We’ve gathered some of the most uplifting and heartwarming posts from the Unexpectedly Wholesome subreddit, so you can spend the next few minutes restoring your faith in humanity. Enjoying these pics with surprisingly sweet twists, and be sure to upvote the ones you’d like to brighten someone else’s day with!
#1 Friendly Thing In Unfriendly Times
Image credits: reddit.com
#2 ❤️
Image credits: ManicMolotov
#3 Good Husband
Image credits: VeryBadLlama
Not everyone is a fan of surprises, understandably, but there’s nothing better than a pleasant surprise. Expecting standstill traffic when you’re running late for work and being blessed with all green lights and not another car in sight, finding flowers and chocolates on your desk that your partner got for you “just because,” or finding out that your best friend will be in town for your birthday can easily make your day. Many of us are taught to hope for the best yet expect the worst, and thankfully, all of the posts on this list don’t disappoint when it comes to providing the best possible outcomes.
The Unexpectedly Wholesome subreddit has a simple concept: members share things that end up being, well, unexpectedly sweet! And clearly, Redditors can’t get enough, as the group has 210k members, or simply people as they call themselves, and is full of uplifting posts about anything and everything. Many of these pics have the potential to be sad, hateful, disappointing or terrifying, yet they all take a quick turn and end up bringing pure joy to readers.
#4 Such A Cute Moment For Them To Have
Image credits: AnthonyMuffins
#5 Unexpectedly Wholesome
Image credits: Broclen
#6 Duolingo Can Be Good Sometimes
Image credits: hesitantcabal0
As I’m sure you know, pandas, we love wholesome content here at Bored Panda. Whether it’s adorable photos of baby animals or sweet pics of elderly people standing up for gay and trans rights, these kinds of pics will always be precious. But the word ‘wholesome’ hasn’t always been a compliment, so Sadiba Hasan wrote a piece for The New York Times discussing when this word became a term of endearment for Gen Zers. Apparently, the word started gaining popularity in 2018 and peaked in September 2020.
But when Celeste Scott referred to the content at the lifestyle blog The Good Trade as “wholesome” during a meeting in 2019, she learned that her colleagues had a negative connotation with the word. “Maybe before, ‘wholesome' was used to describe something a little more conservative,” she told The New York Times. But nowadays, especially amongst the youngest generation, wholesome is not associated with outdated, traditional family values and virtues, but rather linked with kindness, positivity, sincerity and anything cute.
#7 ❤️
Image credits: ManicMolotov
#8 Yea Pretty Much
Image credits: nightwing2009
#9 Best Things In Life Are Simple!
Image credits: deepinthoughts77
Perhaps part of the reason Gen Z has decided to cling onto the term wholesome is because of their positivity overall. One 2022 study interviewing college undergraduates found that this young generation highly values optimism and contributing to social change. So it’s not surprising that Gen Z would also be a huge fan of “wholesome” memes and pics that promote gay rights, disability rights, taking care of the planet and anything else that makes us feel warm and fuzzy. Especially in times of turmoil, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, this content can be a welcomed escape for young people to dive into the world of all things wholesome.
#10 Meet Max - The Goodest Of Good Boys
Image credits: limptranslation40
#11 Well This Took Off
Image credits: Jousan_
#12 Wholesome Hints
Image credits: GambitTheGrey
Millennial memes of the early 2010s were often full of dark humor and sarcasm, but we live in a very different world now. “Sometimes those ironic and satirical memes are too heavy-handed, and they go into things that, at a certain point, it’s not really a joke anymore,” Enzo Luna, a 22-year-old communications consultant, told The New York Times, noting that he particularly loves watching cute cat videos. “I really enjoy seeing that type of content as opposed to people making fun of others.” We’re in an age where young people are increasingly valuing social justice and kindness, and it’s reflected in what’s popular online.
#13 Such A Cutie
Image credits: BusineXlass
#14 Two Really Cool Guys. This Made Me Smile
Image credits: poddubskii
#15 Thanks Tim, Very Cool
Image credits: squirrelmegaphone
Constance Grady also wrote a piece for Vox explaining how she has seen the word wholesome undergo a complete revival in the past couple of decades. Gone are the days where the word signified being behind the times and reminding people of their grandparents (in a bad way); today, being wholesome is aspirational. Anything from snacks we buy at the grocery store to music we listen to on Spotify can be wholesome, and many of this comes in direct opposition to the alt-right movement that gained traction online around 2014. “Part of the way the alt-right spreads its message is through internet trolling. When it is ascendant, the internet landscape around it starts to feel more than a little toxic,” Grady writes. “And wholesomeness becomes an appealing escape.”
#16 No You’re Crying
Image credits: jtal888
#17 He Wanted His Dad Home
Image credits: jtal888
#18 Town Council In Scarborough, UK Cancels Their New Year's Fireworks Display To Avoid Disturbing A Visiting Walrus
Image credits: flopsychops
Former BuzzFeed staff writer Natalya Lobanova also told Vox that, “Wholesome memes will always do well after something devastating (Trump, Brexit, whatever) because in those moments, people crave to be reminded of good things, and to simply just switch off from feeling uneasy or angry.” It seems like we have barely had a break from bad news in recent years, with school shootings, war, the pandemic, inflation and much more. So can we really blame anyone for wanting to have a few minutes of peace, intaking refreshing, wholesome content?
#19 Good Parenting
Image credits: Aggravatin_74
#20 Surprisingly Wholesome Unsolicited Dms!
Image credits: indemnitea
#21 There's Always A Shark Behind You
Image credits: hurshy238
If you’re feeling deprived of wholesome moments in your own life, remember that they likely appear more often than you realize, you just might have to train yourself to be on the lookout for them. “I imagine it like a nutrient deficiency; my fingernails are brittle when I’m not taking my calcium supplements regularly,” Emily Torres writes for The Good Trade, explaining why we’re all craving something wholesome. “Likewise, my heart gets brittle when I forget to practice presence—to slow down and smell the clean fur of a sun-drenched puppy. (Is there any other smell that matters?) Wholesome moments are everywhere, if only we’ll pay attention.”
#22 This Is True
Image credits: Drakmanka
#23 *5 Gang Members
Image credits: FreshThreshold
#24 Romantic ?
Image credits: ManicMolotov
The great thing about ingesting uplifting content is that you can find whatever you love the most and dive deep into that wholesome hole. Perhaps videos of fluffy bunnies are right up your alley, or maybe you’re more interested in satisfying cooking videos on TikTok where the chef tells stories about their own life while perfectly chopping veggies and crafting warm, comforting meals. Whatever it is that brings you joy, make time for it. And be cognizant of media you in take that has the opposite effect as well, such as toxic reality TV or depressing news programs. Life is about balance, and we can stay informed without missing out on the wholesome joys in life.
#25 Well That's Pretty Unexpected
Image credits: Kripermaster
#26 Spooky And Wholesome
Image credits: xSurpriseShawtyx
#27 Pizza Time
Image credits: clayeymonitor52
The world can easily become an overwhelming and scary place, with doom and gloom filling news outlets everywhere. But we hope you’re enjoying this little breath of fresh, wholesome air, pandas. Keep upvoting the pics that restore your faith in humanity, and feel free to share even more wholesome stories in the comments below. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article featuring unexpectedly wholesome content, we’ve got the perfect list for you right here!
#28 Not All TV Is Dark And Full Of Terrors
Image credits: sammiebud
#29 You're A Human Being
Image credits: Snoozerby
#30 Count Me In
Image credits: jtal888
#31 Surprisingly Wholesome
Image credits: Obsidian__Wolf
#32 Blessed_rain
Image credits: OverdueArrow
#33 Even Thanos Is Impressed
Image credits: OutsideShot3634
#34 This Made My Day
Image credits: allyy_oooop
#35 This Made Me Smile
Image credits: delusionsheeep
#36 Threw Away An Easter Wreath With Dyed Eggs All Over It. Just Watched The Trashman Use It As A Hat
Image credits: lonely-blue-sheep
#37 Florida Man In A Wholesome Context. It's A Christmas Miracle
Image credits: Popular-Recover8880
#38 Kevin's Vacuume
Image credits: cakeman528
#39 Spuds
Image credits: Windects
#40 Mrs Duck And Her Kid Make An Unexpected Visit To The Grocery Store
Image credits: JettMe_Red
#41 Does This Count?
Image credits: SloppyJoe42069
#42 Me_irl
Image credits: reddit.com
#43 Take That, Rage Bait!
Image credits: ObnoxiousName_Here
#44 Wholesome Granny
Image credits: totorospb
#45 That Turned Out Wholesome
Image credits: thecrispsolitude
#46 On A Post About A Kid Having 82 Science Questions To Do Over Spring Break, There Were More Funny Ones Too (R/Mildyinfuriating)
Image credits: AlphaNik29
#47 We Need More People Like This
Image credits: delusionsheeep
#48 That Is The Energy
Image credits: jtal888
#49 Very Wholesome Community Lifting Someone Up :)
Image credits: reddit.com
#50 Wholesome Tall People
Image credits: RighteouslyHolistic
#51 Time To Paint Me!
Image credits: jtal888
#52 Didn't Expect To Find This, Lol
Image credits: Is_cheese_a_fruit
#53 Not My Original Post But How True
Image credits: sammiebud
#54 Questing
Image credits: jtal888
#55 The Most Wholesome Tomato
Image credits: jtal888
#56 Taiwan President Ingwen Take A Group Photo With Their Politicians
Image credits: Xerith047
#57 My Kitten Climbed Onto A Mattress And Fell Asleep
Image credits: lavashower405
#58 Can't Lie To Kermit!
Image credits: formidable-opponent
#59 This Was In Ulpt....ulpt!
Image credits: CaVeRnOusDiscretion
#60 Butt 115
Image credits: VR38Supra
#61 Meirl
Image credits: sammiebud
#62 Awwwww
Image credits: ManicMolotov
#63 Math Hub
Image credits: Communism-Potato
#64 Aww
Image credits: TheOneGoddess
#65 8 Year Old's Note On The Door
Image credits: iamzeN123
#66 Not So Grim Grim
Image credits: meowz89
#67 Love This Scene
Image credits: SaraPAnastasia
#68 Cuteness
Image credits: jtal888
#69 Two People Acting Like Adults
Image credits: Mcbeany125
#70 Food With A Stick Shall Survive For Today
Image credits: JadenYuki15
#71 Wish That Was My Boss
Image credits: LayerAppropriate2618
#72 First Time I Like The Job Rejection Email
Image credits: avalon986
#73 Glad He Had A Nice Time
Image credits: ManicMolotov
#74 Awww ?
Image credits: Parevecaramel701
#75 I Love This
Image credits: VondaArevalo
#76 Reddit Communities>>>
Image credits: oajjawj
#77 Dave Bautista And His Tattoo Coverings
Image credits: sammiebud
#78 This Is Not What I Was Expecting When I Saw Lettering On The Back Of A Van, But Noted
Image credits: millre01
#79 Quickly, Grab A Marker!
Image credits: EBMiller77
#80 Good Advice
Image credits: Xerith047
#81 Facebook Comments
Image credits: oajjawj
#82 Call For A Good Time
Image credits: jtal888
#83 Unexpected Wholesomeness In The Youtube Comments
Image credits: WalterWhitesMom5
#84 I Expected A Doomer Doge And Was Pleasantly Surprised
Image credits: ManicMolotov
#85 Yea Pretty Much
Image credits: plastic_mann1977
#86 Took An Unexpected Turn
Image credits: Meryeme-Mery
#87 Wow Didn’t See The Sub At First
Image credits: aureliendarroman
#88 I'm A Very Smalltime Streamer For Fun>views, I've Developed A Small Set Of Regulars However, One In Particular Left Me This Message Which Midstream Made Me Blush So Hard, And It Made The Entire Stream Honestly Worth It :')
Image credits: HalvorianSeeker
#89 Found This New Comic Artist On R/Funny And Wanted To Share One Of His Unexpectedlywholesome Comics
Image credits: naziolesay
#90 I Had This Interaction With A Scammer On New Years And I Was Told I Should Post It Here
Image credits: fortheweirdshit2
#91 Thanks Dad
Image credits: Accomplished_Yam_551
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