The world has gone mad. There’s no way to be upbeat!

REALITY

Yes there is. And you can bring your positive outlook back by looking at history, not just headlines. As per almost every wellbeing indicator, we’re better o now than at any other time, considering the things we take for granted, like access to basic medicine.

Trouble is, bad news hits your phone direct, while checking current circumstances against history takes e ort. Here’s a shortcut: Think about what you have now that you wouldn’t have had a century ago – refrigeration, cars, a computer in your pocket! Then take a moment to appreciate how great these things are. To stop bad news overshadowing everything else, you can actively seek out the positive. Also don’t lose sight of the fact child mortality, illiteracy and poverty are down globally. And, even in tragedy, you can find tales of human resilience.