She asked Atlanta to share its good news. The response was overwhelming.

From getting into nursing school to starting a new job, people along the Atlanta Beltline have been sharing their good news. It’s the latest project from an Atlanta native who’s channeling her love for the city into something positive.

Is no news good news?

Chronically online, today’s readers are feeling the effects of nonstop headlines in real ways. Mental health experts say this constant exposure to the news can contribute to anxiety and burnout.

In December 2025, about half of 3,560 people surveyed told Pew Research they were “worn out” by news. The center reported that many have simply tuned out. While it’s not a formally recognized disorder, the American Psychological Association reported in 2022 that psychologists were seeing patients suffer from news-related stress because of its omnipresence in today’s media climate.

As a former local journalist and an Atlanta Women’s Foundation nominee focused on mental health, Catherine Catoura is familiar with the fatigue.

“I honestly stopped watching news,” she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’ve completely stopped.”

While she noted it’s important to stay informed, Catoura explained that chronic news consumption during her journalism career ultimately “took a toll.”

From traditional news to something new

Scrolling through her social media content, her modern audience won’t find cataclysmic headlines or macabre stories. Atlanta news, however, still remains firmly at the center of it all.

“I love my city,” she said. “I’m from Atlanta, born and raised.”

Much of her content now focuses on the city’s vibrant entertainment and culinary scenes, featuring shoutouts for local “mom and pop” small businesses with interesting things to do for Atlanta’s people.

Feeling inspired by New York-based content creator Megan Keaveny, who asks New Yorkers to share their good news, Catoura decided to launch a similar project.

“I was sitting at my screen, just smiling,” she said, speaking on Keaveny’s videos. “This is what we need more of. We need more positivity. We need more feel good stuff.”

Catoura took to the streets to see how her city was doing. Along the Atlanta Beltline, she offered passersby a microphone to speak their truths. All they had to do was tell her some good news.

“I stood there awkwardly with a sign,” she said. “And, for the first 15 minutes, nobody …”

But she didn’t give up.

“People stared at me and they were like, ‘Sorry, no good news. It’s all bad.’”

Slowly, then quickly, it started happening.

“I started seeing people, like, smiling,” she said. “One person came up and said she bought a new house.”

More people started to file in, then lines of people. The project was a big success.

“Honestly, I wanted to use my platform to showcase Atlanta and showcase my community, more than just things to do around Atlanta,” she said. “I really wanted to show the people. And that’s the journalistic side of me.”

On Instagram and TikTok, Catoura plans to keep bringing attention to Atlanta and spreading that positivity.