A Bit of Optimism

This was the most epic Zoom call we’ve ever been a part of — an incredible conversation with NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, live from the International Space Station, with sunrise on Earth as a stunningly causal site behind him as they barreled at 17,000 mph in orbit. Thanks to the amazing team at Johnson Space Center, Jonny was able to join us to share insights from a life that defies limits, showing what it truly means to lead and serve on and off the planet.

In this episode, we grapple with a startling and powerful idea: that there can be a privilege in how we face our darkest days. For those who find the strength to rise through empathy and courage, adversity transforms from a burden into a source of profound growth and resilience. Jonny’s journey—from a violent childhood to becoming a Navy SEAL, Harvard-trained doctor, and astronaut—embodies this truth. Driven not just by pain or pride in loved ones, but by a genuine ambition to become his best self, Jonny’s story challenges us all to embrace hardship as a catalyst for leadership and service. This is a conversation the 13-year-old Simon, in his blue jumpsuit, would be very proud of. 

This is… A Bit of Optimism.

Good manners aren’t just about being polite — they’re about making other people feel seen.

William Hanson is one of the world’s leading etiquette coaches. He’s advised royalty, CEOs, and television personalities on how to communicate with clarity, confidence, and grace. But his mission goes far beyond fine dining or proper handshakes.

In today’s fast-paced, informal world, William argues that etiquette isn’t outdated — it’s essential. Whether you’re trying to land a job, win over a client, or simply connect with others, good manners are your most underrated advantage.

He sat down with me to share how etiquette builds trust, why it’s not about snobbery or perfection, and how anyone — regardless of background — can learn the unspoken codes that open doors.

This… is a Bit of Optimism.

Check out William’s new book Just Good Manners here

And learn more about his work here.

You have two years left to live. What would you do?

That's a real question Angela Trimbur had to answer. In 2018, a breast cancer diagnosis forced her to get honest with herself. If Angela had only 2 years to live, what kind of life did she truly wish to live? Angela chose to start over. She sold everything she owned, moved to New York City, and became a dance teacher. Angela's irreverent teaching style and unique approach to dance won her accolades, and she now teaches sold out classes where people use dance to find themselves.

In this conversation, Angela explains why cancer actually helped her become a better version of herself. She shares how her disease enabled her to adopt a 2-years outlook on life, and why living as if our time is limited is always good practice, even when nothing appears to be wrong.

This…is A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Angela and her work, check out:

Angela Trimbur Dance

When morale problems affect a team, some leaders choose to make a big, rousing speech. But quite often, it’s the quiet leader who leads with empathy that sees a better emotional solution.

Gordon Schmidt is a retired Navy SEAL with enough combat experience to understand that empathy is an operational advantage, not a weakness. After 20 years of military service, he started his second act as a high school rowing coach. According to Gordo, be it coaching rowers or leading soldiers, the emotional lessons he’s learned about leadership apply just the same.

In this conversation, Gordo shares with me how to move on into a new chapter in life and why emotional intelligence in high-stress situations is often a leader’s only way out.

This…is A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Gordon and his work, check out:

San Diego Rowing Club

Happiness is a choice. But it’s not always an easy choice to make.

Mo Gawdat had to face an impossible choice. Before he was a bestselling author and podcast host, Mo worked a lucrative career as Chief Business Officer at Google X. He reached the heights of business influence and amassed a fortune by 29. And yet, he was miserable. It was only after the tragic death of his 21-year-old son Ali that Mo was forced to confront the truth.

Mo now dedicates his life, work, and research to figuring out how human beings can be happier, and he’s on a mission to make 1 billion people happy. He sat down with me to share what he’s learned – that happiness is both a choice and our default setting, how to trick our brains out of survival mode, and why the happiest emotions we feel are rooted in the present, not the past or future.

This…is A Bit of Optimism.

To learn more about Mo and his work, check out:mogawdat.com

🚨  Chomp Alert! 🚨
We saw your comments — loud and crunchy. Turns out not everyone wants front-row seats to mouth sounds. Who knew?

Skip to 29:29 to dodge most of the chewing. We promise, after that it’s just a few graceful nibbles of Basque cheesecake. 🧀🍰😅

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We turned the studio into a restaurant for the day—because when Phil Rosenthal’s in the house, you don’t just talk about food, you eat it!

Phil—the genius behind Everybody Loves Raymond and Somebody Feed Phil—joins us for a heartfelt, hilarious meal where we dive into everything from sitcoms and food shows to gratitude, creativity, and finding joy in the everyday. Sure, we talk about the evolving world of television and the secrets to mastering great storytelling—but this episode isn’t just about food and show business. 

Phil reveals the best life advice he’s ever received—and it might just change the way you live.

As lovers of the LA food scene, we also used this episode as a chance to highlight and support some of our favorite local restaurants. Because nothing pairs better with great conversation than a table full of incredible local bites.

Breakfast Burritos: Civil Coffee 

Fried Chicken: Anajak Thai (surprise guest experience from owner and chef Justin Pichetrungsi) 

Hand Rolls: The Joint

Liver Pâté: Petit Trois

Basque Cheesecake:  Pasjoli

Watch the new season of Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix

Check out more of Phil’s work: philrosenthalworld.com

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This episode is brought to you by True Classic!

I really love their 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

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

bradmeltzer.com

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.

For more on Christina and her work, check out:

christinatosi.com

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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!

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

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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

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
@shawnmcbridespeaks
and couplescounselingcenter.org