The Optimist Living
2014 was a great year for the sharing economy
The sharing economy boomed in 2014. By year’s end there were close to 8,000 businesses whose goal was to increase sharing. Additionally, governments and big business are taking a hard look at the sharing economy and seeing a promising future. Finally, controversies over house sharing platform Read More...
Workers exposed to natural light are healthier
The correlation between vitamin D provided by the sun and developing dementia later in life has been established, but exposure to sunlight throughout the workday can also improve your mood, metabolism, alertness, and overall health. Researchers found that workers who were exposed to greater amounts Read More...
You are, therefore I am
Rene Descartes’s famous dictum, “I think, therefore I am,” lies at the foundation of much of Western civilization. It puts reason as the highest value in society. Africa lives by a different philosophy. It’s called ubuntu and goes something like this: “You are, therefore I am.” Or: Read More...
How to find more time in your day and beat the scarcity trap
We all wish there were more hours in the day; it would make us more productive, right? Not necessarily. If you approach the day, and the hours you’re awake in the right way, there are more than enough hours in any day. Getting out of the scarcity sand trap can be hard, but is made easier with a Read More...
Sugar pills as effective as Tylenol for treating back pain
While Tylenol is the go-to drug for many when they’re experiencing back pain, new research suggests that acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, might be just as effective at curing back pain as a placebo. The study published in Lancet medical journal took 1,600 people who experienced Read More...
“Global cooling” makes us less social. The answer? More kindness.
Italian psychologist and author of The Power of Kindness, Piero Ferrucci warns against the dangers of “global cooling”. As the pace of our lives increases and there’s more and more technology around us, our communication tends become less and less personal. That is why Ferrucci argues that we Read More...
A little video-gaming does children good
The new generation spends too much time online, busy parents know. However researchers have found that children who play video games for less than an hour a day are better adjusted to the challenges of their lives than children who abstain for playing video games altogether. The study, published in Read More...
The spices to improve your life
People around the world have been using spice cures for centuries, but now scientists are proving that spices can ease inflammation, activate the immune system, kill bacteria and viruses and even kill cancer cells. Turmeric has been used in Ayurvedic medicine to heal wounds and treat inflammatory Read More...
Solar pizza box: the clean BBQ alternative
Grilling outdoors is a fun summer activity, but can be costly to the environment—releasing smoke and gas into the atmosphere. Building a solar oven out of a pizza box teaches children about solar energy and environmental conservation. The solar oven produces heat the same way a greenhouse does Read More...
Don’t be angry, but understand it is healthy
We spend so much time trying to be happy, and worrying about being angry that we often forget that anger is a good thing. Research in the behavioral and biological sciences suggests that, when recognized and channeled, anger can improve health, enhance intimacy, further social justice and spur Read More...