Today’s Solutions: December 19, 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.

Lost your job? This expert adv

Lost your job? This expert advice will help you stay grounded

One of the most painful aspects of the coronavirus pandemic is seeing friends or loved ones lose employment as service industries and nonessential businesses close. If you or a loved one is coping emotionally with unemployment, here are five tips from financial psychology Ted Klontz and financial Read More...

Pakistan is hiring the unemplo

Pakistan is hiring the unemployed to plant trees across the country

COVID-19 has created mass unemployment in countries around the world. As governments scramble to fund relief programs, Pakistan is taking advantage of the opportunity to support citizens who are suddenly without income and heal environmentally devastated regions of the country Read More...

How to live sustainably while

How to live sustainably while quarantining at home

Among the downsides of people’s behavioral changes during the pandemic is that many have increasingly been opting for disposable packaging and protective gear as they are perceived to provide a sense of safety. Experts, however, warn that this mentality could end up harming us more in the long Read More...

There’s a better tool for re

There’s a better tool for reheating leftovers than the microwave

More people are eating at home than ever, which means more people are probably finding themselves reheating their leftovers from the night before.  The Washington Post recently ran an informative piece on "how to safely reheat leftovers without ruining them," and the big takeaway is that your Read More...

5 healthy habits we can take w

5 healthy habits we can take with us into post-pandemic life

Working from home, no social contact, and limited shopping have all made us think about how we need to do things differently. If you weren’t an online shopper before, you’ve had to learn. If you’ve never asked for help, this is a time where it’s perfectly normal to reach out to others – Read More...

What those strange quarantine

What those strange quarantine dreams mean and how to stop them

Even if you’re someone who rarely remembers your dreams, you may find that quarantine has provoked dreams that are vivid, scary, or downright bizarre. If you’re having wild quarantine dreams, you’re not alone. Social media users are sharing #pandemicdreams to talk about the Read More...

Second chances: This bakery is

Second chances: This bakery is bringing hope back to an old mining town

Generations of Appalachians have relied economically on the coal mines, but now that the coal industry has practically become obsolete, communities are suffering. Unemployment is high and substance abuse is becoming a more pervasive issue. However, not all is bleak in the Appalachian mountains. Read More...

This article will end your hou

This article will end your household’s debate on how to load the dishwasher

Weirdly enough, the dishwasher is a source of controversy in many households. Philip Lee and Diane Rudolph, co-heads of Marital Therapy at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, claim it’s among the most common spousal battles they see. A 2012 Harris survey commissioned by Bosch also Read More...

Struggling restaurant workers

Struggling restaurant workers can now get a financial grant from Guy Fieri

Most restaurants around the country have been closed in the wake of the shelter-in-place rules, erasing a much needed source of income for service workers. Celebrity chef Guy Fieri has taken notice to what the pandemic is doing to the restaurant industry--and is doing his bit to help.  The Read More...

Strategies for stimulating you

Strategies for stimulating your social needs while social distancing

Humans are wired “to come together physically”, which makes this whole social distancing thing a bit of a tricky issue. Since social distancing recommendations could remain in place for months to come, NPR has come up with a few effective strategies for connecting with others while maintaining Read More...