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.
Getting whatever exposure to nature is the trick to being happy
You may not know it yet, but nature is an abundant source of happiness. New research shows that even if you’re trapped in an office or only able to step outside for a moment, small exposures to outdoorsy indicators—seeing trees, the sky, or hearing a birdsong—can boost your mood. And the best Read More...
Somalis are turning to surfing and yoga to help alleviate mental health issues
When we hear about Somalia, our minds tend to think of the hellacious violence that takes places there instead of the pristine beaches that sit along Africa’s longest coastline. According to the World Health Organisation, one in three people in Somalia suffer from some sort of mental illness due Read More...
Your weight loss efforts are contagious
Many of us take the steps to shed those extra pounds because we want to live a healthier life or fit into our favorite outfit again. But could our efforts actually bring health benefits to our loved ones, too? Turns out that we may be natural influencers — at least when it comes to the people we Read More...
This non-profit offers tax help to low-income parents in doctors’ waiting rooms
Why not combine access to vital government benefits with a location that many low-income families frequent: the pediatrician’s office? In 2016, around 93% of children in the U.S. visited a pediatrician’s office. Instead of sending families across town to a tax-filing or benefits consultant, Read More...
Facebook users are spending 50 million hours fewer on the social network per day
As people show signs of gravitating away from Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg says his personal challenge for 2018 is to fix what ails the giant social network. The focus is no longer on how much time its 2 billion-plus users spend on Facebook, but whether that time is "well spent”. So far it Read More...
The huge fortune of IKEA falls to a philanthropic group after founder’s death
The founder of IKEA, Ingvar Kamprad, was one of the richest people on the earth before his death last week. The famously frugal entrepreneur was ranked number eight on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with his fortune estimated to be around $58.7 billion. But it appears most of that fortune Read More...
Stuck in a negative rut? Here’s how to cultivate a more positive attitude
Negativity not only affects our mental psyche, but also has a tangible effect on our health. Research has shown that people who cultivate negative energy experience more stress, more sickness, and less opportunity over the course of their lives than those who choose to live positivity. If you’re Read More...
An Italian village is selling homes for 1.25 dollar so it doesn't become a ghost town
On the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, the old village of Ollolai is at risk of turning into a ghost town. Over the past half-century, the town's population has declined from 2,250 people to just 1,300. And now, there are hundreds of abandoned homes. In an effort to lure new residents, Read More...
A more humane economy would help revive rural America
These days, it’s increasingly difficult to succeed in rural America and for more than one reason. Historically rural jobs, like coal mining and manufacturing, are dying out as more of them are automated, outsourced or deemed obsolete. But one reason for America’s struggling rural economy Read More...
You don’t have to eat less to lose weight
Losing weight doesn’t mean depriving yourself of food. In fact, a new study found that focusing on healthier food choices may be a more sustainable weight-loss strategy than trying to reduce portions. Eating more low calorie-dense foods like salad and less of higher calorie-dense foods such as Read More...