To learn more about his efforts, you can go to his website.

The Ian Somerhalder Foundation website

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I remember last year having the same discussion with another friend and fellow host. She had a harder time with negative feedback. We had some really interesting discussions about it and I encouraged her to really think about it in a different way. The world is very different now, with the (quick) technological and social media advances and what I wanted her to understand was that the very people who are sitting behind their computers, in some arbitrary locale, in who knows what part of the world, have it the easiest. How do they make the choice to intentionally post crude, insulting and otherwise berating comments about other people, who are trying to be honest and creative? That would take an entirely separate blog post to decipher. I did tell her that they are considered “safe” in their anonymity and I highly doubt that they would have the courage or ability to do what it is she does. I am not saying that it’s easy to dash these comments aside and keep it moving. I actually don’t have the answers. Everyone reacts differently. I can’t even imagine how it must feel to be a public figure or celebrity with the amount of denigrating comments they constantly receive! I understand it when I hear some of them say they don’t even read what’s out there about them! Some years ago Tyra Banks did an entire show on the topic, back when she had her talk show. She actually spoke to some of the “cyber bullies” and tried to delve into their psyche to discover the why. You may be able to find the episode online, but I do remember one part of the conclusion was that these people are everyday people who don’t feel good about themselves, and so they project that insecurity onto others.

I bring all of this up to say that, while I don’t have the answers, I was inspired by my friend, and co-host, for being part of the solution! She shared with us, in that post-show discussion, that she once was reading negative comments under a video she had watched, and proceeded to spend a significant amount of time counter-commenting. She went through each negative comment and in her responses, defended the owner of the video in question. Wow! What an optimistic reaction! I was so happy to hear that she had done that, and had to share it with you, my readers. I challenge you to do what she did and stand up for someone else, even if you don’t know them. Actually, this doesn’t have to be restricted to video or article comments. This is something that can be exercised in everyday life and everyday scenarios.

I would love to hear about your experiences so feel free to comment below! (smile)

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Actress Keira Knightley, featured on the March 2013 cover of Marie Claire magazine inspires women not to be hard on themselves. Keira is a Celebrity Optimist.

Ayser Salman is a writer who makes a living as a producer/editor specializing in feature film marketing and promotion.  Clients during her 10-plus years include Miramax, The Weinstein Company and mOcean.  Recently she’s also added hosting to her resume with the launch of her new podcast on heyayser.com. Prior to coming to Hollywood, Ayser was a news producer in Kentucky where she learned to end each sobering newscast with an uplifting clip of a cuddly rodent water skiing. As a writer, she’s had a TV sitcom pilot optioned by Fox and recently was selected for the Humanitas New Voices Writer’s Initiative. She speaks conversational Arabic and enough German to make people ask her to stop butchering their language.

Hi everyone, I’m Ayser Salman.  I had the pleasure of interviewing Kendra for my new Podcast, called “THIS Podcast,” the show that focuses on cool people and the causes and projects they are involved in for the greater good.

When I met Kendra about a year ago and she told me about Celebrity Optimist, I thought it was really fantastic.  It’s the perfect antidote to a culture, which often focuses on the glass not only being half empty — but drained dry.

My idea to start “THIS Podcast” came about because I was constantly meeting great people, like Kendra, who were involved with projects they enjoyed, but which served also to give back and help others.  I loved that and I was pretty sure others would too.

And the response thus far has been incredible.  Though we’re a relatively nascent show, people are really taking an interest.  I credit my fantastic guests and their projects.  I hope as the podcast grows in listeners, we can really put the spotlight on these wonderful people and get the word out.

So, that’s a bit about me.  Thanks for reading and I hope you’ll give a listen.  You can find “THIS Podcast” on http://heyayser.com/.

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United Nations’ World Humanitarian Day website

Visit the United Nations website to find out more information. It’s an inspiring day which, like many other days of observation, acts as a catalyst for change and the coming together of people, globally, not only on the day being observed, but every day of the year.

How will you get involved?

“I was here…”

(Source: BeyoncéVEVO official YouTube channel)

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One of the names we hear about so often is that of Olympic Gold medalist, gymnast Gabrielle “Gabby” Douglas. She has won the hearts of her fellow Americans, as well as spectators worldwide. We’ve seen her dynamic personality, matchless work ethic and endless perseverance. Where does she get her strength, passion, and tenacity? Procter & Gamble, sponsor to mothers of Olympians, created this video, which gives us an idea.

(Source: Procter & Gamble YouTube Channel)

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The extended version is coming soon, including interviews with the Director, families, and volunteers for Habitat for Humanity LA.

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