Today’s Solutions: January 17, 2025

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.

baby humpback whale looks into camera

Humpback whales may sing their beautiful songs to "see"

Have you ever been so fortunate as to have heard the long and complex song of a humpback whale? Marine biologists have long thought that these hauntingly beautiful songs, which are only sung by male whales, function like mating calls. However, it turns out that the whales may break out into song Read More...

Gay Pride India.

Openly gay prince turned palace into safe haven for LGBTQ+ Indians

Countries around the world make encouraging and incremental progress toward equality every day. Many countries are banning inhumane practices such as conversion therapy, and some are making restitution to former victims of overturned anti-LGBTQ+ laws. While this is emboldening the fight for equal Read More...

Smiling businesswoman taking interview of a job applicant.

3 questions to ask at the end of a job interview (and 3 to avoid)

Suppose you, like many others these days, are re-evaluating your priorities and looking to make changes in your professional life. This may mean that you are applying for new jobs and if all goes well, will soon be facing an interview for an exciting new job.  At the end of the interview, many Read More...

green and hilly landscape in South China’s Guangci Zhuang Autonomous Region

Explorers in China find prehistoric forest hidden in giant sinkhole

At a time when the entire world is concerned with the far-reaching effects of years and years of unchecked deforestation, the astounding discovery of an ancient forest inside an enormous sinkhole in China is welcome news. In May of 2022, cave explorers from the Institute of Karst Geology of the Read More...

child wearing red shorts scratches at mosquito bites

New study identifies mosquitoes' favorite colors to feast on

While many of us look forward to the warmth spring brings each year, there’s another aspect of the hotter seasons that is not so exciting—pesky mosquitoes! This is especially true for those individuals out there whom mosquitoes find the tastiest (you know who you are) and always end up with Read More...

Norwegian cohousing encourages

Norwegian cohousing encourages social connection and sustainable living

After the pandemic years of alienation from each other, the downfalls of the once sought-after single-nuclear-family housing are becoming clearer. Not only is it financially impractical and ecologically damaging, but it’s isolating, and discourages the building of strong local communities. With Read More...

female hands typing text message via cellphone

How to “unghost” a past friend, according to friendship experts

In a perfect world, no one would ever end a personal relationship by abruptly stopping all communication with no explanation—In other words, “ghosting.” However, sometimes life gets in the way, and we ghost.  What is unghosting? Psychologist, professor, speaker, and author Marisa G. Read More...

Crow in mid flight through snow

Crows help rid this Swedish city's streets of cigarette butts

A startup in the Swedish city of Södertälje, which is located near Stockholm, has recruited the help of local crows to pick up discarded cigarette butts from the city’s streets and public spaces. In fact, there’s a movement afoot in places as varied as California and the Netherlands to ban Read More...

the Smithsonian castle garden in the summer

The Smithsonian hosts 120 statues of great women in STEM

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Smithsonian decided to commemorate great women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), academic disciplines that have historically been dominated by men by hosting Women’s Futures Month. The most eye-catching Read More...

Couple running into the sunset

Here is a neurologist-approved 10 day reset plan to reclaim your life

Have you ever tried a detox? Maybe you gave up TV for a month or sugar. Why not challenge yourself to try a “brain detox.” Created by neurologist David Perlmutter, this 10-day plan will help you reset your brain and set you on the path to reclaiming your life.  Day 1: Digital detox You Read More...