A Bit of Optimism

Magic moments do happen in real life. If you ask Brad Meltzer, magic happens when ordinary people choose to do the extraordinary.  Brad is a prolific writer and bestselling author. He’s published over 70 books in nearly every genre you can think of—thriller novels, biographies, children’s books, film and television. He’s written comic books for iconic superheroes like Spider-Man, Superman, and Batman. And in 2024, his commencement speech at the University of Michigan went viral for its simple, powerful message—to shock the world, unleash your kindness. In this conversation, Brad tells me how his journey from a writer drowning in debt to bestselling author would not have been possible without the extraordinary kindness of a few ordinary strangers. He shares how other people’s negativity can become inspiration, why fictional heroes inspire us so much, and how ordinary people change the world.  This…is A Bit of Optimism.  For more on Brad and his work, check out: his book, Make Magic [https://bradmeltzer.com/Nonfiction/makemagic] bradmeltzer.com [http://bradmeltzer.com/]

My career is an accident. It started when I set out to rediscover my passion and reignite a spark I’d lost — and that journey led me to the work I do now. If you know me from my books or my speaking, you know I’m fascinated by why people do what they do. What makes someone find joy and meaning in their life, or pursue something far greater than themselves? I started A Bit of Optimism to explore those ideas and expand my own perspective. This podcast is a trove of honest conversations, with people who challenge me, teach me, or simply help me see things in a different way. Some guests are household names, and others you may be meeting for the first time. But each one of them has something to share that can help all of us grow. So if you’re looking for a spark — some insight, inspiration, or just a reminder that good things are possible — join me on A Bit of Optimism. Let’s grow together.

What if this podcast turned into a baking show? For Christina Tosi’s third visit to A Bit of Optimism, we decided to find out. So we headed to Milk Bar to make compost cookies from things in my own pantry and my favorite beer bread from scratch!  Christina’s not just my best friend—she’s the founder of Milk Bar, host of Bake Squad on Netflix, a cookbook author, and a fan favorite on this podcast. She lives by one simple question: what if? In this experimental episode, we dug into some big ideas about creativity, uncertainty, and the magic of trying something new. Recipes below! This...is A Bit of Optimism. You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube here [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgCOAz4cqZMTQ4Blgkfr4IqU2YAJWJzN1]. For more on Christina and her work, check out: christinatosi.com [http://christinatosi.com/] ---------------------------- Simon's Compost Cookie Recipe (makes 15-20 cookies): * 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature * 1 cup granulated sugar * 2/3 cup tightly packed light brown sugar * 2 tablespoons glucose syrup * 1 large egg * 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract * 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour * 1/2 teaspoon baking powder * 1/4 teaspoon baking soda * 1 teaspoon kosher salt * Maltesers * 85% dark chocolate * Optimism Coffee grounds * Granola * Space/Astronaut Ice Cream * Kettle Corn Pop Chips For the full step-by-step recipe, visit Milk Bar's website [https://milkbarstore.com/blogs/recipes/compost-cookie-new?srsltid=AfmBOoq3Xn896zypVDfdBRaoxfyMcdfdyAcJ2eYzK_PSZGBEMbmDF_FM]! Beer Bread Recipe: * 3 cups self-rising flour * 1 teaspoon kosher salt * 4 tablespoons honey (or to taste) * 12 oz beer (Samual Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout is Simon's preference!) * 2 tablespoons butter (and save a little for the top) Mix ingredients slowly together Bake at 350 for 45-60 mins until baked through ---------------------------- This episode is brought to you by True Classic! I really love True Classic T-shirts, so we called them up and asked if they wanted to work together. And they said yes!  Check out their clothes at: trueclassictees.com [http://trueclassictees.com/]

We're taking some time off to bring you even more episodes of A Bit of Optimism that you're going to love! In the meantime, we're revisiting some of our favorite episodes, like this one with couples counselor Shawn McBride.   Relationships are hard. No matter how much we like, respect, or love someone, conflict seems inevitable. But even as we fight and disagree, we can also learn the skills we need to resolve our problems. For over two decades, Shawn McBride has helped thousands of couples do the work to strengthen their relationships. And he has tons of practical advice. Shawn sat down with me to discuss the three biggest problems couples face, why I'm a huge fan of his Instagram, and how love can keep relationships afloat, but it's often not enough. This...is A Bit of Optimism. For more on Shawn and his work, check out: @couples_counseling_center [https://www.instagram.com/couples_counseling_center/] @shawnmcbridespeaks [https://www.instagram.com/shawnmcbridespeaks/] and couplescounselingcenter.org [https://www.couplescounselingcenter.org/team]

We're taking some time off to bring you even more episodes of A Bit of Optimism that you're going to love! In the meantime, we're revisiting some of our favorite episodes, like this one with Harvard professor Robert Waldinger. We all want to live a happy life. But what does the research say about how to achieve it? For more than 86 years, researchers at Harvard University have been trying to figure out how humans can live happier lives.  In one of the longest-running and most comprehensive studies of human happiness, Harvard tracked 724 teenagers through every stage of their adult lives since 1938. Some of them are still alive today and the findings are clear: lasting happiness isn’t about wealth or fame—it’s about something much deeper. Robert Waldinger, a professor and psychiatrist, has directed the study for over 20 years. His TED Talk about it went viral with nearly 50 million views, and in 2023, he wrote a book about it - The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness.I asked Robert to share what the study has revealed about happiness over the decades, how its insights have shaped his own life, and the one essential ingredient for a joyful, meaningful existence. This…is A Bit of Optimism. To learn more about Robert and his work, check out: The Harvard Study of Adult Development [https://www.adultdevelopmentstudy.org/] robertwaldinger.com [http://robertwaldinger.com/]