Our team is mostly comprised of optimists and we are often asked where all this optimism comes from and often these questions have led to enlightening conversations and so we decided to ask others in our community where they feel their optimism comes from?
Eva Yazhari
I was born a ‘glass half-full’ person. And while that didn’t necessarily set me up for life, I was very lucky to understand from an early age that a positive outlook matters. I was also born into a family with a long legacy of giving back. For example, my grandfather founded a health clinic in Tanzania (and moved his young family from the Midwest to do so), and he is just one of many in my family to live out his values to the fullest. Read more>>
Akshat Jha
My optimism comes from within, because thankfully its genetic. It’s the biggest strength my father (or any human) has instilled in me. My father overexhausted himself to put smiles on people’s faces as a doctor everyday. He worked for his patients, his family, and himself because this is something he loved. He always had too much to look after, too much to handle, too much to solve, and the reason he could do ALL of that successfully was because he went to bed a happy man, no matter what. He is my source of optimism, he is optimism in it’s most real form and I am so glad to know that now, I am too. Read more>>
Katie Reuther
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a very optimistic person. It’s probably one of my most noticeable qualities. It’s hard to tell if it was nature or nuturing that brought this quality out of me, but I believe it has developed over time. I truly believe in ability to manifest our dreams and desires through positive talk and thought. Whenever I have been faced with a challenge, I immediatly begin thinking of solutions. I am an incredibly determined person, and never give up. Sometimes my determination can be a tad difficult for others to deal with, but I also think it is one of my strongest qualities and I am passionate about advocating for others to have a voice. Read more>>
Nicole Policicchio
I think my optimism comes from a deep longing to leave a positive mark on the people, places, and things I touch in this one wild and precious life. Every day we have a choice in how we want to show up in the world. One of my favorite Charles Bukowski quotes is “what matters most is how well you walk through the fire.” This resonates for me in terms of each day of living. Do I want to sweat the small stuff? No. Do I want to see life as ‘happening to me’? No. I want to be saying YES! I want to be making wise and joyful choices about how I spend my time, how I treat my clients, how I care for my family, and our Earth. Read more>>
Johnathan Jennings
My optimism comes from just knowing that if I wake up I’ve received atleast one more chance. I remember being in the streets as a youth and always evading eminent danger, and it’s crazy because hustling was the only thing that afforded me a real shot at living and doing music full time, so I figured it had to be a purpose for it. I always felt like if I could just get one shot just one shot I’d prove myself and then I convinced myself that no matter what happens on that stage I can only give what I have to offer, that’s it that’s all. Read more>>
Dianne ‘mo’ Taith
I believe my optimism stems from a blend of stubbornness and the invaluable lessons learned through struggle—a gift, as I like to call it. Life has presented me with many challenges, but I don’t see struggle as something negative. To me, it’s an opportunity to grow, to level up, and to rise to the occasion. When I was in massage school, I faced significant hardships, often finding myself without a stable place to live. Read more>>
Michelle Berry
My optimism is deeply rooted in the inspiration I draw from my nephew Zack. His courage and strength first inspired me when he served as a Cavalry Scout in the United States Army, bravely fighting for our country overseas. Later, he became my greatest source of strength when he faced the battle of his life against a rare and aggressive cancer, Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma. Despite enduring surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and countless blood transfusions, Zack remained remarkably positive, maintaining an incredible outlook on life. Read more>>
Lillian Emlet
My optimism comes from realizing that the glass half full keeps a group’s energy and direction moving in a positive direction. As a daughter of immigrants, there is probably no other way to be than to be optimistic and hard-working in order to move towards financial stability and opportunity. While suffering emotional abuse in my childhood, the drive to escape and become independent and above the situation was a strong core memory. I used my talents and skills in a positive way to win awards and recognition for my talents so that I could go into the world and have opportunities to better myself. Read more>>
Malon Cokley
My optimism comes from witnessing many blessings within my life and the lives of others.
There wo sayings that I live by, to which one of I’ll say at least once a day; they are, “Let go and let God.” and “Everything happens for a reason”. Here and there I would say “Everything happens for a reason.” throughout my life, whenever something went bad or there’s an unforeseen turn of event and it seems out of my control. However, in 2015, there was accident that completely changed my outlook on even the smallest inconvenience. Read more>>
Kalorin Suetrong
Optimism, to me, is creating a reality for myself in a world that thrives on “preparing for the worst.” I was raised to “be cautious and take calculated risks,” but after discovering that anything is possible when I shifted my mind to optimism, I was able to achieve many goals that exceeded my expectations. Being optimistic has opened doors that once seemed far out of reach. My grandma’s unwavering optimism bled into mine, showing me a world where nothing was out of reach as long as I just applied myself. Read more>>
Carey Platto
I am very glad that I have a glass half full perspective on life. I believe it’s come from more successes than failures in my life. Those successes have come from following my heart, pursuing jobs and experiences that align with my passions and core values. If you know what fulfills you, that comes across in all your interactions. Read more>>
Bryce Taylor
Well, as a middle-class, white, male I must say that there are some advantages that I assume are baked into the cake, some things that may have made it a little easier for me to be optimistic. That being said, I can also cite several other elements that have also contributed to this way of approaching and interacting with the world. For, as you know, every middle-class, white male is not so optimistic. Read more>>
Paul Matte
I’m a very optimistic person and as an artist I find that it comes from my ability to trust my gut. Navigating the entertainment business can be difficult; but not if you truly listen to yourself and accept the challenges that feel the most fulfilling to you. If I find myself climbing someone else’s mountain, it doesn’t take me long to snap out of it and get back to my own mission having learned my lesson. This process has led me to trust myself deeply and I know that the work I’m doing is going to be of good quality because I’m doing it for the right reasons. Read more>>
Ellery Bonham
I grew up the youngest in a big and loving family which undoubtedly shaped who I was going to become. I was also raised in the church which, from a young age, inspired values like gratitude, compassion, and hope. Although I’ve grown apart from religion, I’ve held onto spirituality which is still the core of who I am in the world. I think being surrounded by loving and joyful people when I was young set up a rude awakening when I got out into the real world and met a lot of cynics. Read more>>
Prince Nurse
My optimism really stems from every problem that I’ve encountered in my life until this point and figured out solutions to overcome them. I guess what I’m saying is, I’ve know that there are problems, I’m aware they exist, but don’t solutions exist too? Read more>>
Zach Mcgee
Optimism is a funny thing. It takes a lot of work to constantly be optimistic, especially when things aren’t going your way. Pursuing my goals and dreams, I spent a lot of time in what I would call “the bottom”. I lived in my car for 2 years with no real prospects of making my dream of being a videographer come true. It was all just trying to get better day in and day out. I also remember the feeling of having to go back to work at a job I didn’t like, after failing at videography the first time. These were some of the hardest times in my life. Read more>>
Melissa Hernandez
I believe I was born to be optimistic, especially in the music industry. My journey began in 2021 when I was accepted into a program in partnership with Billboard. That moment was a turning point , it was as if a door opened to a world filled with endless possibilities. Read more>>
Susie Vybiral
The derivative of my optimism can be summed up in one word: HOPE. In a world full of doubt, negativity, and fear, I remain hopeful that there is good out there and there are people who wish the best for others. This hope is fostered by friends, colleagues, and organizations that are doing their best to make the world a better place. We are tasked daily with finding ways of moving forward in a world where nothing is guaranteed. Read more>>
Bethany Northcott
Toxic positivity is something I’ve really had to unlearn in order to be truly optimistic. I tend to get upset when I feel something is unjust, or even could just be done better. Many times, I’ve been told to “just be positive”, “stop getting upset”, “don’t think about it”, “focus on the good”. When I took that advice, tried to shove those feelings down and plaster a smile on my face, I actually became more bitter and upset. Read more>>
Tracey Morrison
My optimism came from the lessons that my father instill in me. As a child, he always taught my siblings and I that we can be anything in this world if we believe and set our minds to it. He prove that by taking a risk to quit his job to start his own business called TT&T Electrical Company in the early 1990s. My father named his company after the first initials of his daughter’s name whose name start with a T. Read more>>
Andrew Ficklin
My optimism comes from trial. Being able to complete a series of task or attempt to, normally creates that room for optimism. You want to know what you can do next or possibly do next. I think the rhythm in which our minds are naturally designed forces us to be optimistic even when error does occur. You can practice almost anything just good enough to be optimistic about. Read more>>
Isaiah Ellsberr
years old in Birmingham, Alabama. My father was on active duty at the time and was often deployed. While my mother lived in North Carolina raising my two older sisters. Therefore, my grandmother raised me as if I was her child. She was always compassionate, generous, and willing to teach me valuable life skills at any moment. Read more>>
Zef Neemuchwala
My optimism comes from my upbringing. Growing up we did not have much materially speaking but were constantly told that if we kept looking for opportunities we would find them. Read more>>
Tiffani Walker
You know, I’ve always thought I was a pretty positive person until about seven years ago or so. I saw a post somewhere about a mental diet challenge and was intrigued. The concept of a mental diet is to basically cut out everything that doesn’t make you feel good mentally. Read more>>
James Lowe
Coach Ballgame’s optimism is deeply rooted in his love for the game of baseball and the joy he sees in kids when they discover their own potential. Growing up, he was inspired by the positive impact that sports and great coaches had on his life, teaching him the values of hard work, teamwork, and perseverance. He believes that every day presents an opportunity to make a difference in a child’s life, and that drives him to stay optimistic. Read more>>
Renee Walters
I used to be paralyzed, I fell 15ft out of an attic. I was paralyzed instantly, I had to be flown to Atlanta Medical Center where I underwent 10 hours of surgery on my spine. I was told I would probably never walk again and would be confined to a wheelchair. I went through a year and a half of Therapy at the Shepherd Center where I learned to do everything all over again. Read more>>
