Something is healing and powerful about stories that makes us pause, smile, and feel extremely positive.
The journalists and content creators who focus on these moments are doing important work - not as "fluff" pieces, but as reminders of human resilience, creativity, and joy.
Some of the best feel-good storytelling comes from people who find the extraordinary in ordinary moments: the local reporter who covers a community rallying around a neighbor, the podcaster who digs into the surprising origins of everyday things, or the social media creator who highlights small acts of kindness that ripple outward.
What's interesting is how these stories often reveal deeper truths about what matters to us. A viral video of strangers helping someone might spark conversations about community. A story about an unexpected friendship can challenge our assumptions. Even something as simple as a baby animal at a zoo can give us a shared moment of delight in an otherwise heavy news cycle.
Here are some wonderful sources for feel-good stories and the people behind them: Podcasts & Audio.
- The Happiness Lab (Dr. Laurie Santos) - Science-backed stories about what actually makes us happy
- The Moth - True personal stories told live, often heartwarming and human
- Everything Happens (Kate Bowler) - Conversations about meaning and joy even in hard times
- Nice Try! - Explores utopian experiments and human optimism
- Reasons to be Cheerful - Solutions journalism co-founded by David Byrne
- The Solutions Journalism Network - Focuses on responses to problems, not just the problems
- Positive News - Magazine dedicated to constructive journalism
- Upworthy - Viral stories with heart and purpose
- Some Good News (started by John Krasinski) - Though the original show ended, the concept lives on
- Tank's Good News (Tank Sinatra) - Instagram account sharing daily uplifting stories
- The Dodo - Animal rescue and heartwarming pet stories
- SoulPancake - Created by Rainn Wilson, explores life's big questions with joy
- Yes Theory - Seeking discomfort and human connection