Today’s Solutions: December 04, 2025

Lifestyle

Alongside taking care of other people and the planet, make sure you take good care of yourself. The Lifestyle section at the Optimist Daily has solutions for everyday wellbeing on topics like food, beauty, fashion, and the latest trends. Curious about caring for houseplants, eating plant-based, or parenting tips? It’s all in there.

Why your cat is obsessed with

Why your cat is obsessed with boxes (and what evolution has to do with it)

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Every cat parent knows this familiar scene: you splurge on the perfect toy, only to watch your feline friend climb inside the packaging instead. There is something about a simple cardboard box that cats find almost magnetic. And according to a growing body of Read More...

How a pop-up apple orchard is

How a pop-up apple orchard is turning surplus into joy and helping New Yorkers in need

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM As Thanksgiving approaches, Manhattan is getting an unexpected gift: a pop-up apple orchard right in the heart of the city. And behind this sweet surprise is The Farmlink Project, a college-student-founded nonprofit that has become one of the most inspiring Read More...

How a small idea on two wheels

How a small idea on two wheels grew into a community kids can’t wait to join

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM By the time the first bell rings on Fridays in Montclair, New Jersey, something remarkable has already unfolded across town. Children burst out of their houses balancing backpacks and helmets, neighbors wave from porches, and parents gather on sidewalks as Read More...

Coffee may help calm an irregu

Coffee may help calm an irregular heartbeat, surprising new research shows

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Conventional wisdom has long warned people with heart rhythm disorders to steer clear of caffeine. But a world-first clinical trial suggests that advice may need an update. Researchers from the University of Adelaide and the University of California, San Read More...

Ways to make your Thanksgiving

Ways to make your Thanksgiving celebration more eco-friendly this year

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Thanksgiving, a time of thanks and feasting, often comes with an unanticipated environmental cost. From extra food waste to increased carbon emissions, the holiday season may have a significant impact on our planet. However, choosing eco-friendly options does Read More...

Why art gallery visits may be

Why art gallery visits may be one of the healthiest habits you can build

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Most of us know the feeling of standing in front of a painting that makes us pause. Maybe it’s a burst of color that lifts our mood or a quiet scene that steadies the mind. Either way, a new study from King’s College London suggests that these moments are Read More...

Move Over Bob: changing the tr

Move Over Bob: changing the trades so women don’t just join the workforce—they lead it

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Building new foundations Welcome to the third installment of The Optimist Daily’s Annual Local Changemakers series. Over five weeks, we’re celebrating ten extraordinary individuals and organizations transforming their communities through heart-led Read More...

Want to declutter your holiday

Want to declutter your holidays? Here's how to ask for no gifts this year

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The saying “less is more” has never rung truer than during these unpredictable and tumultuous times. If our collective concern for the environment isn’t enough to encourage us to minimize our carbon footprints by rejecting consumerism, then the Read More...

Keeping dignity at the center:

Keeping dignity at the center: how to support your loved one's sense of self through dementia

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Dementia is something that touches more and more families every year. Globally, someone develops dementia every three seconds. In the U.S. alone, more than 6 million people live with some form of the condition, and that number is expected to double by 2060. Read More...

Native American Heritage Month

Native American Heritage Month and how to be an ally this Thanksgiving

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Native American Heritage Month begins in November, a month when many Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. While this cultural month has excellent intentions, it is significantly more complicated for Native Americans. Thanksgiving is a difficult period for many Read More...