Optimism is the invisible ingredient that powers so much of the incredible progress in society – from entrepreneurs and investors to artists and creatives who believe in something and are optimistic enough to risk their time, money, and reputation. We asked some of the most optimistic folks we know where they think they get their optimism form.
Ximena Cortez
In October 2023, Acapulco, Guerrero, faced one of the most devastating hurricanes in recent years. Hurricane Otis swept through, leaving behind a trail of destruction—community centers, homes, schools, and everything in its path were torn apart. Among the many impacted were the children of Xolapa, a small pueblo just 30 minutes from Acapulco. Despite the devastation, these children didn’t stop attending school. They showed up, day after day, amidst the ruins of what was left of their school. Their resilience was a quiet but powerful testament to the human spirit. Read more>>
Mimi Wright
My optimism comes from my faith, my family, and my belief in the power of community. I’ve seen firsthand how hard work and positivity can lead to incredible opportunities. Even when things get tough, I look for solutions instead of dwelling on the challenges. Surrounding myself with like-minded people who uplift and encourage me also keeps my outlook bright. Life has shown me that setbacks are temporary and that every obstacle is a setup for something better. Read more>>
Fly Jamerson
I used to think that Optimism was just a way of looking at things. A throwaway aphorism: “Glass half full.” It never worked for me until I surrounded myself with people who were bona fide Optimists. People who study, practice, train, and choose to see good in the world, in others, and in themselves. Even when it’s hard. Especially then. On the days when the heavy lift of optimism seems impossible, I reframe how I’m talking to myself. Words like “challenge” and “problem” becomes “opportunity.” I literally change the words in my sentence. Read more>>
Bianca House
I want to start off by saying that many of the questions I could choose from definitely all may fit into what I’m sharing. It was super hard to choose just one! Plain and simple, my optimism stems from my life experiences, my family, especially my grandmother, my friends and most importantly my relationship with God. Now, just like any other person, I have been through a lot of things in my life. Lived through a lot, like most of my millennial counterparts. However, for every single bad thing that’s happened, something good almost always came out of it. Because of the reasons I stated above, I’ve always been able to look at the glass half full. Most people know that one scripture, Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Read more>>
Aaron Master
My optimism comes from seeing opportunity in every situation, no matter how difficult, challenging or enjoyable and fun, and the relentless pursuit for discovering the right and best next steps. Sometimes it’s immediate, and sometime it takes strong collaboration and deep thought and reflection, but I believe in myself and my team, i can always find a path forward. Also when i studied Jazz and especially musicianship, it improved my ability to improvise by listening to what is happening, reflecting and reacting in the moment, and bringing something cohesive and harmonious, or dissonant and striking, but listening to yourself and the situation and letting it flow. Read more>>
Untethered Voyages
In 2023, Wendy embarked on a transformative journey by enrolling in a travel planning accelerator. A key component of the program was mindset development, which involved daily journaling practices. Each morning, Wendy focused on gratitude, affirmations, and visualization exercises. Through consistent practice, Wendy has cultivated a more positive mindset. She’s replaced negative self-talk with affirmations and replaced limiting beliefs with empowering ones. She’s also developed healthy habits like listening to uplifting music and practicing mindfulness. Read more>>
Elijah Glasper
I feel my optimism comes from the responsibility we all share to nurture the greatness in each other. We all deserve to be the best versions of ourselves and should do everything we can to bring that out of one another. This is something I am blessed to have continually poured into me, so how dare I not for others? How dare I not believe in the power of people and our amazing power to change? Not just ourselves but everyone and everything around us for good. Read more>>
Paula Sofia
My optimism comes from my roots, my city, and my culture, and I can’t talk about that without feeling emotional when I think of Barranquilla, my hometown. Barranquilla is more than just a city; it’s a spirit, a warm embrace you feel on every corner, in the scent of the sea, in the music that never stops playing. It’s there that I learned that life, no matter how hard it gets, always has room for joy, for dancing, for hope. Read more>>
Anna Kleman
My optimism is deeply rooted in my faith, my journey with mental health, and the unwavering support of my family. Faith has always been my anchor, reminding me that even in the hardest moments, there’s a bigger plan at work. My mental health journey taught me resilience and the value of finding light in dark places. Those experiences have shaped how I see the world—they’ve shown me that struggles can lead to strength, and setbacks can open doors to unexpected opportunities. Read more>>
Kabrea James
I’m optimistic because I know a better me and a more loving world is always possible. I understand that there is no scarcity of love and that we can always generate more care and compassion for one another. The decision to ditch corporate and pursue art full time is what truly cemented these feelings. In just a year’s time, I connected with artists from all over who never ran out of love, advice and inspiration to share with me. How could I not pay it forward when their acts of kindness warmed my heart in such a way? Read more>>
Aben Eubanks
I have times where I’m feeling a little overwhelmed and worried for sure. But I’ve also been around long enough to know and have witnessed first hand that everything always works “out”. It doesn’t always look the way you wanted or hoped it would turn out, but it always shifts to a new phase that needs a new or updated solution. I try to remember that if I do my best with my time and energy, good things are more likely to happen, rather than spending my time worrying about things that I cannot control. Optimism is a choice. Like anything, look at your choices and go with the best one. Read more>>
Em Blood
I’ve often felt like optimism was baked into me. It feels so natural for me to see the light in most situations, even in the darkness. It’s like my mind has been hardwired to believe it’s going to work out just as it should, or rather I’m well-versed in telling myself it will. A little bit of blind trust? Maybe it’s stemmed from growing up in a low-resourced home and needing to focus on the ‘good’ for safety. I always wanted to believe that everything would work out, when it often didn’t, and so I have been practicing from an early age to think this way, choosing hope. Read more>>
Natalie Gonzalez
My optimism comes from my mom and my aunts. My mom, especially, has been a huge influence on me. She’s such a happy and positive person. She was a single mom for a while, but no matter what challenges she faced, she always managed to see the bright side of things. I’ve never seen her sad or depressed—she’s always helping others and spreading kindness. I really admire her strength and outlook on life, and she’s the reason I try to approach things with the same positivity. Read more>>
Andrea Pritchard
1. My optimism comes from my experiences while navigating through life. I can remember a time as a kid, I realized that I would be so negative when a situation didn’t turn out how I wanted it to or my expectations weren’t met. Once I realized that I would only make myself feel worse than I already did by being negative in my thinking. I knew then that was a characteristic I did not want to possess. With my different life experiences, I can always go back over them and think to myself, “you know you actually came out of the situation, you’re doing better and most importantly you learned something from it. So why wouldn’t you be able to face and conquer anything that you go through on a daily basis?” Read more>>
Taylor Fedorenko
My optimism was born in unlikely moments. Picture your 8-year-old self, sitting with your sports team during an awards ceremony, quietly hoping but not expecting to hear your name. Now imagine your coach letting you know that in your carpool, with neighbors you’ve grown up with for years, they were instructed to exclude you from basically everything they did. Fast forward to the awards ceremony, when I was announced as the all-around best cheerleader, it felt like magic – especially because I later learned that some teammates had been secretly told not to be friends with me. In those early years, I was a sweet, bubbly kid around family and friends, yet more timid with others. Despite carpooling three times a week with teammates, I never felt fully accepted or able to be vulnerable. My mom became my shoulder to cry on. Read more>>
Ana Carpio And Luis Padilla
Our optimism is deeply rooted in the culture and community where we were born and raised. In our homeland, people can smile even in the face of life’s toughest challenges. There’s an unspoken philosophy of embracing life with joy and generosity, no matter how much or how little you have. Whether through shared meals, heartfelt conversations, or simply finding small reasons to celebrate, the focus is always on connection, gratitude, and resilience. This mindset naturally fosters optimism, and it becomes second nature to appreciate life’s simplest yet most profound blessings.
What’s truly remarkable is how this perspective resonates as you journey through life. Travelling to different countries and experiencing other cultures often highlights how unique and special this way of seeing the world really is. Meeting locals, learning about their customs, and observing their outlook on life reinforces how fortunate we feel to have grown up in an environment where positivity is not just encouraged but lived daily. Read more>>
Sam Morales
Honestly, from my family. Whenever things have gotten difficult, my mom and dad will usually shove the bad aside and focus on the good, which has been subsequently transferred onto me. If I’m honest, at times, it’s not something that comes easy. There have been many moments when things seemed bleak and I really wanted to give up. It was only by connecting with wonderful people I truly care about, my parents included, that I began to give it my all again and over time, things have gotten better. When we’re in our darkest moment, if we can find even the smallest light to hold on to, it can really help push us forward! Without optimism, I don’t think I’d be capable of doing anything! Read more>>
Sam Morales
Honestly, from my family. Whenever things have gotten difficult, my mom and dad will usually shove the bad aside and focus on the good, which has been subsequently transferred onto me. If I’m honest, at times, it’s not something that comes easy. There have been many moments when things seemed bleak and I really wanted to give up. It was only by connecting with wonderful people I truly care about, my parents included, that I began to give it my all again and over time, things have gotten better. When we’re in our darkest moment, if we can find even the smallest light to hold on to, it can really help push us forward! Without optimism, I don’t think I’d be capable of doing anything! Read more>>
Paul Eo
It’s funny you ask. My wife says, “I don’t consider you an optimist, but you DO like optimism.” Our therapist says that I’ve learned to self-soothe with optimism (is that good or bad?). However, this wasn’t always the case. In my youth, I was told that I was more of a pessimist. My family would say, “Stop complaining!” and my friends would say, “You gripe too much.” I didn’t want to be known as the guy who always complained, so I took that feedback to heart. Initially, I would just hold in all my complaints. This went against my nature and felt heavy on my shoulders. To rid myself of this heaviness, I had to reframe how I viewed life. Not just my life, but the world around me. I had to start looking at life for its joys instead of its miseries. I had to see the glass as half full. Every day, I reminded myself, “This person might be having a terrible day.” Read more>>
Julie Diekman
I’ve always been a glass-half-full kind of person, and I get that from my mom. They say you mirror what you see, and growing up, I spent a lot of time with her. My dad, a pilot, was often away, leaving my mom and four kids to navigate life together. She always seemed to have it together, showing us that anything was possible. Read more>>
Chauncey Kochel
My optimism comes from many sources, such as my beliefs, personal experiences, and outlook on life. I believe in the power of positivity and the importance of having a hopeful mindset. I have also seen firsthand how optimism can lead to better outcomes and improve overall well-being. Additionally, I choose to focus on the good in people and situations, which helps me maintain a positive attitude even in difficult circumstances. Ultimately, I believe that optimism is a choice and a mindset that can bring about a more fulfilling and joyful life. Read more>>
Josh Pritchett
I think I was lucky enough to be born with a slant towards optimism. More often than not, when times have gotten hard, my natural instinct is to look to the positive. That being said, there are certainly times in life, where optimism is a challenge, and at those times I often reach for one of several books that I keep on my nightstand as mementos. When it comes to optimism specifically, I love revisiting “Finding Ultra,” by Rich Roll, and “North” by Scott Jurek. They are both ultra-endurance athletes with incredible stories full of wisdom and perseverance. Read more>>
Therisa Means
My optimism truly comes from focusing on being grateful and God. I have had plenty of time to be negative or pessimistic, but the truth of the matter is it does nothing but cause me to focus on everything that could go wrong. When you give your focus and energy on things that could go wrong you will find that those things definitely happen and you become depressed. I learned that focusing on things going well and spending your energy on being grateful for everything can cause more positive things to happen in your life. When I’m in that atmosphere of gratitude, I can’t help but to recognize how God is moving in my life and causes me to continue to remember that no matter what I go through, God will always work it out for my good. Knowing that God continues to move in my favor forces you to be optimistic! Read more>>
Jerry Thompson
My optimism comes from an early realization that you never know what a person can say that can change your whole life… that a “yes” is an invitation to new worlds, ideas. I make an attempt each morning, before I slide my skinny ass out of bed to decide, no, to claim what kind of day I’m going to have. Setting myself up to fully embrace what’s already on it’s way to me. When I was very young remember something in my creative heart that clicked, well, almost like a curtain that was being pushed back for me. What I found behind that curtain, was my true self, my higher self. I guess you can say I fell in love with that guy… So each day I begin at zero, taking tiny steps toward that curtain and throughout each wonderful moment I allow the day to shine through me. Sometimes it’s had to contain the energy, the thrill of giving each day everything I’ve got!! Read more>>
Vegan & Friends Atlanta
Our optimism comes from knowing that we are doing something good for the community. Black people (and all people) are looking for healthier options. Our event provides easy access to various healthier options from multiple categories. We are making it easier for people to interact with more nutritious options… food, products, and services. This social good is making society better by making people healthier. That’s why we are so optimistic because we know that we are doing good work. Read more>>
Alane Holsteen
That is such a great question. I would say in my life, optimism is synonymous with the word hope, and I am in love with that word. Because I see it every day. I work with victims of sexual and violent crimes, most who are under the age of 18. They are some of the strongest most resilient people I know. My optimism comes from watching their struggle to not just survive and heal, but to become strong members of our society. I have seen them grow up, get married, have children of their own, work to help others who have survived interpersonal violence, and make this world a better place. I have a front row seat to seeing the extreme pain and struggles, yes, but also to seeing how people lift their heads back up despite physical, mental and emotional injuries. I am truly blessed to have this job. Read more>>
Fatima Janneh
I find that my optimism comes from a few different sources! I feel grateful to find optimism in the work I’m doing. Something I always say is that I will spend the rest of my life learning about Natural Dye and I will be far from knowing everything there is to know about it, and that excites me. There are hundreds of years surrounding dye and textile work and how incredible is it to have these centuries of cultural work to learn from. I am optimistic about my craft because there will always be a new technique to learn, topics to research, and individuals to connect with. Read more>>
Jared Harper
My optimism is deeply rooted in my upbringing and the positive role models I’ve had throughout my life, from my parents to my sports coaches. Growing up as an athlete, I learned valuable lessons about resilience and teamwork. In sports, you experience more losses than wins, and developing a healthy outlook in the face of defeat has significantly shaped my perspective. Read more>>
Amy Salera
There is a light at the end of the tunnel. The hope implied by that simple quote has always been a guide to me. The truth is, no matter how long the tunnel feels, there is a light – something to look forward to, a goal to achieve. Perhaps I get to the light, and it is a little dimmer than I expected or is as bright as the sunniest day. Either way, I reached the end, and the darkest parts of the tunnel are all behind me. Read more>>
