Positivity Matters

Amy Goodburn: Building the Good Life with Husker P.O.W.E.R. Senior Associate Vice Chancellor & Dean of Undergraduate Education, University of Nebraska-LincolnCliftonStrengths: Learner | Achiever | Input | Discipline | ArrangerRecorded: September 10, 2025P.O.W.E.R. = Purpose, Ownership, Well-being, Engagement, and RelationshipsFrom the Inter-association Wellbeing Collaborative:We define well-being as an optimal and dynamic state that allows people to achieve their full potential. Our focus is on two interdependent types of well-being: 1) individual and 2) community.

Amy Lanham: Creating Wellbeing Through RecreationCampus Recreation Director, University of Nebraska-LincolnCliftonStrengths: Responsibility | Communication | Developer | Relator | BeliefRecorded: September 3, 2025From the Inter-association Wellbeing Collaborative:We define well-being as an optimal and dynamic state that allows people to achieve their full potential. Our focus is on two interdependent types of well-being: 1) individual and 2) community.

Daryl Davis: How to be Prohuman with Music and FriendshipRecorded 8/7/2025

Becca Schusler: The Win-Win of Workplace WellnessVIA Strengths: Gratitude | Learner | Hope | Forgiveness | Self-RegulationBorn in a struggle for justice (Horace Carter Fights the Klan), Atlantic Packaging works to build wellbeing (Atlantic Wellness) and a thriving planet (A New Earth Project)Core Values: Connection, Nourishment, Purpose, Movement, Nature, PreventionVision: To establish health, in all of its dimensions, as the fundamental guiding principle that informs all of our decisions.Mission: Health & well-being is the throughline connecting our employees, our business community, and the overall vision for our company.Recorded: July 25, 2025

Maital Neta: Positivity Matters to Our Brains!Professor of Psychology at UNLCliftonStrengths: Empathy, Achiever, Responsibility, Relator, Learner  Recorded: 7/23/2025

Josha Sietsma: The Nebraska Capitol is a Question Mark The Nebraska Capitol asks us to respond to a series of profound questions:What does it mean to live a good life? How best to live a good life to the fullest together and transmit that wisdom to future generations in ways that expand that fullness?www.21panels.orgRecorded: July 17, 2025

Meghan TalarowskiFounder and Executive Director, Studio LudoA finding a the study that Meghan draws on to inform her playground designs: “Play builds grit, prevents burnout, ignites joy through movement, and helps us become better people together.“ 

Carlos GarciaCo-Founder & CEO, True Progress LabVIA Strengths: Honest | Perseverance | Hope | Humility | SpiritualityRecorded on July 11, 2025

Tracy Edgerton: Leveraging Our Unique Strengths to Achieve a Shared VisionPresident & CEO, Lincoln Community FoundationLincoln Vital Signs | Prosper LincolnCliftonStrengths: Learner | Input | Intellection | Developer | AchieverRecorded: July 1, 2025

Zoya Awan - Creating Sparks of HopeDirector of Public Affairs, WalmartZoya the Explorer!CliftonStrengths: Positivity | WOO | Includer | Adaptability | ConnectednessRecorded: July 9, 2025

Andrew Hanna - Emerging Leadership, Life Design, & MoreAssistant Professor of Management at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Prof. Hanna spoke at Nebraska's International Day of Hope celebration.CliftonStrengths: Woo | Relator | Input | Positivity | FuturisticRecorded: June 25, 2025Brought to you by Positivity Matters!

Kathryn Goetzke - How to S.H.I.N.E. Hope• Stress skills• Happiness habits• Inspired actions• Nourishing networks• Eliminating challengesKathryn's top VIA Strengths: Curiosity | Love of learning | Spirituality | Honesty | FairnessRecorded 6/19/2025

Rebecca speaks on the community engagement she has generated around the country with the documentary, Join or Die, and we also explore themes of wellbeing present in the film.  Recorded 6/5/2025

Rob Lion - Black RiverC.A.R. from Self-determination Theory:CompetenceAutonomyRelatednessRecorded 2/18/2025

Joshua created Econic to partner with leaders who envision a better world and desire someone to help them build it.Joshua's CliftonStrengths: Strategic | Maximizer | Ideation | Futuristic | IndividualizationRecorded: 2/15/2025

Dan Martin VIA Strengths: Humor | Creativity | Love of Learning | Curiosity | BraveryAssociate Professor of Management at California State University, East Bay.Director of Corporate Compassion Education at the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University.Recorded 2/4/2025

David B. Feldman, PhD, is a clinical health psychologist and Professor of Counseling Psychology at Santa Clara University. Prof. Feldman's top VIA strengths: Love of learning | Curiosity | Hope | Judgement | KindnessHope science developed in a playful laboratory. Hope develops in the playful laboratory of the imagination.Recorded May 7, 2025

Chan HellmanFounding Director of the Hope Research CenterHope Rising USARecorded 4/29/2025

Matthew W. Gallagher, Ph.D.Updates in Hope ScienceRecorded 4/18/2025

Lorraine BesserReady to Live Your Best Possible Life?Recorded 3/14/2025

Shigehiro OishiWhat's the real key to a fulfilling life?Recorded 3/12/2025

Omani is the founder of Carson Group and Omya. Omani shares about purpose, kindness, strengths, community, and more! Recorded 1/22/2025

Prof. Steger is the director of the Center for Meaning and Purpose at Colorado State University. Recorded 12/2/2024

Rose Liesveld: Building a Strengths-Based Law School Rose's CliftonStrengths: Futuristic | Activator | Significance | Relator | Command | Belief | Focus | Maximizer | Communication | Self-Assurance Recorded: 11/25/2024

Carol Graham is a senior fellow in the Economic Studies program at Brookings, a College Park Professor at the University of Maryland, and a senior scientist at Gallup. In this episode, we discuss her most recent book, The Power of Hope, and she kindly reflects with us on our H.A.P.P.Y. L.I.F.E. meta-model of wellbeing models: Recorded: 2024-11-13

Meet Roger DeWitt and AI Coach Roger Roger's Masters capstone: ADHD, Willpower, and Interest: A Positive Approach Roger's top 5 VIA strengths: Perspective | Humor | Kindness | Love | Social Intelligence  Recorded: 9/4/2024

Guest: David Lay Williams is professor of political science at DePaul University and author of The Greatest of All Plagues: How Economic Inequality Shaped Political Thought from Plato to Marx Prof. Williams' top five VIA Strengths: Perseverance | Love of Learning | Judgment | Curiosity | Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence Prof Williams and I converse about the nature and harm of economic inequality, wellbeing, friendship, and much more.  This episode is dedicated to the memory of T.K. Seung Recorded: August 30, 2024

Guest: Prof. Tim Hodges, Executive Director of the Clifton Strengths Institute and Assistant Professor of Practice in Management at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Prof. Hodges' top Gallup strengths: Maximizer | Relator | Belief | Woo |Positivity Recorded: June 19, 2024

Guest: Professor Isaac Prilleltensky, Director of the Community Leadership Doctoral Program at the University of Miami www.professorisaac.com Pillars of wellbeing and drivers of change: www.funforwellness.com Recorded: 6/7/2024

Guest: Bruce Smith, Associate Professor of Psychology at The University of New Mexico   Move from Surviving to Thriving: The Positive Psychology Workbook for Challenging Times https://shac.unm.edu/resources/counseling-resources/positive-psychology-workbook.html Prof. Smith's top VIA strengths: Authenticity, Leadership, Creativity, Love, Spirituality VIA Inventory of Character Strengths: www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/testcenter Recorded: May 29, 2024

Guest: Cormac Russell, Co-Author of The Connected Community: Discovering the Health, Wealth, and Power of Neighborhoods Recorded: May 23, 2024

Guest: Kimberly Rath, Chairman and Co-Founder of Talent Plus and Co-Author of Near, Now, Next VIA Strengths: Fairness | Honesty | Kindness | Teamwork | Forgiveness Core Values: Integrity | Kindness | Positivity | Love | Belonging Vision: “My goal is to inspire and empower individuals and unlock their potentiality and achieve personal and professional collective joy to create a better world.”  Recorded: May 1, 2024

Guest: Dr. Eri Mountbatten-O'Malley, Senior Lecturer in Education at Bath Spa University.  Eri's strengths: Humor | Creativity | Fairness | Curiosity | Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence Recorded: 4/24/2024 Forthcoming Book - Human Flourishing: A Conceptual Analysis

Guest: Ryan Wieber, Director, Lincoln City Libraries Ryan's strengths: Arranger | Futuristic | Learner | Responsibility | Strategic Recorded: 3/29/2024

Guest: Dr. Gustavo Carlo, Professor in the School of Education at the University of California, Irvine.  Recorded: 1/22/2024 Gus's Strengths: Curiosity | Teamwork | Love | Judgment | Perspective Discover your strengths and use them for kindness: www.viacharacter.org

Guest: Stephen G. Post, Director, Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics Recorded: 07/07/2014 https://stephengpost.com/the-hidden-gifts-of-helping/

Guest: Dr. Gustavo Carlo, Professor in the School of Education at the University of California, Irvine.  Recorded: 1/22/2024 Gus's Strengths: Curiosity | Teamwork | Love | Judgment | Perspective Discover your strengths and use them for kindness: wwwviacharter.org

Guest: Corey Keyes, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Emory University Recorded: 1/12/2024 Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down By Dr. Corey Keyes  Publication date: February 20, 2024 www.languishingbook.com Adam Grant's article from the NY Times discussed in this episode: There's a Name for the Blah You're Feeling: It's Called Languishinghttps://tiny.cc/languishing

Guest: Richard Dienstbier, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Recorded: 1/1/2024