BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Digital dating has changed the way we connect, creating a new vocabulary of phrases such as ghosting, orbiting, and breadcrumbing. While these activities may appear fairly innocent on the surface, they can have serious consequences for our mental health and well-being. Psychotherapist Danielle Sukenik speaks to the emotional cost of negotiating the complexity of internet interactions and offers advice in this article. Let’s take a look at the psychological effects of these dating patterns and provide evidence-based coping strategies. The ghosting and orbiting conundrum: understanding the emotional fallout Ghosting and orbiting are regular occurrences in the realm of online dating, but their psychological impact can be profound. Ghosting, defined as the sudden absence of a romantic partner without explanation, can make people feel abandoned and bewildered. According to research, ghosting can cause feelings of exclusion and undermine a person’s sense of belonging and self-esteem. On the other hand, orbiting, or continuing to communicate with someone on social media after ghosting them, can exacerbate emotions of confusion and ambiguity. While these behaviors may appear trivial on the surface, they can have long-term emotional implications, eroding one’s confidence and trust in future relationships. Breadcrumbing: the illusion of connection Breadcrumbing, another common practice in internet dating, entails sending occasional flirty messages to keep someone interested without any goal of developing a relationship. Victims of breadcrumbing are frequently locked in a loop of hope and disappointment, with occasional attention creating a sense of connection. However, breadcrumbing is a manipulative method that uses the other person’s feelings to validate or bolster one’s own ego. Breadcrumbing’s extended nature exacerbates emotions of loneliness, powerlessness, and unhappiness, which has a bad impact on mental health. Coping strategies for digital daters: managing the emotional rollercoaster Getting through the emotional rollercoaster of digital dating demands resilience and self-awareness. Here are some thorough coping skills that can assist people in handling the complexity of online relationships. 1. Confront negative thought patterns Be careful of the narratives you develop about your dating encounters, and resist negative self-talk. Recognize that people’s actions are a reflection of them, not you. Practice turning negative thoughts into empowering and loving perspectives. 2. Identify your values  Determine what is most important to you in a relationship, such as honesty, communication, and mutual respect. Regardless of how your dating experiences turn out, align your behaviors with your values to maintain a sense of purpose and contentment. 3. Diversify your approach Change up your dating strategy by trying new platforms and meeting individuals in different places. This will prevent burnout and keep the dating experience interesting. Consider offline activities and hobbies that are relevant to your interests, allowing you to meet potential mates in more organic and authentic circumstances. 4. Create boundaries and prioritize self-care Create explicit boundaries for your time, energy, and emotional engagement in dating. Self-care activities that nourish your mind, body, and spirit include meditation, exercise, hobbies, and time spent with supportive friends and family. 5. Seek help when you need it Don’t be afraid to ask friends, family, or mental health specialists for help and advice. Discussing your experiences and emotions can bring affirmation, perspective, and comfort during difficult times. Individuals who follow these specific coping tactics can develop resilience, self-awareness, and emotional well-being in the face of the digital dating maze. Remember that navigating relationships, both online and offline, is a voyage of self-discovery and progress, with each encounter providing vital lessons and possibilities for personal improvement. Finding the way to healthy relationships While online dating has its challenges, it also provides chances for connection and progress. Understanding the psychological processes at work and implementing appropriate coping skills will help you navigate the digital dating maze with confidence and resilience. Remember to prioritize self-care, stick to your principles, and approach every interaction with inquiry and compassion. With the correct mindset and skills, you can make meaningful connections and develop fulfilling relationships in the digital age.     Did this solution stand out? Share it with a friend or support our mission by becoming an Emissary.The post Navigating digital dating and modern relationships first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The idea that your body works against you when you exercise has circulated in fitness and science communities for years. Work out more, the theory goes, and your metabolism quietly dials back somewhere else (suppressing immune function, trimming reproductive hormones, slowing the thyroid) to keep your total daily calorie burn roughly fixed. It sounds plausible, but a new study from Virginia Tech says it isn’t true. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the research found a direct, linear relationship between physical activity and total energy expenditure. The more you move, the more energy your body uses. No hidden offsets. How researchers measured total energy output Seventy-five participants between the ages of 19 and 63 were tracked for two weeks, spanning activity levels from sedentary to ultra-endurance running. The team used doubly labeled water, a gold-standard method where participants drink special forms of oxygen and hydrogen and provide urine samples over the study period. Because oxygen exits the body as both water and carbon dioxide while hydrogen exits only as water, researchers could calculate the difference to estimate how much energy each person burned. A waist-worn sensor tracked physical activity throughout the day. Total energy expenditure rose in a straight line with activity level. No metabolic compensation was found The more significant finding may be what researchers didn’t see. There was zero evidence of metabolic compensation. The “constrained energy expenditure” theory predicted this mechanism would kick in with increased exercise, but it simply didn’t appear. Physical activity also wasn’t associated with changes in immune markers, reproductive hormones, or thyroid function. The systems that theory claimed would get throttled back showed no meaningful changes. One caveat: all participants were adequately fueled. The researchers note that metabolic compensation may still occur during significant calorie restriction, and more research is needed there. What this means for your movement routine Your total daily energy expenditure breaks into a few components. Basal metabolic rate (what your body uses just to keep running) accounts for roughly 60 to 70 percent. Digesting food accounts for around 10 percent. Physical activity, both structured exercise and incidental movement, covers the rest and is the most variable piece. The constrained energy theory predicted that more exercise would trigger the body to reduce its baseline burn to compensate. This study found that it doesn’t happen. If you’re trying to lose fat, build muscle, or maintain your weight, exercise works the way you’d want it to. Building muscle amplifies the effect This study didn’t look at muscle mass directly, but prior research fills in that picture. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does, so more muscle means a higher baseline burn. Combined with the finding that exercise genuinely raises total expenditure, building and maintaining muscle is one of the better long-term bets for your metabolism. Consistency tends to matter more than intensity. Regular movement, whether that’s walking, lifting a few times a week, or a sport you actually like, adds up more than you’d expect. Low-key movement (NEAT) throughout the day helps too: stairs instead of elevators, walking during calls, or even just standing at your desk. These don’t trigger the same hunger or fatigue signals as hard training, so they’re easier to stick with. The broader picture Decades of research connect physical activity to cardiovascular health, insulin sensitivity, bone density, mood, and cognitive function. This study adds something specific to that picture: your body doesn’t secretly work against the effort you put in. The calories you burn through exercise count. Your metabolism responds to what you ask of it. Source study: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences– Physical activity is directly associated with total energy expenditure without evidence of constraint or compensation     Did this solution stand out? Share it with a friend or support our mission by becoming an Emissary.The post More movement, more energy burned: new study challenges metabolism myth first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

When Jacob Bates went missing during a bike ride with his dad on a trail in River Legacy Park in Arlington, Texas, on February 23, 2026, his father, Scot, became very concerned. “We were having the best time,” Scot Bates told People. “And then it turned into a complete nightmare.” Jacob, 24, has autism, and Scot contacted the police for help. The area where the father and son biked is known for bobcats, coyotes, and wild pigs, which made his disappearance even more frightening.  When the Arlington Police Department didn’t find Jacob, they called on volunteers to help. David Dedwylder and Chance Sauser answered that call. David Dedwylder and Chance Sauser Knew They Had to Help Find Jacob Bates Chance told People that David contacted him to help find Jacob Bates because he has a heat-detecting drone. “He said I think you might be this kid’s only hope,” Chance recalled. “And I was like, man, when you put it like that, I’ve got to come, right?” Together, David and Chance came up with a plan and used the drone to search for Jacob. With just minutes of battery remaining, they found him. “He called me and asked if Jake was wearing a blue shirt. I told him yes, and I asked if he was standing. He said yes, he is,” Scot Bates said. “I knew then he was OK.” Jacob Bates had been missing for nearly 12 hours, but Chance and David found him. “I’ll never forget when I heard him yell back,” Tim Gundlach, Jacob’s uncle, recalled. “I knew he may not be in great shape, but he’s alive.” David said he will never forget that day, and he’s so happy that he and his good friend could help give this story a happy ending. “The story of Jacob is one that will stick with me forever,” he said. “It’s crazy what you run across in life, and this says you’re here for a reason.” This story’s featured image can be found here.

Getting stuck in traffic can be a total drag. Having someone to talk to can make the time pass faster. And a great playlist or podcast always helps, but sometimes you long for something more. If you have kids, you know there’s only so many times you can say “I spy with my little eye” before you go totally crazy. In South Africa, some motorists got creative during a tragic jam and played a game with each other. It might be the most genius thing we’ve ever seen. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ABC News (@abcnews) Their Traffic Jam Game is One We All Can Play ABC News shared a video of the traffic jam, and a couple of motorists engaged in a classic game of rock, paper, scissors. The cars are moving slowly, but the game is fast and furious. All we see are the backs of two vehicles, one behind the other, with arms outstretched from the windows and moving at the exact same time. Even though we can’t hear them, we know they’re saying, “Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.” We don’t know exactly how long the traffic jam lasted, but with a game like this, who cares? Instagrammers loved the video and wished they could get in on a little rock, paper, scissors action during their morning commute. “I need to play more rock paper scissors,” someone admitted. For this person, a traffic jam game of rock, paper, scissors just makes sense. “This is what life should be about!” They wrote. Others like the fact that the motorists didn’t sue the slow-moving traffic to slow down, but instead had a little fun in the moment. “Break from social media!! Good for the brain!!” They wrote. We’d love to see this catch on closer to home. We all need some wholesome entertainment every once in a while. This story’s featured image can be found here.

Holy Cow, Delray’s Gourmet Burger Joint, knows just what the people want. The Virginia restaurant offers burgers, fries, and milkshakes that make people dance. And we mean that quite literally. The restaurant recently posted a challenge on Instagram for customers wanting to try its new Cereal Series Lucky Charms milkshake. All they had to do was dance their way into Holy Cow, and the milkshake would be theirs at no cost. The challenge was a resounding success with men, women, and kids boogieing on in for a sweet treat. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Holy Cow Del Ray (@holycowdelray) We’d Dance for a Lucky Charms Milkshake at Holy Cow The best part of this milkshake dance challenge is that there were no stipulations on what kind of dance customers had to perform. We saw individuals, partners, and entire families freestyling their way to a sweet treat. Holy Cow set their video to the ‘90s jam Return of the Mack by Mark Morrison. And we must admit, not only did the song make us nostalgic, but it also had us craving some ice cream. Followers loved the milkshake dance challenge and felt like other restaurants should hop on this trend. “Im going to put that sign on random businesses’ doors,” someone joked. There was a lot of love for the first dancer in the video. “The first guy is a real life Shaggy from Scooby Doo! Love all of this!” A follower wrote. “The first dude needs some fries to go with that shake!!!” Someone else joked. “The first guy been waiting for that opportunity,” another person added. “The happiest feel I’ve watched all day!” Another person wrote with a smile. The free milkshake dance challenge is nothing but joy, and we’re here for it. This story’s featured image can be found here.