Episode Description: This week, Arielle and Karissa explore the science behind sunshine guilt and share simple tips for reframing guilt with self-compassion. Then they chat about fridge-free tortillas helping vulnerable communities in Mexico. Plus, they highlight other forward-thinking solutions—from volcano-forecasting trees to coral-saving nanoparticle gels and National Park Cities. The Optimist Daily is a project of the World Business Academy. Donate link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/donate-to-support-the-optimist-daily/?gift=Y%20http:// Transcript: Theme music Arielle: Hello and welcome to The Optimist Daily’s Weekly Round-up. I’m Arielle. Karissa: And I’m Karissa, and we’re working hard to put solutions in view—and optimism in movement. Arielle: Hello, hello. We’re back with another episode of our pod to share the solutions from The Optimist Daily this week. How are you doing, Karissa? Karissa: Doing well… ish over here. Arielle: Oh—well ish? Karissa: It’s been a fine week, but I’ve just had a tiny bit of a cold going on. A summer cold is never fun—especially when it’s all bright and sunny outside. But other than that, it’s been a great start to June. Arielle: Mmm, I know. It’s crazy that it’s already halfway through the year, basically. Karissa: I know! Arielle: Well, I am doing okay over here. It’s been a bit gloomier, but that’s actually been good—for putting my head down and getting to work. I’m also volunteering at a few places, and one of them is a storytelling center, which is really fun. But it’s the source of my I’m an optimist, but… this week. Karissa: Ooh, okay—so tell me more about it! Arielle: It has nothing to do with the storytelling—that part is very wholesome. There’s just one dish that’s served besides the snacks, and it’s this really nice, healthy lentil soup made by one of the owners’ Iranian fathers. And it’s very, very filling. Karissa: Mhm. Arielle: So, when we send it out, it normally comes back like three-quarters of the way finished, and I just have to throw out the rest of the soup—and that makes me feel really bad. So, I’m an optimist, but food waste… it’s bringing me down a little bit. Karissa: Right. It is a huge problem across the world. Arielle: Yeah, I wish we had a very hygienic way of repackaging it—or giving everyone Tupperware, or having people bring their own, so they can take the food home. Karissa: Mhm. Well, it looks like there could be a solution there. Arielle: I picked a solution that’s kind of inspired by my I’m an optimist, but… but we’ll get to that later. Karissa: Yeah, I was kind of already alluding to feeling under the weather—and that’s my I’m an optimist, but… It just sucks, honestly, to feel unwell—especially when it’s so nice outside and you feel like you should be doing something but can’t, for one reason or another. And for me, it was because I was feeling very hot and feverish. So… Arielle: Yeah, better to stay inside. Karissa: Yeah. And I personally like hot weather—not too extreme, but… Arielle: Yeah, a nice hot summer day. Karissa: Yeah, you know, there are plenty of outdoor things I like to do. So not being able to do that this weekend was a bit of a bummer, because where I live, it was the first really hot weekend we’ve had so far. Arielle: Ah yeah. Sucks to miss out on that. Karissa: It brings me to my solution—which I didn’t even realize was a scientific thing! Arielle: (laughs) OK. Karissa: The title of my solution is Sunshine guilt is real—but you don’t have to feel bad about staying in. Arielle: Hmm. Karissa: What a timely article. Because yeah, if you’ve ever looked out your window on a bright, beautiful day and felt that pang of guilt for staying indoors—you’re definitely not alone. This uneasy feeling is now referred to as sunshine guilt, which has entered the modern lexicon, especially as social media floods us with snapshots of sunny highs and patio brunches. I know whenever I see someone post a good-looking brunch, I’m like, “I wish I did this this morning.” So… But I guess it begs the question: what is sunshine guilt, really? And should we be taking it so personally? Is it really that deep? We have a quote here from a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Douglas J. Opler says sunshine guilt refers to the regret people feel when they stay in on a sunny day rather than going outside and taking advantage of nice weather. Though it’s not a formally recognized psychological term, it’s something that many of us definitely experience. Arielle: OK, I have totally experienced this feeling before—and I know that so many people here in the Netherlands do. Because once it does get sunny and you have to get something done, there’s always this little pang of guilt that follows you through the whole day. And I talk about it with my friends—like, why do we feel so guilty about staying inside? Karissa: The roots of sunshine guilt are kind of complex. Dr. Philip J. Fizur, who is the lead psychologist at Cooper University Health Care, says if you’ve always told yourself that you value quality time in nature—and you pass up that opportunity because of work or streaming your favorite show—you might feel like that’s a transgression. We may also feel pressured by past expectations, like parents telling us to play outside. When I was younger, my parents would always say, “You need to get outside. You need to get out of your room,” on the weekends or something. A lot of times I liked to stay inside and play a video game or read a book as a kid. (laughs) Arielle: Hmm. Karissa: As Dr. Opler puts it, perhaps we see exercise, gardening, or outdoor recreation as personal goals to be achieved. Or—we follow influencers who make the outdoors look like paradise. Arielle: OK, I never actually really considered the influencer thing making the outdoors look even more appealing, but I guess that makes sense. There are so many valid reasons to keep us inside as well. I mean, I know that it is healthy to get outside when you can—but it does seem like every time there’s an exceptionally beautiful day, I… I do find myself packed with work tasks. Karissa: Yeah, exactly. Or just something you need to be doing inside. Things like health issues, work or caregiving responsibilities, plain old fatigue, or simply the joy of indoor hobbies like baking or reading can keep us inside. And sometimes, as Dr. Opler points out, we default to less intentional distractions as well. He says we may enjoy these activities, but in many cases people don’t fully want to do them—but we find ourselves doing them anyway, to a degree that seems to steal time. Arielle: Huh. OK, so is it bad to feel sunshine guilt? It seems like such a privilege to even have this feeling. Karissa: Yeah, exactly—that’s kind of my thought too. Even having the choice to, you know, stay inside and feeling guilty for doing that. But it’s definitely not a bad thing at all to have this feeling. Emotions happen, and it’s OK to acknowledge them. As Fizur says, many mental health providers today would suggest we should not judge emotions, no matter what they may be. To say we should not experience one emotion or another only complicates the problem. So, if you’re feeling sunshine guilt, the first step is to simply notice it without criticism. And you can also reframe the situation with self-compassion. As Fizur notes, if you’re choosing one value over another—like work, time alone, or comfort away from the heat—you are allowed to do that. And if you truly didn’t have a choice because of obligations, guilt serves no real purpose. But sometimes guilt can be useful—because as Dr. Opler says, if we examine our values and determine that we dovalue going out on a sunny day, then maybe the sunshine guilt we feel will help us do better next time. In this way, guilt can be a motivator and help us realign with what actually makes us feel good. Arielle: Do we have any tips to help put this guilt into action? Karissa: Yeah, Dr. Fizur offers a few helpful steps: Notice and name the feeling. Breathe into it to reduce its intensity. Unhook from guilty thoughts without judging them. Reconnect with the present moment—instead of dwelling on the guilt. Take a break from social media, where sunshine guilt often intensifies, of course. And just find simple ways to sneak in some outdoor time. If you’d like to spend more time outside but struggle to make it happen for one reason or another, Dr. Opler recommends using small sensory cues to build motivation. You could open a window and smell the breeze—even just that makes a little bit of a difference. Touch a gardening tool or grab your dog’s leash. These little nudges can definitely help you get back outside, if that’s what you want to do. Arielle: Yeah, and maybe even an extra incentive to get outside could also help. Karissa: Yeah, absolutely. Like if you make a plan to meet a friend outdoors or grab your favorite iced coffee after spending time outside, it can be a big help in really moving forward into nature. You know, even swapping a portion of your indoor workout for a quick walk around the block can count. For me personally, now that it’s a lot nicer outside, I’m trying to exercise a little bit more outdoors. Arielle: Mm-hmm. Karissa: And as Dr. Opler says, maybe life doesn’t allow us to spend three hours hiking or gardening every day. But we can think creatively about how to integrate these things. The bottom line here is that sunshine guilt is totally normal—and sometimes even helpful. But you definitely don’t have to beat yourself up over a cozy day indoors, even if it’s a beautiful, gorgeous day outside. Because whether you embrace the sunshine or take it slow, your well-being matters. Arielle: I really like this one. I can definitely apply it to my own life. Luckily, I do have a dog who forces me out. Karissa: Yeah. Arielle: Like, I joke that she doesn’t have a job, she doesn’t pay rent (laughs)—but she does have a job, and it’s to get me outside. At least for 15 minutes, twice a day minimum. Karissa: Yeah (laughs), and that I’m sure makes such a huge difference. Arielle: Thank you so much for sharing this. I hope our listeners also gleaned something valuable from it. The solution I chose today doesn’t really have to do with sunshine or anything… so I can’t segue! (laughs) It does have to do with my I’m an optimist, but… which was basically the inspiration that pushed me to choose this solution. The article is titled The tortilla that doesn’t need a fridge will help Mexico’s most vulnerable. Karissa: Interesting. Arielle: Yeah, and it takes place in a brightly lit lab at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where something really exciting is happening. The article is all about the work of food scientist Raquel Gomez, who’s been watching tiny microbes and trying hard to solve a problem that’s both ancient and urgent: preserving tortillas without refrigeration. Yeah—for many rural families in Mexico, refrigeration is not a given. So Gomez and her team took on a challenge: could they design a tortilla that lasts and nourishes? Karissa: Oh, OK—so shelf-stable tortillas? Arielle: Yeah, exactly. Tortillas are a dietary cornerstone across Mexico, as many of us already know. But this version is wheat-based and fermented, meaning it can stay good for up to a month without any refrigeration. Karissa: Are there any preservatives involved to make these tortillas shelf-stable? Arielle: No—these tortillas actually rely on fermentation and healthy, beneficial microbes instead. Which is a big deal, especially when you consider that around 14 percent of kids under five in Mexico are chronically malnourished—and in Indigenous areas, that number jumps all the way up to 27 percent. Karissa: Wow. Arielle: Plus, with rising temperatures and spotty access to refrigerators—especially in southern states like Chiapas—food spoils fast. In places like Oxchuc, people still rely on traditional methods like salting, drying, or boiling leftovers to preserve food. Karissa: OK, so how do these new tortillas actually work then, if they don’t use preservatives? Arielle: Yeah—good question. So, they use prebiotics and probiotics—the same kinds of live microorganisms you find in yogurt. Prebiotics from high-fiber foods feed the probiotics, which in turn help protect the tortilla and your gut. Karissa: Oh, OK. Well, that’s great that they don’t use artificial preservatives, because some additives—like calcium propionate—can disrupt your gut and microbiota. Arielle: Yeah, that’s true. Researcher Guillermo Arteaga from the University of Sonora raised concerns about that. Instead, this method focuses on maintaining microbial balance in the food and in the human body. Karissa: Well—and it also sounds like this could go even further. Could this approach be adapted to corn tortillas as well? Arielle: That’s the idea. Corn is Mexico’s most culturally significant staple, but it spoils quickly in the heat. Gomez believes this fermentation model could work there too. Karissa: Well, has it hit the market quite yet? Arielle: Not quite. The tortilla was patented in 2023, and a marketing deal was even signed—but it didn’t pan out. Still, Gomez is hopeful. As she put it, “Even though they were developed in a laboratory, I’m confident people will want to eat them.” Karissa: I mean, yeah. When science can give us a fridge-free tortilla packed with probiotics and no preservatives—that’s adaptation that meets vulnerable communities where they’re at. Arielle: Yes, precisely. This isn’t just about extending shelf life—it’s about resilience and rethinking food preservation in a warming world. And I just love that this solution hits a bunch of different areas: nutrition, food insecurity, and even energy—because there’s no need for a fridge. Karissa: Yeah—good points. Arielle: There were so many really cool, science-forward articles this week, though. I had a tough time picking between this one and the one about the warning signs that trees give before a volcano is about to erupt. So yeah—just a little extra plug for that one for readers who might be interested. Karissa: Mm-hmm. Arielle: This made me realize how much I appreciate my fridge. Karissa: Absolutely. Arielle: As I mentioned before, we do have a lot of really cool stories on The Optimist Daily this week, and they include— Karissa: We have A new way to stack bricks could help clean Bangladesh’s air, A jelly with a scent of hope: how a nanoparticle gel could help save coral reefs, How to actually feel more positive (without faking it)—we’re huge on that one— and Italy extends legal recognition to same-sex mothers in major court ruling. What else do we have? Arielle: We also have Breda becomes EU’s first National Park City, setting a hopeful path for greener urban living—that’s just a 40-minute train ride away, I mean… maybe I should check it out! Karissa: Yeah, do it! Arielle: And What trees can teach us about volcanoes: a new view from space, The fungi on your face might be brewing the next great antibiotic, and Why your antiperspirant isn’t working (and how to fix it). Karissa: Awesome. Well, lots of great solutions on The Optimist Daily this week—but if you want to start your day off right next week, be sure to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and you’ll get all these solutions straight to your inbox at the start of every day. Arielle: And if you prefer social media—if that’s how you’re getting your news these days—you can find us @optimistdaily on basically all of the platforms. We’re even on Pinterest. We’re different on X—on X, we are @ODEtoOptimism. Karissa: And we are just a very small team of optimists, working really hard to put positive news out into the world. So if you want to support our mission, just click on the link in the show notes and find out how. Arielle: And a reminder that if money is tight, support doesn’t always have to be financial. You could just recommend our podcast to a friend, tell someone about a cool story you read from us or heard from us, or leave a positive review if you feel like it. Five stars are always appreciated. Karissa: As always, Arielle, it was great to be here with you today and put a little positivity out into the world. Arielle: Yeah! I hope that your sunshine guilt doesn’t get you down more than it has to, and that you feel better and can get out this weekend. Karissa: Yeah—I think I’m going to use that sunshine guilt and really propel my weekend to be outside-facing. It’ll be great. Arielle: Until next week. Karissa: Bye everyone. Arielle: Bye!The post Podcast Transcript June 6, 2025: Fridge-Free Tortillas, Sunshine Guilt, and Science-Backed Self-Compassion first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.