The Optimist Living
Want to get rid of traumas? Try playing Tetris!
You may not think of video games as being therapeutic. They have a reputation of sparking anti-social, violent behavior. Yet, they may help block flashbacks of traumatic events. A study at the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge, UK, showed that manoeuvring the Read More...
What the Inside Out movie can teach us about sadness
There's a lot we can learn from the fantastic new Pixar movie Inside Out, set in the mind of an 11-year-old girl where five personified emotions (Joy, Anger, Fear, Sadness, and Disgust) try to guide her through life. Two internationally renowned experts on positive emotions, part of the film's team Read More...
Shop more often, buy less food
We started this Daily with news about multinationals trying to reduce food waste, we end it with news about what you as a consumer could do to reduce food waste at home. Victoria Ligon, from the University of Arizona, has been looking into this question. She tracked shopping and food preparation Read More...
How you can be a genius
Of course, you may already be a genius. But if you’re not and would like to be one, here are 5 practical tips of leading scholars and experts, whom—it must be added—may have missed the irony that they all have had excellent formal education whereas the genius tends to be a Read More...
Walking in nature prevents depression, but why?
We all know that you can feel refreshed after a nice walk through the forest. But why? Is it the clean air, the natural beauty of nature or the healthy exercise? A group of researchers from Stanford University came up with an additional idea. They thought the nature effect might have something to Read More...
3 strategies to become more empathetic (besides visiting the Empathy Museum)
This September, philosopher and empathy expert Roman Krznaric will open the Empathy Museum, the world's first museum dedicated to helping visitors develop the skill of empathy. Is there anything we can do to boost our empathy levels? Visiting the museum, of course, and this will be possible for Read More...
Relax: not all processed foods are bad
In The Optimist Daily we have often reported on healthy eating, because we believe good food can make our lives healthier and happier. But a relaxed approach to food is also worth something. And let's relax a bit when it comes to processed foods. Panelists at a discussion at the Aspen Ideas Read More...
The art of prioritizing positivity
What happens if you would try to feel happiness… right now, at this very moment? It might work, but chances are high that it won’t. Studies have shown that deliberately trying to maximize your happiness in the moment may backfire. But we won’t leave you here with this conclusion. Because a Read More...
The best natural remedies to treat insomnia
“A well-spent day brings happy sleep,” Leonardo da Vinci said. But what to do when your sleep doesn’t come and is not so happy? Sleeping pills are on the market, but they come with side-effects, and the number of emergency hospital visits as a result of accidental overmedication with these Read More...
Push aside formal responsibilities, and more tips for a productive day
Do meaningful work, and make progress. Push aside as many formal responsibilities as possible. Turn at least one colleague into a good friend. Allow yourself a nap at work. Want more tips? Click here for more advice on how to sharpen your mind and be more creative and productive at your Read More...