The Optimist Living
The way we respond to pain determines the way we recover
We all experience pain and discomfort in our lives. There's no escape, but we do determine how we respond to these experiences and how we let them shape us. Here is a powerful story that can help you choose to see the painful experiences from the past in a different light in order to grow Read More...
Earthing: The remarkable cure for your insomnia and more
Our ancestors walked bare feet or on leather sandals. They were always connected to the healing energy of the earth. Most of us have shoes with plastic soles that block the earth’s energy. More and more studies show that reconnecting with the earth—'grounding' or ‘earthing’—provides a Read More...
Daydreaming is good for you, new study shows
Good news daydreamers! In a new study, researchers confirmed that daydreaming can be a positive thing—depending on the context and content of our fantasies. The researchers found that people whose minds wander frequently in real life tend to have good cognitive control and are able to adapt their Read More...
The magic of a lunchtime walk: Less tired after work
If you want to be more concentrated at work and feel less tired at home in the evening, take a lunchtime walk. A new study shows that a leisurely walk in a park leads to higher levels of enjoyment as well as to improvements in concentration and fatigue. The lunchtime walkers did clearly better than Read More...
Practicing gratitude to boost your well-being
Gratitude may seem like a practice you do for others, but it actually has enormous benefits for your own well-being. Studies show expressing more gratitude can help boost happiness and reduce the negative effects of depression. Here’s how you can upgrade your gratitude Read More...
Self-esteem may boost your ego, self-compassion opens your heart
We want to feel good. The problem is that our ego needs to feel good in comparison with others. And there are always people doing better than we do. As a result, we easily conclude that we’re not good enough. There’s a better way: Stop judging and evaluating yourself altogether. Stop trying to Read More...
How to transform your negative thoughts and become an optimist
Being an optimist can bring you an array of physical and mental health benefits (that's why you are a reader of The Optimist Daily). On the other hand, being chronically negative can foster feelings of depression and stress that are detrimental to your overall healthy. Fortunately, research shows Read More...
Avoid making bad decisions with the HALT technique
The average person makes about 35,000 decisions every day. We make 200 judgments each day about food alone. Here’s the problem: research shows that you make bad decisions when you are hungry, angry, lonely or tired (HALT). In fact, judges made more favorable decisions in the morning when they Read More...
The Dalai Lama begins his day embracing gratitude and kindness. Why wouldn’t you?
The Dalai Lama has a very simple and consequent morning routine. If you read the words he speaks out loud every day, you realize why his presence is so inspiring. And you can do and be exactly the Read More...
Five science-backed ways to break your smartphone addiction
Although the smartphones we carry in our pockets have opened up a world of possibilities, the technology is increasingly getting in the way of enjoying our lives. We’re constantly responding to ceaseless notifications, and its taking up a big chunk of our day. In fact, the average person spends Read More...