Dr. Sue Varma on Practical Optimism and How Everyone Can Become One

One year ago this month — February 20, to be exact — the world was introduced to Dr. Sue Varma’s landmark book Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being. Its tagline certainly speaks to our modern times: “A practical program rooted in optimism to help you live fully and joyfully in an imperfect, turbulent world.” Yes, please! Sign me up. Sue has a fascinating story — she is a board-certified psychiatrist with a private practice in Manhattan, and was the first medical director and attending psychiatrist at the World Trade Center Mental Health Program. Through this experience, Sue worked directly with civilian and first-responder survivors in the aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001, and through this, she saw both devastation as well as resilience and growth. Through this experience, she asked herself how some people survived and even thrived, despite immense challenges, and how can we optimize what we have control over and block out stressors as much as possible? That was the genesis of Practical Optimism, the book we are discussing today. This book combines Sue’s own personal experiences with the latest research in psychology, psychiatry, medicine, and neuroscience, and teaches us that cultivating an optimistic mindset makes all the difference — and is something that can be done by anyone, even if you’re not a naturally born optimist. Sue has eight pillars to help us cultivate practical optimism, and her research shows that optimists aren’t just happier, but they’re also physically healthier, too. Optimism is a practice, something we can all get better at each day, and Sue’s book teaches us how. If you’re looking to boost your happiness, health, longevity, resilience, and success — and who among us isn’t? — then today’s conversation is tailor made for you. Dr. Varma is Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at New York University and teaches both medical students and residents; she’s also a highly sought after and award-winning national medical contributor for major news outlets, and today we talk about topics like kintsugi — totally fascinating — as well as healthy pride, cultivating an aloneness practice, and how, in her words from the book, “It doesn’t matter whether the glass is half full or half empty — it’s always refillable.” So good.

Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being by Dr. Sue Varma