Blue Sky Podcast: When Optimism Leads To Inspiration

 In the beginning of every Blue Sky podcast, host Bill Burke reminds listeners that, "There is always blue sky above. Sometimes, you just have to get your head above the clouds to see it."

Despite the opening bouncy, happy music and the buoyancy of that quote, this podcast does not pretend to offer listeners a rose-colored, overly optimistic, and utopian view of our world. It is certainly not an exercise in toxic positivity, which is a dysfunctional way of managing emotions that involves denying or invalidating negative emotions, especially anger and sadness.

Instead, Blue Sky uncovers and underscores inspirational stories in the midst of political division and global uncertainty.

I reviewed this podcast in March and found that it offered many energizing episodes where host Bill Burke talks with people who have a "get-it-done" mentality instead of a "what's the use" mindset. 

I am reviewing it again because Blue Sky has released a special three-episode miniseries, in which Burke highlights how optimism isn’t just a feel-good attitude—it’s a powerful tool for tackling today’s most pressing issues, from race and identity to national unity. And as the country approaches one of the most heated presidential elections in its history, Blue Sky offers a much-needed dose of hope and solutions for the future.

“Optimism is more than just a state of mind, it’s a creative force that leads to action and positive outcomes, even in the most challenging of times,” Bill Burke says. “On Blue Sky, we feature guests who embody this spirit and inspire these same qualities in our listeners.”

In this miniseries, Blue Sky features guests whose stories aren’t just inspiring, but also incredibly timely. I listened to the three episodes and found that my ears were captivated, and my brain fully engaged. 

The miniseries includes:
● Lee Woodruff: Shares her journey with husband Bob Woodruff, the ABC journalist who survived a near-fatal injury in Iraq, and how they turned personal hardship into advocacy for injured veterans. Listen to the part where Lee Woodruff finds out that her husband has been injured in Iraq and has suffered a traumatic brain injury.
● Theodore Johnson: Washington Post opinion columnist and former Obama administration speechwriter discusses his book If We Are Brave, which explores the intersection of race and democracy in America and how we can move forward, even in challenging times.

In this episode, I marveled at how Johnson lived two lives as a child. At school, enrolled in an all-white school, but also attending an all-Black church several times a week. That unique experience provides Johnson with the intellectual and emotional altitude to discuss racism in the U.S.

● Lee Ellis: Vietnam War veteran and former POW reflects on his five years of captivity with John McCain, explaining how optimism became his anchor during the darkest moments.

Blue Sky is hosted by former media exec (President of TBS, CEO of Weather Channels) and founder of The Optimism Institute, Bill Burke. The show is all about showing how optimism isn’t just about feeling good—it’s a real, practical tool for facing today's issues, from issues of race and identity to national unity, with hope and kindness for the future. 

Not only has Burke served as president of TBS and CEO of the Weather Channel Companies, but he also co-authored media mogul Ted Turner’s autobiography Call Me Ted. 

Burke is an eloquent podcast host and an acutely effective interviewer.

I liked the use of segments in these interviews, where Burke summarizes the previous section of the interview before proceeding to the next section. The use of segments is underused by podcasters. Joe Casabona of Podcast Workflows has been an advocate of such a narrative device, and I agree.

Through Blue Sky, Burke brings his mission to life, inspiring meaningful conversations and encouraging listeners to adopt a hopeful, proactive outlook—even when the world feels heavy.

An American study of 2,564 men and women who were 65 and older also found that optimism is good for blood pressure. Researchers used a four-item positive-emotion summary scale to evaluate each participant during a home visit. They also measured blood pressure, height, and weight and collected information about age, marital status, alcohol use, diabetes, and medication. Even after taking these other factors into account, people with positive emotions had lower blood pressure than those with a negative outlook. On average, the people with the most positive emotions had the lowest blood pressure.

The results of this research show that compared to optimists, pessimists nurtured little hope for the future and were more at risk for depressive and anxiety disorders, with subsequent impairment of social functioning and quality of life.

One of my favorite episodes is with Kathryn Goetzke in August 2023. Following a challenging childhood and the tragic death of her father, Goetzke decided that the best way to tackle depression and despair is to create reasons for hope.  After studying the issue deeply with experts in psychology, she determined that hope was both teachable and measurable, and has made it her life’s work to spread this message. 

In 2022, she published The Biggest Little Book About Hope, and continues to be a global mental health ambassador. She was appointed to represent the World Federation for Mental Health at the United Nations and in that Blue Sky episode, she described how she came to be so passionate about this work and why she remains so committed to the cause of spreading the good news about the powerful effects of maintaining a hopeful attitude.

Check out this recent three-part miniseries on Blue Sky. 

I will remind people what The Dalai Lama once said, “Optimism doesn’t mean that you are blind to the reality of the situation. It means that you remain motivated to seek a solution to whatever problems arise.”