Episode Description: In this special Thanksgiving mini-episode of The Optimist Daily’s Weekly Roundup, Karissa and Arielle press pause on the usual headlines to say thank you. They share what they are personally grateful for this year, celebrate the Emissaries and listeners who keep solutions journalism alive, and invite anyone who isn’t already to support the work through donations, shares, and word of mouth. Want to be part of the Optimism Movement? Become an Emissary. Subscribe to our FREE Daily Newsletter and follow us on Instagram, X, and Blue Sky. The Optimist Daily is a project of the World Business Academy. Donate link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/donate-to-support-the-optimist-daily/?gift=Y%20http:// Transcript: Theme music  Karissa  Hi everyone, and welcome to a special Thanksgiving edition of the Optimist Daily’s Weekly Roundup. I’m Karissa.  Arielle  And I’m Arielle.  Karissa  And we are one day early because we wanted to wish you all, our fellow Optimists, a very Happy Thanksgiving on actual Thanksgiving Day. And we’re so glad you’re here with us for this little cozy episode, because today isn’t really about the headlines; it’s about you.  Arielle  Yes, truly, we just wanted to take a moment to step back and thank this incredible community that shows up for solutions every day. In a world that can feel very chaotic and dark and heavy, it means something real that you choose to spend your time with us.  Karissa  Yeah, absolutely. Arielle, is there anything that you wanted to share that you are grateful for this year?  Arielle  Well, I finally got a new mic, so I’m really happy about that. I’m sure our listeners will also be grateful for my sound upgrade that we’re experiencing right now. But also, on a more serious note, I am so happy that my family, my parents and my sisters are coming to Amsterdam to spend Christmas with me and my partner this year. That’s the first time that’s happening. So, yeah. How about you, Karissa? What are you grateful for this year?  Karissa  Well, First of all, that’s awesome. I’m glad your family will be joining you for the holidays. And for me this year, I have just been grateful for the little things. Each day I’ve been trying to write one positive thing that’s happened, even if it’s just as small as, you know, having a really nice cup of coffee or having a good workout that day.  Arielle  That’s a really nice thing to do.  Karissa  Yeah, this year, just this small little practice has been really good for me.  Arielle  So doable just to jot one positive thing about your day.   Karissa  Yeah.   Arielle  And I think I can speak for both of us, Karissa, when I say that we are grateful for our jobs.  Karissa  Definitely. Yeah, I mean, we say it pretty often here, but it’s worth repeating that The Optimist Daily exists (and we have a job!) because you read, you share, and you believe that good news deserves a seat at the table. And you know, we really wouldn’t be able to operate here or grow without our Emissaries.  Arielle  That is right. Our Emissaries are our core supporters, the financial contributors who keep the lights on, literally, and help us bring you solutions journalism in a media landscape that is often anything but solutions-focused.  Karissa  So, to our emissaries, thank you so much. You make this work possible, and you keep us afloat in this sea of negativity. And you also help us build a space that pushes back with hope, intelligence, science, and human connection.  Arielle  If you’re listening and you’ve been thinking about supporting the work that we do, this is a perfect moment. You can give once, monthly, or annually, whatever fits your life, and every contribution really makes a difference.  Karissa  Yeah, 100%. And you can even send us a check if you’re old school like that. Instructions are on our website, and as always, everything you need is linked in the show notes.  Arielle  And if donating isn’t possible right now, that’s absolutely okay and completely understandable. Sharing our stories, signing up for our free daily newsletter, and then forwarding that newsletter to a friend or telling someone about the podcast helps us just as much. That’s how this community grows.  Karissa  And speaking of community, we also want to remind you that our final installment of this year’s Local Changemaker series comes out this Friday. Both Changemakers, Shirley Santana Herrera and Shereen Arent, offer such special stories and an empowering way to close out the series.  Arielle  Yes, all of the 2025 Changemakers have inspired me in their own way. So, if you’ve yet to check out the series, you’re in luck. It’s perfect reading material for this long weekend. And as usual, we had more positive, uplifting solutions featured on the Optimist Daily this week, including…  Karissa  Brazil expands Indigenous territories as COP30 protests spotlight the stakes. How to handle confrontation the right way with expert tips for managing conflict. Perfect if you’re around people you might disagree with these holidays. And How Spain’s community solar revolution is helping families power up and costs go down. Puffins return after decades, offering hope for seabird revival on Isle of Muck.  Arielle  We also have The top five things to put away before Thanksgiving guests arrive, according to a designer. NHS expands free morning-after pill access across England, a major win for women’s health. And our two final change makers, like we mentioned, Elevation through knowledge: Shirley Santana Herrera’s blueprint for youth empowerment. And Shereen Arent and Sambhali US helped uplift 80,000+ women and girls in India.  Karissa  Wherever you are today, whether you’re traveling, cooking, resting, or chowing down on yummy food, which I hope you’re all able to do, we are so grateful that you’re part of this community.  Arielle  Thank you for choosing optimism. Thank you for believing that people are doing good work everywhere. And thank you for making it possible for us to share those stories with the world.  Karissa  Have a warm, safe, restorative holiday. We’ll see you back here next week!  Both  Happy Thanksgiving!   The post Podcast Transcript November 27, 2025— Thankful for optimists: a Thanksgiving shout out to The Optimist Daily community first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.