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Blue Sky

Blue Sky

By: Bill Burke
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Hosted by Bill Burke, founder of The Optimism Institute, this weekly podcast will feature inspiring leaders, authors, researchers, and big thinkers who are taking on some of our world's toughest challenges with an infectious sense of optimism. Blue Sky takes its name from the meditation reminder that there's always blue sky above, sometimes you just have to get your head above the clouds to see it.2025 Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Second Chances That Work: How Margo Walsh Is Transforming Lives Through Employment — and Changing Business in the Process — A Special Encore Presentation of Blue Sky

    Second Chances That Work: How Margo Walsh Is Transforming Lives Through Employment — and Changing Business in the Process — A Special Encore Presentation of Blue Sky
    Jun 24 2026
    Margo Walsh is an entrepreneur on a mission to prove that second chances are good for business. As founder of MaineWorks — a certified B-Corp — she has built a model that connects people with substance use disorder and/or criminal records to meaningful employment in the construction sector, tackling two of society's most persistent challenges at once. MaineWorks doesn't just find jobs for people — it sets them up to succeed. Through the non-profit she co-founded with her sister, Margo ensures that returning workers have what they need to show up and thrive: like proper clothing, boots, transportation, and the basic building blocks of a fresh start. What began in Maine has grown into a regional movement, expanding across New England and serving as a replicable blueprint for companies and communities across the country. Margo's work has earned widespread recognition and multiple awards — and in this episode, she shares what it was like to attend a State of the Union address as a senator's guest, a testament to the national impact of her vision. This is a story about optimism in action — and what becomes possible when we invest in people others have written off. Chapters: 00:00 Employing the Unemployable 02:13 Maineworks: A Staffing Agency with a Mission 05:42 Recruitment and Retention Challenges 09:10 Margo's Passion and Mission 13:42 United Recovery Fund: Addressing Basic Needs 17:10 Expansion and Industry Focus 20:01 Supporting New Americans 23:26 Navigating Systems and Maximizing Value 27:00 Engaging Business for Social Impact 31:26 The Value of B Corp Status 34:14 State of the Union and Future Aspirations 39:58 Optimism and Call to Action
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    42 mins
  • Your Brain on Nature: Dr. Marc Berman on the Surprising Science of Nature's Impact on Attention Restoration and Optimism

    Your Brain on Nature: Dr. Marc Berman on the Surprising Science of Nature's Impact on Attention Restoration and Optimism
    Jun 17 2026

    What if one of the most powerful tools for restoring your mental health, sharpening your focus, and cultivating optimism has been outside your door all along? In this episode of Blue Sky, neuroscientist Marc Berman — pioneer of the field of environmental neuroscience and author of Nature and the Mind — shares groundbreaking research on how nature literally rewires the brain.

    From his path to coining "environmental neuroscience" to surprising findings about what even a simple walk in the park can do for your attention and mood, Marc reveals the science behind something we've always intuitively felt — that time in nature just makes us feel better. And now we know why.

    In a world of constant digital stimulation and screen fatigue, this episode offers both a scientific framework and a simple, hopeful prescription.

    Chapters:

    00:00 Introduction to Environmental Neuroscience
    02:19 Mind-Body Connection and Neuroscience
    05:08 Attention Restoration Theory Explained
    10:19 Screens vs. Nature: Attention Depletion
    16:21 The 'Walk in the Park' Study
    22:45 Unplugging for Mental Clarity
    32:04 Trees, Health, and Urban Planning
    42:47 Nature's Role in Optimism and Flourishing
    52:50 Conclusion and Call to Action

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    55 mins
  • Is the World Getting Better? The Economic Evidence Says Yes — An Encore Presentation with Charles Kenny

    Is the World Getting Better? The Economic Evidence Says Yes — An Encore Presentation with Charles Kenny
    Jun 10 2026

    What if the relentlessly negative news cycle is giving us a distorted picture of reality? In this episode of Blue Sky, Charles Kenny from the Center for Global Development makes a compelling, data-driven case that the world is truly getting better — in ways most of us rarely hear about.

    From dramatic reductions in global poverty and child mortality to rising living standards across the developing world, Charles unpacks the economic evidence that challenges our collective pessimism. He explores how technological advancements and shifting global perspectives are quietly reshaping human welfare for the better — and why that story isn't getting told.

    If you've ever felt overwhelmed by doom and gloom, this episode is your antidote.

    Chapters:

    00:00 Welcome Charles Kenny
    01:57 Global Progress in Development
    05:00 Drivers of Global Progress
    08:11 Technology & Standard of Living
    12:32 COVID-19 Vaccine Development
    16:24 The Upside of Global Catch-Up
    21:14 Poverty, Peace, and Happiness
    27:52 Revisiting Malthusian Predictions
    33:02 People as the Solution, Not Problem
    38:08 Education and Global Tolerance
    43:58 The Moral Imperative of Optimism

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    49 mins
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