You’ve heard of doomscrolling. Now introducing: “bloomscrolling.” An antidote to the former term, bloomscrolling refers to filling your social media feeds with happy, inspiring content (not unlike the stories you read here in Nice News). According to Psychology Today, “if doomscrolling narrows the soul, bloomscrolling gently reopens it.” Watch some examples, and then get to curating your socials accordingly.
Must Reads
Meet Hong Wang, the first Chinese woman (and third woman ever) to be awarded the world’s most prestigious mathematics prize
File This Under: Accomplishments — Why You Should Make a Brag Folder
Carol Yepes—Moment/Getty Images
As a Nice News reader, you probably tend to see the positives in other people and situations — but unfortunately, that can be a lot harder to do when it comes to ourselves. In fact, our brains are wired to fixate on negative things like criticism or failure. So to balance out that inner critic, some psychologists recommend making a “brag folder.” Like it sounds, a brag folder is a digital or analog place to jot down your wins, none too small. The folder might include career milestones, personal highlights, kind words from friends, and any and all moments that made you feel proud. Mementos like thank-you texts from friends, congratulatory emails, and certificates and awards belong in the brag folder too. A continuous log of life’s highs can be helpful for practical purposes (annual performance reviews and such), but it’s also a good way to change your viewpoint when that not-so-nice voice in your head creeps in. “It’s easy to see how far you have to go instead of celebrating how far you’ve come,” Cindra Kamphoff, a performance psychologist in Minneapolis, told Time magazine. She added: “We think confidence is built by chasing perfection, but it’s really built by recognizing progress.” If the thought of doing this makes you feel self-indulgent or silly, consider the time-tested advice to talk to yourself the way you’d talk to a friend, and try reframing bragging as acknowledging. Harvind Singh, the CEO of a consulting engineering firm in Chicago who started keeping a brag log, said: “Being humble doesn’t mean you don’t acknowledge what you’ve done.” Learn how to make your own brag folder, maybe even today.
Together With FinanceBuzz
Older Americans Can Receive These 10 Benefits
Born between 1941 and 1969? You may not be taking advantage of all the age-related benefits available to you. Your 50s, 60s, and 70s are prime time to continue building lasting wealth. You may have already nailed the basics — like retirement savings and smart shopping — but there are some overlooked strategies that could take your finances even further. Click below to learn more from the experts at FinanceBuzz.
He Drove Cross-Country in a “Giant Purple Van” to Interview Inspiring Americans
Courtesy of Curiosity Mobile
Before setting out from Los Angeles in a “giant purple van” emblazoned with the words Curiosity Mobile, Scott Shigeoka was feeling unusually pessimistic about the state of the country. Like most of us, his newsfeed had been dominated by negativity, and despite his sunny disposition, he wasn’t exactly brimming with hope. That would soon change. During a six-month road trip across the U.S. that concluded June 13 at the TED Democracy event in Philadelphia, the author and curiosity expertconnected with everyday people effecting meaningful change in their communities. He aimed to address what he calls the “belief gap,” a concept based on research that suggests most Americans desire to live in a democracy where everyone is cared for but don’t believe that such a thing is possible. Watch uplifting footage from the project and experience the positivity boost for yourself.
Environment
Greetings From Nutty Narrows Squirrel Pedestrian Bridge, Where Critters Get a Lifesaving Lift
Franck Fotos/Alamy
In the city of Longview, Washington, there’s a bridge that stretches about 60 feet long but is only a few inches wide, just big enough for little squirrel paws to scurry over a busy road. It’s called the Nutty Narrows Squirrel Pedestrian Bridge — and, as you can see here, it’s as cute as it sounds. The wildly delightful invention was built in 1963 by architect Amos Peters, who wanted to help bright-eyed and bushy-tailed critters avoid becoming roadkill, which sadly happens to about 41 million squirrels every year in the U.S. So with approval from the Longview City Council, he made the bridge with aluminum and a fire hose for $1,000. The bridge has since been renovated and drawn lots of much-deserved attention, inspiring eight other squirrel bridges in the area. Nikita Kozhekin, a resident in the neighboring city of Duvall, launched his own take on a squirrel bridge this May, made with a few ropes connected by two trees. “Imagine a world where every tree on every street is connected by bridges, where millions of crossings span the sky, and habitats are safe and connected,” Kozhekin wrote on his website. “How wonderful would that be?” See the squirrels crossing his bridge.
In Other News
Why do we itch? A recent study found the crawly sensation may have its own dedicated sensory organ (read more)
An exoplanet located 48 light-years away could be capable of harboring life, astronomers say (read more)
Long assumed to be a male shaman, a 4,000-year-old skeleton was deemed a woman, challenging stereotypes (read more)
Pancake the endangered sea turtle was released to the wild after being rehabbed — see the cheerful send-off(read more)
Mind-bending footage of cars appearing to drive through the sky was captured over a lake in China (read more)
Inspiring Story
No time like now
This month, 64-year-old John Adesoye graduated as a registered nurse from the University of the West of England after studying at the institution alongside one of his five children. He’s already secured a nursing role at a hospital and noted that more higher education isn’t off the table for him — and shouldn’t be for others later in life either. “Don’t listen to people who say you’re too old for university. If I can do it, others can too,” he said. “People are more brilliant than they think and they’re stronger than they think.”
Photo of the Day
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
Hello from your friendly neighborhood Spider-Men! Over the weekend, the 2026 International Comic-Con was held in San Diego, where cosplayers went all out to rep their favorite superheroes, villains, anime icons, princesses, wizards, and all other things fantasy and fantastical. Meanwhile, in Arkansas, a real-life hero wearing a Spidey suit jumped in to help a man in a wheelchair cross six lanes of traffic.
This Summer, Spark Something New With Babbel
Here’s some good news worth sharing: There’s never been an easier time to pick up a new language. And few things feel quite as liberating as striking up a conversation in a language you taught yourself, one 10-minute lesson at a time. Built by over 150 linguists, the Babbel Method focuses on real-world conversations you can actually use. Fire up a quick lesson, dip into a relaxing podcast, or squeeze in some conversation practice between the summer barbecues and picnics. You could be speaking out loud in as little as three weeks. Right now, get up to 55% off Babbel and give yourself something genuinely worth celebrating.
