Episode 8: Fuel the Fire (Optimism in practice)

Ever smiled through a team meeting while mentally planning your escape to a remote cottage in Wales? Or replied “No worries!” to a Friday 5pm request while quietly Googling “how to become a llama farmer”?

This episode is not about pretending everything’s fine. It’s about real optimism - the kind that doesn’t require vision boards, scented candles, or toxic positivity. Just one honest check-in, one tiny shift, and one decision to climb above the line.

If you’ve ever felt flat, burnt out, or stuck smiling through the madness, this one’s for you.

Key Takeaways

• Optimism isn’t personality — it’s strategy.
• Burnout doesn't always look like collapse. Sometimes it looks like “fine.”
• Real resilience comes from reflection, not denial.
• Protecting your spark is leadership, not laziness.
• You don’t have to feel great to move — you just need to move with intention.

Sound Bites

• “Optimism doesn’t always wear sparkles. Sometimes it just says: let’s give it another go.”
• “You don’t have to collapse to justify recovery.”
• “Forced positivity is about as comforting as a soggy sandwich.”
• “You can’t reframe if you don’t reflect.”
• “Even the best jobs have parts you’d happily launch into the sun.”

Quickfire Career Moves You'll Learn

1. Catch & Reframe Below-the-Line Thinking – Shift from spiralling to strategy.
2. Give Someone a Boost – Optimism is contagious; be the spark.
3. Switch to a ‘What Now’ Lens – Focus on what’s possible, not what’s perfect.
4. Create a Recovery Ritual – Build a non-negotiable habit to protect your flame.

Tools + Extras

• What Would Caro Do? Advice for guilt-ridden burnout and asking for what you need
• Career Quote Crime: “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day…” gets the takedown it deserves
• Bonus Tool: The Flamekeeper Prompt List:  20 bold reflection prompts to help you reconnect, reframe, and refuel (no toxic positivity required)
• Research from Martin Seligman + optimism’s link to actual longevity (yes, really)

🎧 Listen now to stop faking the flame and learn how to fuel it for real.

Ready to make your next bold move? Grab the free Bold Move Audit and join the insider crew.

Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at caroline@inspireyourgenius.com - I read them all.

Chapters

• 0:00 Navigating Career Chaos
• 0:00 Closing thoughts on fuelling your career
• 2:46 The reality of forced optimism
• 6:11 Understanding optimism as a career strategy
• 8:59 Understanding above the line and below the line mindsets
• 12:12 Practical tips for reclaiming your optimism
• 14:48 Reframing work challenges

Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00.174)
So just wondering, have you ever smiled through a team meeting while kind of internally planning an escape route to a remote cottage in Wales? Or maybe said, I'm fine, while wondering if you can resign via text or even cheekily replied, no worries to yet another Friday at 5pm request while internally drafting your LinkedIn post announcing your bold new life as an organic llama farmer.

Thank you for joining me at the Little Moves Big Careers podcast. I'm Caroline Esterson, career strategist and sticker of brilliant people and your co-pilot through the chaos of real world careers. And this podcast, well, it's for you if you've ever done everything right and still felt stuck, overlooked or like you were shouting into a team's call on mute. This episode is not about pretending everything's okay.

about recognising that shit happens. For some of you maybe it feels like that every day perhaps, but even when it does can you do something about it? Yes, yes you can and this episode is about learning how to refuel without losing yourself in the process.

Speaker 1 (01:15.544)
This isn't a pep talk, it's a practical guide with a glint in its eye. Smart moves, slight chaos, welcome to little moves, big careers.

Speaker 1 (01:28.718)
There's a lot of pressure to stay positive these days. They talk about answering your phone with a smile, your gratitude list, light a candle and manifest your inbox empty. Yet the reality is that some of us are barely hanging onto a thread of sanity. A forced optimism, well, frankly, it's just exhausting, isn't it? And you know, it makes people feel like crap when they're struggling. Phrases like, oh, come on, give us a smile. Seriously.

Cheer up it might never happen. Yeah, but it did. So thanks for that. Positive vibes only here. know, great. I'll just pretend my entire emotional range doesn't exist. come on, turn that frown upside down.

Well, what can I say? Forced optimism really is about as comforting as a soggy sandwich, isn't it? Optimism isn't about pretending everything's great. Rather, it's actually about believing something can be better and choosing to move towards it, even if you're currently wearing your PJs and eating beans on burnt toast together for dinner. And while we hear a lot about team spirit, today, let's talk about your spirit.

because even when you're technically part of a team, much of the day can feel lonely or isolating and you're still expected to bring it on. That elusive spark of initiative, joy and motivation, the bit of yourself that feels harder and harder to access when you're running on fumes. So here's the thing, optimism isn't personality thing. It's a strategy. Let's make it tactical. So are you ready for this week's game that makes a point?

Now, welcome to the chaos. It's game time! Zero prizes, mild embarrassment, but hopefully...

Speaker 2 (03:28.63)
to everyone's favourite corporate reality check, opportunist or optimist. The rules are simple, I'm going to read out some gloriously upbeat workplace wisdom, and you've got exactly three seconds to label either generally optimistic or utterly opportunistic corporate fluff. Now, are you ready?

Ready as I'll ever be. sure? You sure? Go for it. Bring on the suspicious optimism.

First phrase, and remember now, your career credibility hangs in the balance.

dear, okay. Ready? Ready? Ready, ready,

We're all in this together.

Speaker 1 (04:11.838)
Okay, until budgets are cut and then really it's everybody for themselves?

ruthless Caro, you're so ruthless. Next one. Remember now, there's pride at StakeHair. Failure is just success in progress.

Okay. Totally not. Unless success looks like crying into your pinot at midnight, then sure, call it progress.

You are totally ruthless, girl. You really are. Okay, final round. Brace yourself. The stakes have never been lower. We're not downsizing. We are right-sizing.

my god, opportunistic! That is criminal! When do you someone call HR?

Speaker 2 (05:02.85)
Folks, another round of Corporate Spin Decoded. Join us next time on Optimist or Opportunist, where truth meets us. bingo.

Time for brain food, the research bit. But make it cheeky. Because we all love evidence, especially when it supports our own experiences. So here's the idea for today. As we said earlier, optimism isn't a personality trait, it's actually a strategy. It's a choice you can make and the more you do it, the more it will help you build your resourcefulness and resilience. According to psychologist Martin Seligman,

who's the father of positive psychology, optimism is a learnable skill. It's not about blind faith. It's about where you choose to place your attention. It's about how you explain what's gone wrong and what you do next. You might roll your eyes at those eternal optimists wearing their rose tinted glasses, but this is important. Optimists don't ignore reality. They don't just stop at the worst case scenario. They move from

What if everything goes wrong? To what if I could actually do something about it? And here's a model to help. I want you to imagine a horizontal line. Above the line is where optimism lives. It's where ownership, accountability and hope all sits. Above the line, you say, what can I do? What's still possible? What's my one next move? Whereas below the line, that's the blame zone.

the nothing will change mindset is where you point fingers, spiral into cynicism or just zone out entirely. The trick isn't to live permanently above the line. You're human after all, not a robot. But the trick is to notice when you've slipped below it and then choose to climb above again. And here's the punchline. Optimism only exists above that line. It cannot grow in the soil of blame and despair.

Speaker 1 (07:09.942)
It needs just enough hope to say, OK, maybe I can do something with this. And that brings us to a bonus game.

We're going to give you a few workplace scenarios and you're going to call out whether they're above the line, aka hopeful, proactive, optimism in action or below the line, aka spiralling, blamey and passive. It's fast, it's fierce and yes, there's imaginary points at stake here. Points again!

We are

I know you love it. You're just so easily pleased, Caro. Right, okay. Back it back in roll, back in roll. Number one. this project's disaster. And I told them it would be.

Well, obviously that's below the line. It's that classic, isn't it? I saw it coming, but it's still a car crash. You know, seriously, either get out of the way or help us steer. Which one is it going to be?

Speaker 2 (08:16.142)
Okay, this is a mess, but what's one thing we can do to fix it today?

nice. like that. Above the line, optimism meets strategy. You you fueled the flame, saved the team chat, and you're looking at how we can move this thing forward. Nice.

like things moving forward. number three, I'm just going to keep my head down and hope it all blows over.

below the line, you know, we can't all be ostriches, can we? You know, it's also known as passive survival. It is understandable, but you know what? It's not exactly empowering, is it?

Right then, how about this one, number four? That was a fail, but let's look at what we've learned.

Speaker 1 (09:05.336)
Well, definitely above the line. You know, this is about having resilience and it's in jogging pants. And Wendy, you know what? I'm learning. Your voice is a giveaway as to whether it's above the line or below the line, which is really, really helpful. So thank you for that.

Oh, do you know, I'm going to have to try and be really mega subtle on this.

This next one. I don't know.

Really? Okay, number five, I'm going to be mega, mega subtle. Okay, I'm giving it my best subtlety. Number five, I've tried everything. Honestly, no one listens here.

below the line. It's an easy trap to fall into, you know, let's pretend that there's nothing else that we can do about it. Just think about how can you do it differently? Who do you need to speak to? Is there someone different? Is there a different way of doing it? But don't stay below the line on this one. If it's important to you, you've got to elevate yourself.

Speaker 2 (10:01.262)
Okay, giving it even more subtlety here. Number six. Hey, I noticed that landed well with the client. Nice one.

Ha ha ha!

Speaker 1 (10:10.54)
I love that. I love that. That's definitely above the line. You know what? Boosting someone else is a really subtle but optimistic move, especially when you're struggling with yourself. makes them feel good and it makes you feel good. Bravo!

But that is a real subtle one as well, because I think sometimes Caroline, it can be really tempting, can't it? If somebody's done something really well, you're thinking, I need to do that really well. I wish that was me to kind of shut up about it. But actually, by helping somebody, pick somebody up, you're actually helping yourself as well. It all sends out the goodbye.

Yeah, love that one. What a nice one to end that little bonus section on. Thank you, Wendy. See, optimism doesn't always wear sparkles. Sometimes it sounds like, let's give it another go. Reflection is key here. It's the pause that gives optimism power. Ask yourself, what am I actually feeling right now and why? Then dig deeper and ask, is this setback permanent or temporary?

You're very welcome.

Speaker 1 (11:19.2)
Is this about me or something external? And then the most important question, what parts of this situation can I realistically control? This reflective pause helps you to shift from spiralling to strategizing. It helps transform overwhelm into clarity and that clarity, well, that fuels your optimism. Optimists then ask, what's still possible? What could I do next?

Even if the answer is, I want to nap first and then rethink everything. That counts too, because optimism isn't about hype, it's about hope plus motion. And one of the best ways to keep that fire going is by checking in before you burn out. So here's your anti-burnout equation. Tiny reflection plus honest energy check plus one next move equals career oxygen. And know this.

Research shows that optimists tend to be more resilient, more successful and live longer. Pessimism isn't just a vibe, it's actually a health risk. According to a study by Dr Hilary Tindall and her colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh, optimistic women were significantly less likely to develop heart disease and also lived longer. yeah, the science is clear. Optimism isn't just feel-good fluff, it's your survival fuel.

And knowing that doesn't always make it easier to do in the moment, does it? That's where we move from research to the real. What does optimism actually look like when, frankly, you're knee deep in deadlines and one more pointless meeting away from losing it? Well, let's see what you've been dealing with in this week's What Would Caro Do?

It's time for What Would Caro Do? Like a career agony aunt but with less cardigan and more fire. Because sometimes you don't need permission, you just need better advice.

Speaker 2 (13:14.68)
Dear Aunty Caro, I love my job, but lately I'm running on empty. I feel guilty for being tired when others seem more stressed. What shall I do?

yes, guilt and burnout, the modern workplace combo meal. You definitely don't want to go large with that one. So here's what I do. First of all, I would just bin the guilt. It's not fuel, it's friction. Second, do an energy audit. What's draining you? What's feeding you? And then third, ask for a small shift. Maybe you need a meeting moved. Say no to one thing, a yes to something that lifts you.

You don't have to collapse to justify your recovery. Protecting your spark is leadership, not laziness. Okay, and let me be clear here, the way you think about others, well, frankly, they aren't your responsibility. So with that, let's explore some quick tips to help you reclaim your optimism.

Speaker 1 (14:18.606)
Small shifts, sharp impact. These are quick fire career moves. Real things you can do before your next coffee refill. Right, so if you're burning out bored or feeling one sarcastic Slack message away from setting fire to the printer, try one of these to fuel the flame again. Firstly, catch and reframe a below the line thought. Not this day is ruined, but

What's still possible today? Not everyone's useless, but what support am I not asking for? Start there. Next, give someone else a little boost. If you spot someone doing something helpful, kind or valuable, tell them it fuels them, but it also fuels you too. Moods are contagious. Be responsible for spreading good vibes, not for being a mood hoover. And then thirdly, shift.

to a what now lens. Your default lens might actually be usually doom and gloom, but optimism isn't about denying the storm. It's about asking what next, even if you've got wet socks. Try, what's one thing that I can do right now? And then we've got a bonus move for you this week. Develop your own recovery ritual. It doesn't need to be yoga. It could be loud music and shouting into a pillow. I don't care and I don't judge.

anything but make it your explicit ritual. The thing that you do every time when things are getting you down. And to look at optimism through new lenses, let's move on to

Speaker 1 (16:03.502)
This quote has the right vibe and the completely wrong advice. So let's fix that before someone puts it on a mug. So our culprit for this week is...

never have to work another day in your life.

You're like an inspirational quote on video.

well, do you know, I can feel the following coming towards me as inspirational quote on video. could just feel it. I could feel it.

feel it. Still waiting for you, aren't you?

Speaker 2 (16:34.4)
Certainly I am, Hugh, if you're out there, on you go.

do behave. I love my job. I love what I do. I really do. And sometimes it can still be exhausting, awkward and held together with caffeine and mild panic some of the time. Loving your work doesn't mean you're immune to burnout. It just means you care enough to protect your flame. And let's be honest, even the best jobs come with bits you'd happily launch into the sun. Tasks you dread. People you wouldn't share a lift with if you had a choice.

But even if 20 % of your work fuels you, that's your fire. Find it, feed it and let that be the part that makes the rest worthwhile. And let me leave you with these words of encouragement. Optimism isn't about glitter and manifesting your inbox away. It's about noticing when your flame is flickering and knowing how to fuel it back up again. And here's the good news. You don't have to light a bonfire, just spark the match.

one good question, one kind moment, one hopeful choice. That's how you fuel the flame and then keep it burning long after the candles have melted. So let's go light something up. Until next time.

Speaker 1 (18:02.286)
So that's a wrap on this episode of Little Moves Big Careers, where progress isn't perfect, but it is happening. If your brain's buzzing and you want more magic like this, head to inspireyourgenius.com forward slash podcast for the show notes, cheeky extras and the kind of tools your career has been crying out for. Share it, steal it with pride, start a movement. So if you did enjoy this episode, please subscribe, share.

send me your dilemmas for what would Caro do and any ideas that you've tried to caroline at inspireyourgenius.com. And if you want to bring fresh thinking into your team or company, that's literally what we do. Drop us a line, we'll make it sing for you. Until next time, make the move. Even if it's tiny, especially if it's tiny.