Today’s Solutions: January 18, 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.

Solar panels on the parking lot near a supermarket on a sunny day in Avignon, Provence, France. Electricity and shade for cars at the same time.

France mandates that all large parking lots be outfitted with solar panels

Last week, the French Senate passed legislation mandating the installation of solar panels on all new and current parking lots with room for at least 80 vehicles— an enormous boost for solar power. Doubling solar and wind energy The new provisions are part of French President Emmanuel Macron's Read More...

Team volunteers with many plants in a planting campaign for climate protection.

Eco-anxiety and grief part II: how to cope

Part one of this two-part series discussed the differences between ecological grief and eco-anxiety, two relatively new terms used in reference to the feelings of sadness and distress that are related to the climate crisis. Now, let’s dive into how we can face them. How to cope with Read More...

Group of activists with banners protesting to save earth. Men and women rebellions doing a silent protest over global warming and pollution.

Eco-anxiety and grief part I: the differences

Environmentalists have warned about climate change's effects for decades, and in light of the COP27 conference in Egypt, climate change is certainly on many people's minds and hearts. Increasingly intense wildfires and other weather events, deforestation, food shortages, species extinctions, and Read More...

Side view of woman wearing green sportswear doing Yoga Garland Pose and Malasana, deep seated squat.

How low can you go? The benefits of squatting like a toddler

Squats are a staple of most workout routines (especially on leg days), but what about a deep resting squat? That isn't always a go-to, but it should be. "The deep resting squat, or as some people call it, the deep bodyweight squat, is the position where your hips and glutes are below your knees Read More...

Sick couple catch cold. Man and woman sneezing, coughing. People got flu, having runny nose.

3 healthy habits to boost your immunity this cold and flu season

A mild headache that just won't go away, a box of tissues by the bed, and sleeping uncomfortably with your mouth wide open... It's that time of year again: flu and cold season. Everyone can agree that the above situations are undeniably unpleasant. Though catching a cold during this time of year Read More...

A purebred Samoyed dog wrapped in a blanket lies on the bed

Tips to keep your heating costs low this winter despite rising prices

This winter, Americans are expected to pay the most for home heating in a decade.  The National Energy Assistance Directors Association estimates that the average U.S. household will pay 17.2 percent more for heating costs—$177 more—than last year, which already saw record-breaking Read More...

Young saleswoman working with a digital tablet at the counter of cafe or confectionary shop.

5 alternatives to goal-setting suited to today’s rapidly shifting world

As useful as traditional goal setting can be, these days, there may be more effective ways to handle your professional and personal life. The rapidity of technological advancement and the uncertainty of the global economy may render the goals you set obsolete. With everything shifting so Read More...

Street artist painting with a color spray can a graffiti on a wall outdoor - Urban man performing with murals

European cities get funding to transform streets with art

A number of European communities will soon have the opportunity to give their roads a little creative flair. The Asphalt Art Initiative Nineteen European cities will each get a grant of $25,000 from the Asphalt Art Initiative, a project that aims to increase pedestrian safety by painting Read More...

The word STRESS spelled out of alphabet cereal pieces and berries floating in milk.

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...

Rainbow lgbtq+ flag next to a flag of the city of Ljubljana, Slovenia with the coat of arms of the city and a European banner.

Slovenia legalizes same-sex marriage and adoption, a first in Eastern Europe

Slovenia made history on Tuesday, Oct 4, by becoming the first country in Eastern Europe to equalize its marriage and adoption rules for same-sex couples after the modification was approved by the country's parliament. The ruling is made as Slovenia's neighboring countries enact new Read More...