Hosted by Bill Burke, founder of The Optimism Institute, this weekly podcast will feature inspiring leaders, authors, researchers, and big thinkers who... more
The husband and wife team of Mary Louise and Bruce Cohen have impressive backgrounds in law and government and for... more
At a time in her life that should have been one of her happiest – just prior to her wedding... more
Dr. Liz Henry is highly-regarded professional in the fields of pediatrics and parenting and in this Blue Sky conversation, she... more
Note for Encore Presentation: This episode originally dropped in April of 2023 and in the time since, you’ve no doubt heard... more
Alexandra “Lexi” Hudson was raised by a philosopher father and a mother who is a recognized manners expert. As a... more
Tim Fitzpatrick learned about healthcare the hard way, as a long-term inpatient undergoing a battery of surgeries to address injuries... more
Raul Espinoza’s father had many talents, but an equal number of demons. He struggled with addiction and was abusive to... more
Note for this encore presentation: While much of our discussion centered on Professor Pinker’s views on how the world continues... more
Dr. Hasan Merali came to admire toddlers when he began working with kids in a hospital emergency department. Seeing their... more
Teju Ravilochan was born in the United States, just two years after his parents came to this country from their... more
Note for this encore presentation: We’re bringing back this conversation in honor of Immigrant Heritage Month in the United States. ... more
Kate Bean’s life has been marked by a series of radical changes and transformations. After founding and running a successful... more
John Daniel has led a remarkable and inspiring life, marked by challenges that he’s met with grit and resilience. John’s... more
Pete Davis was a young undergraduate college student when he took a class from Professor Robert Putnam. By this time,... more
On the “Well…Adjusting” podcast, author, actor, and funny lady Robin Hopkins is joined each episode by people who are struggling... more
Note for this encore presentation: At the time that we celebrated our one year/50th episode in March of 2024, this... more
Nearly 45 years ago, Billy Starr lost his mother, an uncle, and a cousin, all to cancer. Looking for a... more
Squash – the game, not the vegetable – has long been seen as a “country club” sport. But Barrett Takesian... more
Daniel Stone explains that today’s politically-polarized environment began taking shape way back in the 1980’s. Today, he says, we have... more
One of our most popular episodes of 2023 is back, with this encore presentation, just in time for Earth Day! Dan... more
Marko Cheseto left his home in Kenya to travel all the way to, of all places, Anchorage, Alaska, where he... more
Nathalie Laidler-Kylander has a long and distinguished career working in the non-profit, social entrepreneurship and international development sectors. Since 2021... more
This episode is a master class on sticking with it, no matter what. From our friend Dan Harris on the... more
One of our most popular – and powerful episodes of 2023 is back, with this encore presentation. In the Blue Sky... more
Gill Hasson has a wide range of interests and areas of study, exemplified by the fact that she has authored... more
For the 50th episode of Blue Sky, Bill is joined by someone who has completed more than 400 of them. ... more
Alison Jones Webb has spent her career studying and working in the public health sector. Several years ago, a combination... more
In this episode, Bert describes how he and his brother grew from a challenging upbringing to create Life is Good,... more
Chris Anderson was inspired by the growth of TED once they expanded from being simply a conference company to adding... more
Dr. Kenneth (Ken) Harris is an experienced practitioner of holistic medicine and author of the book, Synchronicity. In this Blue... more
When Ilze Thielmann learned of the steady stream of refugees and asylum seekers entering New York City, she felt compelled... more
The life of Jonathan Conyers is full of junctures where it appears he’s not going to make it. Both of... more
KM DiColandrea says he works with young people because he can’t imagine doing anything else. In high school, he developed... more
Sara Guillermo’s family immigrated to the United States when she was a small child. She grew up with an appreciation... more
The family of Anh Vu Sawyer were among the small number of South Vietnamese who successfully fled Saigon in the... more
In the late 1990’s, John Wood was living a great life. As a senior executive at Microsoft, his job took him... more
David Bornstein has a long history in journalism and founded the Solutions Journalism Network out of his belief that... more
Matt Ridley’s seminal book, The Rational Optimist, has inspired many since its publication in 2010 and greatly influenced the creation... more
In her new book, The Power of a Few Kind Words, author Tracey Gates tells the story of how she... more
Ritah Kabanyoro knows what it’s like to go to bed hungry. Growing up in a household of 20 people, she... more
KM DiColandrea says he works with young people because he can’t imagine doing anything else. In high school, he developed a love... more