacy still is to some Americans I thought it existed longer. But to be honest I never really gave it any thought.

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Do you have trouble focusing for extended periods of time? Meditation might be the answer for that as well. Healthline reported that, “One study found that people who listened to a meditation tape experienced improved attention and accuracy while completing a task, compared with those in a control group.” Focusing our minds is just like any other exercise, practice makes perfect. Meditation can help us work out our memory muscles as well, as another study found that various meditation techniques can help older individuals increase their attention spans, memories and mental sharpness. So if you have noticed that your brain is just not as quick as it used to be, have no fear. The meditation gurus of the internet are here!

#13

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered Bees inform their friends about good flowers nearby by dancing.

ILoveBydgoszcz , Dmitry Grigoriev Report

#15

Housecats would meow and wait by the bathroom door if you don’t let them in while you’re in.

They do this because in nature, animals are open to dangers while “using the bathroom”, and your cat is just trying to protect you from the dangers of indoor plumbing!

beekome Report

If you struggle to find ways to incorporate random acts of kindness into your daily life, meditation might be able to inspire you in that regard as well. There is a specific type of meditation called metta, that focuses on cultivating kindness for all beings. One month-long study of 50 university students found that by practicing metta meditation 3 times a week, they were able to improve their positive emotions, interpersonal interactions and understanding of others. Similarly, people struggling with addiction can even use meditation to help manage their emotions, cravings and stress. By understanding themselves better and exercising more compassion, it is possible for people battling addiction to use meditation to reduce triggers and seek out healthier coping mechanisms. 

#16

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered Nurse here.

If you're having a general anaesthetic for a routine operation, and worried about dying while under, please be aware there are about 7 different "levels" of stuff we can do to bring you back.

So if the thing we normally do doesn't work, we've got plan B, then we've got plans C, D, E, F, G& H. ( and we rarely need to even go to Plan C, let alone the rest!)

It's ridiculously rare for you to never wake up from a routine op, of course it happens occasionally, but for every case you've heard about it happening, there's THOUSANDS of identical operations where it didn't. I've been qualified 15 years and it's literally never happened anywhere I've worked.

Icy-Revolution1706 , Pixabay Report

#17

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered If 99 percent of the world population finds you unattractive, there are still 78 million people in the world that find you attractive.

That's a lot of people.



Edit: Thanks to u/TrixieLurker that commented the actual amount.

trevorium117 , Joseph Chan Report

#18

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered A cat meows just for humans to hear them. And a dog dreams of its owner when it sleeps.

CreepyForest2 , Sandy Millar Report

So if you are interested in embarking on a meditation journey to find some inner peace and comfort in your daily life, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Thankfully, the internet is full of podcasts and blogs with recorded meditations and tips for how to delve into the world of peace and serenity. Don’t be overwhelmed at first; you can start small with only a few minutes each day. In fact, according to neuroscientist Amishi Jha, there is an exact prescription for the minimum dose of effective meditation. After conducting numerous studies with her team, Amishi found that the exact cocktail to see benefits from your meditation training over the course of a month is 12 minutes per day, 5 days a week.   

#19

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered There’s a place in Japan called “Capybara land” where you can hang out with capybaras and see them chilling in hotsprings

Fandoms_local_Kiwi , Karen Lau Report

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#20

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered Zebras rest with their heads on each other’s backs so they can literally watch their zebra buddy’s back. Plus it looks like a zebra hug.

Spuriousantics , wikimedia Report

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Nathaniel
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They also register as tinned tomatoes when they get scanned at the supermarket.

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#21

90% of what can kill us on this earth luckily for us lives in some distant place called Australia.

Ouroboros612 Report

To get into the habit of meditating to get your daily dose of comfort, Mindful.com recommends setting reminders around your home to avoid forgetting for days at a time. A note on the refrigerator or your bathroom mirror, an event in your phone’s calendar at a designated time each day, your yoga mat sitting out in the living room begging for your attention until it gets used. It can be difficult to build habits, but once you have incorporated meditating into your routine, your body and mind will crave those minutes of serenity.

#22

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered Petting animals lowers cortisol.

Level-Class-8367 , Mel Elías Report

#23

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered If you make it to the airport without dying, you've already passed the deadliest part of plane travel.

SnooWoofers455 , Danila Hamsterman Report

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Desdemona Adelaide
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm assuming everyone who has died in a plane crash *also* made it to the airport without dying

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#24

Most seahorses are monogamous and mate for life. Young seahorses actually go on “dates” with their prospective partner before settling and starting to procreate. They can also be seen swimming in pairs with their tails linked together

pancakebunny15 Report

When you finally sit down to meditate, it can be difficult to stop your mind from wandering. Guided meditations can be the perfect solution to this problem. There are infinite options out there, helping listeners focus on their breath, posture, emotions and more. You can do a body scan to help release any little ache or pain you may be feeling or even try a walking meditation if staying in one place feels too restrictive. If you want to work on showing compassion towards yourself and the world around you, try out a loving-kindness meditation. There are endless possibilities for meditation, and if you’re looking for a good place to start, I recommend using Mindful.com’s guide right here.

#25

Baby puffins are called PUFFLINGS

Which is about as adorable as it gets. I find comfort in that.

Bomber42069710 Report

#26

Thought i would share this, irish philosophy when it’s best 😜
Why Worry
In life, there are only two things to worry about—
Either you are well or you are sick.
If you are well, there is nothing to worry about,
But if you are sick, there are only two things to worry about—
Either you will get well or you will die.
If you get well, there is nothing to worry about,
But if you die, there are only two things to worry about—
Either you will go to heaven or hell.
If you go to heaven, there is nothing to worry about.
And if you go to hell, you’ll be so busy shaking hands with all your friends
You won’t have time to worry!

ManOfDoors Report

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Elliot Fowler
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like this saying. Plus I love how the last part about shaking your friend#s hands in hell can be interpreted as a warning against having bad friends. Who you keep around you really does influence your life.

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#27

My city has a no kill shelter, the animals have nice beds, and get walks. People come and read to them. The cats are all together in a big area with toys and scratching post, people come to pet them.

Jacke4ever Report

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Ozacoter
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sometimes shelters can be so stupid... our local shelter did only allowed you to take one dog for a 30m walk. So if you had more time or you wanted to go more days you couldnt. Their dogs could be much more socialized and walked but they refused because of their stuborness.

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We hope this list has helped you take some deep breaths, giggle a little or restore a tad bit of your faith in humanity. Enjoy the rest of these comforting facts about people, animals and our planet, and be sure to upvote all of your favorites. Let us know if you have any more uplifting information that might make someone else’s day, and don’t forget to incorporate a bit of comfort into your daily life. Anything from enjoying a piece of your favorite chocolate to sending an “I love you” text to your partner can go a long way in breaking up the mundanity.

#28

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered Your pets will forgive you if you accidentally step on them

fluffybear45 , CJ Infantino Report

#29

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered You can talk to your pet rabbit by quickly pushing your lips downwards and upwards as if you were trying to look up your nose in a mirror. Do it quickly and you're chatting. It mimics the nose movements they make and you can see them wiggle their noses faster out of interest. Copy their rhythm to and watch them talk back.

Also, stomping your foot like they do as well as turning your back on them when annoyed is understood too. If they have chewed something they shouldn't have you can stomp one foot and turn around with your arms folded. Have a look over your shoulder to make sure they see you. They should come to check on you and if they don't stomp and make sure they see your back is turned. Eventually they get it and come over to make sure your ok. Then let the nose waggling commence.

You can expect them to do the same to you as well, like when you clean their enclosure.

B3ARDGOD , Mike B Report

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#30

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered Monarch butterfly populations are doing better. Not out of the dark, but better. I found a monarch caterpillar on my milkweed the other day.

alpacaification , Cindy Gustafson Report

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Michelle Carlson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have a bunch of milkweed that has started growing in our flower beds and we just let it do its thing. It's not a weed at all to us! Plus we love seeing the butterflies and bees.

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#31

My dog will always love me no matter how bad I f**k up in life. Although it might be a bit sad, she truly is my best friend.

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Kate Jones
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Your pet doesn't care how fat you are, or if you're ugly. They don't care if you do something embarrassing or if you walk around naked. They don't care if you do something wrong. They just want to love you. I can't understand people who abuse dogs because literally all they want is to make you happy and they love you unconditionally. They don't even have to know why, if you lift your voice to talk to them, their tails will start wagging. If you're happy, they are, too.

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#32

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered Tarantulas keep tiny frogs as pets sometimes

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#33

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered There's an island in Japan populated only by bunnies

Gyor-Moson-Sopron , Lucie Hošová Report

#34

Cats blink when they like you.

RNNDONL Report

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Scout Finch
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's supposed to mean I love you. You do it real slow. I tried it with my mom's cat. She did it back...or she's scheming me.

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#35

Someone Asked For ‘Very Comforting Facts,’ And 35 People Delivered Know that really embarrassing thing you did? Well, there's a high likelihood no one else remembers it. If they do life will give them far more experiences that one thing will seem like nothing in comparison.

ForsakenDirection932 , karatara Report

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