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.
Facebook users are spending 50 million hours fewer on the social network per day
As people show signs of gravitating away from Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg says his personal challenge for 2018 is to fix what ails the giant social network. The focus is no longer on how much time its 2 billion-plus users spend on Facebook, but whether that time is "well spent”. So far it Read More...
The huge fortune of IKEA falls to a philanthropic group after founder’s death
The founder of IKEA, Ingvar Kamprad, was one of the richest people on the earth before his death last week. The famously frugal entrepreneur was ranked number eight on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with his fortune estimated to be around $58.7 billion. But it appears most of that fortune Read More...
Stuck in a negative rut? Here’s how to cultivate a more positive attitude
Negativity not only affects our mental psyche, but also has a tangible effect on our health. Research has shown that people who cultivate negative energy experience more stress, more sickness, and less opportunity over the course of their lives than those who choose to live positivity. If you’re Read More...
An Italian village is selling homes for 1.25 dollar so it doesn't become a ghost town
On the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, the old village of Ollolai is at risk of turning into a ghost town. Over the past half-century, the town's population has declined from 2,250 people to just 1,300. And now, there are hundreds of abandoned homes. In an effort to lure new residents, Read More...
A more humane economy would help revive rural America
These days, it’s increasingly difficult to succeed in rural America and for more than one reason. Historically rural jobs, like coal mining and manufacturing, are dying out as more of them are automated, outsourced or deemed obsolete. But one reason for America’s struggling rural economy Read More...
You don’t have to eat less to lose weight
Losing weight doesn’t mean depriving yourself of food. In fact, a new study found that focusing on healthier food choices may be a more sustainable weight-loss strategy than trying to reduce portions. Eating more low calorie-dense foods like salad and less of higher calorie-dense foods such as Read More...
Homeless in Paris: How people end up sleeping on the streets
The year is 2018, and homelessness is still a problem in many of the world’s most advanced economies. In fact, the number of people living on the streets is on the rise in countries like England and France. French President Emmanuel Macron has said he wants to eradicate homelessness entirely, but Read More...
The way people work is changing. That’s why we need a new benefits system
More Americans are working freelance or on contract. That means employment benefits such as paid leave, unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation are not available to those workers. That’s why we need an entirely different benefits system for the people who don’t rely on having a Read More...
This Japanese concept of happiness could help you live a more meaningful life
Even though the Japanese language possesses several terms that could be translated as “happiness” or “happy” (including “shiawase” and “koufuku”), one that has emerged as central to that country’s understanding of a life well-lived is “ikigai.” The word is often translated as: Read More...
This 27-year-old mayor is bringing universal basic income to his city
Stockton, California is planning to launch the first US experiment in universal basic income. The 27-year-old mayor of the city learned about it in college and believes it's one to help rehabilitate a city that declared bankruptcy in 2012. The plan is set to begin sometime in August and will Read More...