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.
David Lynch and the "second coming" of Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation might have remained a relic of 1960s counterculture practiced by the elite few. Yet, there may be a "second coming". In a fine article, Motherboard writes about how this resurgence is partly thanks to David Lynch. The film director (Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive) has been a Read More...
The essential happiness ingredient: altruism and here’s how
Thanks to pioneers like Robert Emmons and Michael McCollough, we now know that gratitude can have an enormously positive effect on our mental health. Not only that, thanks to the advent of neuroplasticity, practicing gratitude can even help shape your brain in ways that promote resilience and Read More...
The case for mindfulness and meditation at work
Take a deep breath, let it out slowly, and be a better coworker. Some workers start their day at the office with a cup of coffee. Others start their day with the ring of a gong and some self-reflection. On this installment of The 29th Floor, Fast Company's Kate Davis and Jill Bernstein talk about Read More...
US airport security is testing a better, faster way to scan bags
Traveling is great, except for the seemingly endless process where you and your possessions are scanned by airport security. But there are more efficient alternatives, and in the US they’re testing one called the Qylatron. It's a honeycomb-style set of lockers that scan your bags in an instant. Read More...
5 reasons we all deserve forgiveness
When we have been deeply hurt or betrayed by a friend, loved one, or even an acquaintance, it can be incredibly difficult to let it go and forgive them. Some acts seem almost unforgivable. But really not much is. My belief is Read More...
Scientists have worked out the key to finding happiness
Everyone wants to be happy and it’s long been the ultimate goal for humans. Now scientists believe they have found the region in the brain that is responsible for controlling these feelings. Researches at Kyoto University have narrowed their search into happiness, by looking at the neural Read More...
New apps help Palestinians navigate Israeli checkpoints
A pair of new mobile apps hope to help Palestinians navigate snarled traffic at Israeli checkpoints in the occupied West Bank, offering a high-tech response to constant and burdensome restrictions on movement. "Azmeh", which means traffic jam in Arabic, and "Qalandiya", the name of a major Israeli Read More...
How to get better at expressing your feelings
The term “emotional intelligence” has now reigned for 20 years. Daniel Goleman’s 1995 book of the same name popularized the idea that the capacity to understand and wield emotional information is a crucial skill. Part of that is expressing emotions, be it through writing, body Read More...
US Christian groups plead for compassion for Muslim refugees
Since the Paris attacks this past Friday, governors of more than half of the U.S. states have said they will not welcome Syrian refugees. Some politicians have even said they would be fine with refugees, as long as they are Christian. But just as it is false to say that the terrorists represent Read More...
New gadget lets deaf people and hearing people talk to each other
For deaf people, communication with the outside world is difficult; not many people know sign language. Designed to function as an automatic, instant translator, a new gadget called Uni may change this. Uni has a tablet and two cameras. If someone signs, the software translates the gestures into Read More...