Sunday Edition | October 26, 2025 | Choices
- Olga Nesterova
- 15 hours ago
- 7 min read
Because life is more than politics — and kindness still matters.
This week, let’s focus on CHOICES.
When you live in a free world, you are given one of life’s greatest privileges — the freedom to choose what’s best for you. It is the second greatest gift after life itself. Yet, our vision often gets blurred. In a world driven by sales and profits, confusion is a business model. We’re surrounded by ever-changing trends designed to make us question what we truly need and want — and that makes choosing wisely harder than ever.
We can have an entirely separate conversation about the algorithmic impact on our lives, but today, I want to emphasize the act of choosing itself. The ability to choose requires both variety and clarity — an assortment of options to pick from, and the courage to pause, review, and understand the consequences of each decision. To do that, we must first be honest about what we actually want.
Why is the diet and fitness industry one of the most profitable in the world, even though we all know what it takes to be healthy? Because we want to do less but have more. We dream of effortless miracles that deliver extraordinary outcomes. We are sold those dreams — and we buy them — while ignoring the simple, real choices in front of us that demand a bit more effort and discipline.
So this week, let’s return to clarity. Let’s focus on what’s genuinely best for us. Let’s create a game plan — and motivate one another to always choose wisely: for ourselves, for our families, and for our countries.
🎭 CULTURE SNAPSHOT
Nature with a Sense of Humor
The winners of Nikon’s Comedy Wildlife Awards have been announced — honoring the year’s funniest nature shots. From a seagull taking a mid-flight bathroom break right above a regal white-tailed eagle in Iceland, to a frightened elephant, fighting frogs, and a young gorilla with a silly walk — this year’s winners remind us that the natural world has a hilarious side too.
A Decade of Peanut Progress
In 2015, research showed that early introduction of peanut products to infants could prevent severe allergies. A decade later, it’s estimated that around 60,000 children have avoided peanut allergies, including 40,000 who were most at risk. The key: offering small tastes of peanut butter to babies as young as four months.
A Galactic Mystery
At the center of our galaxy, a mysterious glow of gamma rays has puzzled scientists for years. Now, they believe it could be the long-sought evidence of dark matter — the invisible substance that makes up most of the universe.
New Series: “Kennedy”
A new eight-part drama series titled Kennedy, based on Fredrik Logevall’s acclaimed biography JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, is coming soon, Netflix announced on Monday. Starring Michael Fassbender as Joe Kennedy Sr., it will chronicle the triumphs and tragedies of the Kennedy family.
Holiday Reality: “Finding Mr. Christmas”
Hallmark Channel’s Finding Mr. Christmas returns Monday. Ten contestants compete in festive challenges — from decorating ugly sweaters to chopping down trees — for the ultimate prize: a leading role in a Hallmark holiday movie.
✨ FASCINATING HUMANS
Planting Hope in Chicago
Quilen Blackwell is transforming vacant lots on Chicago’s South Side into vibrant flower gardens. His nonprofit, Southside Blooms, employs at-risk youth, teaching them landscaping and floristry skills — cultivating not just flowers, but futures. “Most people see the tracks or a vacant lot,” says Blackwell. “But I see potential. We’re here to bring life.”
Hero in the Sky: Officer Andre Smith, Jr.
Baltimore police officer Andre Smith, Jr. made a split-second decision that saved a life. When he and his partner saw a drowning victim below, Smith — a former lifeguard — urged the pilot to land the helicopter. He jumped out and performed CPR, saving the victim before ground services arrived.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Michelin star system began not in fancy restaurants — but in a tire company.
In 1900, brothers Édouard and André Michelin published the first Michelin Guide to help French motorists find reliable places to eat and stay during their travels — and, of course, to encourage them to drive more, wearing out tires faster. Over time, the guide evolved into a respected culinary authority. By the 1920s, anonymous inspectors began awarding stars to exceptional restaurants — and the rest is history.
New Series: Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars
A new Apple TV documentary executive produced by Gordon Ramsay, hosted by Jesse Burgess, goes behind the scenes of the Michelin world. It follows chefs worldwide as they chase, earn, or lose stars — revealing the psychological and creative toll behind perfection.
📺 Premiered October 10, 2025
🧘 FOR THE BODY
As the seasons change, our bodies require balance, nourishment, and movement to stay strong. Choosing what’s best for your body is an act of self-respect. Cooler months can challenge immunity and motivation, but they’re also an opportunity to refocus on wellness.
5 Tips to Stay Healthy This Season:
Prioritize warm, whole foods — soups, grains, and seasonal vegetables support digestion and warmth.
Hydrate consistently — cooler air dehydrates too, even when we feel less thirsty.
Get morning light — natural daylight helps regulate sleep cycles and boost mood.
Incorporate immune-boosting habits — think vitamin C, zinc, and regular gentle movement.
Rest deeply — seasonal change is a time of transition; your body needs recovery to adapt.
💭 FOR THE MIND
A positive mindset is not about ignoring darkness — it’s about lighting a candle within it. When times are tough, being the light for yourself and others becomes an act of courage. Our thoughts define our energy, and our energy defines the quality of our days.
5 Tips to Reverse Your Mindset:
Reframe challenges as lessons — each obstacle has something to teach you.
Start your day with gratitude — even three small things can shift your perception.
Limit negative input — choose what you consume online as consciously as your food.
Move your body — physical activity releases tension and clears mental fog.
Surround yourself with positive voices — books, people, and music that uplift.
🍲 LET’S COOK
Recipe: Autumn Lentil & Sweet Potato Stew
Warm, earthy, and deeply satisfying — this stew brings together the heartiness of lentils, sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes, and comfort of aromatic herbs. Perfect for cozy autumn nights.
Ingredients:
2 cups red or green lentils
1 large sweet potato, cubed
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp smoked paprika, salt & pepper to taste
4 cups vegetable broth
Olive oil, parsley for garnish
Instructions: Sauté onion, garlic, and carrots in olive oil. Add sweet potatoes, lentils, and spices. Pour in broth, bring to boil, then simmer for 25–30 minutes until tender. Garnish with parsley and enjoy warm.
📜 DID YOU KNOW?
Sweet potatoes are considered a “happy food.”
They’re rich in tryptophan, which the body converts into serotonin — the neurotransmitter that boosts mood and promotes calm. Historically, sweet potatoes were used in indigenous cultures as both food and medicine, believed to restore balance and emotional stability. Today, science confirms they genuinely make you feel good.
🌎 FOR THE SOUL
Choosing what’s best for your soul should be part of your daily ritual. It’s what keeps us grounded, aligned, and able to make wise choices in every other area of life. When we take time to nurture our inner world — through stillness, reflection, or inspiration — everything else begins to flow with more clarity and purpose.
🎥 Movies & Documentaries on Choice
Sliding Doors (1998) — explores how one small choice can create two entirely different lives.
The Good Place (Series) — a comedic yet profound take on moral choices and self-betterment.
Free Solo (Documentary) — about pushing human limits and choosing courage over comfort.
How to Make the Best Choice:
Pause before reacting. Clarity is born in stillness.
Visualize the outcome. Ask yourself how this decision will feel a month — or a year — from now.
Listen to your intuition. Your body often senses truth before your mind does.
Seek perspective. Talk to someone you trust; a second lens can reveal what emotion might hide.
Remember your “why.” When a decision aligns with your deeper purpose, peace usually follows.
📖 Book Recommendation
“Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work” by Chip and Dan Heath — a smart, compassionate guide to breaking through indecision, avoiding common mental traps, and choosing with confidence and clarity.
😀 HAPPY MOMENTS
Videos guaranteed to make you smile.
🕊️ CLOSING WORDS
The beauty of choice lies not in getting it perfect, but in having it at all. Taking the time to decide what’s truly best for you — even in small, everyday ways — is an act of freedom and self-respect. Not every choice has to be a grand gesture or a life-changing decision. Sometimes, it’s as simple as saying no to something that doesn’t align with you, or yes to something that quietly brings you peace.
And if you make the wrong choice? That’s part of the journey too. We live, we learn, and we adjust. The point is to keep choosing — consciously, kindly, and courageously. Because only when we use our freedom to choose does it remain alive within us — a daily reminder that harmony and freedom are not given, but practiced.
As always—Stay ONEST.
O.N.
Happy Sunday—And remember, life is more than politics.
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