The Optimist: Can you choose to be happy?
For the past five years, filmmaker Atdhe Trepca has been going up to strangers and asking them if they’re happy. This is what he’s learned.
January 2, 2026
18 min
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801 of 918
January 2, 2026
The Optimist: Can you choose to be happy?
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Washington Post Episodes Around January 2, 2026
Episode 801 of 918 — walk the feed in the order it was published.
The Optimist: Can you choose to be happy?
Summary
<p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">You can read today’s edition of The 7 newsletter </span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/the-seven/?utm_source=podcasts&amp&utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=the-7;utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=the-7" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">. While The 7 podcast takes a break today, we wanted to share this episode from The Optimist. It’s all about if it’s possible to choose happiness.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Are you happy? How would you answer that question if a stranger with a camera asked?</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Five years ago, filmmaker Atdhe Trepca quit his job and drove across the country with a camera, asking hundreds of people that question.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">His videos reach millions on TikTok and Instagram, and now he’s made a documentary.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Today, Optimist reporter Maggie Penman shares what Trepca has learned – and the research that backs up his observations.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">If you want to hear more stories like this, please let us know. You can reach the whole team at </span><span style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">podcasts@washpost.com</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;"> or email Maggie at </span><span style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">maggie.penman@washpost.com</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Today’s episode was reported and produced by Maggie Penman, with help from Ted Muldoon, Emma Talkoff, Reena Flores, and Sean Carter, who also mixed the show. It was edited by Allison Klein. </span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">The Optimist has a newsletter! </span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/newsletters/the-optimist/?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=the-7" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" target="_blank">Subscribe here</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">And, subscribe to The Washington Post </span><a href="https://subscribe.washingtonpost.com/acquisition/?s_l=OFFSITE_PODCAST&p=s_v&s_dt=yearly&utm%5B%E2%80%A6%5De-podcast&utm_medium=acq-nat&utm_campaign=podcast-subs" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); background-color: transparent;">.</span></p>