When the world feels chaotic, it’s normal to feel helpless. Headlines can stack up with conflicts that don’t seem to end, suffering on a mass scale and hatred that tears communities apart. It feels heavy and too much for one person to hold, especially around the holidays. If you’ve caught yourself doomscrolling, feeling numb or wondering if anything you do matters, you’re not alone.
Here’s the good news: Feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean you’re powerless. Hope is the key. It’s a practical mindset that helps us notice progress and take small steps that add up to make a big impact.
This guide offers simple, evidence-informed ways to shift from paralysis to purpose. We’ll start with reflective habits that steady your mind and widen your perspective, then move toward action. You don’t have to fix everything to make a real difference – you only have to take the next step.
1) Remember Human History Is Getting Better
The world often feels like it’s falling apart. There is suffering abroad and in our own communities. Advancements in sectors such as health and education have stalled or lapsed entirely in some places. Yet, the direction of human history is unmistakable. Across centuries, people have worked together to solve the most difficult, pressing challenges. And today, evidence shows that billions of people are better off than their grandparents across a range of development indicators:
- Fewer people are facing extreme poverty. In 1990, 43% of the world lived in extreme poverty (surviving on less than $3 a day). In 2025, that number is only 10%.
- Fewer children die young. Under-five deaths have fallen by about 62% since 1990. Decades of improvements in childhood health from vaccines, nutrition and primary care remain one of humanity’s biggest wins.
- Education access has expanded. Primary school enrollment around the world grew from 72% in 1970 to 89% in 2018, and girls’ access to education had even more significant gains from 64% in 1970 to 88% in 2018.
- Many deadly diseases have been nearly eradicated. In the past several decades, deadly infectious diseases like smallpox and rinderpest have been eradicated. Other diseases like polio are near eradication.
- The world is less deadly than the mid-20th century. Measured per 100,000 people, conflict death rates are far below Cold War and World War II peaks.
- Global hunger fell for decades. In 1990-1992, 23.3% of the global population experienced food insecurity. By 2014, that dropped to 12.1%.
2) Practice a Daily or Weekly Hope Ritual
Every night or once a week, write down three good things you see in the world. These could be as local as a neighbor helping a neighbor or as global as a humanitarian breakthrough. The “Three Good Things” practice is validated in positive psychology research and associated with improved well-being.
Weave this ritual into your routines: Place a sticky note by your bed or create a note on your phone. Review your lists regularly to spot patterns — what kinds of “good” energize you? That clarity can help you choose what causes to give your time, attention and support to.
3) Rest on Purpose — Especially From the News
Relentless exposure to negative news is linked to higher anxiety and depressed mood.Even brief clips can increase distress. To manage this emotional strain and still stay informed, build “news windows” (e.g., 15 minutes at lunch) and keep evenings screen-light.
Make rest actionable: batch notifications, move news apps off your home screen and schedule at least one feed-free block of time daily. If doomscrolling creeps back, reset by taking a short walk or listening to music.
4) Reconnect With Nature
Nature contact — outside or even through a window — is consistently associated with benefits to mood, stress and attention. Studies show that natural environments reduce mental fatigue and restore attention. Try micro-habits like morning light, tending to a plant or a taking a 10-minute walk outside.
5) Subscribe to Credible “Good News”
Major headlines are often negative. It’s important to also follow positive news so you can see the good happening in the world. Curate an inbox that brings balance to your news inputs. Here are some options to try:
The sharing of any news story is not an endorsement by the World Food Programme (WFP) or World Food Program USA of that news outlet, its views, or that of its writers. WFP and World Food Program USA are independent entities, and we make every effort to share accurate information with you as quickly as possible.
6) Find and Follow People Who Are Making an Impact
Find people who are speaking up and making a difference in the world: look for humanitarians, scientists, teachers and organizers. Their work will remind you there are people making an impact even in the world’s toughest crisis zones.Here are some of the humanitarians who inspire us every day:
- Ms. Rachel (Rachel Accurso) is an educator and advocate for children who has spoken on behalf of children’s well-being around the world.
- WFP USA’s ambassadors and Zero Hunger Activist Council use their platforms to advocate for ending global hunger.
- WFP’s work is powered by more than 20,000 people, 77% of whom live in the countries and communities they serve.
7) Share Good News on Social
Help spread good news by posting one constructive story a week. This helps your network see there’s a lot of good happening in the world. You can follow @wfpusa on Instagram and Tiktok to reshare our stories of hope and progress in the fight against hunger.
8) Donate to Organizations Doing Work You Care About
Find an organization you care about and donate to them. Set a recurring gift so action becomes routine – donations as little as $5/month add up to fuel positive change in the world.
If you care about ending global hunger, donate to World Food Program USA. Even small monthly gifts help us curb hunger and respond faster when emergencies strike.
9) Advocate — Don’t Just Observe
Public policy can save lives. Your representatives decide how much funding goes towards to programs like global humanitarian aid. Write and call your government officials to tell them what causes are important to you.
Did you know the U.S. has a long legacy of providing humanitarian aid and fighting hunger? Visit our advocacy page to see how you can urge Congress to fund programs that support WFP’s work.
10) Volunteer in Your Local Community
You can be the change you want to see in the world. Find nonprofits and volunteer openings for you to jump in and help your community. Here are a few platforms to search for opportunities:
For youth and young adults, check out WFP USA’s Zero Hunger Generation. Each action you take to help end world hunger earns points towards prizes and leadership opportunities.
It’s okay to feel discouraged. Most of us do when conflict, suffering and hatred crowd the headlines. But discouragement doesn’t have to be the end of the story. Practicing hope can steady our minds and move us towards action. None of us can fix everything, but each of us can do something tangible this week. Pick one reflective habit or action and repeat. That’s how our small, collective acts of good can change the world.
