Case Kenny: How to Become an Optimist

In this week's episode of Everyday Better, Leah Smart sits down with mindfulness educator and author Case Kenny to explore optimism — not as toxic positivity or naivety, but as a skill rooted in trust. We often think of optimism as simply "looking on the bright side," but Case challenges this view. For him, optimism is about trusting your ability to rise to life’s challenges, believing in the potential for collaboration and success with others, and holding on to faith in humanity's progress. Speaking from his own journey, Case shares how cultivating this mindset and shifting his self-talk helped him transition from a corporate career in advertising sales to building a life centered on mindfulness and purpose. “The world needs more optimists. Those are the people who do the things that everyone else is like that'll never work and it works and it changes the world. Without them, we'd be in big trouble,” Case says. Whether you're naturally optimistic or a skeptic ready to reevaluate, this conversation will inspire you to build a resilient and hopeful mindset. #linkedinnews #everydaybetter #mindsetmatters 00:00 - Optimism as trust 03:06 - Meet Case Kenny 06:10 - Case’s career leap toward passion 08:51 - Delusional confidence 11:02 - Balancing optimism and worry 14:31 - Building optimistic self-talk 18:08 - The value of a trusting mindset 20:53 - Embracing complexity 23:37 - Reframing everyday challenges 26:27 - Building alternate selves 29:08 - Daily journaling 33:15 - Closing