Sarcastically Optimistic

I know. I know. Obvious answer. "The process brooooo". But when was the last time that you asked yourself this question? When was the last time that you took time to yourself to think about what drives you? In this episode, we talk about whether we are riding through life on auto-pilot or actually thinking about what's best for us. Shifting away from a "book" podcast into...

Biology lesson incoming. Ever catch yourself scrolling more through media that you didn't even care about in the first place? What about that motivational YouTube video? Did it actually help your life? We talk about how to think more intentionally about if we are consuming more content than actually taking action on any of it. Little do we know, making even the smallest contribution can provi...

This may be the most important episode to date.  Have you ever felt the fear and guilt that prevented you from talking about your career aspirations with your parents? I know you read that from the title, but I just had to ask you again. It is one of the hardest, most complex discussions that you could have with them. Most people don't even have them and continue down paths that they believe...

Reminiscing on the book that my dad handed to me several years ago: what you do today matters. There are so many books out there that are recommended by random people but the books that are given to us by others impact us in a different way. This is that book for me. The first step to valuing each day: making sure that your energy is in the right place, at the right time. How can we do that? What...

I know the title sounds dramatic but I just had to get your attention. Coming back from a long hiatus has got me thinking about a lot of things. The showers have been longer, the tears have nearly tripled; but most importantly, the gratitude is still there. We talk about the two questions that linger in our hearts but never fully address. Hope you enjoy it! 

Have you ever felt so passionate about something but only to have it die out over time? Perhaps it was you lost some momentum due to circumstance or maybe there were some things along the journey that have discouraged you from achieving what you set for yourself. We live in a world of scarcity. But the most destructive scarcity you'll ever experience in your life is not one you expect: self-b...

Are you creative enough? Do you feel like you aren't growing enough? Do you just feel like you're not enough? This Summer is the best time to reflect and ponder the ways of life and where our journey goes from here. It can be a time for either mental relaxation or overthinking.  I've definitely been thinking too much. Go out to the beach and strike your best 'Thinking Man'...

Why am I not as successful as I should be at this age? Why do I not have my life as figured out as them?! We have all felt this way and it's something we don't fully address outwardly. What could all this mean and does the feeling of being behind in life actually mean you are? 

Sunday Morning rain is falling... but so is your energy? Mornings are essential to the rest of the day, to the point that they actually predict how the rest of the day will unfold. We discuss how you can build a routine that is suited for you and a few ways to utilize those first waking hours to your advantage! Books Mentioned: "The Miracle Morning" by Hal Elrod

Man, that hit deep. We all sometimes need to be reminded of the harsh reality of things. It's hard not to take things for granted with so many options out there for us. However, we should always remember we have one life to live and each moment wasted could have been a potential opportunity lived.  Thread Mentioned: "11 Harsh Truths that Changed My Life" by Sahil Bloom  https://twit...

What exactly is the difference between 'willpower' and 'motivation'? Is having a lot of willpower and a lot of motivation two separate things? Today we discuss a bit about how we can tell the difference between the two and discuss some ways to maximize both when you most need it! Books Mentioned: "The Willpower Instinct" by Kelly McGonigal, Ph. D. "The Motivation...

Volunteer. Donate. Be selfless. All things that we associate with "being of service to others". But are those the only things that we can do to make an impact on the lives of the people around us? What kind of things can we do to encourage others to be their best selves? You don't need to make a $100/month donation to be considered generous. Today we talk about how the littlest acts...

A little scroll through Facebook won't interrupt your work, right? Well, it's more destructive than you think. Introducing "Traction": the better-looking, buff brother of "Distraction"!  Today we talk about what causes these little attention-sucking activities may keep you from being your best self and how to direct yourself toward "traction" than "dis-...

Think about what you would look like in 20 years (You 2.0). Will you have your dream career, a mansion, and six-pack abs? Have you ever thought about how that person was once the person we are today? Once we tie in our future self & our present self into one, solid identity, it grants us more clarity on our goals and our choices. Can you see into the future and say 'hi' to the future...

Have you ever been paralyzed with fear when it comes to something you know you SHOULD be doing? Well, this is your reminder to be taking action on the things that matter most to you and to take those leaps of faith to ultimately become the person you have always dreamed of becoming! "It's better to go into life's continuous battle with a dull sword than it is to perpetually sharpen...

*knock knock* it's your inner child! Did you forget about them? Will you allow them to run free or hold them inside yourself? Have you ever thought about what people mean by "inner child"?  We discuss how powerful it is to hone in on who we were as children and how that plays a role in our daily lives as we mature. Is having an inner child childish? Or is it more important than we r...

Have you ever set a goal for yourself, not reach it, and just feel worse about yourself? How do we navigate this world which is all about checking off items on your to-do list? Are you a better, more successful person the more goals you set for yourself? We discuss how we can increase your success in achieving your goals by implementing systems, a process that should not be overlooked!  "You...

Have you ever felt that you weren't in the driver's seat of your life? Almost as if you don't have full control over where it may take you next or when making some difficult life choices? The old Stoic question of "What are you really in control of?" challenges us to see if we really are the captain of our own ship. We'll talk about what 'control' really mea...

How many times has someone told you they were "too busy"? Have you ever been the one to say that? The definition of 'busy' has been evolving over the past few years, but does being "busy" mean that you are more productive and important than someone else? Time to look at our calendars and weekly planners and see if we're as busy as we say we are. Books Mentioned:...

Time for our first interview! Mom Requerme joins the podcast universe with this episode, discussing her journey from her time navigating the politically-intense lands of the Philippines to the unknown areas of America. Reflecting back on her life as a life-long learner, Mary Ann gives some insight into how to embrace the unpredictability of life and the dangers of sticking to tradition, from livin...

Have you ever considered yourself a "creative"? What exactly does it mean to be "creative"? And what exactly is "creativity"?  We dive into why creativity plays a bigger role in your life than you might think and how you being creative might just be your superpower. No art skills required.  Books mentioned: "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert

Long time, no hear! It's good to be back and to have you back! Apologies for the quick hiatus, but we're back better than ever! This episode will be addressing the cause of the hiatus and some things that you can do to maximize your energy and happiness on a day-to-day basis using the "mental cup" exercise! You only have so much energy to give in a day but how do you create eno...

Is there really a difference between 'being productive' and 'hustling'? How do we define those terms and how can we maximize our productivity? This episode is a little science-heavy, hence the length, but I hope it still provides some insight on what roles productivity and hustle play in our own lives! Books mentioned: "Why We Sleep" by Matthew Walker, Ph. D. "De...

Constantly looking to the next big thing, we forget to really live in the moments. "Don't count your days. Make your days count." What does that even mean? What exactly are "small wins" and why are we waiting for the next big thing to happen to us? And who the heck is the host?!

Welcome to the "Sarcastically Optimistic" Podcast! This episode, being the first episode, gives a brief run-down of what the podcast is about, what you can expect from it, and get to know who your host is! We also talk about an important principle from the book "Bending Reality" by Victoria Song that may prove useful when going about your busy day-to-day life! Hope you enjoy it...