Weekly Uplifting Stories - January 23rd, 2023

Welcome to another week of Uplifting Stories! 

This week, a Netherlands supermarket chain tries to combat loneliness, a woman shares crocheted hearts to spread a mental health movement, and a brave little girl goes out of her way to protect her siblings. 

We will be posting five heartwarming stories every week for you. Let us know if you love them in the comments below. Have a beautiful week everyone! 

And if you need another boost to get into the right headspace for a strong week ahead, be sure to watch our video on Reframing Your Mind. 

1. A "Kletskassa" or Chat Checkout is Introduced in 200 Stores at Netherlands Chain, Jumbo to Combat Loneliness

Jumbo, a Netherlands-based supermarket chain, introduced "chat checkout" in 200 of its locations. A chat checkout is a special lane for customers who are not in a rush and could use a little talk with the cashier. Jumbo started this effort to help combat loneliness in the elderly, but have found that thousands of people have benefitted from it. 

Sometimes you actually aren't in a hurry, and just want a good, old-fashioned conversation with a real person. Great idea Jumbo! 

You can view the original post here.

2. A Woman Combats Her Depression and Anxiety by Crocheting, and Has Started a Mental Health Movement

Through her movement, The Little Heart Project, Kathleen Jensen is spreading positivity by leaving little hearts around town. She crochets two-inch hearts and attaches encouraging notes to them. 

She estimates that she hid over 10,000 crocheted hearts and has shared her mental health journey with people all over Wisconsin, where she lives. A little kindness goes a long way! 

View the whole article here.

3. A Responsible and Aware Little Girl Protects Her Little Siblings 

This brave toddler stood in the middle of the pavement and opened her arms to protect her younger siblings from an oncoming forklift in southern China’s Guangdong province. The little girl yelled "Stop, uncle" and "Thank you!", to warn the driver of the forklift as she brought her siblings back into the house. 

Watch the video here. 

4. Cat Sanctuary in Maine Pairs Seniors With Furry Friends - and Helps Them With Expenses

Spirits Place cat sanctuary provides an opportunity for seniors to adopt cats for free as well as get financial support from a grant to buy supplies for the cat.

The cat sanctuary offers adoption, and foster care for cats from all backgrounds. Founder Lee Palmer started the sanctuary in 2016 to address the need of feral and unsocialized neighborhood cats.

When innovative volunteer Liz Breault had the idea to support seniors who were worried about what would happen to their beloved pets if they passed or got sick - and the result has been just heartwarming. 

Read the whole article here.

5. Elementary Students Grow Fruits & Veggies to Support Local Neighborhood

Students at Summit Elementary School in Butler, Pennsylvania are growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs for kids in Broad Street Elementary since people living in this neighborhood have very limited access to fresh-produce options.

Broad Street Elementary is building a farm stand with the help of a grant from the Remake Learning/Grable Foundation.

Read the whole story here.

Don't Forget - There is Goodness Everywhere - and You Can Spread it Too! 

It's important to remember that though we see a lot of ugliness on the news and in the media, there are a lot of positive, uplifting stories too - you just might have to find other sources to see them. 

Also don't forget that you can spread positivity and happiness wherever you go too - holding the door for someone, helping someone across the street, or even just stopping for a conversation with a friendly stranger. You never know when you are going to make an impact on someone. 

If you need an extra boost, check out our article on 10 Positive News Sites You Should Follow. See you next week! 

Photo from Up North News