Episode Description

This week’s out-of-this-world news:

Election anxiety levels have skyrocketed in recent times! Karissa walks us through how to recognize election anxiety triggers so we can manage them well. Then, Arielle takes us away from the stress of this planet and onto the moon. She shares a spacey solution about Lego-inspired bricks made of meteorite dust that could shape the future of sustainable lunar construction.

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Transcript 

Theme music 

Karissa 

Hello and welcome to the Optimist Daily’s Weekly Roundup. I’m Karissa. 

Arielle 

And I’m Arielle, and we’re working hard to put solutions in view and optimism in movement. 

Karissa 

Hey everyone. We’re back again with another episode of the pod to share solutions from the Optimist Daily this week. How are you doing, Arielle? 

Arielle 

I’m doing great, actually. There’s lots of things happening in life. My partner’s brother is moving back to Amsterdam, So, that’s nice. We’ll have an extra dog walker in town.  

Karissa 

Oo yeah! Babysitter. 

Arielle 

Yeah, exactly. And um, yeah, he’s celebrating his birthday this week, So, we’re going to do that over the weekend, and yeah, it’s uhh… Oh, actually Karissa! I totally forgot to tell you that I heard from Kristy last week!  

Karissa 

Oh! 

Arielle 

Yes! Really devoted listeners of the Optimist Daily’s podcast would remember that Kristy was one of the hosts from before, and it was just nice to hear from her. She said that she’s been tuning in to the podcast and she really liked the dad dancing one. And yeah, it was just nice to catch up for a bit. 

Karissa 

Ah, that’s great. Shout out to Kristy. We miss you! 

Arielle 

Yes! Shout out Kristy! But how are you, Karissa, how’s life? 

Karissa 

I’m doing well. Yeah. Last weekend was a very big mix of animal care. I am a part-time animal specialist-whisperer I feel like. I’ve been house-sitting for another dog. I have pets. A dog in my house and my cat. But I was house-sitting for another dog. I was house-sitting for two cats, one of which is diabetic and has to have an insulin shot morning and night.  

Arielle 

Ohhh wow.  

Karissa 

And then we also found a baby kitten in my grandma’s yard and it was maybe like three or four weeks old. 

Arielle 

Oh my gosh. 

Karissa 

It was so, little and so it should have been with its mom. And I think it got, like, abandoned and was super hot out. And it had been like hours. And the mom didn’t come back. So, my grandma took it inside. And I helped her out, I ran and got some kitten formula. And then, I mean, we talked about it before on the Optimist Daily: a lot of, like, the foster homes (for cats) are filled right now. The foster care because it’s kitten season over the spring and summer especially. So, yeah, it was kind of a chaotic 24-plus hours. And my grandma was taking care of it and feeding it. But we found out that her neighbors across the field are cat sanctuary owners I guess! So, they have a ton of cats.  

Arielle 

Ohhh. 

Karissa 

So, she went over and asked. And they were like. ‘Oh my gosh. Yeah, we are missing a kitten.’ So, they were able to take little kitten back and kitten is happy. 

Arielle 

Ah, that’s good. 

Karissa 

And I am happy but… I do miss her because she was so, adorable and the size of my hand (laughs). 

Arielle 

Well, it sounds like you have a lot of animals already (laughs). 

Karissa 

Yeah, I really… I was like… ‘grandma!’ ’cause she doesn’t have a cat. She likes to babysit my cat when I’m out of town. I’m like, that’s my cat at the end of the day and I’m trying to steal her and my dog too. So, she has her ‘grandpets’ that she’ll babysit.  

Arielle 

Aw, so cute. 

Karissa 

So, no extra cat, but I was left pretty happy amongst all the chaos of the weekend… 

Arielle 

Mmhm 

Karissa 

…that has been ensuing. And kind of the stress of the political climate going on right now. 

Arielle 

On yes. Oh, my gosh, you guys stateside are dealing with, um, quite the anxiety-inducing situation over there. 

Karissa 

Yeah. So, we have to talk about it because we are here to provide solutions. 

Arielle 

Mhm 

Karissa 

Already the political climate has been very anxiety-inducing over here in the United States. And then over the weekend, there was an assassination attempt. To Donald Trump. Political violence is never the answer, so, I feel like it’s just caused a lot more divide and a lot more ‘what ifs’ of what’s going to happen this November.  

Arielle 

Yeah, so, much more polarization and aggression.  

Karissa 

So, I guess I’ll go into my solution first, if that’s OK, Arielle.  

Arielle 

Yeah, of course. Go ahead.  

Karissa 

I wanted to talk about this one, especially for us in the States because, you know, as I said. This election anxiety is a lot to deal with. Truly. I have talked about before how I really love focusing on kind of Wellness and solutions that start with us and localized and smaller. So, I thought this one would be appropriate to share today. The title of my solution is called: Election anxiety levels through the roof? Strategies to deal with election-induced anxiety. 

Arielle 

Mmm. 

Karissa 

Election anxiety is a growing problem, particularly as political tensions deepen and intensify, especially in the United States right now. Understanding the causes of this distinct type of stress and how to deal with it will help you navigate this election season with more serenity and stability. 

Arielle 

I know it’s kind of obvious that election anxiety is anxiety caused by election times, but is there an actual definition for it? Like what is it exactly? 

Karissa 

Election anxiety is a term that has gained popularity in recent years, actually. And it describes the increased tension that many people experience during political campaigns and voting times. So. The American Psychological Association stated that 52% of Americans felt significant stress during the 2016 presidential election. This figure rose to 56% before the 2020 election, and I don’t know if we have stats on what that feeling is right now, but if you’re feeling election anxiety, you are definitely not alone. Social media discussions and news cycles compound this stress, resulting in a pervasive sense of unease about the future. 

Arielle 

Yeah, that makes sense. Have the experts been able to pinpoint certain causes of election anxiety? 

Karissa 

Yeah, it arises from a variety of reasons, and recognizing these triggers is definitely the first step towards effectively managing them. So, the first one definitely without a doubt is media overload. Because we live in an era of continual information flow. There’s news updates, social media, and 24-hour news cycles that easily overwhelm us, particularly during election season. I mean, just this weekend with the assassination attempt, I was out paddle boarding… 

Arielle 

Mhm. 

Karissa 

…and I get like, you know, like New York Times. LA Times, like Washington Post notifications on my phone. So, all of a sudden, I have a flood of information coming in.  

 Arielle 

Oh, wow. 

Karissa 

And I mean, obviously, that’s a breaking news event. But all day long, I’m getting something about, like, the election or politics going on. 

Arielle 

And you’re just trying to calmly paddle. 

Karissa 

Yeah, exactly. I shouldn’t have even taken my phone. But I just did, just in case something happened to me. So. (long sigh). 

Arielle 

Yeah. 

Karissa 

You know, this media overload can really lead to feelings of exhaustion, helplessness, frustration, and anger for sure. And another trigger is definitely the polarization, which seems to get, you know, more and more deep every day. And political debates are more acrimonious than ever, perpetuating an ‘us versus them’ attitude. This divisiveness can intensify concerns about election results, making the political situation even more unsettling. 

Arielle 

I wish things weren’t so… black and white all the time. There’s a lot of nuance that goes into even the most heated issues. So, yeah, it’s important to keep that in mind when reading headlines and doing your own research that, you know. I mean, headlines themselves are supposed to be polarizing because they’re supposed to grab your attention and make you want to click. Either you agree or you’re like, so, angered by it. 

Karissa 

Totally. Another trigger of election anxiety is the fact of uncertainty and the loss of control because elections can feel like watershed moments, with the future hanging in the balance. 

Arielle 

Mmhmm. 

Karissa 

This sense of high stakes and lack of control can be disconcerting, increasing anxiety. I know I definitely feel that way a lot. And I’m sure everyone else can relate too.  

There’s some signs of election anxiety. Yeah. So, common signs are similar and kind of the same as typical anxiety symptoms, and they include excessive worrying, difficulty sleeping, feeling agitated or on edge. Doom scrolling, which we really like to, at the Optimist Daily, promote against doom scrolling. Feeling hopeless about the future, physical symptoms like stomach issues, headaches and muscle tension, changes in appetite, mood swings, unexplained or misdirected anger. All of these are symptoms, and you know with any, like, anxiety case, it’s important to pinpoint the triggers. 

Arielle 

Well, now that we know the symptoms and the signs that we need to look out for, do we have any tips to share on how to cope with election anxiety properly? 

Karissa 

Well, of course, because we’re all about providing solutions here. 

Arielle 

Mm-hmm. 

Karissa 

So, we definitely want to help out our listeners/readers with some practical advice. 

While we can’t stop election season in its tracks, you can reduce the tension it generates. So, here’s a few tips that will help you deal with the election anxiety going on right now. 

So, number one of course is limit your media consumption. 

Arielle 

Yes. 

Karissa 

It’s really easy to become engrossed in endless scrolling, but setting boundaries can greatly reduce your anxiety. You can try these tips for this point, and that includes designating certain hours for checking news and social media. Use phone features to control app usage. I feel like I kind of want to turn off my app notifications for the news and just designate a certain time to go on and look. 

Arielle 

Uh-huh.

Karissa 

Consume news sources that are balanced and credible, or you can balance your news with positive news like the Optimist Daily of course (laughs). Also, engage in positive activities like reading the Optimist Daily, if you like (laughing), but just positive interactions in general can shift your focus and boost your mood. You can volunteer for causes you care about, go outside, spend time with loved ones, engage in creative hobbies such as painting or writing. Research shows that positive thinking and rewarding hobbies can significantly decrease anxiety. So, it’s important to disconnect from all of this. At least a little bit each day. And then our second tip point is to remain informed in healthy ways. It’s important to be informed without overloading yourself. So, again, set time limits for reading news. Vary your sources and participate in healthy, constructive discussions. And to avoid misinformation, think critically and double-check your facts. And then another point is to focus on what you can control because, at the end of the day, election results are beyond individual control. So, concentrate on what you really can influence. Participate in activities like voting, volunteering, and lobbying for causes. 

Set reasonable goals and direct your energy towards productive efforts. And I really like this tip because again, I’m all about the localized smaller solutions and we can see differences on a smaller scale, and we can be in control of these outcomes. 

Arielle 

Yeah, I like that as well because it gives you like a sense of control, even if the rest of the world is chaos and… Actually, all of these tips are good for, not just political and election anxiety, but it seems like good for managing just regular life anxiety as well. 

Karissa 

Yeah, totally. That’s also kind of another reason why I picked the solution this week because I feel like I’ve been having like a little bit of life anxiety lately, too. And this on top of it. It’s just, so many factors. And that goes into the next point of practicing mindfulness and relaxation techniques.  

So, I’m also a really big fan of promoting these tips. I feel like I share a lot of mindfulness and relaxation things on this podcast. These exercises might help you control your anxiety, So, meditation, yoga, writing, and deep breathing techniques can all help you feel more calm and peaceful. If you want tips for any of these, check out our archive because we have tons of different solutions on all of these different techniques.  

Arielle 

Mmhm 

Karissa 

Mindfulness practice really trains your brain to stay in the present moment, lowering your worries about the future, and that’s key to stay in the present moment. 

Arielle 

Yeah, you can’t have enough mindfulness. Just, everybody, take deep breaths. (laughs) 

Karissa 

Yeah. Exactly. (laughing) And then our final tip is to get professional help. If election anxiety really becomes unbearable, there is no shame in seeking professional help. It’s a very viable choice. Therapists can provide useful tools and strategies for anxiety management. There’s cognitive behavioral therapy, self-help strategies and, if necessary, medication can all be part of a successful treatment strategy. Election anxiety is real. Like, I know it might sound, like, kind of silly, but it does affect our lives. So, very important to understand the reasons and recognizing the symptoms so you can better treat this stress.  

Arielle 

Yeah 

Karissa 

I hope everyone is able to handle this election season with a better sense of tranquility and resilience with these practical suggestions. 

Arielle 

Wow, thank you for that.  

Karissa 

Yeah! 

It’s especially… tense in the States right now, I think it’s safe to say. But all over the place there are quite some political struggles; I mean, a lot of my friends from the UK were also very stressed about their elections and, after, I think 14 years the Tories are out, so, a lot of my friends are actually quite happy about that. But they also aren’t fully happy with who got elected.  

Karissa 

Right. 

Arielle 

You know, it’s often that we’re picking from the lesser of two evils, it seems in this world. Uh, so, no matter where you are at this point. There will be election anxiety following you around. But yeah, thank you for those tips. I’ll definitely be taking them to heart. 

Karissa 

Yeah. And I guess like one more thing on the the UK right now. I’ll just like kind of add to the bonus solution of what we’ll show later is that on the bright side of the UK election, besides I guess that someone a little more progressive is in office, the most diverse parliament got elected to Parliament.  

Arielle 

Anxiety abounds, but there is some progress. Hopefully, this diverse Parliament will represent those who have been underrepresented in the past, so, we’ll see.  

Karissa 

I’m optimistic! 

Arielle 

Yes, we’re all optimistic. We have to be.  

Karissa 

Mmhm 

Arielle 

But with all of the stress and anxiety that we feel on this planet, we all just want to escape a little bit. And that’s why I chose this super exciting topic that will literally take us out of this world. Kind of what we need. (laughs) 

Karissa 

Yes, totally, at this point (laughs). 

Arielle 

This article is a mix of space, science, and believe it or not, Lego bricks which we talk about a lot on the Optimus Daily, actually. 

Karissa 

Oh, yeah. 

Arielle 

Not just the bricks, but of course the company that’s been doing a lot of good things for education, gender parity, women in STEM, etcetera, etcetera.  

Karissa 

Yeah 

Arielle 

The title of the article, which I didn’t put in my notes… (laughs)…Is… 

Karissa 

(laughs) 

Arielle 

OK, 3D printing lunar Lego bricks to test out building on the moon 

Karissa 

Wait, Lego bricks in space?  

Arielle 

Yeah! 

Karissa 

Now you got my attention! What is this all about? (laughs) 

Arielle 

(Laughs). I know we’re all… well, we’re probably all familiar with Lego bricks. They were a staple in my childhood and also as an adult. You know, my dad bought me like a botanical Lego set and everything. 

Karissa 

Aww, so cute. 

Arielle 

Which we actually wrote about on the Optimist Daily before he bought it for me. I think that’s how he got the idea. (laughs). Which was super cute. 

Karissa 

Aww. 

Arielle 

Anyway. For decades, scientists and space enthusiasts have been dreaming about building permanent structures on the moon. It’s not just science fiction anymore, though. Academics are coming up with some pretty innovative solutions to tackle the unique challenges of building in space. 

Karissa 

Ah. OK, so, where do Lego bricks fit into the picture of building in space? 

Arielle 

Hm. So, the scientists at the European Space Agency, or ESA for short, have taken a fun yet practical approach. They’ve designed 3D-printed bricks made from meteorite dust, which is so, cool! And the meteorite dust happens to be a whopping 4.5 billion years old. 

Karissa 

Uh! That’s so cool. Meteorite dust and 3D printing the bricks? What’s the big idea behind these bricks and what are they going to do with it? 

Arielle 

Well, they aren’t just any, like, random little Lego bricks. They’re called the ESA space bricks, and they’re part of a larger effort to create sustainable and clean buildings on the moon. It’s so sci-fi! I’m loving it. 

Karissa 

Yeah.  

Arielle 

The idea is to use resources found on the moon’s surface to minimize reliance on supplies from Earth. 

Karissa 

Yeah, that totally makes sense.  

Arielle 

Yeah. Because we don’t wanna keep hauling things from earth to the moon. It’s quite the commute. So, we’d probably just want to localize. 

Karissa 

Definitely a commute. Don’t want to pollute space any more than we have to. 

Arielle 

Yeah, exactly. But here’s the cool part. They’ve modeled these bricks after Lego parts, and this decision was both practical and inventive. Although they’re not planning to use these exact bricks for lunar construction, they’re proving that 3D printing long-lasting interlocking components from lunar materials is totally doable. 

Karissa 

Yeah, it’s like playing with Legos to figure out how to build real stuff on the moon. Sounds pretty exciting. 

Arielle 

Mmhm, it definitely is. Aidan Kelly, an ESA science officer, mentioned that nobody has built a structure on the moon yet. So, having the flexibility to experiment with these space bricks has been incredibly useful, and plus it’s fun. It’s Lego at the end of the day. 

Karissa 

(Laughs). Yeah, definitely, it sounds fun. So, it’s kind of like also like building a sandcastle in a way. I mean, I guess they’re 3D printing it, but if it’s like from space material. 

Arielle 

Yeah! It’s like meteorite-dust-sandcastles just sounds like my childhood dream. 

Karissa 

Yeah. Wasn’t there something called, like, Moon sand that… I think… I don’t know. I think it was moon sand and it was super… 

Arielle 

Moon sand. It’s ringing a bell. But what’s… what I’m thinking of now are moon boots. 

Karissa 

Moon Boots is a thing too. Yeah, I think it’s called moon sand. But it was just like very soft. And I don’t think that it like dried out at all, but… there was definitely like a sandcastle element to it so. But Arielle, what’s next for these space bricks? 

Arielle 

Well, these ideas might become practical sooner than we think, because NASA’s Artemis program is planning to land a crew near the moon’s South Pole in late 2026, and they might test these approaches then. But until then, ESA has shared some of these single bricks with select Lego stores around the world. And you can check them out until the end of September. 

Karissa 

OK, I’m gonna need to find the nearest Lego store and see one of the bricks in person. It’s kind of like a sneak peek into the future of space exploration. 

Arielle 

Yeah, right. I mean, Lego just continues to amaze us. But it looks like the Amsterdam store will have one of these bricks, or already has one. So, I know what I’m going to do this weekend. (laughs). 

Karissa 

Yeah, I don’t blame you. 

Arielle 

Yeah, and uh, you can check. I think. Yeah, you can just check on the ESA site to see which Lego stores are participating in it. Just for our listeners to know. But this project showcases how advances in 3D printing and material science could pave the way for future space exploration. And using locally available materials can significantly reduce the costs and logistical issues of building on the moon in the first place. 

Karissa 

It’s like setting up a new neighborhood with local supplies instead of importing everything, which makes perfect sense. And is probably what we should do if we’re going up to the moon. 

Arielle 

Yeah, I mean it’s what we should do everywhere really. 

Karissa 

Definitely, we should take note. 

Arielle 

But this isn’t just about building structures. It is a step towards sustainable living in space. And Cowley emphasized the importance of an in-situ resource utilization, or ISRU, which means using what’s already there. 

Karissa 

So, how soon could we see these space breaks in action I guess? 

Arielle 

Right now the focus is on research and development, but if these bricks prove to be effective, they could revolutionize how we think about building in space. Yeah. And I guess in 2026 when the Artemis crew lands on the moon, that could be the first time that we actually see them used practically. But imagine just turning lunar dust into sturdy, interlocking structures. It’s a big shift in space exploration techniques, and I’m pretty excited about it. (laughs) 

Karissa 

Yeah, from the concept to its reality. I can’t wait to see where this goes because it sounds super interesting.  

Arielle 

Yeah, me neither. So, keep an eye on the stars, folks. The next big thing in space exploration might just start with something as simple as a Lego brick. 

Karissa 

I am so, intrigued by that one, and I gotta find the nearest Lego store too. (laughs) 

Arielle 

Well, I hope that kind of took our minds off of the stress on this planet anyway. 

Karissa 

Yeah, I feel like a lot of us are gonna be wanting to move to the moon after what might happen soon, but it’s OK, we’ll focus on solutions, focus on what’s going right in the world… 

Arielle 

Yep, that’s what we’re good at. 

Karissa 

…and we will be OK. Well, good roundup of solutions this week, but we also have some other great solutions that you can find on our website optimistically.com including. 

Arielle 

It’s already a hotter-than-normal summer. Here’s how to handle heat stroke. Oh, this is the one that you were talking about earlier.  

Karissa 

Uh-huh. 

Arielle 

The United Kingdom just elected its most diverse Parliament ever. Yay. Colombia’s battle against deforestation achieves remarkable results, and US track star Allyson Felix opens the first-ever nursery for Olympic parents. What else do we have Karissa? 

Karissa 

Alright, so, we also shared quite a few solutions this week that have to do with the heat and wildfires that are going on, especially in America and Canada right now over on the West Coast. I know in California we are going through a lot of that. So, we have: Exposed to wildfire smoke? Here are 5 tips to protect your skin. Beating the heat: your comprehensive guide to staying cool and safe in extreme heat. And Preparing for a smokier future. And then our final solution doesn’t have to do with the heat and wildfires is: A historic $1 billion gift to Johns Hopkins eliminates tuition for most medical students, so, great for them. 

Arielle 

All right. If you want to start your day off right, make sure to subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get our solutions straight to your inbox. 

Karissa 

Yeah. And we also have more on our social channels. You can find us @OptimistDaily on all of our platforms, including Threads and Pinterest. The only difference is on X we are known as @OdeToOptimism. 

Arielle 

We are a small team of optimists working hard to bring you positive news. If you want to support our mission of putting optimism into the world, please click on the link in the show notes to find out how you can do that. 

Karissa 

Yeah. And support doesn’t always have to be financial. Even just recommending our podcast to a friend, leaving a positive review on Apple or Spotify going onto the Optimist Daily, and forwarding a link to a friend, sharing a solution on your socials, would be a big help. And we all need it. We all need the solutions-oriented mindset. 

Arielle 

This was a great episode. Even though things are a bit tense right now, I’m sure that with a little bit of optimism, we will pull through, OK. 

Karissa 

All right, Arielle. Well, that was so great and I was glad to be here with you today again and looking forward to next week. 

Arielle 

Yes, likewise, and I hope you have a great weekend; I wish that for all of our listeners as well. 

Karissa 

Yeah, me too. Bye, everyone! 

Arielle 

Bye!