Today’s Solutions: December 17, 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.

Doable daily experiments to te

Doable daily experiments to test the boundaries of your independence

High in the unincorporated Santa Cruz mountains in California, deep in the redwood forest, is a tiny cabin. It was built in 1950 for vacationers, and sits precariously over a hill on crooked wooden Read More...

Can index funds be a force for

Can index funds be a force for sustainable capitalism?

The investment industry is changing. Among other things, there is growing demand from both retail and institutional investors to align their capital with better environmental and social outcomes, and more resources Read More...

The compelling case for workin

The compelling case for working a lot less

Mastering 'active rest' is far harder than it looks, but there are good reasons why we should keep working at it. When I moved to Rome from Washington, DC, one sight struck me more than any ancient column or grand basilica: people doing Read More...

Civil says the future of media

Civil says the future of media is blockchains and cryptocurrencies

Plenty of startups are trying to reinvent the news business by adding features such as micro-payments or mobile video. But a startup called Civil is trying to take a quantum leap beyond these efforts: It’s not just inventing its own platform for news and journalism, it’s also inventing its own Read More...

A banker-turned-Buddhist nun r

A banker-turned-Buddhist nun reveals her key to happiness

Emma Slade was once a high-rolling, high-stakes banker. The Cambridge graduate managed accounts worth upwards of $1 billion, and liked her Armani suits and Read More...

The craze for ethical investme

The craze for ethical investment has reached Japan

Japan is prone to fads—usually in fancy desserts or fashion ripe for Instagram. A less photogenic one has hit finance: investing in assets screened for ESG (environmental, social and governance) Read More...

From immigrant to CEO: The hum

From immigrant to CEO: The humbling story of Uber’s new CEO

When Dara Khosrowshahi arrived in the United States from Iran at the age of 9, his family lost almost everything they had. Now, some 40 years later, Khosrowshahi has become the CEO of Uber. Take a look here at the Uber CEO’s unlikely rise to the top and learn why loss is a valuable part of Read More...

These 8 daily habits may be ca

These 8 daily habits may be causing you stress

When you think about stress, what comes to mind? Sitting in traffic? Paying the bills? Getting your work done before a strict deadline? These can all be stressful things, but there also many less obvious daily habits that can heighten your stress levels. See here the eight daily habits that may be Read More...

To maximize productivity, find

To maximize productivity, find out what kind of sleeper you are

A sleep specialist found there are four types of people in the world when it comes to natural sleep habits and energy patterns. By knowing which type of sleeper you are, you can take advantage of your body’s natural energy flows and make the most out of your working Read More...

Bose is crowdfunding noise-can

Bose is crowdfunding noise-cancelling earbuds that can help you sleep

The newest Bose headphones hope to “put an end to sleepless nights” by cancelling out barks, snores and other irritating noises while you sleep — and it’s the smallest product they’ve ever made. The noise-masking Sleepbuds, as they are called, Read More...