This year, searches for “how to heal” reached an all time high. Across the world, we were looking for ways to come back stronger.

We reflected on difficult times that continued to test our resolve. We thought about those we lost, asking “how to honor someone.” We looked inward, searching for “how to take care of your mental health” and asking the big questions, like “how to be yourself” and “what is my purpose?”

We looked outward, too – thinking about how we could help rebuild and strengthen our communities. We searched for how to make sustainable choices, how to help Afghan refugees, how to stop Asian hate and how to support people in need across the world – from communities in India battling the pandemic to communities in Texas facing severe weather.

And we looked to move forward, searching, “how to make a come back.”

As the world asked “how to be hopeful,” 2021 brought us hope. This was the year that search interest for “covid vaccine” officially surpassed interest in “covid testing.” Searches soared for “covid vaccine near me” – just as people eagerly asked when they could visit their family or eat in a restaurant again.

Like last year, people continued to search for ways to stay connected and entertained at home (“Squid Game” took the top spot this year for searches for TV shows to watch). But we also started to navigate a return to life outside the house, wondering how we should go about ditching the sweatpants (the top trending search for “how to style…” was “how to style straight leg jeans”).

As this year of comebacks comes to a close, we’re taking a closer look at trending topics across searches, news, people, “how to’s,” entertainment, trends and more from across almost 70 countries. Search can help you find a world of information – and what people search for can be a window into the world. So join us in taking a closer look at this year’s trending lists at yearinsearch.google/trends.

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