The daily news cycle can be a heavy emotional load these days. How can we stay informed and avoid becoming overwhelmed with anxiety, anger and despair?  When reading about big problems that feel out of our control, it’s easy to slip into defeatism and inertia. But there are ways to build emotional resilience to face the difficult challenges ahead.

One way to counteract the effects of consuming negative news is to seek out stories of solutions instead. Instead of doomscrolling, consider spending a few minutes every day reading about people who are working to find solutions to complex problems. In the past two decades this type of reporting, termed solutions journalism, has been gaining traction around the world. Research suggests that exposure to stories of solutions has a positive impact on the brain, and helps readers to stay more optimistic, engaged and energized to continue working for positive change.

Where do you go to find these good news stories? You may have your own list of sources, but if not, we’ve pulled together a few suggestions to get you started:

Reasons to Be Cheerful:  A delightful nonprofit online magazine that features a diverse variety of stories from around the world.

Climate Solutions Reporting Project: a source for articles, podcasts, investigations, social media posts, and newsletters. A collaboration between Canada’s National Observer and the Institute for Sustainability, Education, and Action.

Yes! Magazine: A U.S.-based independent nonprofit publisher of solutions journalism focused on environmental, economic and social justice intersections.

Nature Answers: A podcast from Farm Radio International that features stories from rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa who are applying nature-based solutions to climate challenges.

Opportunity Green: this UK charity sends out regular reports of positive climate stories from around the world. OG is comprised of lawyers, economists, and policy experts dedicated to achieving climate justice.

Project Drawdown: A U.S.-based nonprofit and non-partisan organization dedicated to effective, science-based climate action. Their website has a wealth of stories and information, including the Drawdown Solutions Library.

There are also some independent news outlets that devote a significant portion of their work to solutions reporting, such as B.C.-based The Tyee and The Narwhal, among others.

There are challenging times ahead for our communities and the climate. Empowering ourselves to sustain hope and positive action is vital as we continue to address the multiple crises of this moment. Are you interested in taking a deeper dive into this topic? We have a few suggestions of books that may inspire you.

• Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility, edited by Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutunatabua, is a wonderful collection of writing from a diverse group of climate activists from across the globe.
• In Hope Matters: Why Changing the Way We Think is Critical to Solving the Environmental Crisis, Elin Kelsey makes the case that evidence-based hope, not narratives of doom, is our more powerful tool in the work of building a sustainable and just future.
• And finally, Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re In with Unexpected Resilience & Creative Power by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone draws on an empowerment approach known as the Work That Reconnects, guiding readers through a set of stories, concepts, tools and practices that can equip us to respond to the challenges ahead.

Where do you find inspiration and hope? Let us know in the comments below!

Photo by Filip Urban on Unsplash