The Weekly Theme
Each week, we feature a new theme of solutions for those passionate about learning in-depth on how we are building a better world!
Strategies for stimulating your social needs while social distancing
Humans are wired “to come together physically”, which makes this whole social distancing thing a bit of a tricky issue. Since social distancing recommendations could remain in place for months to come, NPR has come up with a few effective strategies for connecting with others while maintaining Read More...
Poll shows Americans want change in their their reopened communities
As communities begin to reopen their offices, restaurants, parks, and stores, some aspects of daily life are returning to normal, but some are looking radically different. Even in areas where restaurants are reopening, customers are still cautious about exposing themselves to normal life again. Read More...
Need an energy boost? Try one of these natural caffeine alternatives
If you’re someone who feeds off the energy of others or craves their daily routine to wake up, quarantine may be sapping your energy and motivation. If you don’t like coffee or just want to cut back, here are some alternatives to give you that same feeling of caffeine in a more natural Read More...
How to cope with homesickness if you're far from home
We’re used to our work projects, financial restrictions, and even poor weather keeping us from visiting our loved ones, but with quarantines and travel bans in place around the world, we are experiencing a new brand of homesickness. Here are some tips for coping with homesickness at a time when Read More...
Optimist View: A Summer of Inspiration
The Optimist Daily has experienced record growth this summer and we are incredibly grateful for everyone who has read, shared, and been inspired by our solution-based, reader-funded journalism. We wanted to take a moment to celebrate and re-share some of our most powerful stories from the summer so Read More...
Irish repay favor to Native American tribe severely hit by COVID-19
In 1847, a Native American tribe provided relief aid to Irish people that have been severely hit by a period of mass starvation known as the Great Famine. Now, 173 years on, the favor is being returned to Native American tribes hit by the coronavirus. The Navajo Nation, which straddles parts of Read More...
COVID-19 pushes 300,000 to quit smoking across UK
We’re all being a bit more conscious about our lung health during the COVID-19 outbreak. One positive outcome from the pandemic is that it offered the necessary push for 300,000 people in the UK to give up smoking. A joint study between YouGov and the campaign group Action on Smoking and Read More...
Coronavirus has brought “local” back into the spotlight
You might imagine the post-pandemic world as being one where humanity is left picking up the shattered pieces just to glue them back to the state they were before, but that won’t necessarily be the case. While the crisis has turned many aspects of our society upside down, it has also greased some Read More...
Stop and Smell the Roses! An Ode to the Most Beguiling Sense
Memories, imagination, old sentiments, and associations are more readily reached through the sense of smell than through any other channel. – Oliver Wendell Holmes By Amelia Buckley It’s a real estate cliché to bake cookies in a home before an open house. It’s not that we can’t resist Read More...
Solutions from our Optimist Daily readers
We at The Optimist Daily believe in focusing on the solutions to global problems. Throughout the novel coronavirus, we have shared stories of unity, generosity, creativity, and the scientific discovery that shine a light on the good that can come out of the darkest times. We have also had the Read More...