+
upworthy
Joy

7 things that will make you smile this week

Because sometimes we need a little something extra to look forward to!

good news; positive news; national days

7 positive things to know

You know, sometimes the world can feel a bit heavy and we need some bright spots to look forward to in order to get through the week. Obviously everything can't be roses and sunshine all the time but we can certainly do our best to look out for the small moments that will brighten our days. One of our favorite ongoing features is sharing with you the 10 things that made us smile this week. It's a great way to end the week and remember that great things are happening all the time all around us. But what about Monday? So, we figured we'd give you a second list of things to look forward to as you head into your week. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together for you.


As humans, we can easily become a product of what we consume so why not try to consume the good even if it's in small doses. So many of the stories we share on Upworthy are filled with the best of humanity and silly pets doing their part in making the internet collectively smile. It only makes sense to put the best upcoming positive things at the start of the week to start us off on the right foot. Buckle up, because we've got some good things to share with you!

international cat day

Photo by Tuqa Nabi on Unsplash
1. International Cat Day is August 8th

Well, would you look at that. It's cats topping the list. Not because cats are the number one bright spot this week. This list is technically in no particular order. No, cats are at the top of the list simply because they're sassy, fuzzy and cuddly. That is, when they feel like being cuddled. So, if you have a kitty in your life, today is the day to show them off and spoil them until your heart's content, or they walk away showing you their...um...tail. And if you're looking for a partner that will be just as excited as you are for international cat day, you can read about a cat lovers dating app here.

2. Our favorite semi talking tree has a series coming to Disney+ called I Am Groot

If you've watched Guardians of the Galaxy, or are a Marvel fan in general, then you already know who Groot is. If you've never seen him before then you're in for a treat. After some turbulent times, Groot found himself on a new journey with the Guardians of the Galaxy series as a potted tree that could only say "I am Groot" but you'll be happy to know he now has legs. Still a limited vocabulary but somehow he's entertaining and so dang cute. What more is there to say?

meteor shower on sky during nighttimePhoto by Prokhor Minin on Unsplash
3. Sit under the stars and watch the Perseid Meteor Shower on August 12th and 13th

There's something magical about watching a shooting star streak across the night sky. I remember being a kid getting so excited that I'd jump up and down as soon as I saw one but the excitement would make my mind go blank. I almost always missed my opportunity to make a wish. Well on the night of August 12 you can make as many wishes as you want. The sky will be riddled with shooting stars. According to Accuweather, you can expect to see anywhere from 50-100 stars an hour.

The Wizard of Oz (1939) | The Wicked Witch of the West had j… | Flickrwww.flickr.com
4. The Wizard of Oz is turning 83

This one is just kind of cool. It almost feels like the little kids asking if televisions had color when we were younger. For some reason 1939 feels like things shouldn't have been colorized and yet the Wizard of Oz is proof that they indeed had color back then. The fact that this movie is still watched today is amazing. This August makes the Wizard of Oz 83 years old. And even after all that time, it's themes and magical storytelling still feel incredible relevant and worthwhile.

5. New Orleans is turning restaurants into solar powered hurricane refuge centers

New Orleans gets hit by hurricanes fairly often, while some are small blips that don't cause much damage, others are larger knocking out power for days or longer along with other damage. A non-profit organization called Get Lit Stay Lit is aiming to make sure the people in New Orleans have a cool place to go where they can get food and charge their devices. Hurricane season is smack dab in the middle of summer through early fall. It's hot and there's nothing more miserable than being hot and hungry. If this organization get the funding they need, they can create cooling hubs throughout the city. You can find out more about Get Lit Stay Lit here.

Super Moon

Photo by Kym MacKinnon on Unsplash
6. The last super moon of 2022 is August 11

August is a busy month for astrological events I take it. If you look up in the sky on August 11 you're going to be staring at the last super moon of the year. The moon will appear much larger than we are used to seeing it because it's a little closer to earth according to the Almanac. While it may not be anything to write your relatives about, it will certainly be a sight to look forward to.

National zucchini day

Photo by By Pils on Unsplash
7. Get a zucchini and confuse your neighbors

Rounding out our list of feel good news, August 8 is National Sneak Some Zucchini on Your Neighbor's Porch Day. Yeah, I didn't make that up, though it totally sounds like I did. If you want to confuse your neighbors, go ahead and leave them a little basket of zucchinis on their porch. They'll either thank the invisible giver or be pretty confused on how the random garden veggie landed on their door step. Either way, this is a holiday that is sure to put a smile on someone's face.

Community

How to end hunger, according to the people who face it daily

Here’s what people facing food insecurity want you to know about solving the hunger problem in America

True

Even though America is the world’s wealthiest nation, about 1 in 6 of our neighbors turned to food banks and community programs in order to feed themselves and their families last year. Think about it: More than 9 million children faced hunger in 2021 (1 in 8 children).

In order to solve a problem, we must first understand it. Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, released its second annual Elevating Voices: Insights Report and turned to the experts—people experiencing hunger—to find out how this issue can be solved once and for all.

Here are the four most important things people facing hunger want you to know.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pets

Family brings home the wrong dog from daycare until their cats saved the day

A quick trip to the vet confirmed the cats' and family's suspicions.

Family accidentally brings wrong dog home but their cats knew

It's not a secret that nearly all golden retrievers are identical. Honestly, magic has to be involved for owners to know which one belongs to them when more than one golden retriever is around. Seriously, how do they all seem have the same face? It's like someone fell asleep on the copy machine when they were being created.

Outside of collars, harnesses and bandanas, immediately identifying the dog that belongs to you has to be a secret skill because at first glance, their personalities are also super similar. That's why it's not surprising when one family dropped off their sweet golden pooch at daycare and to be groomed, they didn't notice the daycare sent out the wrong dog.

See, not even their human parents can tell them apart because when the swapped dog got home, nothing seemed odd to the owners at first. She was freshly groomed so any small differences were quickly brushed off. But this accidental doppelgänger wasn't fooling her feline siblings.

Keep ReadingShow less
Family

15 best colostrum supplements

Invigorate your journey to optimal health with these wellness-enhancing colostrum supplements.

Editor's Note: Upworthy earns a percentage of revenue from items purchased on this list.


Embarking on a journey toward enhanced well-being is a rewarding endeavor, and when it comes to unlocking nature's potential, colostrum supplements stand as remarkable allies. Did you know that the global colostrum market is projected to experience a growth of over 3.5% in the coming years, a testament to the increasing recognition of its incredible benefits? Moreover, scientific interest in colostrum's immune-boosting properties has led to a surge in research publications, with a remarkable 37% rise observed in the last five years alone. As we delve into the realm of wellness-enhancing supplements, this article unveils an illuminating guide to the 15 best colostrum supplements, offering a chance to embrace vitality and invigorate the journey to optimal health.

15 best colostrum supplements

  1. Elm & Rye Colostrum Supplements
  2. Swanson Ultra High Immunoglobulin Colostrum Supplement
  3. California Gold Nutrition, Colostrum
  4. ARMRA Colostrum Immune Revival Unflavored
  5. Mt. Capra Goat Milk Colostrum
  6. PipingRock Ultra Colostrum Quick Release Capsules
  7. NOW Foods, Colostrum Powder
  8. Nature’s Sunshine Colostrum Capsules
  9. Ancestral Supplements Grass Fed Beef Colostrum Supplement
  10. WONDERCOW Colostrum Powder Supplement
  11. Symbiotics Colostrum Chewables
  12. Brain Basics Ultra-Pure Colostrum
  13. Surthrival: Colostrum Powder Capsules
  14. Double Wood Supplements Colostrum Supplement Capsules
  15. Pure Velvet Colostrum Powder
Keep ReadingShow less
Sandra Maria/Youtube, Official Lives & Music Videos/Youtube

You can't not sing this song.

The music of Queen has a profound visceral effect on everyone. Few pieces of art can cause complete strangers to put aside their differences and come together in song, but by golly, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is one of them. It would be cheesy if it weren’t so absolutely beautiful.

This pertains even to non-English-speaking countries, it appears. Recently, thousands of Harry Styles concertgoers in Warsaw, Poland, began cheering as those iconic beginning piano notes penetrated the air.
Keep ReadingShow less
Photo by Long Truong on Unsplash
woman in white sleeveless dress kissing man in blue dress shirt


"It may be the most important thing we do in life; learn how to love and be loved."

At least, that's according to Harvard psychologist and researcher Rick Weissbourd.

He's been collecting data on the sex and love habits of young people for years through surveys, interviews, and even informal conversation — with teens and the important people in their lives.

Through it all, one thing has been abundantly clear:

"We spend enormous amount of attention helping parents prepare their kids for work and school," Weissbourd says. "We do almost nothing to prepare them for the tender, tough, subtle, generous, focused work of developing mature healthy relationships. I'm troubled by that."

Keep ReadingShow less

Mom shares PSA on about being a sports mom while also working

Being a mom can be challenging enough, but when you add in working full time and kids activities, it feels like you need a few clones to help you out. Recently we signed our youngest up for soccer, he's 5-years-old and happens to be ten years younger than his closest sibling, so I've done the sports stuff.

At one point I was working full-time while my daughter took tap, ballet and jazz while also on a soccer team and my two older boys played soccer, baseball and football. We rarely saw the inside of our home unless it was to sleep, I'm not even sure I knew how my stove worked during those years. Now here we are starting all over again.

So when Mo, a mom running the TikTok page Rex & Mo posted a video ranting about how impossible it feels to add organized activities for kids into the mix, parents everywhere related, myself included.

Keep ReadingShow less
@mychal3ts/TikTok

This is "the power of the library"

Editor's Note: This story discusses suicide. If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is in need of help, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.


Libraries aren’t just a place to score free books. For many, they provide safe refuge.

This secondary offering has lately been overshadowed by political controversy, as there has been a laser focus from conservatives on the types of literature libraries provide, especially titles that pertain to LGBTQ and racial topics.

But one librarian’s retelling of a life saving encounter reminds us of how essential these community spaces really are—and it has nothing to do with books at all.

Keep ReadingShow less