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Adjust FB Settings to Keep Good News on Your Feed, in Light of New Facebook Policy

Facebook announced earlier this year that it was changing how its users see content on their news feeds.

Facebook is now prioritizing posts from friends and family over viral content or posts from news publishers. If you like seeing GNN posts on Facebook, we urge you to change an option in your Settings.

There is a feature called, “See First”, which will boost certain posts to the top of your feed (or, in this case, show stories that wouldn’t be there at all). If you log-in and go to our GNN Facebook page, look just below the GOOD HAPPENS banner, and look for the Follow button. If you hover or tap, you will notice the option to SEE First. It will look something like the drop-down menu in the image below, depending if you have already Liked and Followed our page.

Reports this week show Facebook usage dropped by “roughly 50 million hours every day” — or 5%—since those changes went into effect.

Maybe Aunt Millie’s dog pictures are not as engaging as Zuckerberg thought…

“Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress.” –Nicholas Murray Butler

Quote of the Day: “Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress.” –Nicholas Murray Butler

Photo: Gusdiaz, CC Flickr

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

The Traits That Make You Weird Are the Gifts That Make You Special

The Lesson: Society is always trying to shame its individuals into conforming to the way things ought to be – but it’s those weird, strange little things about us that make up all the greatest innovations, breakthroughs, creations, and ideas in the world. So instead of making yourself bend to the superficiality of fitting in, why not embrace your weirdness instead?

Notable Excerpt: “It’s the calibration of such simple ingredients that – when brought together – creates that symphony of mastery. So I really want you to think about leaving any … form of superficiality in your understanding of humanity and leave that [way] of thinking, and rise up to the rare-air of world class.”

The Speaker: Robin Sharma’s talks on business have attracted over 750,000 people seeking his unique insight on strategy, leadership, and entrepreneurial mastery – and those viewers are already starting to see results in their personal growth. A best-selling author and motivational speaker, Sharma’s has spent the last twenty years of his career delivering talks to thousands of people all over the world, as well as to the massive corporate workforces of Nike, Microsoft, and HP.

Books: The Canadian speaker has published 11 groundbreaking self-help books, the most notable of which include “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” and “The Leader Who Had No Title”.

Podcast: Sharma’s first two Mastery classes are totally free to view and you can also download his free Mastery Sessions podcast on iTunes and Soundcloud, or watch his talks on YouTube.

(LISTEN to the inspiring talk below) – Photo by McKinley Corbley

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Eating 2 Avocados a Day Reportedly ‘Cured’ 5-Year-Old Girl of Seizures

When Leafy Liu had her first seizure at 6 months old, her parents, Claire and Justin, hoped that the episodes would not last into her childhood – but unfortunately, the seizures persisted.

With Leafy sometimes having as many as 60 fits per day, her parents tried giving her prescription medication to no avail. They moved from their home in England to Perth, Australia in hopes that the warmer weather would help her condition; but that did not work either.

Finally, after doing some online research, Claire and Justin found some studies claiming that high-fat and low-carb diets can prevent the body from triggering epileptic fits. The Lius decided to give it a shot and start incorporating foods with higher fat content – such as avocados – into their daughter’s diet

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Leafy is now 5 years old and she has eaten roughly 3,000 avocados over the course of her life, amounting to about 2 per day – and she now only suffers through about 4 seizures per year.

“It’s a miracle. Almost as soon as she started on the diet, she felt fit, happy, healthier, more relaxed — everything you’d want for your little girl,” Justin told Inside Edition. “When she was at her worst, I could never had envisioned that avocado would be the thing to help her through, but that’s how it’s turned out.”

(WATCH the video below)

Orange You Glad We Didn’t Say Guacamole? Click To Share The Story With Your FriendsPhoto by Inside Edition

Man Finds Puppies Abandoned in the Middle of the Desert and Takes Them on Epic Cross Country Road Trip

It has been a little over a year since Jordan Kahana first found two helpless little puppy siblings on the side of the road in Arizona – and it has been an unforgettable adventure ever since.

 

Because Kahana is a freelance digital director, he travels a lot for work. Back in December 2016, the 30-year-old had been driving from Los Angeles to Colorado when he saw two fluffy black dogs who had been abandoned in the middle of nowhere.

 

Kahana brought the pups to a vet where they were given their shots and treated for dehydration. But when it came time for the traveler to hit the road once more, he could not bear to leave his new friends behind.

 

He then adopted the pups and took them along on his cross-country adventures.

Since Kahana first recruited Sedona and Zeus as his road trip buddies, they have driven over 32,000 miles through 35 states from coast to coast.

 

“I’m used to traveling by myself, but it has been great to have some companionship. We’ve basically traveled cross-country in month-long stints,” Kahana told Inside Edition. “I just put the back seat down in the jeep and I’ve got them a mattress so they’re comfortable.”

 

If you want to keep an eye out on where the trio is headed next – or if you want to look at some of their breathtaking travel photos – you can follow Kahana’s Instagram page.

 

Click To Share The Pawesome Story With Your Friends (Photos by Jordan Kahana)

An Italian Village is Selling Homes For $1.25 to Populate the Town For the Future

This idyllic village in Italy is looking for new neighbors to join its community – and they are only charging $1.25 per house.

On the island of Sardinia, more and more residents have been leaving the tiny town of Ollolai. Over the course of the last 50 years, the population has dwindled from 2,250 people to 1,300, according to the Independent.

So as a means of preventing the village from turning into a ghost town, the local government is selling the empty houses for $1.25 – less than the price of a cappuccino.

Unfortunately, there is a catch to the sweet deal (of course there is).

Prospective buyers must agree to renovate their newly-bought house within three years of purchasing the real estate, which is estimated to cost about $25,000.

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Considering the village’s rich history and thriving cultural spirit, $25,000 for a house on a breathtaking Mediterranean island isn’t that bad of a deal.

In fact, the village website that originally published the real estate deal has become so inundated with applications, there is now a deadline in place.

Since the amount of offers has exceeded the 200 properties currently available in the village, the page will stop accepting applications one week from now on February 7th. After that, applications will be reviewed in the order that they are submitted.

So hurry while the gettin’ is good!

Act Fast: Click To Share With Your Own Friends (Photo by trolvag, CC)

“We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou

The_million_march

Quote of the Day: “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou

Photo: Million Man March, Washington DC, 1995 – by Yoke Mc / Joacim Osterstam, CC

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Ordinary Black American Didn’t Set Out to Change the World–But Did, When She Created First Golf Course Open to Blacks

Bill Powell-golf-desegregationist-youtube

On the first day of February, we want to take you beyond the stars of Black History Month–Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Frederick Douglas–to tell you about an extraordinary individual from Canton, Ohio who never set out to change history – but ended up doing just that.

Born 100 years ago, Bill Powell faced a lot of prejudice in America and saw a lot of signs reading “Whites Only”. But when his country needed him during World War II, he enlisted to serve.

His passion in life was the game of golf. He even started a golf team at school, for which he was the coach. When he returned to Ohio after serving overseas, where he played the game during leisure hours, he was not permitted to play on America’s segregated golf courses. He wanted to become a professional golfer, but the PGA had a “caucasian clause”.

So with quiet determination, and a dream to break barriers, Powell decided to build his own golf course.

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Buying 78 acres of farmland in East Canton, Ohio in 1946, he began clearing the land, and seeding the first nine holes by hand, walking back and forth over the land, on fairways and greens he’d designed in his head. Two years later, Clearview Golf Course opened as the only golf course in America to be owned and operated by an African-American.

Bill Powell-golf-1940s family photo

All races were welcome to play there, of course, because he despised segregation. The public course, which expanded to 18 holes 30 years later, eventually became a designated National Historic Site.

Helping to break the racial barrier in golf, Powell was given a PGA Life Membership and the 2009 PGA of America Distinguished Service Award.

RELATED: 4 College Kids Changed History By Sitting Down, 56 Years Ago Today

Nine years ago, he passed away at age 93; but his legacy continues today as his son Larry and his daughter Renee, who is a professional golfer and ground-breaker in her own right, still operate the family business.

Powell (1916-2009) was able to change attitudes in Ohio and across the country, because for him, golf was “more than a game.”  Golf was a way to touch people’s lives and impact the future. This year marks the 72nd anniversary of what has become known as “America’s Course”, where the only color that mattered – and still matters – is the color of the greens.

You can donate to the family‘s foundation to maintain the facilities and educational programs for future generations.

(WATCH the inspiring video below)

Pass on This Homage to Black History Month…

Should You Follow Tom Brady’s Nutrition Advice?

The Lesson: Tom Brady, the New England Patriot’s quarterback who will be playing against the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday, recently published a book called “The TB12 Method” – and while it does have some valid advice on healthy living, a lot of its content isn’t exactly backed by science.

Notable Excerpt: “Although he [says that he] doesn’t want you drinking water with your meals, Brady is passionate about hydration. The amount of water he suggests drinking (four to six liters a day) is far in excess of the amount of water you would need to stay hydrated—unless, of course, you are currently serving on a chain gang in Death Valley.”

The SpeakerMonica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS also known as The Nutrition Diva, is an expert on making healthy living as simple to understand as possible. The Baltimore-based nutritionist is the host of the fabulous fitness-centered podcast The Nutrition Diva’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Eating Well and Feeling Fabulous. Additionally, she is the bestselling author of several health books, such as “The Inflammation-Free Diet Plan” and “The Nutrition Diva’s Secrets For a Healthy Diet”.

Podcast: The Nutrition Diva’s show is available on StitcheriTunesSoundcloud, and Spotify.

(LISTEN to the interesting talk below) – Photo by Keith Allison, CC

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Watch Bus Driver’s “Ecstatic” Reaction to Students Surprising Him With Super Bowl Tickets

Gary Kelmer has been in love with the Philadelphia Eagles for as long as he can remember – and now, because of all of the love he has shown to his young passengers over the years, he will get to see his favorite football team play at the Super Bowl in Minneapolis.

Kelmer has spent decades working as a bus driver for the Mount Laurel school district in New Jersey. As a means of repaying him for all the kindness the 66-year-old driver has shown them over the years, dozens of parents and students alike pitched in to buy Super Bowl tickets for Kelmer and his wife. They also bought personalized jerseys and airfare.

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The whole package cost about $5,000 – but it was worth it just to see Kelmer’s face when they surprised him at the last stop of his bus route on Monday.

Upon seeing the news cameras, parents, and kids all gathered outside of his bus, the Eagles fan couldn’t help but tear up over the astounding gesture of compassion.

“This a special dream come true,” Kelmer told CBS News. “I’m ecstatic. I am ecstatic!”

(WATCH the heartwarming video below – or, if the video is not available in your geographic region, you can check out the footage at the CBS News website)

Score Big With Your Friends: Click To Share The Sweet Story With Your FriendsPhoto by CBS Philly

In World First, Children Given New Ears Grown From Their Own Cells

In a historical world first, Chinese scientists have successfully given new lab-grown ears to 5 different children. Not only that, but they were grown using the children’s very own cells.

The children, who were all between the ages of 6 and 10, were born with microtia; a condition where the shape and cartilage of their ears are underdeveloped and malformed, which causes hearing problems. While physicians can attach a fake synthetic ear to the exterior of the child’s head for cosmetic reasons, the body will often reject the fake – or it will simply look unnatural.

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According to the research findings that were published in EBioMedicine, the scientists created a 3D-printed replica of the child’s ear using a CT scan. Then, by reversing the dimensions, they created a mold of the ear which they filled with cartilage cells that were taken from the malformed ear.

Over the course of 12 weeks, the cells multiplied and grew into the mold. One of the newly-grown ears was attached to the patient’s head 2 and a half years ago – another was attached just 2 months ago. Thus far, however, none of the children’s bodies have not shown any signs of rejecting the implants.

The researchers said: “In conclusion, the results represent a significant breakthrough in clinical translation of tissue engineered human ear-shaped cartilage given the established in vitro engineering technique and suitable surgical procedure.”

Have Your Friends Heard The News? Click To Share (Photo by EBioMedicine)

Watch Streetwise Cats Play an Adorably Earnest Game of Hungry Hippos

Never before has such a serious group of felines ever been seen playing the silliest game.

In a YouTube video that was published by Viral Hog, four cats who had been rescued from the Brazilian streets of Vila Piaui, Sao Paulo were caught playing a round of “Hungry, Hungry Hippos” together.

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While one persistent player can be seen bending the rules and batting the ball by paw, rather than using the hippo, most of the house cats seem to be taking the game to heart. A fifth cat can also be seen enjoying the spectacle from afar.

According to the cats’ owner, this is a pretty regular occurrence.

“My cats that were rescued from the streets [like to] play with my daughter’s toys,” says the owner.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The Pawesome Video With Your Friends

“Today we are mentally preparing for tomorrow. The thoughts we think, the words we speak, the beliefs we accept, shape our tomorrows.” – Louise Hay

Quote of the Day: “Today we are mentally preparing for tomorrow. The thoughts we think, the words we speak, the beliefs we accept, shape our tomorrows.” – Louise Hay

Photo by Giampaolo Macorig on Flickr, CC

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

See How Pigeons Saved This Man From a Life on the Streets

From the first moment that Dave Malone saw a flock of pigeons take flight, he knew that he was in love – and he has been in love with them ever since.

Malone recalls growing up in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn as a dangerous experience. As a 10-year-old, the New York City resident says that the streets were filled with crime, drug deals, and the sound of gun shots.

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Malone, however, always managed to stay above the crime – literally and figuratively.

Instead of smoking, drinking, or getting into trouble with his friends, he would spend every day – from morning till night – on the neighborhood rooftops so he could hang out with the pigeons.

Forty years later, he still spends every day with his beloved birds.

(WATCH the inspiring video below)

Click To Share With Your Own Flock Of FriendsPhoto by National Geographic

Student Wakes From Nap to Find That Stranger Had Overheard Her Financial Difficulties and Left a Gift

Ella Johannessen was overwhelmed by financial difficulties when a stranger learned of her troubles and decided to leave a little gift for the 23-year-old student while she was asleep.

Johannessen was on a train from London King’s Cross Station to Leeds on Saturday morning when she called her mother and started venting about her money problems.

As a Leeds Beckett University graduate, she reportedly fell into debt during her final year in college when she had to drop her part-time job and focus on her studies.

“I was rather stressed and upset over my financial situation and was trying to locate what had happened to £35 that had been sent to me over a bank transfer,” Johannessen wrote on Facebook. “I spoke to her about how little money I had, how worried I was about my finances and I got upset.”

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After hanging up the phone, the 23-year-old fell asleep in her seat. When she awoke a half hour later, however, she found that someone had left her £100 ($141) tucked into a napkin on her lap.

“I started to cry,” said the student. “After a terrible 18 months where I lost my father and both of his parents, it showed me that there is kindness and good people in the world.”

According to the BBC, the money will keep Johannessen’s bank account from being over drafted. She hopes that her thank you note to the compassionate stranger will reach them on Facebook, and she plans on paying the good deed forward by volunteering for a charity in Leeds.

Click To Share The Inspiring Story With Your Friends (Photo by Ella Johannessen)

Endangered Parrots Won’t Stop Messing With Traffic Cones So the Cheeky Birds Have Been Given Their Own Roadside Gyms

As a means of keeping a “cheeky” native parrot species from causing trouble on local roadways, a group of conservationists have constructed a set of roadside gyms for the birds to play with.

Kea alpine parrots, which are native to New Zealand, have been called the smartest parrot species in the world. Their impressively high IQ compels the birds to search for constant intellectual stimulation.

This is why the parrots are notorious for playing with cars – and even moving road cones into traffic.

Some have even speculated that the reason the Keas move the cones into traffic is to force cars to slow down so they can beg tourists for food.

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In order to keep the mischievous birds busy, the roadside gyms are replete with playthings ranging from ladders, swings, and climbing frames to water toys and puzzles containing food. Though the gyms will eventually lose their appeal, they will be updated every few months with new attractions.

The University of Canterbury, Downers New Zealand, the Kea Conservation Trust, and the Department of Conservation have so far set up three gyms on the South Island in hopes that the playgrounds will keep the birds happy and safely off the streets.

(WATCH the parrots in action in the compelling BBC video below)

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When Man Offers Possessions in Exchange For Ending His Life, Hundreds Rally Around Him

The members of a community Facebook buy and sell page were shocked when one of the visitors made a post in which he offered to trade all of his possessions in exchange for someone to end his life.

Instead of accepting the offer, however, hundreds of Facebook users gave him support and words of comfort.

The unnamed man from Gold Coast originally took the to the “Gold Coast Buy, Sell and Swap With Easy Rules” yesterday at 5PM.

“I will pay someone with everything I own for one favour … anyone interested?” he wrote.

He then lists his all of his valuables, including: “$300 + TV Xbox One, 360, PlayStation 2, about 100 games, 60 DVDs (and) 2 laptops”.

“All that if one person grants my request,” he added.

When asked what the favor was, he simply said: “Kill me.”

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Other page members immediately commented on the post offering reassurance.

“What good are your belongings when you’re in jail charged with murder? I’d rather get you some help,” said a woman named Daisy Chain.

“There’s plenty out there to live for,” commented Nick Lucas.

“Message me anytime you want to vent,” wrote Karen Holmes.

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“Please call a family member, friend or Lifeline,” one person wrote. “If this is a cry out for help there are people who will help you. You aren’t alone.”

While many of the commenters were sure to keep the man occupied with messages of hope, one community member figured out the location of the distressed man and drove 31 miles south (50 kilometers) to offer consolation in person. Other users published the phone numbers of suicide hotlines. Another person called police and emergency response services for help.

And through all of this, page members kept commenting on the man’s post with love and support.

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One person wrote: “Please call someone or allow someone to read you. I lost someone to suicide and it doesn’t stop your pain. Those around you will live the pain you talk of.”

“Get real help my friend. I was where you are one year ago. Now life is wonderful. Believe in yourself,” wrote another.

Finally, according to an Australian news website, the mother of the suicidal man commented on the page saying that her son had voluntarily gone with emergency response services to the local hospital. He has since been diagnosed with a condition that he is now receiving treatment for. Moreover, she says that he was “really taken aback by everyone’s kind words and encouragement” and she was grateful to everyone for looking after her son during his time of need.

Restore Faith In Humanity: Click To Share The Story With Your Friends

“Each moment is a place you’ve never been.” – Mark Strand

Quote of the Day: “Each moment is a place you’ve never been.” – Mark Strand (poet)

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Rethinking Narcissism: The Bad—and Surprising Good—About Feeling Special

The Lesson: Narcissism exists on a spectrum. Sociopaths exhibit too much of the trait and have a problem with grandiosity and arrogance, but too little of it—utter selflessness—may also be detrimental. A healthy sense of self places you in the middle of the spectrum and is the optimum goal for ourselves and our children.

Notable Excerpt: “What science shows, from the research of Dr. Craig Malkin, is that there is a spectrum, super-unhealthy on both sides—too much feeling special, becoming untethered to others, and too little feeling special. The phrase that captures the healthy narcissist more than any other: they have big dreams. They are willing to feel special enough to think they can do something meaningful in the world…and they’re not going to sacrifice relationships in going after those dreams. The tether that keeps us in the center is secure relationships.”

The Speaker: Brian Johnson is a philosopher and founder of Optimize.me, a website, app, and free video series that help people to optimize their lives so they can be their best selves. He studies self-improvement books, then breaks them down into bite-sized chunks and ‘Philosopher‘s Notes’ for busy people who want ‘more wisdom in less time’. He also offers Optimal Living classes and online training for your Hero’s Journey.

Podcast: Brian’s podcast, OPTIMIZE with Brian Johnson, features the best Big Ideas from the best optimal living books. More wisdom in less time (between 4-19 minutes each) to help you live your greatest life. Subscribe: Stitcher — iTunes — Podbean.

Featured Books: In his book, Rethinking Narcissism, Dr. Craig Malkin, a clinical psychologist and psychology professor at Harvard Medical School, differentiates between healthy and unhealthy narcissism and offers clear, step-by-step guidance on how to promote healthy narcissism in ourselves, and our children.

(LISTEN to the inspiring talk below)

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Dutch Railway’s Unique Social Media Gives Passengers Second Chances With Their Missed Connections

Most people have experienced some kind of meaningful connection with a stranger – and this railway company is ensuring that all of their passengers can try and get a second chance with those missed conversations.

Dutch Railways has been running a publication that broadcasts their passengers’ missed connections in the hopes that they will be able to facilitate meet-ups between these special strangers.

The Hartkloppingen page – or “Heatbeats” in English – was originally published in the organization’s free onboard magazine. In 2008, they moved the section to a Tumbler account.

The page reads: “Every day, more than 1 million people travel by train. And then it can happen that you have a very nice conversation with a fellow traveler. Or not, and then you are out of luck afterwards. Do not worry, because here you can leave a message for that nice travel companion. And who knows, [maybe] you will travel together next time!”

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Some of the posts are pretty playful – like this one that was translated by NPR:

“We sat on a balcony in the train from Amersfoort to Utrecht. I had fries with peanut sauce — afraid it would stink up the whole train. You had a mullet, just came from a singing bowls concert. I think you’re pretty. Thought it was way too short, the time we chatted. Want to catch up?”

Other broadcasts, such as this one from a 22-year-old male passenger, have a more wistful tone:

“On Saturday evening … I was on my way to Hilversum in the Intercity. You [were] already waiting outside the coupe, while I was just walking around with my bags. The sliding door slipped right in front of my nose, which you also noticed. You laughed at me, and I laughed back. Then we looked at each other in a shy way and smiled through the glass of the sliding door, before the reality returned and we both had to leave. Did we have a moment, or did I see that wrong?”

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While the railway company may not have exact metrics concerning the page’s success, they told NPR that roughly 4,000 relationships blossom into fruition on their trains every year – and with the help of Heartbeats, they hope that there will be even more during the coming year.

Click To Share The Sweet Story With Your Friends