The Optimist Living
Why changing your life isn’t as hard as you think, explained by a psychologist
Most of us—whether we know it or not—hold the belief that change for the better is much more difficult than change for the worse. We confuse the fact that change requires effort with the myth that success is unlikely, a false idea that keeps us from creating the changes that will serve us Read More...
How to cultivate awe with a walking meditation
Science tells us that brief moments of awe can lead people to be more altruistic, less entitled, more humble and less stressed. We can find awe in many places, in listening to music, thinking abut inspiring people, in contemplation and mindfulness, but one of the best approaches for cultivating awe Read More...
This type of exercise may help you live longer
In a recent study, researchers found that a specific type of exercise called high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can boost your chances of living longer. HIIT, whether in the form of cycling or weight training, improves age-related decline in muscle mitochondria, the cellular powerhouses that Read More...
How seeing things differently makes your life better
For thousands of years, humans have been asking themselves whether or not the things we see each day represent the reality of the world. Neuroscience tells us we don’t. With this being the case, how can we have full trust in our perception of the world? The truth is we cannot until we question Read More...
Googling gives us answers—but deprives us of intelligence
Larry Page, Google’s co-founder, once described the perfect search engine as a machine that “Understands exactly what you mean and gives you back exactly what you want.” The critical issue with this notion is that it engineers all of the information and knowledge we didn’t mean to view but Read More...
How mindfulness stops you from being a slave to your bad habits
Mindfulness meditation isn’t only for relaxation or focus. In fact, there are a lot of studies being done that are showing the benefit of mindfulness for all kinds of conditions, even for bad habits you’re trying to get rid of. Here are three ways mindfulness can stop you from being a slave to Read More...
Skip the sugar: 8 natural alternatives to sweeten your meals
Sugar is the single worst ingredient in the modern diet. It's the leading contributor to obesity, wreaks havoc on the liver, and puts you at risk of an assortment of diseases. Worst of all, sugar is highly addictive. If you have a sweet tooth, you don’t need sugar to make your foods sweeter. Read More...
The man who found the formula for happiness in a very painful way
Mo Gawdat is the chief business officer of Google X. He spent ten years researching an “equation for happiness”. Then he lost his son to a simple medical mistake by a doctor. Inspired by the painful tragedy Gawdat wrote a book to explain his happiness equation and why it works even under the Read More...
Grow fresh produce in your kitchen with this hydroponic gardening system
If you want to grow your own food but don’t have access to a garden, this could be the perfect solution for you. Tegren, a Finnish company specializing in indoor gardening systems, has just created a new hydroponic garden that can be placed on your countertop. Beyond its sleek design, the Read More...
3 tips to help you become an early riser
Research shows that early risers enjoy better health, greater productivity, and get more sleep than those who wake up later in the day. With all these benefits, getting up early seems like the logical thing to do. The only problem is the actual process of waking up can feel dreadful in the morning. Read More...