Today’s Solutions: December 16, 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.

A very smart shower that cuts

A very smart shower that cuts water and energy usage by 70 percent

Ever thought lives could be saved by engineering a new type of shower? Peter Brewin and Nick Christy probably didn’t think so either, but it appears to be a nice side effect of their water and energy efficient shower design. How?  Well, it turns out many casualties in the U.S. Army are soldiers Read More...

Bringing everyone online would

Bringing everyone online would lift 500 million people out of poverty

Internet access means access to opportunities as people find ways to sell their products and services. So connecting everyone to the internet would lead to a substantial growth impulse for the world economy. According to a new report getting the 4 billion people—who are not yet connected—online Read More...

$1 billion Apple sharing econo

$1 billion Apple sharing economy investment in Chinese Uber rival Didi Chuxing

Apple has invested $1 billion in Didi Chuxing, the car-hailing app that has a greater market share than U.S. rival Uber in China. Didi Chuxing provides more than 11 million rides a day and claims to have 87 percent of the Chinese market share. Apple CEO, Tim Cook, said that the move would help Read More...

The sun: The ultimate BBQ

The sun: The ultimate BBQ

Summertime often equals campfires and BBQ parties. However, what serves as a luxurious and enjoyable pastime for the lucky few, is actually serious health-hazard for most. Globally, over 4 million people die every year from household air pollution mostly due to cooking over burning wood, animal Read More...

Smart earplugs put a waterfall

Smart earplugs put a waterfall in your ear

Earplugs are nothing new. They're found in the ears of workers on airport tarmacs, kids at concerts and in many a bedroom where one partner uses them to drown out the snoring of the other. But earplugs that use electronics to help drown out the world around are, in fact, a relatively new invention. Read More...

New tool allows investors to e

New tool allows investors to easily get their money out of gun stocks

Many Americans are horrified about the ongoing mass shootings in the U.S. They turn to social media to decry the nation’s lax gun regulations and the influence of the National Rifle Association on the political process in Washington. Here’s a simple way to fight the easy access to guns in the Read More...

Three ways for children to try

Three ways for children to try meditation at home

There are many apps, classes and books to guide children in meditation, but it is easy (and free) to start at home. You don’t need props like chimes or incense. The more meditation becomes integrated into daily living, the more successful it will be. Here are some exercises to try. 1. Elevator Read More...

Swiss council to accept Bitcoi

Swiss council to accept Bitcoin payments

A council in central Switzerland will soon accept the digital currency Bitcoin as payment for some public services. The trial scheme, in the town of Zug, will begin on 1 July and run until the end of the year, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation reports. Residents will be able to make payments of up Read More...

Don’t let anyone tell you ot

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise: Multitasking Depletes Your Brain's Resources

Multitasking is a myth. Switching concentration across tasks comes at a neurological cost, depleting chemicals we need to concentrate. We think that we're doing a whole bunch of things at once. But we're not actually because the brain doesn't work that way. A number of studies have shown that what Read More...

5 ways to cultivate a positive

5 ways to cultivate a positive mindset

How we approach our work is greatly dependent on our mindset.If we're in a good place, it's effortless.If we're stressed or unhappy, everything feels exhausting.As important as it is to be good at what you do, your craft, it is equally as important to practice your approach and master yourself. Read More...