Here at Only Positive News, we believe that all positive news websites are created equal. We’re all doing the same thing: getting the word out there. And amidst a plethora of bad news, you kinda can’t have enough positive news websites!

Take The Happiness Project for instance. Gretchen Rubin is working on a book, THE HAPPINESS PROJECT - a memoir about the year she spent test-driving every principle, tip, theory, and scientific study she could find, whether from Aristotle or St. Therese or Martin Seligman or Oprah. THE HAPPINESS PROJECT will gather these rules for living and report on what works and what doesn’t. On this daily blog, she recounts some of her adventures and insights as she grapples with the challenge of being happier.

Here’s an excerpt on how something as simple as making your own bed can increase your happiness:

I’ve written about the resolution to Make your bed before, and I’m bringing it up again. Why? To my astonishment, when I’ve asked people what happiness-project resolution has made a big difference in their happiness, many people cite the modest “Make your bed.”

Happiness is a lofty aim, and making your bed is such a prosaic activity. Why does it boost happiness so effectively?

From my own experience, and what people have told me, I think there are two reasons.

First, making your bed is a step that’s quick and easy, yet makes a big difference. Everything looks neater. It’s easier to find your shoes. Your bedroom is a more peaceful environment. For most people, outer order contributes to inner calm.

Second, sticking to any resolution – no matter what it is – brings satisfaction. You’ve decided to make some change, and you’ve stuck to it. Because making my bed is one of the first things I do in the morning, I start the day feeling efficient, productive, and disciplined.

Life is frenetic. It seems as if we’re flying faster and faster every day. Rainy days offer a break from the high-paced lifestyle we’ve created for ourselves. It’s time to grab a book and connect with reading, a simple act that naturally gives the mind and body a break. When was the last time you connected with a book and let yourself deeply unwind?

It’s important to step out of the fray. It’s important to reflect, renew, recharge…read.

A library is a hospital for the mind.

~ Anonymous ~

Life is full of strange and random happenings. It’s solace to remember that when you’re sure everything will fail or play out just as your fears suspected. Amidst all of our negativity and worry, life randomly happens, throwing you for a loop.

Melissa Brandts and her husband were exploring in the Banff National Park in Canada when they stopped to take a shot using the timer on their camera.

They had their camera set up on some rocks when a curious ground squirrel appeared, intrigued by the noise from the focusing mechanism centered himself right in the picture frame.

Melissa called it a once in a lifetime moment, “We were laughing about this little guy for days!!”

So the next time you are sure something will play out in the same old predictable path, remember:

Squirrels happen.

(From National Geographic)

What do you do when you see others in distress? Are you the type to stand and stare or roll up your sleeves and get to work?

Well for this off-duty NYC fireman, the answer was easy:

Adam Rivera, 30, pulled an unconscious man from subway tracks as a train was barreling into the Manhattan station.

“This is my job,” Rivera, who works for Engine 10 in lower Manhattan, thought to himself. “I’m a New York City firefighter - I’m not going to stand there and do nothing!”

Around 10 p.m., Rivera had just finished celebrating his seventh anniversary with his girlfriend when he noticed the man lying unconscious below the opposite platform of the Union Square station.

Rivera shot across the tracks - leaping over two third rails (loaded with 600 deadly volts of electricity) and through a divider - to drag the victim out of harm’s way. Two good Samaritans helped lift the man to safety before a Q train pulled two-thirds of the way into the station.

“There was no time to be afraid,” Rivera said. “You can’t waste time hesitating. You just move, and the thinking stops.”

The victim, Marco Delemo, 45, was in the intensive care unit at St. Vincent’s Hospital with head injuries. It was unclear how he ended up on the tracks.

Rivera, meanwhile, was lauded as a hero by his co-workers.

“He put his own life in danger,” said Battalion Chief Kevin Woods, a 19-year veteran.

“He saved that man’s life.”

Source: NY Daily News

If you’re like me, you’d like nothing more than to drive an eco-friendly car but your budget doesn’t allow for it yet. I drive around an old Toyota 4Runner that runs like a charm - but isn’t the most green vehicle in the world!

What I do instead is bike (a lot!) and car pool. I really reserve car driving for times I really need it.

Here are some cars of the future. Hopefully, your budget and mine will allow for cars like this soon. If you’re not ready, read the stats for some of these cars - truly amazing and financially worthy, over the long run:

Tesla Roadster

The electric car is back in ultimate style with the sporty Tesla Roadster. You can travel an impressive 220 miles before recharging this state-of-the-art vehicle. The only problem? It will set you back a whopping $100,000. So, until you win the lottery or stumble upon a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, let’s move on to the more reasonable choices.

Aptera 2e

This futuristic electric vehicle is much more affordable than the Tesla Roadster, with a starting price of around $25,000. In addition to its electric motor that runs 100 miles per charge, the Aptera 2e boasts interior and exterior LED lighting and solar assisted climate control. Unfortunately, it’s currently only available to California residents through a somewhat lengthy reservation process.

Toyota Prius

At 51 miles per gallon in the city and 48 on the highway, the Toyota Prius is one of the most fuel efficient vehicles around. With an annual CO2 rating of 1,968 kilograms, this hybrid holds first place on MSN’s list of the Least Polluting Vehicles of 2009. It also offers eco-friendly features like a solar-powered ventilation system and LED headlamps and taillights.

Honda Civic Hybrid

Competing closely with the Toyota Prius when it comes to fuel efficiency, the Honda Civic Hybrid gets 40 miles per gallon in the city and 45 on the highway. It also has the second lowest annual CO2 rating of 2,160 kilograms.

Honda Insight Hybrid

With a base price of just over $20,000, the Honda Insight is the least expensive hybrid on the market today. This fuel-efficient vehicle gets 40 miles per gallon in the city and 43 on the highway.

Ford Fusion Hybrid

Of all mid-size sedans, the Ford Fusion Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient. It averages 41 miles per gallon in the city and 36 on the highway.

Smart Fortwo

The Smart Fortwo, more commonly known as the smart car, averages 33 miles per gallon in the city and 41 on the highway, making it the most fuel-efficient car powered solely by gasoline. Coming in third, it produces a yearly CO2 rating of 2,592 kilograms. Plus, this ultra-low emission vehicle’s white, black and red models are painted with a water-soluble solution. (Our editor is currently out of town picking up her very own Smart Car – she’ll be posting a review soon!)

Nissan Altima Hybrid

With the fifth lowest CO2 rating of 2,784 kilograms per year, the Nissan Altima Hybrid gets 35 miles per gallon in the city and 33 on the highway. In this super ultra low emissions vehicle, you can drive up to 600 miles before you need to stop for a refill.

Toyota Camry Hybrid

At 33 miles per gallon in the city and 34 on the highway, the Toyota Camry Hybrid is a fuel-efficient vehicle that features a notable yearly CO2 rating of 2,736 kilograms, making it the fourth least polluting vehicle of 2009.

Volkswagon Jetta TDI

Winner of the 2009 Green Car of the Year award, the Volkswagon Jetta TDI is powered by ultra-low sulfur diesel. At 30 miles per gallon in the city and 41 on the highway, this vehicle utilizes clean diesel technology and produces 3,240 kilograms of CO2 annually, placing thirteenth on MSN’s list.

Ford Escape Hybrid

At 34 miles per gallon in the city and 31 on the highway, the Ford Escape Hybrid has the corner on fuel-efficient sports utility vehicles. Coming in at sixth place, it is the only one to rank on MSN’s lowest annual CO2 ratings at 2,928 kilograms.

Toyota Yaris

With the seventh lowest rating, the Toyota Yaris generates approximately 3,072 kilograms of CO2 per year. It also features a fuel-efficiency of 28 miles per gallon in the city and 34 on the highway.

Toyota Prius

Source: EcoSalon.com

The Navajo Nation, the largest indigenous nation in the U.S., is trying to transition itself away from a fossil fuel-based economy and also provide more jobs (their unemployment rate is nearing 50%.)

The Navajo Nation Council, created by tribal members and other supporters, voted to create a Green Economy Commission to help stimulate both traditional and modern forms of economic activity with a green twist.

The Commission’s focus will be not only to create jobs in this depressed region, where the unemployment rate is 44 percent, but to do so in sustainable, culturally appropriate ways. Current proposals include wool mills and weavers’ co-ops, as well as traditional agriculture, green construction, home weatherization, renewable energy, and other projects to promote energy and water efficiency. It will also apply for federal money earmarked for green jobs and economic stimulus.

“A green economy is not a new concept to Navajo,” said Tony Skrelunas, a member of the coalition that proposed the bill. “There are many green business opportunities that fit perfectly with our culture. We must once again hearken to such processes to truly build our own economy that puts high value on our tradition - old and modern economic pursuits. In this way, we will build a vibrant economy for the future generations while honoring our great ancestors.”

Indeed, “going green” is nothing new to the Navajo tribes. It is part of their heritage. Now, it stands a chance to be part of their livelihood.

Source: Yes!

According to some recent research, introducing some negativity into your thinking may not be as bad as you think.

We’ve often heard how important it is to count our blessings. But imagining that those blessings never existed in the first place may be a quicker path to happiness.

How?

According to a new series of studies published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (PDF), positive thinking may not be the way to go after all: Instead, you’ll be better off imagining what your life would be like if one of the positive elements of your life didn’t exist at all.

In one of the studies, some subjects were asked to write for 20 minutes about what might have happened if they’d never met their significant others: Say you’d signed up for a different major in college, you hadn’t gone to that party, or you never bothered to attend the matchmaking dinner at a friend’s house that led you to your spouse. Other subjects were simply asked to reflect upon those blissful beginnings, sharing the stories of how they found their partners.

You might expect that a walk down memory lane to the start of a new love would brighten anyone’s mood—and it did, to some extent. But the researchers found that the subjects who were asked to “subtract” their partner from their lives and consider an alternate reality came out of the experience feeling far happier than those who had shared their true stories.

This seems contradictory to conventional wisdom, in which we are taught that showing gratitude for all we have can increase our happiness. But in a Scientific American article, Sonja Luubomirsky, a psychology professor at UC Davis and the author of The How of Happiness: A New Guide to Getting the Life You Want, suggests that the “subtraction” model used in the new research is still a form of showing appreciation for our lives.

“How else do we strive to appreciate the good things in our lives… if not by implicitly imagining what life would be like without them? “ she asks. “To be grateful for our eyesight, we imagine what it would feel like to be blind; to appreciate our next-door colleague, we contemplate what our work days would be like if he resigned.”

Lesson learned? Counting your blessings may work more effectively when you imagine your life without those blessings in the first place!

Source: Gimundo

It’s hard to let go of hurt feelings. Or a broken heart. Or words unspoken.

It’s hard to let go of a loved one who may be ill or just may need to be removed from your life for a while.

Our minds love to grasp, to control. Letting go often feels very counter-intuitive. It’s almost as if we think the more we mull over something, the more likely an answer will arise.

Often, fortunately or unfortunately, nothing could be farther from the truth.

You’ve heard the expression, “A watched pot never boils”? The same holds true with any idea or a feeling we hold too dear.

Change often occurs when we allow ourselves to genuinely let go of something or someone. Why? Perhaps its an energetic issue: when we can release our entrenched thoughts, we allow some room for growth or change. We also give our minds and spirits a rest so we can come up with more productive  solutions down the road.

Allow yourself to give SPACE to your problems and trust that they’ll play out just the way they should.

If there’s a person or a thought that you seem to be mulling over too much, take a break. Send it away on a imaginary trip. Let it fix itself, without your input.

Instead, relax, breathe and remember that you exist on this planet now - and some problems are beyond our control. While that might seem tough to hear for the control freaks out there, there’s actually lots of freedom in that thought: freedom for your mind and spirit.

Let go and let god, whoever your god may be.

Let your problems breathe.

Let yourself breathe.

And don’t try to fix it all.

Noted writer Frank McCourt made a brilliant observation during his days as a teacher in Brooklyn: when kids forged excuses from their parents, they were often more clever and imaginative than when given actual creative writing assignments.

“How could I have ignored this treasure trove, these gems of fiction and fantasy? Here was American high school writing at its best—raw, real, urgent, lucid, brief, and lying.

I read:

• The stove caught fire and the wallpaper went up and the fire department kept us out of the house all night.

• Arnold was getting off the train and the door closed on his school bag and the train took it away. He yelled to the conductor who said very vulgar things as the train drove away.

• His sister’s dog ate his homework and I hope it chokes him.

• We were evicted from our apartment and the mean sheriff said if my son kept yelling for his notebook he’d have us all arrested.

The writers of these notes didn’t realize that honest excuse notes were usually dull: “Peter was late because the alarm clock didn’t go off.”
One day I typed out a dozen excuse notes and distributed them to my senior classes. The students read them silently, intently. “Mr. McCourt, who wrote these?” asked one boy.

“You did,” I said. “I omitted names to protect the guilty. They’re supposed to be written by parents, but you and I know the real authors. Yes, Mikey?”

“So what are we supposed to do?”

“This is the first class to study the art of the excuse note—the first class, ever, to practice writing them. You’re so lucky to have a teacher like me who has taken your best writing and turned it into a subject worthy of study.”
Everyone smiled as I went on, “You didn’t settle for the old alarm clock story. You used your imaginations. One day you might be writing excuses for your own children when they’re late or absent or up to some devilment. So try it now. Imagine you have a 15-year-old who needs an excuse for falling behind in English. Let it rip.”

The students produced a rhapsody of excuses, ranging from a 16-wheeler crashing into a house to a severe case of food poisoning blamed on the school cafeteria. They said, “More, more. Can we do more?”

So I said, “I’d like you to write—” And I finished, “ ‘An Excuse Note from Adam to God’ or ‘An Excuse Note from Eve to God.’ “ Heads went down. Pens raced across paper.

Before long the bell rang. For the first time ever I saw students so immersed in their writing they had to be urged to go to lunch by their friends: “Yo, Lenny. Come on. Finish it later.”

Next day everyone had excuse notes, not only from Adam and Eve but from God and Lucifer. One girl defended the seduction of Adam on the grounds that Eve was tired of lying around Paradise doing nothing, day in and day out. She was also tired of God sticking his nose into their business.

Source: ReadersDigest.com

TEACHER MAN BY FRANK MCCOURT, COPYRIGHT © 2005 BY GREEN PERIL CORP., IS PUBLISHED AT $26 BY SCRIBNER, 1230 AVE. OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10020.

We’re all feeling the pinch in one form or the other. Whether your a small business owner or part of corporate America, our collective wallet is slimming.

Is there anything positive to be gleaned during a tough economic time? Here at Only Positive News, we sure think so:

• Get rid of the “extra.” Most of us have far more than we often think. This is a great time to route through your closets, toss out old furniture and “slim down” overall. By doing this, you feel more organized and empowered. It’s easier to see where you stand financially when your desk is not buried in stuff.
• Change your luxury items. If you have a bunch of subscriptions to magazines, movies, clubs, etc. this may be a time to cut back. You save money and simplify your life.
• Give! Nothing makes you feel better than giving to others. It takes the focus off of your hardship and on to the collective well-being of our community. Whether its cleaning up a local park or volunteering at the nearest hospital, give yourself as wholly as you can.
• Meditate. I have a friend of mine who was having a very real meltdown. Her business has gone under and her finances disappeared practically overnight. For months, she was fragile and stressed. Then she decided to renew her membership for her yoga club and teach there twice a month. She feels more settled and focused. She was also just offered a permanent position there. When you mind is clear, you can think of solutions to problems more readily. Stress is deadly. Relax, breathe and let solutions come to you!