🧠 A lot can happen in a year...

In December, life stops testing you and starts spoiling you.

DON’T FORGET: Life’s too short to be low maintenance. If you give fire, don’t settle for sparks. » If that speaks to you, “The Opposite of Settling” is still 50% off on Amazon. Grab a copy before they end the sale. Thank you! Means a lot!

- Case Kenny

1. A LOT can happen in a year

But don’t just take my optimistic word for it…

Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert famously showed that humans are astonishingly bad at predicting how much they will change in the future. We look back at our past selves and laugh at how different we were, yet we believe who we are today is basically who we’ll be forever. He called this the End of History Illusion - the belief that we’ve reached the end of our personal evolution. It feels comforting, but it’s wrong.

Gilbert ran a series of studies where he asked thousands of people two simple questions: How much have you changed in the past ten years? and How much do you think you’ll change in the next ten?  People of every age - from teenagers to retirees - agreed they had changed massively in the past. But when it came to the future, they all said the same thing: “I probably won’t change much from here.” It didn’t matter if they were 18 or 58. Everyone believed they were basically finished. Done developing. Done evolving. Done becoming.

But when he asked those same people ten years later about themselves, they had all changed drastically. Their priorities had shifted. Their values had deepened. Their relationships, careers, habits, fears - all transformed in ways they never predicted.

You are not done becoming. You have a blank page ahead of you. A chance to become someone your current self can’t fully imagine yet - and doesn’t have to. A lot can happen in a year. The only question left is: who do you want to surprise yourself by becoming?

2. A mindset

10/10 recommend being your weirdest self to make life interesting and your kindest self to make it matter.

3. You’re NOT running out of time

Let’s say you’re 30. Statistically you have more than 3,600 sunrises left in this decade alone. That’s 3,600 mornings to wake up and fall in love with life again.

There are still over 2,000 strangers you haven’t met yet who might change your life - friends, partners, mentors, soulmates, and those who bring out your unfiltered side.

You have around 25,000 more showers left in your life. That’s 25,000 chances to wash off what doesn’t belong to you and start again.

You have over 600 more full moons left to witness. That’s 600 chances to reconnect with wonder, even if the world tried to dull it in you.

You have over 11,000 meals left to enjoy this decade. That’s thousands of chances to sit down, slow down, and be present.

Your heart will beat over 1.3 billion more times before you’re 80. That’s over a billion reminders that you’re still here. Still capable of joy, ambition, beauty, love.

And time? Time’s still on your side. You have over 87,000 hours left in this decade alone - that’s 87,000 chances to show up differently.

Some of your life’s best days haven’t even happened yet. You have not seen it all. You have not felt it all. There are more people (and dogs) for you to meet, places to see, and firsts to experience.

Some things I’m excited about…

Two new podcast episodes

756 - Why do you miss them? I talk about the one specific reason you miss someone. Embrace this so you can let go.

757 - A LOT can happen in a year. Some of your life’s best moments are still ahead of you. Let me prove to you why this is true.

A case for optimism…

Research shows the following:

Optimists ask for the big thing - raises, promotions, introductions, opportunities. And because they ask, they get more.

Optimists talk to more strangers. They initiate 40% more interactions - which leads to job leads, invitations, and unexpected opportunities.

Optimists are more likable within 30 seconds. Hope shows up as open body language, playfulness, and eye contact. That builds trust. Trust creates opportunity.

Optimists make the first move. They shoot their shot, send the DM, and pitch new ideas. They act before they feel fully ready.

Makes for a pretty compelling case to be more optimistic, doesn’t it? 🙂 

Let’s do something together next year

I try to take my own advice and ask for what brings me joy, so… I’ve set a goal to do at least 50 in-person keynotes next year and I’d love to team up with your company, community, or organization to do it.

If you’re interested in having me do a keynote for your organization or community, check out this page and reach out. THANK YOU!

My name is Case. I’m passionate about the language of optimism.

For speaking/keynote inquiries click here

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