When I’m having a bad day, it’s helpful to have a reminder that despite the bad, the world also contains cute, breathtaking, extraordinary, funny, wonderful, and sometimes bizarre things. And being a visual person (although I like my music too), images can really have a calming effect. And it may not just be my biased opinion that cat videos are mutually beneficial to both myself and my employer. In a study conducted by Nittono of Hiroshima University, it was found that viewing cute images may aid in productivity. The cute image cause is compelling enough to motivate businesses to invest in it—even the most expensive, multi-million dollar ads used in American Super Bowl commercials have employed this tactic. You can too, and for far less than millions. In fact, you can get these mood-boosting wallpapers for free. And we’ll even waive the therapy fees.
1. Colorful Landscapes on InterfaceLIFT
If you live in a region that has a Winter season, January can be a tough, dreary month. The trees look dead, and there’s not a lot of color or sunshine to go around. Fortunately, your phone doesn’t have to be this way. Websites like InterfaceLIFT offer images of warmer places from all over the world. One such example that I find soothing (but I do like cool colors) is titled Queenstown from Bob’s Peak. It’s a contribution by Dominic Kamp, whose main gig might be investment advising, but who is also proving his talent at photography on this site. This photo was taken from Bob’s Peak, a mountain in New Zealand overlooking the resort town of Queenstown, which also happens to sit on a gorgeous lake. If you are looking for bright and cheerful as opposed to cool and calm, you could also check out another of Kamp’s water scenes—Driftwood.
Download: Queenstown from Bob’s Peak
Download: Driftwood
Brighter still is Tournesol by Giel, an image of a sunflower field in Switzerland.
Download: Tournesol
Majestic is an apt description of Mirror Lake—Yosemite National Park by cbrooks5678. And you’ll find the rainbow after the storm in the Land of Rainbows by Oliver Buettner, showcasing scenery in Ireland.
Download: Mirror Lake—Yosemite National Park
Download: Land of Rainbows
2. Cuddly Animals on WallpaperFx
WallpaperFx has a great collection of wallpapers categorized by topic. For instance, there’s those cute animals I’ve been gushing about. In fact, there are 1131 of them at this time. Isn’t this what the Internet is for? Check out pretty Kitty Blue Eyes or the more humorous Playful Scottish Fold Cat. Download: Kitty Blue Eyes
Download: Playful Scottish Fold Cat
Or take a walk on the wild side with (so these are maybe not as cuddly) the Cute Young Tiger or Lemur wallpapers.
Download: Cute Young Tiger
Download: Lemur
And who can resist the power of puppies? Download: Cute Little Puppies
There’s also the Cute Little Puppies wallpaper or the super-furry Cute Brown Puppy with its huge eyes. Download: Cute Brown Puppy
You could do adorable-squared with the Cute Friends wallpaper or the Pomeranian Puppy is enough cuteness to stand on its own.
Download: Cute Friends
Download: Pomeranian Puppy
3. Photos of Children on WallpapersWide
Gone are the days when people had children to improve their economical situation, and yet plenty of people are still reproducing. Why? Although some research has reached the opposite conclusion, a study authored by Myrskyla of the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research found a direct correlation between children and happiness, at least for parents 40 or older. And you don’t necessarily have to be a parent to appreciate the beauty of youth or cute babies. Cool and Stylish Baby Girl could steal your heart, or the cute-on-cute Girl and Dog. Download: Cool and Stylish Baby Girl
Download: Girl and Dog
The title of Cutest Child in the World might seem like a bold claim, but after looking at the wallpaper, is it that far-fetched? Download: Cutest Child in the World
And then there’s the effect of a sweet-looking girl combined with bright beautiful scenery that Cute Child in a Flower Field portrays. Download: Cute Child in a Flower Field
Some wallpapers might remind you of your childhood dreams, such as Wish. Or perhaps it’s nice to have a reminder of carefree times past, like in Colorful Balloons. Download: Wish
Download: Colorful Balloons
Childhood bonds are sometimes the sweetest, as demonstrated in Friendship or Funny Secret. Download: Friendship
Download: Funny Secret
4. Romance on Google Play
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and while some may wish that the holiday fell on Leap Year day so they would only have to deal with it every four years, some are just romantics at heart. Most of these wallpapers are live, and the developers really didn’t deviate with the names, but they all are actually unique. Some have pretty designs, some have anime, and some supply photo frames for your loved ones(s). Download: Romantic Live Wallpaper
Download: Romantic Wallpapers
Download: Romantic Live Wallpaper
Download: Romantic Live Wallpaper
5. Find Your Passions on Photo Sites
Do you have a passion for cars, movies, or music? You can find a variety of photos that can be used as wallpaper on sites like Pexels.com or Shutterstock, or download actual wallpaper. Here’s Greyscale Photography of Car Engine on Pexels, or there are plenty of different car models available as well. Download: Greyscale Photography of Car Engine
Do you love Prince? Here’s a drawing in his honor. Download: Prince Drawing
Everyone needs some minions. Download: Despicable Me Wallpaper
6. Mood ICS Live Wallpaper
Colors can have an effect on our moods; for instance, bright green can be uplifting. Color therapy is actually a thing. This live wallpaper is meant to provide colors for your mood. Download: Mood ICS Live Wallpaper
7. Beach Live Wallpaper
As a reminder of exotic holiday destinations past and future, here’s an app to bring you some HD images of white sand, blue water, and palm trees. You can almost feel the sun’s warmth and the clear blue waves. Download: Beach Live Wallpaper
8. Nature’s Nice Side
Beaches, animals, plant life—there’s actually something to the advice to take a walk when something is bothering you. In the book Fit Soul, Fit Body authors Secunda and Allen discuss all the ways you can use nature to inspire positive thoughts. Or you can use wallpaper. Download: Nature Wallpapers!
9. Hope and Motivation
When you feel yourself gravitating towards a pessimistic outlook, these wallpapers will bring you some hope and encouragement. We could all use a little more of that in our lives. Download: Hope and Motivation
10. Funny Wallpapers on Android Walls
Need a good laugh? According to a study by researchers from the University of Oxford, laughter might be the body’s best drug dealer—or at least that it helps you to feel less pain. It releases those feel-good chemicals called endorphins. Find the wallpaper that makes you laugh at AndroidWalls.net, but here’s a sample. Download: Yoda Reads Grammar Book
Conclusion
Even if the category didn’t strike your fancy, there are still some examples here of websites you can go to to find exactly what makes you happy, and vice versa. If you have a favorite painting, run a search for it or look in an Artistic category. You can undoubtedly find more inspirational quotes using the same sort of tactic. What wallpapers cheer you up when you are feeling down? Let us know. Featured Image Credit
