How can we feel good again? It goes without saying that it’s been a tough year, but as things start to open up again, can Americans regain some sense of positivity, or has the traditional idea of American optimism been changed forever?

Dr Cicely Horsham Brathwaite is a therapist and career coach. Many of her clients are African American, and she says the constant discussions around racism add an extra layer of stress and anxiety to an already impossible year. She says getting involved in activism, volunteering and reading positive stories about your community can help.

Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist and author of the new book Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know. He argues this may be time for us to change our attitudes.

A co-production from the BBC World Service and Ozy Media. Show less