This Wholesome Comic Series Is an Island of Positivity in a Sea of Darkness

This article was originally published on Travellergazette.com

Sometimes it feels like the Internet is full of depressing things: just a non-stop barrage of bad news, angry people, and cynicism. Some days it’s enough to make me want to delete all my social media accounts, throw my laptop in the garbage can, and move to a hut in the mountains to tend sheep and befriend small birds. And while I haven’t written off that idea completely yet, every now and then, I come across a little ray of sunshine online that changes my mind—an island of positivity and kindness that proves that not everything on the Internet is bad. And I want to share one such island of positivity with you: a series of wholesome, uplifting comics by a digital artist named Eckyo. Check out his work below and see if it doesn’t restore your faith in humanity, even a little.

#1: Today Is a Gift

Tell me if either of these situations sounds familiar to you: you are so worried about what is going to happen in the future that you cannot focus on what is happening now. Or you spend all of your time fretting over and regretting what happened in the past.

This sweet little comic is here to remind us that that’s no way to live happily in the here and now. Or, as Master Oogway and a thousand inspirational posters have said: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.”

#2: Staying Afloat

As we float along on the ocean of life, sometimes it feels hard to keep our heads above water. Be it negativity, self-doubt, or the criticism of others, sometimes it feels like there are a lot of things out there that are trying to drag us down.

This comic reminds us of an important method for staying afloat: things like negativity and self-doubt have a lot harder time dragging us down if we don’t let them into our lives. And if they do find their way in, never be ashamed to ask someone for help in bailing out your proverbial ship.

#3: Taking Time

When bad things happen to us, it can be hard at the moment to imagine that things will ever be okay again; in moments of darkness, it can be difficult to imagine the sun shining again. And it’s okay if it takes you a minute to process what happened.

The important thing is to give yourself time, space, and grace to heal. It might take a moment to feel better, but like a plant that sprouts after lying dormant, you, too, will someday bloom again. And then remember to extend other people the same time, space, and grace to heal from their own pain.

#4: Helping Helps

Some people see life as a zero-sum game. This means that the only way for you to gain is for other people to lose. People who live this way don’t see the point in helping others because they argue that the only thing that matters is doing what’s best for you.

What they fail to realize is that life is not a zero-sum game; often, doing something kind for someone else actually ends up benefiting you as well. Even if it’s not like a fairytale where the hero gets rewarded for his good deeds, helping others can help you by increasing your own happiness or emotional well-being.