Optimist In Progress Podcast: Lifting Us Up When We're Down

Even before the outbreak of the pandemic, numerous surveys and polls took the temperature of the American public. What these pollsters discovered is that Americans are running of fever caused by rampant pessimism. What's even more troubling is that progressives are fatalistic about the direction of the U.S. And so are conservatives. 

Clearly, we are engulfed in a pandemic of pessimism.

One doctor prescribing an analgesic for this "downerism" is Dr. Drea Letamendi of UCLA who has joined forces with Optimist Drinks to launch the OPTIMIST IN PROGRESS podcast. The goal of the podcast is to share insights on how to develop an optimistic practice. 

 

 

"When we talk about optimism," begins Tommy Johnstone and Lisa Farr, Co-founders Optimist Drinks, "We don’t mean mindless, uninformed positivity. To be an optimist takes grit; a commitment to looking at things clearly, no matter how dark they may seem. It is a life-long practice; helping us to build resilience and envision a better future."

Optimist In Progress co-hosts Tom Johnstone & Dr. Drea Letamendi

 

The podcast, hosted by Dr. Drea Letamendi -- a Clinical Psychologist and Acting Director of UCLA Resilience Center -- is rooted in her clinical research. 

 

"This podcast serves to fuel anyone that wants to be an Optimist because it’s much easier not to, because there are so many obstacles every day that get in the way of it," notes Dr. Letamendi.

 

The health benefits of an optimistic mindset includes reduced stress, better psychological and physical well-being, and improved coping skills during stressful times. 

 

From actors to activists, food writers to songwriters, OPTIMIST IN PROGRESS talks with guests on the power of optimism in their lives and provide practical advice on adding optimism to one's daily life. 

In the first episode of Optimist in Progress, host, and co-founder of Optimist Drinks, Tom Johnstone, interviewed his co-host, Dr Drea Letamendi, clinical psychologist and superhero fan, about her mission to bring conversations around mental health to a broader audience.

New episodes air weekly on Apple and Spotify.

"For us, optimists are the ones who step up and take responsibility for making the future better. To be an optimist takes grit; a commitment to looking at things clearly, no matter how dark they may seem," says Tommy Johnstone and Lisa Farr, Co-founders of Optimist Drinks.

Check out the podcast. It's a welcome change from the flood of true-crime podcasts that scare us; the political podcasts that spark outrage, and the silly celebrity podcasts that offer self-absorption and narcissistic oversharing.