Let’s be honest: 2020 has been one of the most difficult years so far, because there have been a lot of negative events that wreaked havoc all over the world, from beloved celebrities that have died and a worldwide pandemic that affects people of all ages, to racial equality protests and so on. 

We have to admit that it is quite difficult to see the glass as half full these days, especially when everybody is emotionally affected for various reasons, but we have to try to stay positive and see things from a different perspective as well. 

Of course, no one has said that you have to be suddenly happy, especially when there are people who have lost their loved ones and are still struggling every day with the misconceptions of society – but you can try to minimize your stress, depression and anxiety by focusing on positive things from time to time.

According to C. Vaile Wright, director of clinical research and quality at the American Psychological Association, “it’s OK to not be OK right now and to just do your best to get through this truly unprecedented time.”

So, to help you focus on the positive events and make you feel better, here are the best things that happened in 2020 and that could probably make you change your mind about this difficult year. Read on to find out more info!

The rate of pet adoptions has increased significantly

If the rate of pet adoptions has increased dramatically, it means that the percentage of euthanized animals has dropped significantly, right? In conclusion, people saved more than just the life of a poor animal, they saved a lot of animals from being euthanized. 

There are two categories of people these days, namely those who are afraid of the coronavirus pandemic and believe that they can get the novel virus from them, so they abandon their furry friends and those individuals who have more free time and choose to adopt a pure soul and take care of them for life. Luckily, the percentage of people in the second category is higher than the first one. In other words, statistics show that people adopted more cats and dogs during the quarantine. 

For instance, the Happily Ever After Animal Sanctuary in Green Bay, Wisconsin reported a thirty percent increase in animal adoptions during the pandemic compared to other years. The same goes for other countries in Europe and Australia. 

If you want a pet and you are looking for a purebred one, it is important to remember that you can find one even at animal shelters, without spending a lot of money. So, choose to adopt instead of buying animals. Plus, don’t worry, because studies have shown that dogs and cats can’t spread the new coronavirus.

Wild animals have never been happier than they are now

Just like domesticated pets, wild animals have never been happier than they are now when there are fewer tourists visiting and taking pictures of their habitat. People around the world have to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus and they have chosen to spend more time at home, instead of traveling, so it seems that wild animals are very satisfied with this decision. 

For example, each summer, coastal Alaska is visited by over a million tourists who want to admire its natural wonders, such as the breathtaking view and whales. However, when the coronavirus pandemic occurred, the number of tourists dropped significantly, which allowed the humpback whales to feel free to sing peacefully in the large waters. According to Dr. Michelle Fournet, director of the Sound Science Research Collective, “it’s the first time in human history that we’ve had the technological ability to listen to these whales in a meaningful way without us interfering.”

This story is similar in other parts of the world, such as Nara, Japan, where sika deer have begun to explore more areas than their normal habitat, or in Oakland, California, where wild turkeys prefer more walks in the park, as well as jackals in Tel Aviv, sea lions near Buenos Aires and goats in Istanbul, all of them, are happier without so many tourists, because they can explore more territories.

Eloping is popular again

The truth is that not everyone prefers a big wedding with more than a hundred guests, wedding speeches and so on, right? So, 2020 has helped people give up big weddings that they probably didn’t even want, but it also saves them from going to other weddings as guests. 

In other words, if you want a small wedding, but you have many friends and everyone would be upset if you didn’t invite them, 2020 has been here to help you celebrate with a few people who really matter and the best part is that your friends will understand the situation and no one gets mad. 

So, eloping is back again and people who don’t like big weddings can take advantage of it. For those who didn’t know this, eloping is a type of wedding that is celebrated only by the couple and their parents, without other guests. In general, eloping involves only a ceremony, without a big party. 

According to a recent study, the rate of eloping has increased significantly during the coronavirus pandemic and people who have opted for this type of wedding have said that they are satisfied with their decision.

Earth and Mother Nature are healing

Before 2020, the world’s pollution rate was getting worse and worse, and people were not opting for sustainable behaviors at all. Once the coronavirus pandemic hit, people had to spend more time at home (self isolated and self quarantine), which means that they didn’t have to use their cars at all and most of them tried to cook their own meals at home, so they used every food in their fridge without throwing them away – in this way, the food waste and pollution rates have dropped dramatically in recent months.  

Moreover, after the disaster in Australia, where forests and animals burned out, it seems that some trees are starting to heal. So, if the Australian forests that were devastated by wildfires are brought back to life, it means that the animals will have a new home again. 

Companies have begun to pay more attention on employee needs

Well, we have to admit that there are a lot of people who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic and that the worldwide economy is undergoing some changes. Nevertheless, there are some companies that have increased their productivity by focusing on the needs of employees. 

For instance, they realized that an employee should never be stressed at work, so they opted for remote work, divided the working time into days (a team should come a week or just a few days, and then another team the following week), or even reduced the working hours. 

Walmart and Target allowed their workers to stay home during the Thanksgiving Day this year and canceled in store shopping. According to John Furner, the president and CEO of Walmart US, this has been a trying year and people should enjoy this important day with their families.

Telemedicine and technology have advanced among all people

Before the coronavirus pandemic, there were a lot of people of all ages who had no idea how to use a computer or other devices that are now very popular. But once the coronavirus pandemic broke out, they had to learn how to use the internet and advanced technology properly, such as telemedicine, online school classes and so on. 

There are many people who need specialized medical consultation, but don’t feel comfortable to go physically to a cabinet, so most of them opt for telemedicine. In other words, telemedicine helps people talk to a doctor remotely and it seems that this method is really effective.

People read more books

According to medical experts, reading books can help you improve your mental and physical health and these benefits can last a lifetime, especially if you do this activity regularly. So, it’s no secret that reading books can help you improve your brain functions, increases your ability to empathize and prevent age related cognitive decline. 

According to a 2020 survey, the number of people who like to read books during the coronavirus pandemic has increased significantly, compared to other years. These book lovers include children, teenagers, adults and seniors. On average, they spend about six hours a week reading books. 

In addition, some of the most common reasons why people read books are the desire of focusing on other things than the crisis per se and because they have more free time.

People have realized the importance of local companies

Local small businesses need support to continue their work, and because of 2020, people have realized the importance of helping them. The main idea is that if you keep supporting local companies, it means that you are also helping your local economy and your community will have more money. 

In general, local business will invest their profits in other companies in your city, such as farms, banks and so on, and your city will grow economically. For example, if you spend $100 at a local company, about $68 will stay in your community, which means that your city will be financially and economically harmonious.