0:05 [Music]
0:08 Hi my friend. Wherever you are in the
0:10 world, whatever you're caring today, I
0:14 just want to say I'm glad you're here.
0:16 You know, people often think that being
0:18 positive means being cheerful all the
0:21 time. Like it's some kind of natural
0:24 personality. Either you're born that way
0:26 or you're not. But I don't think that's
0:29 true. Most of the positive people I
0:32 admire. They're not just naturally
0:34 upbeat. They've been through things.
0:37 They've had hard days, disappointments,
0:40 long nights of doubt. But what sets them
0:42 apart isn't what they feel. It's what
0:45 they choose. They choose to return to
0:48 hope. They choose to try again. And they
0:50 do it quietly without needing anyone to
0:53 notice. I used to think I wasn't a
0:55 positive person. If something went
0:59 wrong, I would immediately expect more
1:02 problems to follow. If someone was rude,
1:05 I'd carry that mood the whole day. And
1:08 the worst part was I thought I couldn't
1:11 change. That this was just who I was.
1:14 But I was wrong. Positivity isn't
1:16 something you either have or don't have.
1:20 It's a skill, a practice, a decision.
1:23 And like any skill, you can learn it,
1:25 strengthen it, and make it part of your
1:30 life gently, one small step at a time.
1:32 So, if you're learning English and also
1:34 trying to be more positive, I hope
1:38 today's episode helps you in both ways.
1:40 You'll get listening practice in slow,
1:44 clear English, but also something more.
1:46 The quiet reminder that you are not
1:49 stuck in the mood you woke up in. You're
1:52 allowed to change your direction at any
1:55 moment. Now, let's begin.
1:57 I think one of the biggest
2:00 misunderstandings about positive people
2:03 is that they never feel sad. But that's
2:06 not true. Even the most optimistic
2:09 person you know, I promise, has bad
2:13 days. They just don't stay there.
2:15 Maybe you've seen someone who always
2:17 smiles and wondered, "How do they stay
2:21 so happy?" But the truth might be they
2:23 don't. They simply practice coming back
2:26 to a more helpful perspective again and again.
2:28 again.
2:30 Positivity doesn't mean pretending
2:32 everything is fine. It means choosing to
2:35 believe that even if things aren't fine
2:38 now, they can get better. It's not about
2:41 forcing joy. It's about keeping a small
2:43 window open in your mind for light to
2:46 come in. And sometimes that light
2:49 doesn't come from outside. It comes from
2:53 you. From your small quiet efforts, from
2:55 the way you talk to yourself in the
2:58 mirror, from the way you keep showing up
3:01 even when no one claps for you, from
3:02 your patience.
3:04 Let me say something that might surprise
3:07 you. You don't have to feel positive to
3:10 practice positivity. You just need to do
3:14 one small thing. Maybe it's noticing one
3:16 good thing in your day. Maybe it's
3:18 sending a kind message to a friend.
3:20 Maybe it's simply saying to yourself,
3:24 "Okay, this moment is hard, but I'm
3:27 still here." Those things don't look
3:30 dramatic, but they're powerful. They
3:33 remind your brain that you're not stuck.
3:36 That this moment, like every other
3:39 moment, will pass. and something new,
3:42 maybe something better, can take its
3:44 place. Some days you'll feel more
3:49 negative. That's human. That's okay. But
3:51 even on those days, you can still ask
3:54 yourself, "What's one kind thought I can
3:57 give myself today? Not a big one, just
4:00 one. You'd be surprised how far one kind
4:03 thought can carry you." And here's
4:05 something gentle to remember. You don't
4:07 have to change your whole life to feel
4:11 better. Just change one habit or one
4:13 sentence you repeat to yourself or the
4:15 way you look out the window and notice
4:18 the clouds. That's all part of being
4:21 positive. And it's all something you can
4:26 practice, not perform. Just practice. So
4:29 no matter who you are, shy, serious,
4:33 sensitive, you can be a positive person.
4:35 Not because you force yourself to smile,
4:37 but because you quietly choose to return
4:40 to hope. You choose to focus more on
4:42 what can go right. Even when part of you
4:45 is afraid of what can go wrong, you
4:48 choose to treat yourself kindly. And
4:52 that alone can change everything. If no
4:54 one has told you this today, you don't
4:56 have to be cheerful to be a light. You
4:59 don't have to be loud to be strong. And
5:01 you don't have to be perfect to be
5:03 growing. you're already doing better
5:05 than you think. What's the first thing
5:08 you usually think when you wake up? For
5:11 many people, it's something like, "Oh
5:14 no, I didn't sleep enough." Or, "I don't
5:18 want to do this today." Or even just
5:21 nothing. A tired mind reaching for the
5:24 phone, letting notifications guide the
5:27 mood. But what if that first thought
5:29 really mattered? Not because it decides
5:32 your entire day, but because it sets the
5:34 tone like the first note in a piece of
5:38 music. You see, your brain is very open
5:41 and sensitive right after waking up.
5:44 It's still soft, still quiet, not fully
5:48 guarded yet. And in that small window,
5:50 the first message you give yourself
5:52 becomes the background music for
5:54 everything that comes next. If the first
5:58 message is negative, stress, dread, self-criticism,
5:59 self-criticism,
6:02 your whole day feels heavier. But if you
6:05 can plant even one gentle thought in
6:08 that early space, your mind can carry it
6:10 like a soft light through the hours
6:12 ahead. This doesn't have to be
6:14 complicated. You don't need to recite
6:17 long affirmations or write a gratitude
6:20 list before breakfast. Sometimes it's
6:23 enough to just think something like, "I
6:26 can handle today. Let's just take one
6:30 small step or even this moment is new.
6:33 I'm here." These thoughts aren't magic
6:37 spells. They're quiet anchors. I
6:38 remember a time when I used to wake up
6:41 with anxiety every morning. Even before
6:43 opening my eyes, I'd feel my heart
6:46 racing, already thinking of everything
6:48 that could go wrong. And because that
6:51 was my first thought, it shaped my whole
6:54 day. I would move through the hours
6:56 feeling rushed, tense, and slightly
7:00 behind. Then one day, I decided to try
7:03 something very small. I placed a sticky
7:06 note beside my bed that said, "Start
7:09 soft." That was it. And every morning
7:12 when I opened my eyes, I'd whisper it,
7:15 "Start soft." At first, it didn't do
7:19 much, but over time, it created space.
7:21 Instead of jumping straight into worry,
7:25 I learned to pause, to breathe, to greet
7:28 myself kindly like I would greet a
7:31 friend. That one shift, just one
7:34 sentence, changed how I carried the rest
7:37 of the day. Maybe you're in a season
7:40 where mornings are difficult. You wake
7:44 up tired or alone or overwhelmed.
7:45 You might not be able to change
7:48 everything right now, but you can change
7:50 how you meet the first moment. And
7:52 that's powerful.
7:55 Here's a question for you. What do you
7:57 want your first thought to be? Take a
8:01 second. Don't rush to answer. Just
8:02 notice what kind of feeling you want to
8:06 begin your day with. peace, strength,
8:10 gentleness, hope, whatever it is, try
8:12 writing a small sentence that gives you
8:15 that feeling. Put it by your bed, on
8:19 your phone screen, on your mirror,
8:20 anywhere you'll see it when you first
8:22 open your eyes.
8:25 Because the truth is, your first thought
8:28 doesn't need to be perfect. It just
8:29 needs to point you in a better
8:31 direction, like a compass that gently
8:34 says, "Let's go this way today. And
8:36 here's something even softer to
8:39 remember. You don't need to feel ready
8:43 to begin. You just need to begin gently.
8:46 That's what positivity is made of. Not
8:50 big shiny moments, but quiet beginnings,
8:53 like a whisper instead of a shout. So,
8:56 tomorrow morning when you wake up, try
8:59 this. Before you reach for your phone,
9:02 before you think about the day ahead,
9:05 place one kind thought in your mind.
9:09 Just one. Let it sit there for a moment.
9:12 Let it be your first light. You might be
9:15 surprised by how far it carries you. Let
9:18 me ask you something gently. How many
9:20 times have you said yes when your heart
9:24 whispered no? It's okay if you've lost
9:27 count. We all do it. Agree to things we
9:29 don't want. Stay in conversations that
9:32 drain us. Scroll through social media
9:35 even when it's making us feel worse. But
9:38 here's a quiet truth we often forget.
9:40 Being positive doesn't mean being
9:42 available to everything. Sometimes
9:44 protecting your energy is the most
9:46 positive thing you can do. There's a
9:48 kind of strength in choosing what not to
9:51 give your attention to. And that's not
9:54 selfish. That's wisdom. When I was
9:56 younger, I thought being kind meant
9:58 always being open. I didn't want to
10:01 disappoint anyone. So, I answered every
10:04 message, joined every plan, stayed in
10:08 every uncomfortable situation just to be
10:11 nice. But I didn't realize I was
10:14 spending my energy like it was endless.
10:15 And by the end of the day, there was
10:18 nothing left for me. No wonder I felt
10:21 exhausted, even when nothing bad
10:24 happened. So one day I started paying
10:28 attention. Who do I feel heavier around?
10:30 Which habits leave me feeling hollow,
10:33 not whole? Where do I always walk away a
10:36 little more tired, a little less myself?
10:38 That was the beginning of something
10:42 powerful. Learning to say no, not with
10:46 anger, but with love. Love for my time.
10:49 Love for my energy. Love for the kind of
10:52 person I want to be. You see, when you
10:55 constantly say yes to what drains you,
10:57 you end up saying no to what could
11:00 actually lift you and protecting your
11:03 energy doesn't require dramatic changes.
11:06 Sometimes it's as simple as muting a
11:09 notification that always stresses you.
11:11 Choosing a quiet evening over a loud
11:14 one, stopping a thought mids sentence,
11:17 and saying, "No, I don't need to go
11:18 there again."
11:22 Here's something I remind myself often.
11:23 Just because something wants your
11:26 attention doesn't mean it deserves it.
11:28 And the same goes for people. Some
11:31 people will always pull your energy down
11:33 with their complaints, their drama,
11:36 their criticism. You can love them from
11:39 a distance. You can wish them well and
11:41 still walk away. You don't owe anyone
11:44 your peace, but you do owe it to
11:47 yourself to protect it. This isn't about
11:49 building walls. It's about choosing
11:53 gentle boundaries. Like saying, "I care
11:55 about you, but I also need to take care
11:58 of myself." Or even just saying to
12:00 yourself, "This isn't helping me grow
12:02 right now, and that's enough reason to
12:06 step back." Your energy is like a small
12:08 garden. If you give it away to
12:10 everything and everyone, there won't be
12:12 anything left to grow the things that
12:15 truly matter. But when you protect it,
12:18 when you water it with rest, boundaries,
12:20 and intention, you start to see
12:25 something bloom, clarity, confidence,
12:29 calm. And here's something even softer.
12:31 The people who truly value you will
12:34 respect your boundaries. They won't get
12:36 angry when you take time for yourself.
12:39 They won't guilt you into staying small.
12:41 They'll understand because they want you
12:44 to feel safe and whole. If someone
12:46 punishes you for choosing peace, that's
12:50 not love. That's control. And you
12:53 deserve better than that. So today, take
12:57 a moment to ask yourself, what drains me
13:01 quietly, daily, invisibly, what gives me
13:04 light, even in small ways?
13:07 What's one thing I can step away from
13:09 just a little? Even the smallest
13:12 boundary is an act of selfrespect. Even
13:15 the smallest no can protect your ability
13:17 to say a bigger yes to the life you
13:21 want. Your energy is precious. Spend it
13:24 where your heart feels calm. Protect it
13:26 like you would protect something sacred.
13:29 Because it is. There's something I want
13:32 to share with you. Something simple but
13:36 real. Gratitude has saved me more times
13:39 than motivation ever could. You see,
13:42 motivation comes and goes. Some days you
13:44 feel it, some days you don't. But
13:48 gratitude, gratitude can live inside you
13:51 quietly like a small candle. It doesn't
13:55 always burn bright, but it's steady. And
13:58 sometimes that's all you need. When
14:00 you're trying to be more positive every
14:03 day, people often tell you just be
14:07 grateful. But let's be honest, sometimes
14:09 that can feel like pressure. You're
14:12 tired. things aren't going your way and
14:15 someone says just be thankful and inside
14:18 you might think I know I should be
14:22 grateful but right now I don't feel it
14:25 that's okay gratitude doesn't mean
14:28 forcing joy it means noticing something
14:31 good even when everything else feels off
14:34 it means catching one small moment and
14:37 holding it in your heart like a hand you
14:40 can hold on to when When I was going
14:43 through a hard season, my mind kept
14:46 racing. I'd wake up worried, go to bed
14:48 tired, and spend the day trying to fix
14:52 everything at once. I felt like life was
14:55 rushing past me, like I was living in a
14:58 storm. Then one afternoon, I was walking
15:01 home after a long day. Nothing big
15:03 happened. No breakthrough, no deep
15:06 wisdom. But I remember this clearly. I
15:08 looked up and saw the sunlight catching
15:10 on the leaves of a tree. And for some
15:15 reason, I stopped and I just breathed.
15:19 That was it. Just one breath, one still
15:21 moment. And I thought, "This is
15:24 beautiful. I'm still here." That's when
15:28 I understood gratitude is not a feeling.
15:30 It's a pause. It's a moment where you
15:33 say, "Even if things are messy, this one
15:36 thing is good." Maybe it's the way your
15:38 coffee smells in the morning. Maybe it's
15:41 a message from a friend. Maybe it's your
15:43 favorite song. Maybe it's the fact that
15:45 you're learning English right now. Even
15:48 when it's hard that counts. You don't
15:51 have to write a long list. Just find one
15:55 thing. Say it out loud if you can. Let
15:58 it be real. I'm thankful for this
16:01 breeze. I'm grateful I have a roof
16:04 tonight. I'm glad I kept going even when
16:08 I wanted to stop. These aren't big
16:12 things, but they change you quietly
16:14 because the more you notice small good
16:16 things, the more your mind starts
16:18 looking for them. And the more you look
16:22 for them, the more you realize. They
16:24 were always there. You just weren't used
16:27 to seeing them. Gratitude helps you
16:30 rewrite the story your mind tells you.
16:33 Instead of nothing is working, it
16:36 becomes some things are still holding me
16:40 up. Instead of why me, it becomes I'm
16:44 learning something even now. Instead of
16:47 I'm behind, it becomes I'm still moving
16:50 and that's enough. This shift isn't
16:54 loud. It doesn't need applause. But over
16:56 time, it builds a kind of strength that
16:58 doesn't break easily. And here's
17:02 something beautiful. When you practice
17:05 gratitude, it's not just your mood that
17:08 changes. It's your presence. You begin
17:11 to show up differently. You become more
17:15 patient, more forgiving, more open. You
17:18 start noticing the people around you and
17:21 they feel that you become someone who
17:24 reminds others of the good. Not because
17:26 your life is perfect, but because your
17:28 heart sees what matters.
17:31 So if you want to be more positive each
17:36 day, start small. Pause once. Say thank
17:40 you to yourself, to your life, to
17:42 something that feels steady. Even if
17:45 it's small, that's your superpower. It's
17:49 quiet, but it's real. And it's yours to
17:53 carry every single day. Let's be honest.
17:55 There are days when you just don't feel
17:58 like yourself. You wake up heavy. You
18:01 feel unmotivated.
18:04 Even smiling feels like effort. And on
18:06 those days, it's easy to think, "I can't
18:09 do anything today. I'm not in the right
18:11 mood." But here's something I've
18:13 learned. Something that changed the way
18:16 I move through hard moments. You don't
18:19 have to feel good to do something good.
18:22 That means you don't have to be full of
18:25 energy to take one small step. You don't
18:27 have to be perfectly calm to show
18:29 someone kindness. You don't have to be
18:32 in the best mood to still make progress.
18:36 In fact, some of the kindest, strongest,
18:39 most helpful things you'll ever do will
18:40 happen on the days you feel like you
18:43 have nothing to give. I've had mornings
18:45 where I felt so low that I didn't want
18:49 to do anything. But I told myself, just
18:51 one thing, Jenny, just one small thing
18:54 that moves you forward.
18:56 Sometimes that one thing was as simple
18:59 as replying to a listener's comment or
19:02 cleaning my desk or recording one short
19:05 voice note even when I wasn't sure it
19:07 sounded good. And here's what's
19:11 surprising. Doing that one good thing
19:14 shifted my entire day. Not because it
19:16 fixed everything, but because it
19:19 reminded me I still have a choice. You
19:22 see, we often wait to feel better before
19:25 we do better. But sometimes it's the
19:28 other way around. You do, and then you
19:31 start to feel a little lighter. It could
19:34 be anything. Making your bed, drinking a
19:37 glass of water, sending a kind text,
19:40 saying thank you out loud to the air.
19:42 Even these small actions have power.
19:44 They say to your brain, "We're not
19:47 giving up today. We're still here. We're
19:50 still trying." And maybe that's the most
19:53 positive thing you can do. Not force
19:55 yourself to feel joy, but create a
19:58 little space for it to return. Because
20:01 here's something no one teaches us. Your
20:02 actions don't have to match your
20:06 emotions. You can feel tired and still
20:10 be gentle. You can feel sad and still
20:13 speak with kindness. You can feel low
20:15 and still offer something meaningful to
20:19 someone else. In fact, some of the most
20:21 beautiful words you'll ever say might
20:24 come from a heart that's still healing.
20:27 That's not fake. That's real. That's
20:30 strength. And here's the other gift of
20:33 doing good on low days. It helps you
20:36 reconnect with who you are. Not just how
20:39 you feel. Your mood will rise and fall,
20:42 but your values, your kindness, your
20:46 effort, your quiet courage can stay
20:50 steady if you let them guide you. So the
20:52 next time you wake up and think, I don't
20:55 feel good today, try asking a different
20:58 question. What's one small thing I can
21:00 do today that matters? Even just a
21:04 little. Not for applause, not to impress
21:07 anyone. Just because your heart is still
21:09 strong enough to offer something real,
21:12 even the smallest act when done with
21:15 love is a seed that grows something
21:19 beautiful. And you never know who's
21:21 watching. Sometimes someone else is
21:24 having a hard day, too. And your one
21:26 kind action becomes the light they
21:29 needed. So no, you don't have to wait
21:31 until everything feels perfect. You
21:33 don't have to wait until you feel
21:36 positive enough. Just begin with
21:38 something small, something honest,
21:41 something gentle. That is more than
21:44 enough. That is what positivity looks
21:48 like. Take a deep breath. You made it
21:50 all the way here. Not just through this
21:53 episode, but through another day of your
21:56 life. That matters. Maybe you're not
21:59 where you want to be yet. Maybe your
22:01 heart is still learning how to stay soft
22:04 in a loud world. But even in this
22:08 moment, something inside you is growing.
22:10 Positivity isn't about being cheerful
22:13 every second. It's about returning to
22:17 hope again and again. It's about
22:19 choosing light even when shadows still
22:22 touch your thoughts. And the fact that
22:25 you're here listening, reflecting,
22:28 practicing English, and learning to care
22:30 for your mind is something to be proud
22:33 of. You're showing up for yourself
22:37 quietly and that is powerful. So tonight
22:39 or tomorrow morning or whenever you find
22:42 yourself slipping into doubt, just
22:44 remember you don't have to do
22:46 everything. You don't have to fix your
22:50 whole life. You just need one soft step,
22:54 one calm breath, one kind thought. I'm
22:56 proud of you for being here and I hope
22:58 this little corner of calm has helped
23:00 you carry something lighter into your
23:03 day. You're not alone in this and you're
