“If you don’t condition yourself positively, the world will condition you negatively” – Lalla Brutoco, The Optimist Daily co-founder and impact investor

Has work from home got you missing watercooler conversations? We wanted a way to stay better connect to our readers all over the world, so we launched The Optimist Daily Update, a podcast to stay in touch with each other and you, our Optimist Daily readers and listeners.

Our weekday podcast is a short conversation with our CEO Summers McKay and Chief Content Officer Kristy Jansen. Our pods are short bites to jumpstart your morning, so grab a cup of coffee and join us to kick off your day with optimism!

If you haven’t listened to the pod before, or even if you’re a dedicated fan, here are some of our top interviews from the past year that showcase our style with content from experts on social justice, sustainable agriculture, mental health, and more!

Jason Lewis & Tammie Stevens

April 9, 2021 – Listen here

Jason Lewis made a name for himself as the first person to circumnavigate the globe using only human power, but these days he and his wife Tammie are shifting their focus towards expanding the adventure sphere to a wider crowd and raising awareness about critical environmental crises. They join us on the Update to share their story and discuss their latest projects. You can check out more of their work on their YouTube page.

Michael Flood

March 3, 2021 – Listen here

An estimated 44 million American households don’t have an internet connection, but companies like Kajeet are trying to bridge this divide. In this episode, we talk with the company’s general manager and SVP Michael Flood about innovative solutions for internet and education equity like WiFi-enabled school buses.

Ethan Steinberg

December 31, 2020 – Listen here

On this episode we interview guest Ethan Steinberg, CEO of Propagate Ventures, to talk about agroforestry, crop diversity, and why our soil should look like chocolate cake.

Lise Van Susteren, MD & Stacey Colino

September 24, 2020 – Listen here

Whether about the pandemic, climate change, our careers, or our personal relationships, we’ve all experienced some extra anxiousness over the last year. This is why we invited guests Lise Van Susteren, MD and Stacey Colino on the pod to talk about their book, Emotional Inflammation: Discover Your Triggers and Reclaim Your Equilibrium During Anxious Times. This episode offers great tips for pinpointing what makes you anxious, uncovering how you react to life’s stressors, and finding strategies for coping with our ever changing world.

Ole-Kristian Sivertsen

December 28, 2020 – Listen here

Did you know we lose 2,000 football fields of agricultural land every hour to desertification? We interviewed Ole-Kristian Sivertsen, CEO of Desert Control, to talk about his mission to save our soil with liquid nanoclay.

Aqeela Sherrills

June 13, 2020 – Listen here

On this special weekend edition of The Optimist Daily Update, we share the extended version of Kristy’s interview with spirit-centered activist, organizer, and advocate Aqeela Sherrills. His career in justice advocacy has stretched from his hometown of Watts, California to New Jersey where he works creating community-oriented safety programs.

Anthony Myint

May 11, 2020 – Listen here

Regenerative agriculture is a hot topic these days and rightfully so. Every dollar invested in regenerative agriculture provides $40 in improved resilience, water conservation, farmer prosperity, and carbon removal. Last month we welcomed Anthony Myint, founder of Zero Foodprint, to the pod to talk about how community choice aggregation can revolutionize our food systems and mitigate climate change.

Lalla & Rinaldo Brutoco

May 21, 2021 – Listen here

This past week we welcomed two very special guests to the podcast. Lalla and Rinaldo Brutoco, founders and impact investors of The Optimist Daily, joined us to discuss what inspired them to start the publication, their vision for its future, and how solutions news can catalyze a change in global consciousness.

Love the pod and love our hosts? Check out our host-focused episodes to learn more about Summers and Kristy and what brought them to The Optimist Daily.

Find our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, or on our brand new podcast page. Happy listening!