Betting on the Brightside: Developing and Fostering Optimism

Optimism is like magic – it has the power to make the impossible a reality because it gives folks to courage and motivation to try. If there is one thing we believe everyone should guard with their life, it’s their optimism and so we asked some of the most optimistic folks we know to talk to us about how they developed their optimism.

Barb Flunker

My mother always saw the best in everyone and some of that transferred to me. When a challenge comes my way I can be thrown off balance at first, thinking why did this happen to me? As soon as I change that scenario to what am I to learn from this, the brain starts thinking in positive directions. Read more>>

Rah Deluxe

My optimism comes from knowing the ones who started the HipHop genre back me. Read more>>

Vienne Brown

My optimism stems from several sources. As an immigrant woman of color, I’ve faced numerous challenges and obstacles throughout my journey. These experiences have taught me resilience and the power of perseverance. I’ve always believed that every challenge is an opportunity in disguise, and this mindset fuels my optimism. Read more>>

Elizabeth Paschall

My optimism stems from my parents, who instilled in me the belief that the glass is always half full. Throughout my career as a hairstylist in the salon and on film sets I’ve found that maintaining a positive outlook can propel you further than negativity ever could. Read more>>

Katherine Leung

I get my optimism from many different sources. The first is my family and where I live, which I see interlinked in so many spiritual ways. My husband and I moved to the countryside after a lifetime of living in cities, escaping wildfires, and record-breaking hot summers as the result of climate change. Covid and deteriorating social institutions led us to want to regain control of what little we can – our food, our home, our family. Read more>>

Celi Viloria

My optimism comes from my philosophy of keeping things simple. I strive to live a straightforward life, which means I don’t allow room for worries about tomorrow. I firmly believe that the universe will continue to bring wonderful things my way. Read more>>

Ayo Tsalithaba

My optimism comes from a few places, primarily stems from my stubbornness, but also from my deep desire to live in a world that can be gentle to everyone. I often talk about how I am most motivated by spite, and I don’t really see that as an entirely negative thing. Read more>>

Wang Chenlu

My optimism towards challenges stems from several key sources. Firstly, I am incredibly fortunate to have a supportive group of peers and colleagues. My design team at work provides a solid foundation of support, and during my student years, my peers were always there to help me through various projects. Read more>>

Shawn Mihalik

When I was nine years old, my mother’s fiancé, who would later go on to adopt me as his own son, showed me the film Star Trek: The Voyage Home, in which a group of explorers from a utopian future go back in time to 1980s San Francisco in search of a pair of humpbacked whales, so that they can repopulate the species and save the planet, undoing a major ecological mistake of our own time. Read more>>

Marisa Hurtado

I’ve learned some important life lessons, so I’ve decided to make a change for the better and become more optimistic. Read more>>

Amanda Hyacinth

My optimism is a mix of faith, purpose, and healing from my past, sprinkled with a bit of creative style! As the founder and CEO of Candle Communiqué, I light up lives one candle at a time, spreading messages of worthiness and love. Read more>>

Fred Reyes

My optimism comes from always making something happen. I was independent from an early age, and working in kitchens my entire life has taught me that you can’t wait around for an opportunity. My optimism comes from making an opportunity, not waiting for others to create it for you. Read more>>

Darrylisha Ezell

BLACK HAIR & IT’S CULTURE! Growing up young, natural hair was not always embraced, there was a certain “image” to uphold. So when I was younger I had to get relaxers for my thick, coarse hair to be considered managable. Read more>>

Jeffrey Preuss

When I look around, the vision of possibilities overrides the existing conditions. It is then my job to share that vision with others. If the ideas are mutual, we will together form a plan to see it so. The Potential always brings optimism with it by nature. Read more>>

Ameily Chang

My optimism stems from faith. As a Christian, I put everything in the hands of God, but faith, in general, means having something or someone you can rely on. This doesn’t make me immune to worries and anxiety, I am not superhuman. When anxiety hits, I accept it without letting it take over, reminding myself that things have always worked out in the end, even if not as planned. Read more>>

Meghan Wolfgram

My optimism comes from seeing the positive impact SwiftPaws has on pets and their owners. Every time I witness a dog’s excitement while chasing the lure or hear from a satisfied customer, it reinforces my belief in our mission and fuels my optimism for the future. Read more>>

Allie St John

My optimism comes from The Douglas County Sheriff’s Department. I have been on a deeply personal journey to find a safe place to call my home. For me this meant finding a safe home to live my life in. On my terms, my way.  Read more>>

Bhavana Banala

As a filmmaker, my optimism is fueled by a profound passion for storytelling, a rich blend of cultural experiences, and a resilient spirit honed through overcoming challenges. Growing up in Hyderabad and pursuing an MFA in film production in the United States has given me a unique perspective that combines Eastern and Western cinematic techniques.  Read more>>

Linda Biggs

My optimism comes from many resources. Funny having done ART for a long time, over the years I realized as long as I have an active piece of art on my art table I am happy. Especially now, with so much electronic distractions from social media, tv, new etc… staving focused using my mind and imagination keeps positivity present. Read more>>

Andrew Lipow

My optimism comes from knowing that my success is in my own hands. If I put in the hard work, then it will pay off. I remain optimistic because I enjoy doing the work, and a positive attitude has always done me good, Read more>>

Leah Eber

My optimism comes from having a grateful mindset. I try to practice gratitude in everything I do, and this allows me to be optimistic. When we are grateful, it is much easier to see the best possible outcome in the situations we experience in life. In turn, this helps me to stay motivated to keep going! Read more>>

Monica Miller

Honestly, I was raised by awesome parents who taught me to take pride in what I do, work hard and always think positively. The worst thing anyone can tell you is no, right? So with that, I believe in betting on and believing in myself.  Read more>>

Amanda Brandon

Growing up in a large family provided its challenges, even more so when we had foster kids added to our crazy bunch. My father worked full time, long hours to provide for our family but still managed to find time to bring us each to our sporting events, Boy Scouts meetings and more.  Read more>>

Danielle Shea

The topic of optimism can be funny, because optimism has such a negative connotation sometimes. People often confuse optimism for false reality, being unintelligent, or having a lack of life experience. However, in my experience the most optimistic people I know are the ones who have walked through hell and back in order to live the life that they are living now. Read more>>

Jayme Mantos

I’ve always been an optimist at my core, but what gets me through the tough times is drawing optimism from my community. There’s nothing I love more than seeing my friends growing in their careers and being recognized for their skills after years of watching them put in the work. Read more>>

Fabien Gravillon

I have been optimistic since I was very young. I think I was born like that. I leave all problems behind and move forward. Read more>>

Sam Hauser

As an artist, I’m always seeking inspiration and have trained myself to find beauty everywhere, even in overlooked places like the curve of someone’s nose or an old, run-down building. Recently, I’ve been particularly fascinated by thistles. Read more>>

Rachel Brownhill

As someone who has been through a considerable amount of health issues, including type 1 diabetes, autoimmune disease, ulcerative colitis, adrenal deficiency, dialysis, kidney and pancreas transplant, to name a few, I am determined to be optimistic! It has been a lot, and there have been lots of tears and self-pity, but I overcame my difficulties finding a passion for acting.  Read more>>

Mark and Reauna Lopez

Sometimes it takes some negative to truly see the positive. We have been through some hard times in life — serious illness, finances, relational and family drama, work stress, you name it. And…we have always seen things get better when we feel we’re at our lowest. We have seen how mountains get moved and God works miracles everyday. Read more>>

Keith Wilhelm Kopp

My hope comes from my faith and the belief that when humans put their minds to a task, they can accomplish anything. This belief fuels my journey in filmmaking. Unlike many in the industry, I come from humble beginnings. My parents were blue-collar workers, and we struggled with finances until I left home.  Read more>>

April Wakefield-Spikener

My optimism comes from knowing how God has moved in my life. The way he has always come through for me. I’ve seen it so much, that when times are hard, or if I’m going through something mentally or emotionally painful, I trust that it is for my good, and that whatever I am learning through the obstacle, will be purposeful. Read more>>

Tasha Monique Hill

My optimism comes from my faith, in my 20’s I spent a lot of time being negative towards myself and others. Once I developed a true relationship with GOD my life changed and things started to work out for me. My positive attitude helped me gain success in my career and that made me want to help others change their outlook on life. Read more>>

David Zhao

My optimism stems from witnessing the tangible results of hard work and innovative thinking in my business ventures. Overcoming challenges in the restaurant industry, particularly in supply chain management and expansion, has shown me that with perseverance and innovative solutions, significant progress is possible. Read more>>

Miledys Pons

My optimism has deep roots, sprouting from the resilient soil of my childhood experiences. Growing up in a single-parent household, I watched my mother, a Cuban refugee from 1980 who only spoke Spanish, navigate the challenges of settling in a new country with grace and grit.  Read more>>

Dr. Grisel Lopez-Escobar, PhD, LMHC, NCC

I think that a big part of my optimistic outlook came from my parents who were both Argentine immigrants who raised me to be flexible and encouraged me to think independently and forge my own path along the way. Read more>>

Ayanfe Ayeni

Even when I am exhausted from or bored of working on a project, the thought of everything coming together beautifully keeps me pushing forward. I remind myself of the end goal and how each step, no matter how simple or challenging, contributes to something greater. Read more>>

Julia Turchaninova

This question is easy to answer. One part of it is my general belief that we can always do better both as individual human beings and as a society. The other part comes from lots of love and support I’ve enjoyed over years from my family, friends, students and colleagues, all these wonderful people have taught me that the world is better than it sometimes looks. Read more>>

Dean Rowland

I’d have to say it comes from patience, which I consider my strongest trait as an individual. I always feel like that the finishing line to whatever I’m trying to accomplish is always within my grasp, and I pride myself on seeing the good in everything and everyone.  Read more>>

Joseph Barra

It comes from my faith, and truly believing in myself. Sadly most people have a poor opinion of themselves. They think themselves so lowly and that they are not enough. When you’re secure in who you are, recognize your worth and take into account that you yourself are able to achieve great things, how can you not be optimistic. Read more>>

Kimberly Terasa

My optimism comes from a few key places. Growing up, I had a middle school science teacher, Mr. Douglas Matheson, who really instilled in me the values of positivity and looking on the bright side. In his after-school tutorials, we’d take turns teaching each other new things – since I wanted to be a teacher back then – and that hands-on approach and conversations helped me develop an optimistic glass half-full mentality. Read more>>

Rhiannon Okoye

I find optimism in the impermanence of life; change is the only constant. This understanding soothes my spirit. I cherish the good days, knowing they are fleeting, and approach the challenging ones with trust, seeing them as opportunities for growth. Each experience offers lessons that can extend the joy and resilience for the future. Read more>>

Susan Crawford

I think I’ve always been a person who’s leaned towards optimism as a big part of my personality. Maybe I was born with it, or maybe it was modeled for me at home – either way, it’s served me well when faced with the unpredictability and curve balls life has thrown at me. Read more>>

Paige Snyder

My optimism in my small business springs from years of crafting and the joy I find in every creation. Each piece I craft is not just an item but a manifestation of my passion and dedication. The real source of my optimism, however, lies in the heartfelt appreciation from those who cherish and love my art. Read more>>

Kelly Nauyokas

I’m just a natural optimistic human. Maybe from my mother allowing me to explore my creativity from a young age. Also, I have always been a dreamer. I’m a very spiritual person that just believes in allowing people to follow their dreams and goals and to find peace in their talents. I think that’s why I can overcome adversity. Read more>>

Vinny Pacifico

I believe mindset is everything. We are all struggling in one way or another, everyone is going through something. I truly believe if you keep your head up and know that you can do anything you put your mind to, as well as put in undying effort. There will be results. I try to do one or 2 things every single day that will bring me closer to my goal. Read more>>

Brea Rhodes

My optimism has come from own personal mantra of being violently optimistic. Regardless I’d still be making art even if nobody was buying it. It’s just a happy byproduct. I think having access to the internet helps aide in finding that niche crowd. Read more>>

Nancy Baten

As a serious lung patient, it is not always easy to be and remain positive. Still, I think positivity is something very important. It is not only very pleasant for yourself and those around you. But your body and mental state benefit better from a positive attitude. It makes you stronger, more combative. It must be given to you to be positive. Read more>>

Jessica Ullyott

This is a tough one when considering how much negativity surrounds climate change and plastic pollution. However, I have found that optimism is more important than ever these days. I have to believe that the Earth I will hand off to my children will be better than the one they were born into because of changes that are being made. Read more>>

Brady Phoenix

My optimism has developed over time as I have learned from my mistakes and strengthened after healing from my past. Going through challenges as a young gay person in a small town in the Midwest, some habits were created that unfortunately snowballed into a plethora of bad decisions. Read more>>