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Remember 'Cursed Images'? Well, believe it or not, the internet can offer the opposite too. And no, I'm not talking about those fake TikToks where influencers "donate" thousands of dollars to a "complete stranger." No, I'm referring to the subreddit r/BlessedImages.

As its name suggests, this online community is dedicated to wholesome pictures that spread the best vibes. From a dad losing it over an alpaca to a dog showing up at a uni class, it's like an online safe haven. So continue scrolling and get your smile on.

These pictures come as a nice break since the pandemic has been cheating us out of all the good times we live for—the weddings, the vacations, the graduations, even the concerts.

"It disrupted a lot of things that naturally make us happy," cognitive scientist Laurie Santos said.

But do we have the right to smile when the world is facing so many difficult challenges?

"We feel guilty because [we think] ... we don't deserve to be happy because there are people who are experiencing trauma or people going through these bad times" Santos explained. "I think that gets to some kind of misconceptions about how happiness works, that it's this like, zero-sum game." But it's not.

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Blessed_babies

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

That is beyond adorable. Relationship goals in a picture.

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"Social scientists tend to find happiness in kind of two parts. So they tend to think of happiness as being happy in your life, and being happy with your life. So being happy in your life is having these moments of joy. Whether that's chatting with the barista at the coffee shop, paying attention to the beautiful fall leaves outside," Santos said.

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"It's just these moments of true joy, positive emotion in your life. That's not to say that there's no negative emotion. It's just that if you have negative emotion, you want it kind of balanced with these moments of positivity. That's kind of being happy in your life."

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But the scientist highlighted there's also the sense that happiness is about being happy with your life. Basically, it's the sense of meaning we have. It's the answer to the ultimate question: 'All things considered, how satisfied am I with my life right now?"

"It's worth noting that those two forms of happiness can dissociate," Santos said. "One of my deans had a baby recently, and I often use the example of her. Because I think in her life she's so happy, this new meaning that she has with this new bundle of joy. But with her life there's poopy diapers and less sleep and things like that, right?"

Santos thinks we all know someone who has the opposite dissociation, where they have all the worldly comforts possible in their life but are actually feeling really empty inside. So the trick of getting by is basically finding a way to bump up the both of these. Because if we do, we could be actually living a pretty happy life.

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"We are not supposed to be purely happy right now. It would be a non-normative situation where your social connections are getting messed up," Santos said. "Your routines are getting messed up. Literally, people are dying. And to just be perfectly happy-go-lucky and not experience any negative emotion, that would be non-normative. It is the right thing to do right now to have your happiness be affected, to experience some negative emotions. The key, though, is kind of how you take care of yourself in the midst of that."

Ask yourself, do you beat yourself up over having these emotions and run away from them or do you find ways to allow them?

"This idea that, well, I'm not supposed to be happy ... it's for someone else, I'm doing something wrong. No, no, no, we're supposed to experience negative emotion, especially if you're in a situation of unemployment, or losing your job or something like that."

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Blessed_happines Overdose

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

Boop! A greyhound of my acquaintance (a breed not noted for brains) wagged his tail so hard against the door frame it bled, then he carried on wagging madly all down the corridor spreading blood. CSI would have had a field day. And he never realised he'd done it. RIP Prince of my heart

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Santos thinks we sometimes forget that we're not necessarily supposed to be happy all the time. In fact, every now and then negative emotions are important. They can be useful. "The analogy I often use with my students is with physical pain. If you stick your hand on a hot oven, that's going to be painful. That feeling is telling you you need to do something. It's telling you you need to pull your hand away ... I think the sadness, the frustration, the anxiety we're all experiencing, it's telling you you have certain needs that aren't being met in the context of the pandemic."

But that doesn't mean that we must suffer all the time. That would just be pointless. So I hope this list and all of the blessed images in it will serve as a reminder that there's nothing wrong with feeling good.

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#18

Blessed Wool

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#19

Blessed Rat

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

Rats are amazing creatures, if you tickle them they actually laugh and will seek out your hand to do it amazing. So intelligent and loving!

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#20

Blessed Weighing

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

Omg, that bear is the cutest thing i´ve evr seen! (Look at his/hers ears. LOOK AT THEM!)

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#21

Blessed Grandma

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#22

Blessed_cracker

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

I cannot stop laughing at "unattended cracker". And a polite little lady.

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#23

Blessed_poster

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

Had to find out if it made it to day 52, went digging: "As far as the picture goes, a member of McDonald’s corporate office reached out and told them it had to be removed for renovation purposes, but it was going to be auctioned off and the proceeds would go to the Ronald McDonald House Houston charity."

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#24

Blessed Adoption

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

This is a similar way my mom ended up adopting my cat. My mother was at the vet to pick up my dog, and one of the cats there just imprinted on my mom. Turns out, that cat didn't have an owner, so she took him home.

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

"Hey you ginger come here! Yeah you! I think we can match I'm ginger too! Come closer to check! Yeah we match now take me home!"

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

I had a guy come out of some bushes and put his paws on my knees; once I was stopped and looking at him, he stood up on his back feet and explained how someone had dumped him in the middle of nowhere and he was very hungry. Norman lived a very long and happy life, but to the end of his days, he was the best catcher of lizards ever.

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

Cute cat near me that literally ambushes you. She'll spring out of nowhere all "PET MEEEE!".

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

"Come here little ginger, got a secret to tell you, that's right just a bit closer, HA! Got ya now! Okay, let's go home for a tuna lunch !"

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

Happened to me once, the cat went into the hood on my coat so it wasn't easy to get the cat down. 😍 Adorable.

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

Uhm Yeah you're mine now, said the cat to his/her human 😺

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#30

Blessed_friends

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

Truth! I've met several of mine, and we're zooming now we can't fly to meet and such. :-)

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#34

Blessed Paw Prints

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#35

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

Insane - I was just watching “The Little Things”, and said the same thing to my husband!

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#39

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#42

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

"Wait, it's all coming back to me...the climbing, the smashing glass, the screaming, the swearing..."

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#43

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

I read that people keep petting/touching the dog part that's why its shiny. I would do the same.

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#45

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

All hail your mallardjesty (yes I know he's not a mallard but I couldn't help myself)

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#50

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Note: this post originally had 60 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.