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 February 19, 2022

The Good Stuff turns 3 this weekend! Can you believe it? We've been through a lot together. Like, a lot. It feels like we've lived through about 10 years of news crammed into a three-year period. But we've gotten through it together! Here's one thing I've learned: No matter how dark the world seems, there is always good stuff -- and good people like you -- to light the way. Thank you for all your love and support, and here's to many, many more years of The Good Stuff! 

If there's something you'd like to see here, drop us a line. Know someone who could use a little Good Stuff? Send them a copy! We hope you love it as much as we do.

Our favorites this week

Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week

Fabulous firsts
Two fantastic ladies recently dazzled the world in two historic appearances. First, actress Brittany Johnson floated down in a magic bubble on Broadway, becoming the first Black woman to play the lead role of Glinda (or Galinda, as it were) in the iconic 2003 musical "Wicked." (She previously performed as Glinda in the understudy position in 2019.) Johnson's performance earned her a two-minute ovation as the curtains closed. Then, 24-year-old model and business owner Sofia Jirau became the first person with Down syndrome to appear in a campaign for Victoria's Secret. "One day I dreamt it, I worked at it and today it's a dream come true," Jirau said of her appearance. 

Andrew Whitworth and his wife, Melissa.

Man of the Year
Los Angeles Rams star Andrew Whitworth has had quite a month. Not only did his Rams win the Super Bowl, Whitworth was also honored with the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Considered one of the biggest honors in football, the award recognizes a player's "outstanding community service actions off the field, as well as excellence on it." Whitworth has committed to helping families in both the LA area and his home state of Louisiana through various programs, including his newly-launched "Big Whit Homes for LA Families" program. Through the program, Whitworth donates money to repair homes in Louisiana and help low-income families in LA move into affordable housing. He's also donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide scholarships and school supplies for Louisiana schoolchildren, wishes for terminally ill children, and to the NFL players' social justice fund. Whitworth told CNN helping people feels just like making a winning play on the field. "When I can make them appreciate that someone cares about them, when I can just let them feel more confident in themselves because of something I'm able to do, I feel that same feeling."

Just a big ol' berry 
I love stories about giant produce. I mean, just look at this massive strawberry! I want to eat it with a knife and fork, or cut it like a cake. Farmer Chahi Ariel grew this massive specimen in Israel, and at 289 grams (10 ounces), it's about five times the size of the local strawberry variety. According to Guinness World Records, that makes it the heaviest strawberry ever grown. Ariel was rightfully pleased, and proudly keeps the certificate on his laptop. "When we heard, it was an amazing feeling. I jumped in the car, laughed and sang," he said. "We've been waiting for this for a long time." How do you grow a berry that big? Unusually cold weather in early 2021 slowed the strawberry's ripening process, allowing it to continue gaining weight. 

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A bright idea

We talk about so many stunning technological innovations here, but sometimes the most effective solution is also the simplest. Manatees in Florida have been dying at an alarming rate over the past few years, largely due to starvation. Luckily, a new feeding program seems to be making a difference. Officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have been feeding the creatures about 3,000 pounds of lettuce a day to keep them healthy. They distribute the produce -- mostly romaine and butter lettuce -- at a temporary feeding ground at Florida Power & Light's Cape Canaveral Clean Energy Center in Brevard County. About 350 manatees a day flock to the center to munch on the greens. The program has been funded greatly by donations from the public to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Foundation. 

You gotta see this

Just one look at this eye-catching item and you know it's something important. In fact, it's the Nebra Sky Disk, thought to be the earliest known depiction of the cosmos. It was discovered in Germany and is about 3,600 years old. The inlaid gold making up the abstract celestial bodies is from Cornwall, England, showing the world at that time was deeply interconnected. The disc is part of a massive new exhibit at the British Museum featuring 430 objects from around the United Kingdom and Europe that illuminate the cosmic mysteries of Stonehenge.

Wanna get away?

What's the most-visited National Park in the US? The answer may surprise you. It's the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee! They're called the Smokies because of the "smoke" (really, it's fog) that rises up through the trees. In fact, the Cherokee people called the mountains "shaconage," or "place of the blue smoke." Zion National Park in Utah and Yellowstone National Park round out the top three most-visited parks of 2021. Check out the rest of the list here! 

Who knew?

"How do figure skaters not get dizzy?" That's been a top Google search over the past week as the world watches Olympic figure skaters and collectively wonders how they don't stumble and fall over all the time. Top skaters will say they just get used to it, but there's a more scientific explanation. Kathleen Cullen, a professor of biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University, says that feeling of dizziness comes when fluid in the brain's rotation sensors continues to move even after you've stopped spinning, giving your brain the false sense you're still going. Over years of training, figure skaters' brains literally change. Their brains learn to compare what kind of movement is actually happening in the body to what sensory receptors are saying. Eventually, they learn to ignore this error. 

Impact your world

OK, it's the middle of February. Anyone still on track with their New Year's resolutions? No judgement if not! Things happen, and you don't need to be constantly trying to improve to be happy. Buuut, if you've gotten off track and want to get back on, here are some expert tips:

• Assess what went wrong. And we're not talking about what you did wrong. Were your goals a little unrealistic? Did you set too many? Maybe it's time to shift your perspective.
• Course-correct or change course altogether. Listen, you don't need a new year to adjust a resolution! Be easy on yourself.
• Give your big goals mini goals. You wouldn't eat a steak all in one bite, right? So cut that steak up! Plus, setting mini goals means you're more likely to stay on track, and you'll get that "goal-reaching" rush every time you reach a new mini-milestone.

Read more resolution-reviving advice here! 

Rec of the week

Brought to you by CNN Underscored

Shameless animal video

There's always time for cute animal videos. That time is now.

"Wait, why are you so soggy?" "Wait, why can't you swim?!" These otters and their new pug friend probably have a lot to discuss.  (Click here to view)

Made with love by CNN's 5 Things team. 

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