Today’s Solutions: November 07, 2024

A guide for handling guilt-tri

A guide for handling guilt-tripping: recognizing and coping with emotional manipulation

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Guilt is a strong feeling. It can help us make amends when we have offended someone, but it can also be used to manipulate. If you've ever been compelled to do something out of guilt, even if it didn't feel right, you've likely been a victim of Read More...

A guide to self-kindness: tran

A guide to self-kindness: transforming negative self-talk into positive affirmations

As we go through the motions of daily life, it's tempting to listen to our inner critic's constant commentary. Negative self-talk, or the constant stream of self-criticism, destroys our sense of value and robs us of happiness. This issue is brought to light by Jennifer Mulholland and Jeff Shuck in Read More...

Happy African American father carrying his son on shoulders and helping him to put star on top of Christmas tree.

5 expert-recommended ways to cope with holiday stress

Financial strain, social pressure, and countless to-dos make the period between Thanksgiving and New Year's the most stressful time of year, according to numerous surveys. Holidays may sometimes be painful reminders of those we've lost. And though many look forward to coming home for the holidays, Read More...

beautiful young Black woman smiles into mirror

Honing this practice can give us the antidote to boredom

Everyone experiences boredom at times—boredom probably plagued a great many of us during the peak of pandemic restrictions and isolation. However, a new study reveals that some people are less likely to suffer from boredom than others. “Chronic boredom, often referred to as ‘boredom Read More...

Boy giving white and yellow flowers to elderly woman.

Findings from largest public study on kindness

Kindness can turn a bad day into a great one in a matter of seconds. We all hold the power to give the gift of kindness within us, whether that's giving someone your full attention in a conversation or just simply smiling at a stranger on the street, these little gestures can mean a lot. As a Read More...

woman looks at troubling news on her phone

Expert-approved ways of dealing with bad news (part 2)

Welcome to the second half of a two-part series that shares expert advice on how to deal with all the bad news that fills our social media feeds and news outlets. If you haven't read it yet, click to check out part I. Mindfulness over matter According to former NHS general practitioner Nicola Read More...

Sad woman sitting by herself on the grass observing the sunset

Do this to stop feeling insecure

All of us feel insecure sometimes. It’s unavoidable. But if you feel insecure most of the time, or in many different situations, you’re suffering more than might be necessary. What is chronic insecurity? Insecurity has many root causes, but chronic insecurity is different, as it almost Read More...

Hiker facing waterfalls rising his hands in amazement

Here are 6 ways to become more self-curious

If we want to fulfill any of the goals we set for ourselves at the start of a year, the first step is to develop a strong sense of self-awareness. To do this, you need to cultivate a sense of self-curiosity so you gain the self-awareness you need to actually move forward and achieve the things you Read More...

Write a self-compassion letter

Write a self-compassion letter to boost your happiness

You might be aware of the mental health benefits of keeping a gratitude journal. But there’s also another, bite-sized practice that you can take up to improve your wellbeing: writing a self-compassion letter. According to Kristin Neff, an associate professor in human development at the Read More...

Try these two simple, science-

Try these two simple, science-backed tricks to stop procrastinating

While many may think otherwise, procrastination is not a behavior rooted in laziness. Rather, people engage in procrastination in a bid to avoid the “negative feelings associated” with that task, explains Timothy A. Pychyl, Ph.D., a psychology professor at Canada’s Carleton University and a Read More...