Rephonic
Artwork for Blue Sky

Blue Sky

Bill Burke
Optimism
Mental Health
Education
Social Media
Community Building
Leadership
Cancer
Mentorship
Philanthropy
Gratitude
Arts Education
Harvard University
The Optimism Institute
Resilience
Social Entrepreneurship
Homelessness
Storytelling
Technology
Climate Change
Jonathan Conyers

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... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes166Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Health & FitnessMental HealthSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Blue Sky

Latest Episodes

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 environme... more

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 — ... more

Kathryn Anne Edwards, a labor economist and co-host of Optimist Economy, discusses economic optimism, career paths, and the impact of policy on the American economy. She shares her insights on the job market and AI, and explains how her work is motiv... more

YouTube

Adam Mastroianni says he likes to "study how people perceive and misperceive their social worlds, from the person sitting across the table to the whole country buzzing around them." In this Blue Sky conversation, Dr. Mastroianni describes research he... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Marc Berman
Author of Nature and the Mind; Professor and Director, Environmental Neuroscience Laboratory
University of Chicago
Episode: Your Brain on Nature: Dr. Marc Berman on the Surprising Science of Nature's Impact on Attention Restoration and Optimism
Charles Kenny
Senior fellow at the Center for Global Development
Center for Global Development
Episode: Is the World Getting Better? The Economic Evidence Says Yes — An Encore Presentation with Charles Kenny
Kathryn Anne Edwards
Labor economist, independent policy consultant, co-host of Optimist Economy
Optimist Economy / The Optimism Institute
Episode: Optimist Economy Co-Host Kathryn Anne Edwards on Why America's Best Economy Is Still Ahead
Adam Mastroianni
Experimental psychologist and author
Experimental History
Episode: ENCORE PRESENTATION: Dr. Adam Mastroianni Explains How Your Brain Has Tricked You Into Thinking That Everything Is Worse
Risa August
Author, inspirational speaker, Gestalt Practitioner
Author of The Road Unpaved
Episode: Risa August Describes Her Path From Perfectionist to Patient, and How She Faced a Devastating Diagnosis With Grit, Resilience, and Optimism
Dr. Robert J. Soiffer
Chief of Hematologic Malignancies, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute / Harvard Medical School
Episode: ENCORE PRESENTATION: Dr. Robert Soiffer on His Career at the Leading Edge of Cancer Care at Dana-Farber and Reasons to Be Optimistic About the Future of Oncology
David Epstein
New York Times bestselling author of Range and Inside the Box
Author
Episode: New York Times Bestselling Author David Epstein Discusses His New Book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better
Sam Fankuchen
Founder and CEO of Golden
Golden
Episode: Social Entrepreneur Sam Fankuchen Describes His Passion for Unlocking the Power of Volunteers Through His Company, Golden
Dr. Kate Lund
Licensed clinical psychologist and author
The Optimism Institute
Episode: Clinical Psychologist and Author Dr. Kate Lund Discusses How to Instill Optimism in Children and More Great Advice From Her Latest Book, Step Away: The Keys to Resilient Parenting

Host

Bill Burke
Host of Blue Sky, The Optimism Institute

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 77 ratings
  • Interesting and Genuine Conversations!

    This show has such a wonderful collection of guests and you can tell that the host, Bill Burke, is genuinely interested and asks great questions that truly bring more depth to each conversation. I’m a big fan!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RA-UL1
    United States3 months ago
  • A smile and a fist bump!

    Bill’s podcast is part inspiration and part instigation! Examples of people doing good and a reminder we can do the same. From every vantage point and walk of life, Bill’s guests find and stoke the fire of optimism.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LoveWins727
    United Statesa year ago
  • Educating Enlightening Uplifting and Inspiring!!!

    A podcast needed now more than ever! Bill is a fantastic interviewer who hand picks guests who are beaming optimism despite the challenges they have had to overcome. His guests have turned tragedy into triumph not only for themselves but for the highest good of all. Bill also takes exquisite care to edit every episode to ensure one of the finest podcast listening experiences I’ve ever had. Be educated and enlightened, uplifted and inspired! I’d give it 10 stars if I could!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Marymcpoet
    United States2 years ago
  • A new spin on optimism!

    I LOVE Bill’s interviewing style. The way he breaks away to provide anecdotes or information in the interviews helps me learn so much.

    He’s certainly helped my 2024 be way more optimistic!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    HollandOats
    United States2 years ago
  • Uplifting listen!

    Love this pod! Love Bill Burke’s enthusiasm and also the style of pod (with Burke’s helpful recaps and insights). Paul Shapiro (Better Meat Co) and Michael Greger (NutritionFacts.org) might be neat guests, too!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KaleyOne
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Interviews feel uplifting yet practical, not just aspirational.
Listeners appreciate actionable takeaways and careful editing that keeps the flow engaging.
Guests are diverse and inspiring, with thoughtful questions from the host.
The host exudes genuine optimism and adds depth to conversations.

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If Books Could Kill
If Books Could KillMichael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri
Behind the Bastards
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Dream Life Club
Dream Life ClubSumi Krishnan

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Your Brain on Nature: Dr. Marc Berman on the Surprising Science of Nature's Impact on Attention Restoration and Optimism
Q: Why is nature more beneficial than urban environments for attention restoration?
Nature provides softly fascinating stimuli that engage involuntary attention without overloading directed attention, allowing cognitive resources to replenish. Urban settings, with harsh, constant stimulation, tend to deplete attention rather than restore it.
Your Brain on Nature: Dr. Marc Berman on the Surprising Science of Nature's Impact on Attention Restoration and Optimism
Q: Can you describe the walk-in-the-park studies and what you learned from them?
We designed a rigorous test where participants performed a demanding attention task, then walked in nature or urban settings, and later retook the task. Nature walks improved performance by about 20%, regardless of mood changes, showing a direct cognitive benefit beyond mere pleasant feelings.
Optimist Economy Co-Host Kathryn Anne Edwards on Why America's Best Economy Is Still Ahead
Q: Why should childcare be a federal priority if it's costly?
Because the long-term benefits to earnings, labor participation, and community health far outweigh the upfront costs, and private or local funding cannot capture all the broader gains.
Optimist Economy Co-Host Kathryn Anne Edwards on Why America's Best Economy Is Still Ahead
Q: What makes Optimist Economy different from other policy discussions?
It combines rigorous economic analysis with an optimistic frame to show practical paths forward for policy that benefits families and workers.
Optimist Economy Co-Host Kathryn Anne Edwards on Why America's Best Economy Is Still Ahead
Q: How did you end up focusing on unemployment insurance and policy advocacy?
Her pandemic work on unemployment insurance broadened her profile, leading to roles as a Bloomberg columnist and a public-facing policy advocate.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Blue Sky

What is Blue Sky about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A collection of conversations anchored in optimism explores leadership, health, technology, social impact, and personal resilience. Episodes feature physicians shaping cancer care, authors examining constraints and creativity, social entrepreneurs chartering volunteer programs, mental fitness and parenting experts, disability rights advocates, and leaders driving burnout reduction, second-chance hiring, and community empowerment. The common thread is practical optimism: actionable insights, real-world stories, and frameworks listeners can apply in work and life. A distinctive element is the blend of high-stakes healthcare progress, humanitarian innovation, and everyday wellbeing, all framed through an authoritative yet hopeful lens that emp... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Blue Sky?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Blue Sky:

1. Office Hours with Arthur Brooks
2. 10% Happier with Dan Harris
3. The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
4. The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
5. ReThinking

How many episodes of Blue Sky are there?

Blue Sky launched 3 years ago and published 166 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Blue Sky?

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What guests have appeared on Blue Sky?

Recent guests on Blue Sky include:

1. Marc Berman
2. Charles Kenny
3. Kathryn Anne Edwards
4. Adam Mastroianni
5. Risa August
6. Dr. Robert J. Soiffer
7. David Epstein
8. Sam Fankuchen

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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