If you feel as though others are constantly ruffling your feathers, or that any mention of a particularly sensitive topic can push you over the edge, here’s some insight to consider: Although everyone takes offense at times, doing so too easily may be more detrimental than you realize. “Learning not to be so easily offended […]
Obituaries preserve what families most want remembered about the people they cherish most. Across time, they also reveal the values each era chose to honor. In a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, we analyzed 38 million obituaries of Americans published from 1998 to 2024. We identified the values families most often highlight, and how those values shift across generations, regions and major historical events.
If small talk leaves you feeling drained, you might be an introvert, and if meeting new people gets you pumped, you might be an extrovert. But what if neither category seems to describe you? Well, you could be an ambivert, the middle ground between the two — or you could be something else entirely: an […]
One might assume that a community centered on consuming and spreading positivity is also a particularly generous one. But now we have the numbers to back that up: In 2025, Nice News readers collectively donated $46,157 across four different fundraisers. Yes, that’s your cue to pat yourself on the back. These four fundraisers — one […]
For many families in Los Angeles County’s Altadena neighborhood, Christmas will look different this year. The Eaton Fire tore through the area in January, destroying nearly 9,500 buildings — including homes and churches. But as residents continue rebuilding their lives, a cherished, 105-year-old holiday tradition has emerged unscathed. Christmas Tree Lane is a magical stretch […]
Self-improvement strategies abound, so opting in to one can sometimes feel like ordering the soup du jour: “That sounds good. Maybe I’ll try it!” But what’s right for one person may not be right for another — or even for the same person at a different point in time. That’s why Tchiki Davis, founder of […]
For years, philosophers and psychologists have debated whether empathy helps or hinders the ways people decide how to help others. Critics of empathy argue that it makes people care too narrowly — focusing on individual stories rather than the broader needs of society — while careful reasoning enables more impartial, evidence-based choices.
When you buy books through our links, Nice News may earn a commission, which helps keep our content free. Are you familiar with the 31 types of happiness? That might sound like a lot, but author Pamela Gail Johnson says that’s precisely the point. She wants us to expand how we think about the emotion […]
Each year, on the third Monday of January, Americans honor the life of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Born in Atlanta on Jan. 15, 1929, the Baptist minister was one of the most influential leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, a gifted orator, and a passionate humanitarian. Decades after his assassination in 1968, those of […]
Getting a compliment is kind of like finding a piece of candy on a hotel pillowcase: It’s a free, unexpected pop of sweetness that puts a smile on your face. But while you likely won’t remember the Andes mint a month later, a few kind words can have a lasting impact on your mental well-being […]
Brad Stulberg starts his new book, The Way of Excellence, by clarifying what his subject is not. Excellence isn’t perfectionism. It isn’t optimization. It isn’t obsession or flow or happiness. Setting that straight is important, the author told Nice News, because hustle culture has co-opted the concept and alienated the average person. Indeed, this isn’t […]
Relationships can feel like both a blessing and the bane of your existence, a source of joy and a source of frustration or resentment. At some point, each of us is faced with a clingy child, a dramatic friend, a partner who recoils at the first hint of intimacy, a volatile parent, or a controlling boss — in short, a difficult relationship.