The world can be a very dark place, and there’s a lot of heavy stuff going on at the moment. Let’s take a breather and read about some good things that are also going on, from inspirational women and breakthroughs in medical science to enjoying your daily coffee and using an environmentally-friendly AI ♡

I don’t know about you, but I know I lead a privileged life, at least in comparison to so many. I am fortunate that I can step away when things in the world start to feel too much to bear (without belittling what others are suffering through). Good things happening in the world aren’t usually the most newsworthy, so I’ve collated a handful that might cheer you up a bit.

Coffee is now GOOD for you.

Well, in moderation, but they just can’t make their minds up about this, can they!? Let’s just go with anything can be good or bad depending on how much is consumed, but according to a BBC Instagram post, apparently about 3-5 cups of coffee per day could be beneficial to health due to the compounds within it. Personally I have about 1-3 cups per day, but it’s good to know there’s room for more!

Let the brave women of Iran inspire you.

The atrocities being committed in Iran against protesters is horrific, but people are trying so hard to fight back, with young women in particular being targeted. However, these incredibly brave women refuse to back down; they’re actively protesting, removing their hijabs and dancing in public to defy the law of the Islamic regime, and doing their best to speak out when their government is doing anything and everything to block them. This quick-read article on Women’s Voices Now gives a better explanation, but let these women and their solidarity inspire you to stand up for what’s right, or to stand up for others whose voices are being suppressed.

Constant progress in cancer research.

Sometimes it feels like progress is slow or non-existent in cancer research, to the point where conspiracy theories abound regarding governments and/or pharmaceutical companies blocking progress and cures for the sake of money, but progress is being consistently made. You can check out this article that lists many breakthroughs in 2025, and rest assured that we have come a long way and our wonderful scientists continue to make breakthroughs all the time.

An AI that actually HELPS the environment!

You read that right. Ecosia began life in 2009 purely as a search engine, but now it has expanded to a browser and a ‘green’ AI assistant. Ecosia claims to donate 100% of their profits to climate action, particularly tree-planting, respect users’ privacy, deliver ‘accurate’ and ‘reliable’ AI searches that use less energy, and produce more clean energy than they use. Sound too good to be true? Go and check it out for yourself. I will definitely be switching.

A joyful 2025.

You can also check out some ‘joyful’ discoveries from last year, though I must say, some are pretty odd (a 3D-printed elephant in a human cell!?) and some are controversial (testing a vaccine on mice), but one is pretty darn cute and hopeful (saving the axolotls!).

Don’t feel helpless ♡

If you’re anything like me, your empathy can feel like a curse sometimes. The weight of the plight of millions (maybe billions) of people across the world laying heavy on you and not really knowing what you can do to help. I’ve often stayed fairly quiet on social media about world issues, mainly because I didn’t want to overwhelm people, especially those already feeling overwhelmed, but it has also felt wrong not to say something. I recently woke up and realised that my social media is just that, MY social media. If I want to post/repost to raise awareness, I will. Silence really does amount to complicity. I also used to wonder why I bothered donating to charities when it felt like such a drop in the ocean, but then I had a talk with myself: if everyone felt that way, no money would ever be raised and no one in need would ever receive life-saving aid. More people need to understand that their donations do make a difference. Donating even a small amount is literally better than nothing (if you are able to, of course). Even raising awareness through talking to others and amplifying the voices of those in need is helping. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. You can be the light in the dark for someone else.

To that end, if you are able, I’m listing some places and causes you can donate to below – you can do a one-off donation or make it monthly, entirely your choice. I’m still doing research into other places and causes to donate money to, but these are the most recent that I have looked into/personally donated to/am planning on donating to.

United24 – a platform launched by the government of Ukraine to support Ukrainians in their fight against Russia.
Sky Sentinel – protecting Ukrainian skies by bringing down Russian drones.
Nova Ukraine – a non-profit sending humanitarian aid and raising awareness on behalf of Ukraine.
Stand with Minnesota – a directory on places you can donate to to help the people of Minnesota in the U.S. who are under attack from ICE.
Immigrant Defense Project – assisting immigrants in the U.S. with legal defense and training.

The following charities allow for donations to specific causes, i.e. assisting in a specific country such as Sudan, but you can also send a general donation and they will allocate it on your behalf.

UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) – assisting refugees and those fleeing war-torn countries (Sudan, Iran, and many more).
UN World Food Program (UNWFP)- supporting the dietary needs of refugees (Sudan, Iran, and many more).
UNICEF – helping children across the world (Ukraine, Gaza, and many more).
The British Red Cross – assisting people both in the UK and across the world with supplies and support (Gaza, Myanmar, and many more).

If you’d rather help more locally, you can look into food banks such as Trussell, help women and mothers through Women’s Aid, help children through the NSPCC, help the homeless through Centrepoint, and of course the British Red Cross as mentioned above to help various people.