Iceland Showcases Joyscrolling With Waterfalls, Geysers, and Puffins

When Oxford Languages released its Words of an Unprecedented Year report in 2020, one of the terms on the list was doomscrolling, which is defined as "the action of compulsively scrolling through social media or news feeds which relate to bad news."

Certainly, many consumed this habit throughout that unprecedented year — and continue to do so today. But there's a way to turn that current-events frown upside down and embrace a new habit: joyscrolling.

On Joyscroll.com, a site launched by Iceland's tourism board, doomscrollers are invited to counter their instinctive habit of chasing negativity by scrolling through the joyful sights and sounds of the island nation.

Based on 2016 research that showed Brits scroll through 5.149 miles on their smartphones each year, the tourism board calculated that each person works through 74.47 feet every day. So, the site provides exactly that amount of inspiring Icelandic imagery to scroll through, with a tool measuring the distance scrolled in real time.

The joyful content includes images of all the happiest and calming aspects of Icelandic life, like waterfalls, the northern lights, and elf houses. Also included are tastes of the country's experiences, including scuba diving in Silfra between two continental plates, watching a geyser spring to life, frolicking in the mist of waterfalls, and admiring the artistry of the local cuisine.

Calming moments are provided through photos of the Blue Lagoon, as well as a guided breathing section and images of wildlife (think: ewes, puffins, horses, arctic foxes, and gyrfalcons).

To top it off, there are music breaks, including tunes from Icelandic artists like Júníus Meyvant, Gugusar, Auður, and Ólafur Arnalds, in addition to a performance from Bríet.

Why should Iceland be the one to pave the way for a more positive outlook? Well, with only five hours of daylight during the darkest days of winter, the culture has long been about finding the upside of things amid the literal darkness.

The country hopes that coining the counterculture sensation of joyscrolling provides some much-needed happiness in the face of current events. Sigríður Dögg Guðmundsdóttir, head of Visit Iceland, said in a statement, "We hope our content will offer an escape and bring a smile to the world."