As much as we love the internet for giving us an endless supply of knowledge and inspiration, it can sometimes be a pretty grim place. Every time we go online, we seem to face an onslaught of alarming headlines, rude comments, and heated controversial debates. If you can relate, then you're in great need of some positivity to show you that it’s not all bad.
Fortunately, today’s post is all about balancing out the scales by injecting some wholesomeness into our lives. Enter the 'Now That's The Stuff' Instagram account, full of the most soul-soothing and cheerful stories people share online in hopes of lifting others’ spirits. From hilarious coincidences to the most heartwarming acts of kindness, their posts remind us how selfless, thoughtful, and generous people can be.
With 173K followers and counting, this page serves as a breath of fresh air for anyone who might be feeling a bit down. So get ready to be showered in positivity because we at Bored Panda have collected some of the best posts from the page. Continue scrolling and upvote the ones you enjoyed most!
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If you feel a slight concern for humanity right now, you might find comfort in knowing you’re definitely not the only one. News that we see on screens and in the media tends to focus on more negative occurrences. Unfortunately, such information can affect how we feel, and we all know how hard it may be to disperse those dark clouds that start looming over our heads.
Moreover, being bombarded with the worst scenarios every day eventually leads to getting tired of it, and that could be a sign it's time to take a short break or try to balance everything out with some positive content. We’re lucky to have cheerful outlets like the 'Now That's The Stuff' Instagram account that provides us with a quick distraction from the bleak headlines and adds a dash of happiness in challenging times.
Reading about wholesome encounters and incidents can make us feel slightly better about our world and remind us there are plenty of wonderful things that should be celebrated and applauded by as many people as possible. After all, creating joy is a major part of moving past the fear and anxiety we might be feeling today and may help us fight the uncertainty over the future.
Now that is the kind of leader you want running your country! Bravo Sir!
I'd like to see one of those bullies talk smack on that day. Not many more honorable things can a person do, than to stand up for someone who can't stand up for themselves.
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Why would parents of other students complain about in which class she is in? That's none of their buissiness!
Because she is "wrong" and "other". And it will raise questions from the children the parents don't want to answer.
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Bullying should never happen, but I'm not naive and know it probably always will but ADULTS trying to get her removed from the class... Makes me feel sick, disgusted, angry and ashamed to say we're the same species. Good on the President!
and also school management which makes her out of the class to sit completely alone in some school hall with only one heater next to her desk because those kids and parents said she is not welcomed in their class!
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Attended this school where a Down syndrome kid was treated like a vermin by his classmates and pretty much everyone. Used to sit with him at the start of recess until his mum came with his lunch.
I shake your hand for that Jojo, that was very noble of you and that makes you a terrific human being. I've shared schools with students with disabilities all my life, I myself have a mild disability. I have a learning disability and I was in Special Ed classes for that from the time I was in kindergarten to the time I dropped out of high school like an idiot. It doesn't matter what kind of disability an individual has. We're all human beings, we're all equal. We're all brothers and sisters man. Soooo, we should all be treated as such. We may be different, but we're also all the same. We cry, we cry tears. We laugh, we laugh laughter. We bleed, and we bleed red. Why should we have hate for one another? I can be a d**k sometimes, not gonna lie. But, don't let me be misunderstood, because even then, I don't have a hateful bone in my body. I have love, for all. I'm just a grump-ass sometimes, that's all xD
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Persons with Down Syndrome are certainly the kindest people on Earth! Those "adults" have no idea about the love and joy they bring to those around them!
In my opinion people with Down Syndrome have some of the most beautiful smiles on the planet. They light up an entire room with each smile and instantly make my day better.
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Love it! We need leaders like this. Notice her is not surrounded by flashy cars, protection and an entourage of employees. We need leaders like this
Take it please. This is just only one when he did right, and even this was just a little bit late reaction. And yes they didn't do with flashy cars because is PR.
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What kind of person can bully a child as sweet looking as this little girl? Why would parents complain that she was in the class... did they think Down Syndrome is contagious? Most of these children are the sweetest and most affectionate little kids, and I am thrilled that she found not just a champion, but the most powerful guy in the land to stand up for her.
Was the girl being violent though? There was a special needs boy that kept punching my daughter and when i talked to the teacher and then the principal about keeping him from punching my daughter they turned on ME! They chewed me out, asked if i'd want him kept in a cage... FFS! I just wanted my daughter to be able to go to school and not get punched! What a MONSTER i am! ‐.‐
Oh damn, you got a dirty deal there. You said or did NOTHING wrong, you did what any good, normal parent would've done, which was putting the well being of your child first and foremost. I would've reported both, the dumbass teacher and the STUPIDass principle. Not for nothing, your daughter went to school to get an education, not to be that kid's punching bag 😏 Like come on, wtf man..🤦🏻♂️
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In the face of huge challenges across the globe and here in the US. we are also witnessing the most amazing responses in the face of cowardice, hatred and the pettiness. I wish we had that kind of real commitment to people in my nation.
And that is why eastern europe is still so behind with a general societal attitude like this 🤮🤮🤮 (i’m bulgarian so next door)
You know, America’s tendency to always segregate disabled students into “special ed” just internalizes the dehumanization they go through every day. And complaining about someone being included like an actual human being is monstrous. I would know.
Bullying kids have hard lessons they need to learn, and their parents need to step up to their responsibilities. Wait.....what?...the parents did what?
I remember this story but I heard she was being bullied by other students, not that the parents didn't want her. Either way, he still did a good thing by supporting her.
maybe you don't speak macedonian and read only short translationed news. in macedonian you can read several news on this topic and you wouldn't believe what you've read! at some point school management sent her in some school hall to sit completely alone, with small heater next to the desk. after social service urged, they put her back in the class and again sent her back alone in the hall 'cause other students' parents complained...
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I hope it worked to stop the bigotry from the parents and their kids.
In Belgium we include children. It's not perfect but at least we think of the possibility. We are all human and our needs are personal for every single person.
Trump would have made fun of her too and tripped her if she walked past him....
Contrast with trump making fun of someone's speech impediment. How is it that Americans With all our advantages Voted for that pc of garbage
wasnt she violent towards her peers ? i think i have read that about this case
other kids' parents laid she is but social service found that she is opposite of violent
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Got to love people that do things like this. When my mother first battled cancer we had an issue with the boiler, the local plumber knew my mother since he was a boy. After the second call out he took 13yo me with him to teach me how to do the relatively easy and safe fix for the issue to save us having to get him out to do it (not that he charged anyhow but we would be without heating until he could come round).
While uplifting stories make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside, they inspire us to do good as well. When we look at examples of how people lend a helping hand to their families, friends, communities, or total strangers, we want to contribute as well. And it probably won’t come as a surprise to hear that when we help others, we help ourselves as well.
There’s an abundance of research that says showing kindness fills our lives with happiness, improves our well-being, and can even lengthen the time we have on this beautiful planet. To find out what an expert had to say about this, we previously reached out to Stephen G. Post, Ph.D., a medical school professor, opinion leader, and author of Why Good Things Happen to Good People.
The professor explained there is a well-known psychological tendency for our actions to affect emotion. Like when we smile, even if we are not especially happy, the action itself will elevate our mood. "There is an emotional 'shift effect' that does not take long, really about one hour in adolescents, perhaps two hours in adults," he said.
Post added that helping also diverts attention from the self and its problems. "[It] engages the mesolimbic pathway, which releases one of the happiness chemicals dopamine. When engaged, this tends to shut down pathways associated with destructive emotions like rumination, hostility, and anxiety."
He provided an example of how volunteering improves our well-being: a survey of 5K American adults indicated 41 percent of them volunteered about 100 hours per year or an estimated couple of hours a week. The vast majority of the participants, 70 to 90 percent, said they felt happier, more resilient, and physically healthier. Moreover, they had better friendships and found more meaning in their everyday life, Post told us.
"Studies indicate it is good to get together with fellow helpers to debrief and process the experience," Post added. It appears that when we are forming fulfilling and enduring relationships with other people, it adds a lot. Creating small circles of trust is good for reflection and can bring value to our lives.
"Our friends are no longer just the folks we hang out with or part with. Helpers report deeper relationships formed in the community of fellow helpers," Post said and noted it’s always good to celebrate giving.
The incredible part came immediately after the show ended, when all the dogs gave a standing ovation. No word yet on how they managed that...
"As one who has managed several large volunteer programs, it is best to let helpers self-select the activity or venue they prefer." Sometimes they only want to do the things they are good at, other times they want to try something entirely new. "Some report a flow state of deep immersion and satisfaction, even a loss of a sense of time," Post said.
If you feel that volunteering or making grand gestures is not your cup of tea, there are small steps you can take every day to make people around you just a bit happier. Dr. Stephen Post would like to remind you that it’s "not the amount of helping others that matters, but helping from the heart." He advises starting with small things done with kindness. "I like to Stop, Look and Listen mindfully to people around me so I can notice their needs better," he explained, adding that chronological rush can keep us from observing or hearing others’ needs.
However, we’re well aware that life can sometimes be difficult. Even when we’re driven by the best of intentions, we may get affected by unexpected situations and adversities in our personal lives that can make it hard to support others. Post mentioned there is a side of "human nature that humiliates and de-dignifies others. It is widely expressed."
But the good news is that we are all wired for altruism and kindness. "So we must always remember that everyone has that wonderful generous kindly flip side of the coin. The negative is just a part of the story," he concluded.
Just because one has a degree, doesn't mean that they're automatically entered into that fields workforce. I went to school for my associates in computer networking, but no one would hire me because I didn't have experience, I never really did do much with that degree unfortunately because of that. But I have worked for Starbucks before, and trust me when I say you can do a lot worse. They're one of the few companies that offer health benefits for part-time employees.
That was a lovely gesture. Get more girls into science! In my physics class in High School, I was one of 3 girls!
my daugther and I did the same in the Louis-Hyppolite tunnel with Cotton Eye Joe!! a couple of cars rolled with us and we had a blast!!
Note: this post originally had 102 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
Now THIS is this stuff that brought me to Bored Panda in the first place! Not the USA bashing, man- bashing, politicking, Reddit- repeating posts that are so full of negativity and don't do anything to help uplift the readers. We need more of this! We can get the other stuff everywhere else, please and thank you .
Absolutely love these more wholesome posts - keep em coming! Feel like we need more reasons to smile these days
And now here's a feel good story from me! Norman, the puppet from the music video to Interpol's song "Evil", who was abandoned and left to rot for 20 years, has now been fully restored thanks to some dedicated fans who donated to his repair fund. The little guy is good as new and can finally sing that song again! https://youtu.be/RZoDQsE7fyo
Oh, we're doing feel-good stories, too? Well, there's a lady in Nebraska who drives to her local rest-stop everyday during the dry season to feed and water the prairie dogs (ground squirrels) that live behind the station. They're now so tame that they'll let the visitors cuddle them while they sit and eat their picnics.
Load More Replies... Slightly drunk, upvoted just about everything and crying happy tears
I was running a severe SMILES deficit today, so thank you for this. I think I made my daily quota.
This was so fun to read through all the posts. thank you. Right now the news is so bad all the time...this is such a refreshing read! Nice to see the good side of so many strangers!
Loved most of these. Please, please stop using disabled people as "positivity porn" though. As a wheelchair user I get this all of the time and in so many groups people with all types of disabilities really dislike it. It's infantalising. We want real accessibility, in schools/work and public life, and just to be treated as everyone else!
Bookmarked this to reread when I'm having a bad day or the world is having a bad day.
I find the best Instagram accounts to follow here on Bored Panda. Thank you! :-)
Anyone else feel like a horrible and useless human being after reading these stories? Like, I feel like I should just go die lol.
It seems like you missed the “you’re never too old to improve” post. Start small and work your way up. If you like animals, call a local shelter and ask what they need. If you like cooking, find a local retirement home and ask if you can make some desserts or something. Like building stuff, fixing stuff, painting, playing music, whatever - there are people near you whose lives would be better with you involved. I believe in you. You’ve got this.
Load More Replies... Now THIS is this stuff that brought me to Bored Panda in the first place! Not the USA bashing, man- bashing, politicking, Reddit- repeating posts that are so full of negativity and don't do anything to help uplift the readers. We need more of this! We can get the other stuff everywhere else, please and thank you .
Absolutely love these more wholesome posts - keep em coming! Feel like we need more reasons to smile these days
And now here's a feel good story from me! Norman, the puppet from the music video to Interpol's song "Evil", who was abandoned and left to rot for 20 years, has now been fully restored thanks to some dedicated fans who donated to his repair fund. The little guy is good as new and can finally sing that song again! https://youtu.be/RZoDQsE7fyo
Oh, we're doing feel-good stories, too? Well, there's a lady in Nebraska who drives to her local rest-stop everyday during the dry season to feed and water the prairie dogs (ground squirrels) that live behind the station. They're now so tame that they'll let the visitors cuddle them while they sit and eat their picnics.
Load More Replies... Slightly drunk, upvoted just about everything and crying happy tears
I was running a severe SMILES deficit today, so thank you for this. I think I made my daily quota.
This was so fun to read through all the posts. thank you. Right now the news is so bad all the time...this is such a refreshing read! Nice to see the good side of so many strangers!
Loved most of these. Please, please stop using disabled people as "positivity porn" though. As a wheelchair user I get this all of the time and in so many groups people with all types of disabilities really dislike it. It's infantalising. We want real accessibility, in schools/work and public life, and just to be treated as everyone else!
Bookmarked this to reread when I'm having a bad day or the world is having a bad day.
I find the best Instagram accounts to follow here on Bored Panda. Thank you! :-)
Anyone else feel like a horrible and useless human being after reading these stories? Like, I feel like I should just go die lol.
It seems like you missed the “you’re never too old to improve” post. Start small and work your way up. If you like animals, call a local shelter and ask what they need. If you like cooking, find a local retirement home and ask if you can make some desserts or something. Like building stuff, fixing stuff, painting, playing music, whatever - there are people near you whose lives would be better with you involved. I believe in you. You’ve got this.
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