Effective stress management: trade in the ‘fight or flight’ response for ‘tend and befriend’
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM When we experience stress, most of us are familiar with the fight-or-flight response. Our bodies prepare to face a challenge or escape danger by increasing heart rate, tensing muscles, and preparing for action. This response made sense for our ancestors, who Read More...
How to shake off a stranger's bad vibes
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM It happens to the best of us: you're out in the world, going about your business, and a stranger's rudeness rattles you. Whether it's a stinging remark about your outfit, an aggressive driver cutting you off, or someone coming at you dramatically Read More...
Transforming climate anxiety into positive action
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Imagine dedicating your studies to the natural beauty of coral reefs, only to witness their rapid decline firsthand. That is precisely what occurred to Jada Alexander, a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The vivid life of the coral reefs Read More...
Recovering from work stress: science-based strategies for a balanced life
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM It goes without saying: the modern workforce is exhausted. With only 32 percent of employees worldwide thriving and 43 percent enduring severe levels of everyday stress, the risk of burnout is major. In the United States, up to 61 percent of professionals Read More...
How to stop 'stresslaxing' and actually relax
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Have you ever tried to relax but then wound up feeling more stressed? You are not alone. This paradoxical phenomenon, commonly referred to as 'stresslaxing,' occurs when attempting to unwind creates anxiety. Understanding why this occurs and how to prevent it Read More...
Struggling to maintain your appetite in the face of excessive stress? These 3 tips will help
Stress can harm your appetite, making it difficult to find the motivation to eat—even when your stomach is empty and rumbling. Stress, whether caused by work pressure, relationship issues, or looming deadlines, can suppress your appetite or cause symptoms such as nausea, making dinner a Read More...
Snack your stress away with these expert-recommended foods
Jess Cording, R.D., CDN, a registered dietitian, developed a taste for butter after her father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. "For some reason, one of the foods I really wanted to eat all the time was radishes cooked in butter," she told MindBodyGreen. "It was the most random thing." She Read More...
This 30-minute training can help teenagers’ response to stress
Many successful people live by the expression “in every tragedy, there is an opportunity.” It turns out that the same kind of thinking can apply to the smallest of moments and to the youngest of people. A new 30-minute online training session can reduce teenagers’ stress by teaching them Read More...
8 strategies to handle back-to-office stress and anxiety
After having endured two years of pandemic restrictions and finally getting accustomed to working from home (which of course, has its own set of challenges), transitioning back to the office may be harder than anticipated. This study by McKinsey reveals that as many as one in three employees Read More...
Managing self-care (again) when things fall apart
This article was originally published in May of 2020, but we are bringing it back to the top of our feeds, because we all still need self-care. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy. - Pema Chödrön By Kristy Read More...