We're officially at the halfway point of 2018 — but, let's be honest, it already feels like it's been an eternity. In fact, the past couple of years have been pretty rough, and it's easy to lose sight of the good in the world. However, once in awhile, something small (or big!) happens that gives us hope and a reason to keep going. We've pulled together a list of 50 of these things that have happened so far this year, as a reminder that no matter how hard existing/surviving can seem at times, there is still beauty and joy and goodness to be found.
1. Ava DuVernay became the first black woman to direct a film that grossed more than $100 million at the domestic box office.
2. Christiane Amanpour (rightfully!) took over Charlie Rose's one-hour nighttime slot on PBS with her upcoming show "Amanpour & Company."
3. Lena Waithe gave us religion in an incredible rainbow cape at the Met Gala.
4. U.S. Olympian Chloe Kim became the youngest woman to win a medal for halfpipe snowboarding at the 2018 Winter Games, where she took home the gold.
5. More women are running for office than ever (and they're winning).
6. The #MPRRaccoon made it up the building.
7. The Parkland kids — with help from fellow young activists in Chicago — galvanized the country into taking action against gun violence.
8. Kendrick Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for "DAMN."
9. Parker Curry, the 2-year-old who was transfixed by Michelle Obama's portrait in the National Portrait Gallery, got to dance with her idol.
10. Meghan Markle married Prince Harry (and became the U.K.'s first black princess in our eyes, even though she's technically a duchess).
11. Toronto hosted its first-ever Indigenous Fashion Week.
12. Serena Williams made an epic return at the French Open in a fierce black catsuit.
15. #MeToo activists saw some justice in Harvey Weinstein's arrest, canceled R. Kelly concerts, and Charlie Rose's suspension — but there's still much more work to be done.
16. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez upset the Democratic establishment in her monumental win in New York's 14th congressional district.
17. Aaron Philip, the disabled, non-binary model who caught Twitter's eye, starred in multiple gorgeous photoshoots.
18. Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain joined forces to fight for equal pay, shining a light on the intersection of race and gender inequality in Hollywood and beyond.
19. Mariah Carey opened up about her bipolar II diagnosis in the hopes that "we can get to a place where the stigma is lifted from people going through anything alone."
20. Gina Rodriguez donated her Emmy Award campaign money to a scholarship for an undocumented high school student.
21. S.J. Clarkson became the first female "Star Trek" director in franchise history.
22. Michelle McNamara's reporting helped lead to the arrest of the Golden State Killer, two years after the writer's death.
23. Janelle Monae blessed our ears and eyes with her album "Dirty Computer" and its accompanying "emotion picture" — and our hearts when she came out as queer in Rolling Stone.
24. "Ocean's 8" was the delightful and long-overdue lady caper we needed.
25. The "Spiderman of the 18th" rescued a boy dangling from a fifth-floor balcony in Paris. Mamoudou Gassama was a recent immigrant from Mali, and has since been offered French citizenship and a job with the Paris Fire Brigade.
26. Mirai Nagasu became the first U.S. woman to land a triple axel at the Olympics.
27. Laverne Cox graced the cover of Cosmo, making her the first transgender woman to appear on the magazine's cover.
28. Marvel president Kevin Feige said the company plans to bring Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) to the big screen after 2019's "Captain Marvel." She'll be the first Muslim superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
29. These glam grandmas of Instagram.
30. The New York Times began righting history by publishing obituaries of notable women they overlooked.
31. London Breed was elected mayor of San Francisco, and will be the first woman of color to hold that office.
32. Ireland ended its abortion ban, thanks to the thousands of people who flew home to vote on the referendum. (In case any U.S. residents were considering not voting in the 2018 midterms.)
33. This trailer for "Crazy Rich Asians."
34. Beyoncé and her husband dropped "Everything Is Love."
35. MAC released its MAC x Aaliyah collection, a tribute to the late singer and her groundbreaking legacy.
36. San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz became a spokesperson for our righteous anger about the Trump administration's neglect of Puerto Rico, where the death toll from Hurricane Maria is estimated to be at least 4,645.
37. Women in Saudi Arabia started hitting the road after the country repealed its ban on female drivers in 2017.
38. Jordan Peele took home the best original screenplay Oscar for "Get Out" — making him the first black screenwriter to win the award.
39. Google's gorgeous doodle in honor of Maya Angelou's 90th birthday.
40. Tammy Duckworth made history as the first U.S. senator to give birth while in office, and as the first senator to have a newborn at her side while casting a vote on the Senate floor.
41. Adam Rippon and Gus Kenworthy competed as the only openly gay Olympians on Team USA.
42. Cardi B announced her pregnancy on "S.N.L."
43. Zendaya took 300 kids from her hometown of Oakland, California to see "Black Panther."
44. The trailer for Steve McQueen's "Widows," starring Oscar-winning powerhouse and Shondaland family member Viola Davis.
45. Donald Glover sparked important conversation with "This Is America."
46. Tony Award hosts Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban's harmonious and hilarious opening number, which reminded us that "in a world that is scary and hard to endure, if you make art at all, you're a part of the cure."
47. Deb Haaland of New Mexico is likely to become the first Native American congresswoman in U.S. history.
47. The Special Olympics kicked off yesterday in Seattle.
49. Cynthia Nixon's progressive run for governor of New York.
50. Shondaland scored the rights to the Anna Delvey story.
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